Name______Date: ______

Speech Topic______

Speech Outline

  • You should have supporting materials (facts, statistics, quotations, etc.) for each paragraph in your body (three or more supporting materials per paragraph will make a stronger, longer speech); write your supporting materials below the topic sentence
  • Use parenthetical citations after each piece of supporting information
  • Write your introduction and conclusion (you may find this easier to do after you have found all your evidence and written your topic sentences for each body paragraph)
  1. Introduction (Attention getter, statement of purpose, statement of relevance, preview of body)
  1. A. Body paragraph 1: Topic sentence for first main point ______

B. Body paragraph 2: Topic sentence for second main point ______

C. Body paragraph 3: Topic sentence for third main point ______

  1. Conclusion (Review of main points, restatement of purpose, call audience to action (if applicable), and round off in memorable way)

Example: Death penalty

  1. Introduction (Attention getter, statement of purpose, statement of relevance, preview of body)

John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, and Aileen Wuornos are some of the many who have been killed by the death penalty. They all deserved to be because of their serial killings, but what gives us the right to do so? Today, I’m going to tell you the issues involved with the death penalty and why it needs to be abolished. I have researched both sides of this issue, and the need to abolish it is the stronger argument. First I’m going to tell you the expenses of the death penalty, second I’ll tell you the risks that come along with it, and last I’ll tell its ineffectiveness and the question of human rights.

  1. Body paragraph A: Topic sentence for first main point

Let me begin with the issues of the death penalty. The death penalty is expensive.

  • 1982-1997, counties spent 1.6 billion dollars on capital crime trials, according to Kathryn Baker in her article, “The Budgetary Repercussions of the Death Penalty” (Baker).
  • According to Richard C. Dieter, executive director of Death Penalty Information Center, almost all death penalty cases cannot afford their own lawyer (Dieter).
  • Costs included in the death penalty include legal costs, pre-trial costs, jury selection, trial, incarceration, and appeal costs (Dieter).
  • Examples of those who could afford good lawyers and got off: Casey Anthony, OJ Simpson

Body paragraph B: Topic sentence for second main point

My next issues is the death penalty’s ineffectiveness as a deterrent to murder.

  • Statistics-Current Issues article titled, “Capital Punishment”:1990-1999, states with death penalty have higher murder rates than states without it (“Capital Punishment”).
  • Troy Davis, put to death; 7/9 witnesses that originally said he killed officer recanted testimony—still put to death (Moye).
  • No matter what happens to killer, family of victim has to live with loss of family member forever

Body paragraph C: Topic sentence for third main point

Which brings me to my next point, which is the question of our rights. Does the government actually have the right to take someone’s life?

  • 8th Amendment right: protection against cruel and unusual punishment for criminals (“Eighth Amendment”).
  • Racial bias in sentencing is unconstitutional (“Race and the Death Penalty”).
  1. Conclusion (Review of main points, restatement of purpose, call audience to action, round off in memorable way)

In conclusion, first I told you the costliness of the death penalty, second I told you the risk that comes with it, and last I told you the ineffectiveness and the question of our rights. So, now it is time to vote! Vote to abolish the death penalty! Thirty-six states still have the death penalty, including Texas. States without the death penalty have lower murder rates, so you decide which makes more sense.