Your teacher gives the assignment: a five-minute informative speech. For many people, those words can cause immediate panic. Your heart starts racing, your palms get sweaty, and you think, “What am I going to talk about? And how will I even remember what to say?”

Public speaking is a very common fear, but here’s a secret that all great speakers know: the key to a confident speech isn’t being a “natural” at it. The secret is having a great outline.

An outline is a roadmap for your speech. It’s a simple, organized plan that tells you exactly where you are going, from your opening sentence to your final word. When you have a solid outline, you don’t have to worry about getting lost or forgetting what to say.

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This guide will teach you the simple art of outlining. We’ll show you the basic structure of a great informative speech and provide easy-to-use templates and examples that will help you build your next speech with confidence.

What Is an Informative Speech? (And What It's Not)

Before you start outlining, it’s important to know your goal.

An informative speech has one simple purpose: to teach your audience about a topic. You are acting as a teacher. You are sharing interesting facts and explaining a subject in a clear, organized way. Your goal is for your audience to walk away knowing more than they did when they sat down.

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It's also important to know what an informative speech is not. It is not a persuasive speech. You are not trying to convince your audience to agree with your opinion or to take a specific action. While a persuasive speech aims to change minds, much like the art of writing a persuasive essay, an informative speech simply presents the facts.

The Three Golden Rules of a Great Outline

1. Keep It Balanced: A good speech has a clear beginning, middle, and end. The body of your speech should be the longest part, with the introduction and conclusion acting as the "bread" on either side of the "meat." A good rule of thumb is:

   • Introduction: About 15% of your speech.

   • Body: About 70% of your speech.

   • Conclusion: About 15% of your speech.

2. Use a Clear Structure: The best outlines use a simple hierarchy to keep ideas organized. The most common format uses Roman numerals for your main points and letters and numbers for your supporting details.

3. Write in Phrases, Not Full Sentences: Your outline is for you, not for your audience to read. Don’t write out your entire speech word-for-word. Use short, keyword phrases that will jog your memory when you’re speaking. This makes your outline easier to read at a glance.

The Universal Informative Speech Outline Template

Almost every great informative speech follows this basic structure. You can use this template for any topic.

Speech Topic: _________________________ General Goal: To inform the audience about... Specific Goal: I want my audience to understand...

I. Introduction

A. Attention-Getter: (Start with something that grabs the audience's attention. This could be a surprising statistic, a thought-provoking question, a short, relatable story, or a powerful quote.) B. Introduce Your Topic: (Clearly state what your speech is about.) C. Establish Credibility: (Briefly mention why you are interested in or knowledgeable about this topic. Example: "I’ve been fascinated by this topic ever since I took a class on...") D. Preview Your Main Points (Thesis): (Give the audience a roadmap. "Today, we will first look at..., then we will explore..., and finally, we will cover...") E. Transition: (A short phrase that moves you to the body. "So, let's start by looking at...")

II. Body

A. Main Point 1: (State your first key idea as a clear, simple sentence.)

1. Supporting detail or example.

2. Supporting detail or example.

3. (Optional) A small story or statistic to illustrate the point. (Transition to your next point: "Now that we understand..., let's move on to...")

B. Main Point 2: (State your second key idea.)

1. Supporting detail or example.

2. Supporting detail or example. (Transition: "Next, we will explore...")

C. Main Point 3: (State your third key idea.)

1. Supporting detail or example.

2. Supporting detail or example.

III. Conclusion

A. Signal the End: (Use a simple phrase to let the audience know you are wrapping up. "In conclusion," or "To sum up what we've talked about today...") B. Summarize Your Main Points: (Briefly remind the audience of the key ideas you covered. "We've looked at A, B, and C.") C. Memorable Closing Statement (Clincher): (End with a powerful and memorable final thought. This could be a call to action, a final quote, or a statement that connects back to your attention-getter.)

Let's See It in Action: Example Outlines

Here are two examples showing how to fill in the template.

Example 1: The Health Benefits of Sleep

I. Introduction

A. Attention-Getter: What if I told you there’s a free "magic pill" you can take every night that can boost your memory, improve your mood, and help you live longer? That magic pill is a good night's sleep. B. Topic: Today, I want to inform you about the amazing health benefits of getting enough sleep. C. Credibility: After struggling with my own sleep schedule last semester, I did a lot of research into this for a health class project. D. Preview: We will explore how sleep benefits our physical health, our mental well-being, and our academic performance. E. Transition: So, let's first look at what a good night's sleep does for our bodies.

II. Body

A. Main Point 1: Getting enough sleep is crucial for your physical health.

1. Helps repair muscles and tissues.

2. Strengthens your immune system to fight off sickness.

3. Lowers your risk for serious health problems like heart disease. (Transition: "But sleep doesn’t just help our bodies; it's also essential for our minds.") B. Main Point 2: Sleep has a powerful effect on our mental and emotional health.

4. Improves mood and reduces feelings of anxiety.

5. Helps process emotions and reduce stress.

6. Lack of sleep is linked to higher rates of depression. (Transition: "For us as students, one of the most important benefits is how sleep affects our work.") C. Main Point 3: Quality sleep directly improves academic performance.

7. Boosts memory consolidation (helps you remember what you studied).

8. Increases focus and attention in class.

9. Improves problem-solving and creative thinking skills.

III. Conclusion

A. Signal: To wrap things up... B. Summary: We've seen how sleep is vital for our physical health, our mental balance, and our success in school. C. Clincher: So tonight, don't think of it as just going to bed. Think of it as charging your superpower. The work you do tomorrow starts with the rest you get tonight.

Choosing a Structure for Your Main Points

The example above used a Topical structure, where the main points are categories. But there are other ways to organize the body of your speech. Knowing how to do this is similar to learning how to structure an assignment for maximum grades.

• Chronological: You organize your points in time order. This is perfect for speeches about a historical event or a how-to process.

  • Example Topic: The History of the Smartphone.

  • Main Points: 1. Early Developments, 2. The First iPhone, 3. Modern Smartphones.

• Spatial: You organize your points by physical space or location. This is great for speeches about a place.

  • Example Topic: A Tour of the International Space Station.

  • Main Points: 1. The Living Quarters, 2. The Laboratory Modules, 3. The Observation Cupola.

Your Blueprint for Success

A great speech is not about being a perfect speaker. It’s about having a clear, organized message. Your outline is the blueprint you need to build that message with confidence.

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Don't just write a speech; build one. Use this guide and template to lay a strong foundation. Start with a hook, build a solid body of evidence, and end with a memorable clincher. When you have a great plan, you’ll be amazed at how much easier it is to stand up and share what you know.