Instructions: Using the space provided below, follow these steps to develop a preliminary outline. You have already answered the first
two questions, but restate those answers here for reference, refining and revising both your purpose and thesis
statements.
1. Write out the purpose of your speech.
2. Write out your thesis statement.
3. Write out the natural divisions of your thesis statement.
4. Generate ideas for main points by brainstorming. Try to develop enough ideas to generate at least three main points.
You may have to research your topic before doing this part.
5. Group similar or related ideas together and eliminate any ideas that are not relevant. You may do this either through
visual mapping or listing topics under your main divisions.
6. Arrange groups according to main points and subpoints. (Determining subpoints is not necessary at this time, but it is
helpful.) Remember: an ideal outline has three-to-five main points.
7. Create a formal preliminary outline of your speech as follows:
Purpose:
Thesis Statement
Outline using Roman numerals for main points and letters A, B, C, etc., for subpoints.

Which of the following excerpt from part one of trifles suggest that mrs. hale believes mrs. wright may have had a motive for killing her husband?

The pop quiz surprised natasha more than read the sentence and choose the correct pronoun.

Read the quotation from "an occurrence at owl creek bridge." and now he became conscious of a new disturbance. striking through the thought of his dear ones was a sound which he could neither ignore nor understand, a sharp, distinct, metallic percussion like the stroke of a blacksmith’s hammer upon the anvil; it had the same ringing quality. he wondered what it was, and whether immeasurably distant or near by—it seemed both. its recurrence was regular, but as slow as the tolling of a death knell. he awaited each stroke with impatience and—he knew not why—apprehension. the intervals of silence grew progressively longer, the delays became maddening. with their greater infrequency the sounds increased in strength and sharpness. they hurt his ear like the thrust of a knife; he feared he would shriek. what he heard was the ticking of his watch. which best describes the effect of the narration in the excerpt? it suggests that the man being executed feels tranquil and at peace. it suggests that the narrator is sympathetic to the man being executed. it suggests that the plot will become less tense as the story continues. it suggests that the story will become more intense and mysterious.