Patterns
Organizational
Categorical - Parts that make up the whole Sequential - Develop a timeline or series of steps Spatial - Map ideas visually or literally with a visual aid
Categorical
When you use the parts to the whole method you are simply dividing your main idea into several subtopics. A fairly recent example that uses a topical method of arrangement is President Bill Clinton's Radio Address to the Nation on June 7, 1997. In the speech, the President spoke about the problem of hate in our society and organized his discussion around three types of hate that our society needs to address. 1. racism and violence against African Americans 2. homophobia expressed as violence and discrimination toward gay and lesbian people 3. anti-semitism and hate directed toward Jewish people.
Sequential
A chronology is useful for narrating a series of events or steps in a process. A causal argument can also be formed by developing a time line for how a sequence of causes produced an outcome. A good historical example of the chronological method of arrangement is President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Declaration of War Speech. The main ideas of the speech include: 1. Yesterday, Japan provoked war by bombing Pearl Harbor. 2. While attacks were taking place the Japanese were undermining efforts to deal with problems with the U. S. diplomatically. 3. Last night and this morning, Japan provoked war by attacking other military locations in the Pacific. 4. We will win the victory in the future no matter how long it will take. 5. We must declare war now since a state of war has existed since the Japanese attack.
Spatial
To use a spatial pattern of arrangement, the speaker invites the audience to visualize points in space. Sometimes, a speaker will literally draw or present a map to enable the audience to see spatial points. This method works very well for a travelogue or for explaining geographic relationships among points in space. For examples of this, go to the National Geographic Online and follow the tour of one of its "Hot Or, Spots." find an historical example with Sir Winston Churchill's speech about the war in Europe. Churchill's goal was to emphasize the spatial location for the battle for France, then the battle in the skies, and finally the battle for Britain.
Topic: Purpose: Specific Purpose: Thesis: Introduction: Arouse interest Establish credibility Preview message Body: I. Point One A. B. C. II. Point Two A. B. C. III. Point Three A. B. C. Conclusion: Summarize (restate main points) Provide a sense of closure
Topic: Sleep/Snoring Purpose: To Inform Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the three main sleeping disorders, their causes, and their treatments. Thesis: The three main sleeping disorders are insomnia, narcolepsy, and apnea. Introduction: How many of you have ever had a sleepless night? How many of you snore? Sure, everyone has the occasional sleeping problem, but 1/3 of all Americans suffer from some form of sleeping disorder.... Body: I. Insomnia - the most familiar disorder A. Insomnia is an inability to fall asleep for days at a time B. Insomnia has several possible causes 1. Chemical disorder in the brain 2. Drugs such as caffeine 3. Stress C. Insomnia can be treated with: 1. Drugs 2. Reduce/monitor caffeine intake 3. Relaxation techniques II. Narcolepsy - the rarest and least understood disorder A. Narcolepsy is a tendency to fall asleep with no effort at any time. B. Narcolepsy is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain C. Narcolepsy can be treated with drugs that affect brain chemistry III. Apnea - the most dangerous disorder A. Apnea is characterized by the cessation of breathing during sleep - often while snoring. B. Apnea is caused ....... C. Apnea can be treated with ....... Conclusion: So today we have talked about the three main sleeping disorders, their causes, and their treatments. Severe sleeping disorders are rare, however 1/3 of us will fall victim to them at some point. I hope that our discussion today may help some of you decide when it's time to get help.