Week 6 — Readings & Resources · Outlining

Course: Public Speaking — Fundamentals of Oral Communication (COMM 1) · Silver Oak University (fictional sample) · Prof. Marchetti
Objective covered: Objective 4 — Construct a well-organized speech using standard outlining conventions (coordination, subordination, division, parallelism) and connective devices.

How to use this page

Everything here is a link to an external resource — open it in your browser. Nothing needs to be downloaded, and there's nothing to buy.

This week's load: 1 short video + 2 reading sections, grouped by concept, plus one optional deep-dive. Watch or read one item per group and you're ready for the quiz. Total time is roughly 35–45 minutes if you do everything, less if you pick one per group.

Order that matches the lecture: ① the two outline types (preparation vs. speaking) → ② the four rules (coordination, subordination, division, parallelism) → ③ connectives (transitions, signposts, previews, summaries).

Verified live: both LibreTexts links below were confirmed accessible on 2026-06-29. Links occasionally move; if one fails, use the Stand up, Speak out table of contents at the main text URL.

① The Two Types of Outlines (Preparation vs. Speaking)

Maps to Lecture Segments 2 and 4. The preparation outline (full sentences, for planning) vs. the speaking outline (keywords, for the lectern) — and why you never take the first one to the front of the room.

Reading — "12.2: Types of Outlines" (Stand up, Speak out, Ch. 12)
🔗 https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Communication/Public_Speaking/Stand_up_Speak_out_-_The_Practice_and_Ethics_of_Public_Speaking/12%3A_Outlining/12.02%3A_Types_of_Outlines
Why it's assigned: walks through the working outline → full-sentence outline → speaking outline progression with annotated examples. Pay special attention to the note-card section — the rationale for why you strip down to keywords mirrors exactly what we covered about preparation vs. speaking outlines in class.
⏱ ~15 min

② The Outlining Rules: Coordination, Subordination, Division, Parallelism

Maps to Lecture Segment 3. The four rules that make an outline logically correct: equal-weight items at the same level (coordination), sub-points that support the point above (subordination), at-least-two-parts whenever you divide (division), and grammatically matching forms at each level (parallelism).

Reading — "12.3: Using Outlining for Success" (Stand up, Speak out, Ch. 12)
🔗 https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Communication/Public_Speaking/Stand_up_Speak_out_-_The_Practice_and_Ethics_of_Public_Speaking/12%3A_Outlining/12.03%3A_Using_Outlining_for_Success
Why it's assigned: describes the five principles of outlining (including subordination, coordination, and parallelism) with examples. Read it alongside your class notes on the four rules — the overlapping vocabulary will lock in the concepts.
⏱ ~10 min

③ Connectives in Action (Transitions, Signposts, Internal Previews & Summaries)

Maps to Lecture Segment 5. The four road signs that guide an audience through a speech: transitions (bridges between main points), signposts (quick numbered markers), internal previews (mini-maps of what's coming inside a section), and internal summaries (quick recaps before moving on).

Video — "How to Use Transitions in a Speech" (see below)
🔗 https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Communication/Public_Speaking/Stand_up_Speak_out_-_The_Practice_and_Ethics_of_Public_Speaking/10%3A_Creating_the_Body_of_a_Speech
Why it's assigned: Chapter 10 of Stand up, Speak out covers transitions and connective language in the context of building the body of a speech — the same material we apply this week to outlining. Focus on the sections about transitions and signposts; skim the organizational-pattern sections (those were Week 5).
⏱ ~12 min

Note on a video resource: verified speaking-center video resources for connectives specifically were not accessible via automated fetch at build time. The LibreTexts reading above covers the material fully. If you'd like a short video companion, search "speech transitions signposts internal preview" on YouTube — university communication department channels (look for .edu sources) often have short, clear explanations. Check with Prof. Marchetti for a current recommendation.

Optional deep-dive

• "12.1: Why Outline?" (Stand up, Speak out, Ch. 12)
  🔗 https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Communication/Public_Speaking/Stand_up_Speak_out_-_The_Practice_and_Ethics_of_Public_Speaking/12%3A_Outlining/12.01%3A_Why_Outline
  A short, direct case for why outlining matters — good if you've ever thought "can't I just wing it?" It also covers the organizational patterns in the context of outlining, which connects back to Week 5.
  ⏱ ~8 min

Pick-one quick path (≈25 min total)

In a hurry? Do exactly these two and you'll be ready for the quiz:
1. Read "12.2: Types of Outlines" (group ①) — preparation vs. speaking outline, note-card strategy.
2. Skim "12.3: Using Outlining for Success" (group ②) — the four rules.

Heads-up (links rot): these point to outside sites that occasionally move or rename pages. If a link ever fails, tell Prof. Marchetti and use the Stand up, Speak out table of contents or search for the chapter title in the meantime.