Assignment
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Informative Presentation Outline

As we have learned, the overall purposes of the informative presentation can be to describe, demonstrate, or explain something to your audience. For this assignment, you will choose a topic that interests you and decide which of the three forms of informative speaking you would like to fulfill in presenting to your audience. You must be able to includes references to credible outside sources, (at least one for each main point of your presentation) so be sure to select a speech topic that has scholarly sources written about it.The natural tendency is for us to want to show how to do something as opposed to telling the audience. For this presentation, however, we will not be using visual aids. Therefore, it is very important that you use effective language in the delivery of your presentation as we learned in Week One. This will help you to learn to be vivid in your delivery of a presentation without the use of presentation aids. A great presentation is well organized and easy for the listener to understand. Your audience has only one opportunity to understand the message conveyed in your presentation.This assignment requires that you create a formal outline. A formal outline is detailed and written in complete sentences instead of using a keyword or sentence fragment for each point.

Creating a formal outline will assist you both in developing your ideas and in following the organizational patterns that you have learned in this week’s readings and discussion forum about delivering presentations. A great presentation is well organized and easy for the listener to understand. Your audience has only one opportunity to understand the message conveyed in your presentation. It is important to have a clearly established audience for your presentation and to consistently adapt the content of your presentation for that audience.

For examples of acceptable and unacceptable ways of developing your formal outline, please review the Sample Outlines document.

Exemplary Outline Sample
Following the format for a “best practices” formal outline like the one below would not only likely earn an A for the assignment, but it would be of the most use to you in helping you practice your presentation for optimal delivery. Note that some parts in the introduction and conclusion are written verbatim and that each main point contains supporting material that is also written in complete sentences. References to cited material from credible outside sources are included and formatted using the APA guidelines. Transitions are provided as well.
Title: The ABCs of CPR
Specific Purpose: To inform my audience of the simple steps needed to properly perform CPR
Audience: General audience
Organizational Pattern: Sequential design
I. Introduction:
A. Attention-getting introduction: Imagine walking down the street and you see someone collapse. You approach them and notice that they are not breathing. This person needs CPR.
B. Thesis statement: Although it may seem complicated or scary, knowing how to perform CPR is as easy as ABC.
C. Establish credibility: I became certified in CPR five years ago and am confident to share this important information with you here today.
D. Preview the Body: Today, I will inform you of how to perform CPR by teaching you the ABCs of CPR – A is for airway, B is for breathing, and C is for circulation.
Transition from Introduction to Main Point #1: To begin performing CPR, the first thing you have to do is check the victim’s airway.
II. Body:
A. Main point #1: A is for Airway.
1. According to the Mayo Clinic website, (2014) you will need to clear the victim’s airway. a. To do so, push down on the victim’s forehead with one hand.
b. With the other hand, gently lift the victim’s chin and tilt their head back.
2. After opening the airway, there are several signs that you should check for.
a. Look to see if the victim’s chest is moving.
b. Listen for the sound of breathing.
c. Feel for their breath on your cheek.

Transition from Main Point #1 to Main Point #2: If there are no signs that the person is breathing on their own, you will need to move onto the next step of CPR.
B. Main Point #2: B is for Breathing.
1. If the person is not breathing, you should use the mouth-to-mouth technique of rescue breathing.
2. Begin by securing the victim’s head in your hands.
a. Using the hand that you have placed on the victim’s forehead, pinch the victim’s nose shut.
b. Continue using the other hand to keep the person’s chin lifted up.
3. Once the head is secure begin breathing into the victim’s mouth.
a. Make sure to form an airtight seal with your mouth on the victim’s mouth.
b. Immediately give two full breaths into the victim’s mouth (American Red Cross, 2014).
Transition from Main Point #2 to Main Point #3: After breathing into the victim’s mouth, you will need to move on to the final step in the CPR process.
C. Main point #3: C is for Circulation.
1. You will need to find the victim’s pulse to see if their heart is still beating.
a. Use the hand that you were using to lift their chin and find the victim’s Adam’s apple.
b. Place the tips of your fingers against their Adam’s apple and feel for a pulse.
2. If you cannot find a pulse, you will need to provide artificial circulation.
a. External chest compression is a form of artificial circulation.
b. Performing artificial circulation will force the heart to pump blood.
3. There are several things you need to do in order to perform external chest compressions properly.
a. Make sure to kneel besides the victim’s chest.
b. Use your middle and index fingers to find where the bottom rims of the victim’s two rib cages meet.
c. Put the heel of one hand on the victim’s breastbone.
d. Place your other hand on top of the first one.
e. With your shoulders facing directly over the victim’s sternum, press down on the victim’s chest while keep your arms straight.
4. According to the American Heart Association (2010), you should apply compressions at a rate of at least 100 compressions per minute.
5. Continue this routine until the person begins breathing on their own or a medical professional arrives to help.
Transition from Main Point #3 to Conclusion: As you can see, performing CPR is as easy as ABC. III. Conclusion: A. Summarize main points: If you remember that A is for airway, B is for breathing, and C is for circulation, you will be successful in performing CPR. B. End with memorable fact or statement: With just three simple steps, you now have the tools to be a real life-saver.
**Do not forget to include a reference page at the end of your outline which includes the list of all the outside sources that you have cited in your outline**