13. Main points

• Main points: 

  • Major points developed in the body of a speech (Mostly 2 to 5 main points)
  • Central features of your speech
• 1. Chronological order:

  • The main points follow a time pattern.
  • Narrate a series of events in the sequence in which they happened.
  • Often used in Informative speeches
• 2. Spatial order:

  • Organization in which the main points follow a directional pattern.
  • The main points proceed from top to bottom, left to right, front to back, inside to outside, east to west, or some other route.
  • Often used in informative speeches
• 3. Causal order: 

  • The main points show a cause-effect relationship.
  • Have two main points- one dealing with the causes of an event, the other dealing with its effects.
  • Informative & persuasive speeches
• 4. Problem-Solution order:

  • The first main point deals with the existence of a problem and the second main point presents a solution to the problem.
  • Persuasive speeches
• 5. Topical order:

  • Main points divide the topic into logical and consistent sub topics.
  • Any kind of speech
• Tips for preparing for main points

  1. Keep main points separate, each should be identified
  2. Try to use the same pattern of wording for the main points
  3. Balance the amount of time devoted to main points,
• Use supporting materials to explain your main points (examples, statistics and testimony)