Week 5 Post 2

Generally when people sit down to write speeches, they start with a general idea of their topic. Then, they do as much research as possible over however much time they want. Then, they start writing their speech point by point. What happens when people don't have enough time to do that though? The answer is to fall back on a simple speech structure, one which is applicable to pretty much any topic. The Extemporaneous Speaking structure is useful because it allows flexibility, allowing it to be used for speeches about anything from the fall of the Roman Empire to how Chinese rice farmers are solving modern day pollution problems. This structure works better than other general structures though because it also offers enough rigidity that the speaker is not left floundering. It employs the psychological trick of the "rule of three" which makes it feel cohesive, even if a speaker is just information dumping. Speakers interested in using the extemp structure should practice with it a couple of times before they do the actual speech as being more comfortable with the process. They should also be well read on their topic, even if they don't end up doing research specific to the speech or don't end up using those sources in the speech.
The extemp outline proves that speaking is a skill not a talent because the outline almost always results in a good (or at least passable) speech, regardless of the user. The outline was formulated by communications researchers at the University of Texas at Austin using trial and error meaning that even the best speakers ended up giving bad speeches at some point. When practiced enough, the structure can help make lackluster orators into good speakers, showing that like with skills, when it comes to giving speeches, practice makes perfect!