Public Speaking

by Clarence Stratton

Symbols. Some scheme of marking the entries is a great help. There is no fixed system. Every student may choose from among the many used. If there are many main topics it might be a mistake to use Roman numerals (I, XVIII) as few people can read them quickly enough to follow their sequence. Capital letters may serve better to mark the sequences, but they do not indicate the numerical position. For instance, most of us do not know our alphabets well enough to translate a main topic marked N into the fourteenth point. By combinations of Roman numerals, capitals, usual (Arabic) numerals, small letters, parentheses, enough variety to serve any student purpose can easily be arranged.

The following are samples of systems used.

Specimen 1
Introduction
Argument
I—————————————————————————
A————————————————————————
1———————————————————————
a——————————————————————
b——————————————————————
c——————————————————————
(1)————————————————————
(2)————————————————————
(3)————————————————————
2———————————————————————
B————————————————————————
1———————————————————————
2———————————————————————
II————————————————————————-
Conclusion
Specimen 2
A—————————————————————————
I————————————————————————
a———————————————————————
1——————————————————————
2——————————————————————
b———————————————————————
II———————————————————————-
a———————————————————————
b———————————————————————
c———————————————————————
1——————————————————————
2——————————————————————
3——————————————————————
Specimen 3
1—————————————————————————
1¹———————————————————————
2¹———————————————————————
a¹——————————————————————
b¹——————————————————————
c¹——————————————————————
2—————————————————————————
1²———————————————————————
2²———————————————————————
a²——————————————————————
b²——————————————————————
c²——————————————————————
3—————————————————————————
1³———————————————————————
2³———————————————————————

Tabulations. With unusual kinds of material and for special purposes there may be value in evolving other forms of outlines. A technically trained person accustomed to reading tabulated reports with hosts of figures to interpret might find a statistical statement at times better suited to his needs. Such tabulations are not any easier to prepare than the regular brief. In fact to most people they are infinitely more difficult to get into form and almost beyond speedy comprehension afterwards. The following is a good illustration of a simple one well adapted to the speaker's purpose—a report of the objections to the first published covenant of the League of Nations. He knew the material of his introduction and conclusion so well that he did not represent them in his carefully arranged sheet. The form was submitted as regular work in a public speaking class and was spoken from during more than forty minutes.

CRITICISMS OF PROPOSED COVENANT OF LEAGUE OF NATIONS

1.--Draft indefinite and loosely written.	Lg		Lo		Sp		Tt		Br		Hu
2.--Should have clause-limiting powers to those specifically granted.			Lo
3.--Proportion of votes required for action of Council not generally stated--should be unanimous.	Lg				Sp		Tt				Hu
4.--Should have clause reserving the Monroe Doctrine.	Lg		Lo		Sp		Tt		Br		Hu
5.--Should state that no nation can be required to become a mandatory without its consent.	Lg		Lo						Br		Hu
6.--Should have provision for withdrawals.	Lg		Lo		Sp		Tt				Hu
7.--Jurisdiction of League over internal affairs (immigration, tariffs, coastwise trade) should be expressly excluded.	Lg								Br		Hu
8.--Terms of admission of other nations too strict.									Br
9.--Basis of representation not fair.									Br
10.--Provision should be made for expansion of nations by peaceable means.									Br
11.--Each nation should have right to decide whether it will follow advice of Council as to use of force.									Br
12.--Each nation should have right to determine whether it will boycott delinquent nations.									Br
Note:--items 11 and 12 are apparently directed against Art. XVI containing the Ipso Facto clause and Art. X.
13.--Should not guarantee the integrity and independence of all members of the league.	Lg										Hu

Above criticisms taken from published statements of
Messrs. Lodge
Lowell
Spencer
Taft
Bryan
Hughes
(denoted respectively Lg, Lo, Sp, Tt, Br and Hu).

Authorities in the Brief. Authorities for the statements made in the brief may be put into parentheses, if they are to be included. Such further devices will suggest themselves to students. In addition to such markings as here listed, some men who use many outlines emphasize upon them details which they may have to find quickly by underlining the symbol or first word with colored pencil. Such a device is especially valuable to a technical expert whose system could be uniform through the outlines of all his reports, etc. Or a lecturer with so much time to fill may mark upon the outline 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, to indicate to himself that his material is being covered at a proper rate to correspond with the time. He might put in 15 min. or 30 min. or 45 min. if he was to speak for an hour. The first division is the better, for he might be required to condense a twenty-minute speech to ten.