When first talking about the basic speech structure, we mentioned how important clear organization is.  Organization has benefits for both the person giving the speech and for the person listening to the speech.   Research shows that listeners understand a message more quickly when it is organized; the relationships between ideas are clearer, meaning a person is more likely to remember the information.  A speaker benefits from good organization in that he/she has a guide to help decide what to say in relation to the specific purpose.  There is also an additional benefit for the speaker; research shows that listeners rate organized speakers as being more competent and credible than disorganized speakers. 

There are a variety of ways in which a speaker may choose to organize his/her speech.  In some cases, the topic of the speech may require a particular kind of organizational pattern; in other cases, the way a person chooses to organize the speech may shape what is included in the speech.   The most commonly used organizational patterns are discussed below.

Organizational Patterns

• Chronological/Time order - This pattern follows a sequence of events, usually from the first things that happened to later events.  A variation would be to go from the present back or to project into the future.  Example:  Three major events shaped the U.S. Civil War - the early Southern victories, the battle of Gettysburg, and Sherman's march through Georgia.
• Spatial order - This pattern uses physical relationships to organize ideas, for example, from top to bottom or right to left.  Example:  Beginning at the Munger Memorial Chapel, we will travel in a clockwise circle around the University's campus and will discuss the interesting background of each building on the mall.
• Comparison/Contrast - This pattern falls into two basic divisions; first is a discussion of the similarities of two or more items, and next is a discussion of the differences between those items.  Commonly, the pattern can be based on two only points (Example:  First we will examine the similarities between the Dodge Durango and the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and then we will examine the differences between the two.).  However, it can also take the form of an advantages/disadvantages pattern (Example:  First, we will look at the strengths and weaknesses of the Dodge Durango, then we will examine the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and finally, we will compare those two vehicles to the Toyota FourRunner.).
• Sequential/Process - When using this pattern, a speaker follows the sequence of steps in a process.  Example:  When printing black and white photographs, one must follow three basic steps:  enlarging the image, printing the image on photographic paper, and putting the paper through the development chemicals. 
• Cause-Effect (or Effect-Cause) - This pattern, like the Comparison-Contrast pattern, generally falls into two major divisions.  A speaker can first discuss a particular "cause" (or causes) for an event, and then discuss the outcome (or "effect") of those causes.  Or a speaker may choose to discuss the outcome or "effect" first and then to move back in time to discuss the possible causes.  Example:  After presenting a picture of the typical classroom environment of today, I will discuss some potential effects of that environment on students and their future in education.
• Problem-Solution - Again, this pattern tends to fall into two main divisions, the discussion of the problem and the discussion of the solution.  Within those two major divisions, a speaker may choose to have subdivisions, depending on the complexity of the problem or the solution.  This is a common pattern in persuasive speaking.  Example:  Underage drinking is a growing problem in American society, but the right kind of alcohol education program and use of a peer model program could help reduce the problem.
• Topical - Sometimes, no other organizational pattern seems appropriate for a topic.  At that point, a speaker may choose to use topical organization, which I like to think of as "laundry" organization (you know, the clothes of a certain type all go together, whites, jeans, colors).  For topical organization, the speaker brings together ideas that seem to fit  into the same general point.  Example:  In today's speech, I want to help you become aware of the symptoms of stress, the elements that bring about stress, and some ways you can reduce stress in your life.