Effective Business Communications

Required Sentence-Level Speaking Outline Structure

For Assessment Two (Part I) you will need to hand in a sentence-level speaking outline (SLSO).

A sketch or blueprint for what you are going to say. You will develop your SLSO as a means of helping decide what you are going to say. You will not be able to present a good presentation without a good SLSO. The level of detail, that is the number of main points, sub points, sub-sub points is dependent upon the complexity of the information that you are presenting.

In addition to assist you in developing your presentation, this outline provides the framework for you to create your ‘speaking` notes. The speaking notes, also sometimes called palm cards, consist of words and sometimes direct quotations, that you use when you are presenting the information. Said another way, the ‘speaking notes` are a physical memory aid to help you recall what you want to say and the order of the information that you are going to present.

Please do not be tempted use your SLSO as your speaking notes. Using your SLSO may tempt you to read the information. Please remember are delivering a presentation so that means that you need to present and not read. If you wish to include your speaking notes in the PowerPoint notes, please do so, but be aware that it is, again, very tempting to read from these notes-you are presenting information and not reading information.

There are several activities and resources that will help you with your SLSO. First, there is an interactive workshop activity. So, please be sure to attend your all workshops so you do not miss this opportunity. In addition, to this document, there is another document on Moodle (Assessment Tile) that contains a completed SLSO. Although this document uses a different body format, it illustrates the expected level of detail. Lastly, if you have questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

General Purpose: [To persuade]
(You do not orally state this statement in the presentation itself. It is written as a part of your sentence- level speaking outline as a way of helping you focus what you are going to say)
Specific Purpose: [To persuade (the audience) about (the topic) and (objective of the presentation)

You do not orally state this statement in the presentation itself. It is written as a part of your sentence- level speaking outline as a way of helping you focus what you are going)
to say)

Thesis Statement: [The main argument or claim that you are making]

(You will state your thesis statement within the introduction of your presentation)

INTRODUCTION
Attention-getting statement
Statement of ethos
Statement of exigence
Thesis
Preview--
Main Point One-Problem one
Main Point Two-Solution one
Main Point Three-Problem two
Main Point Four-Solution two

(TRANSITION FROM THE INTRODUCTION TO THE BODY OF THE PRESENTATION)
THE BODY OF THE PRESENTATION
Describe the first problem.
Provide an example of the problem.
Evidence (from the case and/or one of the articles cited in your annotated bibliography/articles from journals listed on the RJL)
Talk about the number of and/or who are the people affected (the quantative significance
Evidence (from the case and/or one of the articles cited in your annotated bibliography/articles from journals listed on the RJL)
You can talk about how people are affected (the qualitative significance).
Evidence (one of the articles cited in your annotated bibliography/articles from journals listed on the RJL)

You can talk about the effect of the problem on an organisational level.
Evidence (one of the articles cited in your annotated bibliography/articles from journals listed on the RJL)
Explain the probable cause(s) of the problem.
Evidence (one of the articles cited in your annotated bibliography/articles from journals listed on the RJL)

(SIGNPOST: Provide a statement that functions to sign-post that you are going to start talking about the solution to the problem identified above)

Discuss the first solution to the problem in detail.
Describe how the solution/recommendation will be implemented.
Evidence (one of the articles cited in your annotated bibliography/articles from journals listed on the RJL)
Explain what actions must be taken now (and later) to solve the problem. (DO NOT JUST SAY THAT THE ORGANISATTION NEEDS TO RUN TRAINING SESSIONS).
Evidence (from one of the articles cited in your annotated bibliography/articles from journals listed on the RJL)
Discuss the benefits of this solution to the organization (this point has a future orientation).
Evidence (from one of the articles cited in your annotated bibliography/articles from journals listed on the RJL/articles from journals listed on the RJL)
Describe how the success of the solution will be measured or benchmarked.
Evidence (from one of the articles cited in your annotated bibliography/articles from journals listed on the RJL)

(SIGNPOST: Provide a statement that functions to sign-post that you are going to start talking about the second problem.
Describe the second problem.
Provide an example of the problem.
Evidence (from the case and/or one of the articles cited in your annotated bibliography/articles from journals listed on the RJL)
Talk about the number of and/or who are the people affected (the quantative significance
Evidence (from the case and/or one of the articles cited in your annotated bibliography/articles from journals listed on the RJL)
You can talk about how people are affected (the qualitative significance).
Evidence (one of the articles cited in your annotated bibliography/articles from journals listed on the RJL)
You can talk about the effect of the problem on an organisational level.
Evidence (one of the articles cited in your annotated bibliography/articles from journals listed on the RJL)
Explain the probable cause(s) of the problem.

Evidence (one of the articles cited in your annotated bibliography/articles from journals listed on the RJL)

(SIGNPOST: Provide a statement that functions to sign-post that you are going to start talking about the solution to the problem identified above).

Discuss the solution to the second problem in detail.
Describe how the solution/recommendation will be implemented.
Evidence (one of the articles cited in your annotated bibliography/articles from journals listed on the RJL)
Explain what actions must be taken now (and later) to solve the problem. (DO NOT JUST SAY THAT THE ORGANISATTION NEEDS TO RUN TRAINING SESSIONS).
Evidence (from one of the articles cited in your annotated bibliography)
Discuss the benefits of this solution to the organisation (this point has a future orientation).
Evidence (from one of the articles cited in your annotated bibliography/articles from journals listed on the RJL)
Describe how the success of the solution will be measured or benchmarked.
Evidence (from one of the articles cited in your annotated bibliography/articles from journals listed on the RJL)

THE CONCLUSION
Restatement of the thesis
Brief restatement of the main points
Brief restatement of the exigency
Capstone Statement

Analyse the Case

Read the Assessment
Description--
Look for important terms and concepts. • Who is the audienice?
• What is the topic?
• What is the purpose?
• What do you want the audience to know and do?

Search the required journals for information that is relevant to the case. This is your evidence for yourpresentation •Communication
findings principals, concepts and theories relevant to the case

Write the Annotated Bibilography • What is the topic and how does the topic relate to the case?
• How are you going to use the evidence? • To define • To illustrate • To support • To clarify • To explain • Refereces

Write the SLSO • This document is an OUTLINE of what you are going to say. This document helps you organise the flow of information (using the required presentation structure) . • Use this document to help you develop your speaking notes-- the words, phases and
quotes that will help you remember what you want to say.

The Recorded Presentation

The presentation reflects your analysis of the case, your ability to evaluate and use the evidence from journal articles, and your ability to logically organise and orally present a message.