Chapter 12Types of

Organizational Arrangements

ProfessorTonya Seavers Evans

Organizational ArrangementsYou must decide on a type of organizational

arrangement or combination of arrangements for your speech. Choose

one that your audience will easily understand and is best designed for your

speeches purpose.

Types of Organizational Arrangements Topical Chronological Spatial Cause (cause & effect) Problem-Solution Narrative Circular Monroe’s Motivated Sequence Comparative Advantage

Topical When each of the main points is a subtopic

or category of the speech topic. Ascending or descending order of

importance Lead with your strongest evidence or

leave your most compelling evidence to the end

Arrange by the audience’s most immediate needs or interest

Chronological Also called the temporal pattern Follows the natural sequential order of the

main points Used for topics that describe a sequence

of events Used for topics that describe a series of

sequential steps

Spatial Pattern Speeches purpose is to describe or explain

the physical arrangement of a place, a scene, or an object

Main points are arranged in order of their physical proximity or direction relative to one another

Example: Tour of a particular place

Causal (Cause-Effect) Pattern Described as providing a cause and effect

relationship Goal is to communicate something known

to be a “cause” to its “effects” There could be multiple causes for a single

effect (reasons for college drop out rates) There could be a single cause with

multiple effects (reasons students drop out of college)

Problem-Solution Pattern Organizes main points both to

demonstrate the nature and significance of a problem

Provides justification for a proposed solution

This arrangement usually always requires more than two points to adequately explain the problem and provide viable solutions

Narrative Pattern The speech begins with a story or a series

of short stories Includes plot, setting, character, vivid

imagery This arrangement usually includes other

organizational arrangements (Ex. Teen pregnancy)

Story telling must be backed up by clear thesis, a preview, well-organized main points and effective transitions

Circular Pattern Develops one idea, which leads to another,

which leads to a third, etc. Useful to help your listener understand

your line of reasoning, particularly in a persuasive speech

Step one, results in step two, which results in step three and which leads back to your thesis

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence A five step process that begins with arousing the listeners’

attention and ends with calling for action. Very effective when you want the audience to do something

Step 1 Attention: Grab their attention by addressing core concerns (ex. Organ donations)

Step 2 Need: Clearly establish the need and describes the issues that need to be addressed

Step 3 Satisfaction: Offers the audience members a proposal to reinforce or change their attitudes, beliefs or values

Step 4 Visualization: Provide the audience with a vision of anticipated outcomes associated with the solution

Step 5 Action: Making a direct request of the audience. Call them to action.

Comparative Advantage Demonstrate how your viewpoint or

proposal is superior to one or more alternative viewpoints or proposals

In general your audience recognizes the problem and understand that something needs to done

Favorably compare your solution to others Assumes the audience is open to other

solutions

Bibliography O’ Hair, Dan, Stewart, Rob, Rubenstein,

Hannah, A Speaker’s Guidebook, Bedford St. Martin (2009) Hair, Dan, Stewart,