This web page deals with a model for organizing informative speeches. The tradition of organizing a speech into the three areas of introduction, body and conclusion is a long accepted one. We follow this tradition in Fundamentals of Communication but we use a model that is a bit more elaborate, the A-M-O-B-U-L Model.

The Steps in A-M-T-O-B-U-L

ATTENTION: The audience's interest and attention must be maintained throughout the presentation, but at the beginning your principal task is to capture it. Nowhere in the presentation is there greater need for novelty, activity or humor. You may choose for attention material such devices as: an engaging narration; a surprising thought, example, or illustration; a well-phrased quotation; humor; or some physical activity, to name just a few. There are dozens of ways for you to gain the attention of your audience -- so BE CREATIVE!!  

MOTIVATION: Motivation material provides a compelling reason for the audience to make the effort to listen. What you do not want the audience to think is, "So what?" The audience needs to know why they should listen to the speaker. Speakers must give a compelling reason for the audience to listen. This is often done by showing the audience how the speech topic relates to their interests or experience or by showing how the information may be useful to audience members.

The THESIS of the speech is normally stated either just before or just after the overview  (however, it can be stated earlier in the introduction). Be sure you have a clear, strong thesis in the introduction to your speech and include and label the thesis on your outline.

OVERVIEW: The overview can be likened to the Table of Contents in a book. The overview lets the audience know what points will be covered in the body allowing the audience to see where the speaker is taking them. For example, the overview of a speech informing the audience about a new proposal for welfare reform might look like this, "In describing a new way to look at welfare, FIRST I will look at the current system, THEN I will present Senator Moynihan's proposal for reform." 

BODY: The body is the principal part of your message. This is the part of the presentation in which the thesis (central idea) is fully developed. The main points should follow a carefully considered order (called the thought pattern). Transitions in the speech are included to help the audience recognize that the speaker is moving from one point to another. Audiences appreciate forewarning and a transition is the verbal indication of a shift to new material. Through transitions an audience comes to see your organizational pattern so that they can follow where you are going. Internal summaries often precede transitions insuring that the audience understands what you have just shown them. Transitions are forecasts or previews of what is coming; internal summaries show listeners where you've been. Together these parts of the body indicate to the listeners how a speech is organized, how the main points relate to each other, and how you are proving or illustrating the thesis as you go along. They are important! Include them on your outline.  

UNDERVIEW: The underview can be a restatement of your main points, a rephrased version of your thesis, or some other summarizing statement. It is not a regurgitation of the overview. The underview serves as a "bottom line" for the speech. One way to compose the underview is to write, in one or two sentences, the overall meaning of your presentation. Those sentence can often be used as your underview.

LAST THOUGHT: Just as you want good opening material in the speech to gain the audience's attention, you need concise, well phrased material to make a lasting impression and give the speech a sense of ending, completion. The last thought can be a quotation, a narration, a call to action, or personal intention, to name just a few useful devices. There are many ways to compose the last thought but be sure to give the speech a sense of completion making a lasting impression that is consistent with your purpose and thesis. Again, BE CREATIVE!!