Research

• Before you can begin writing or rehearsing your speech, you must become knowledgeable on the subject. An effective speech relies on fact-based or strong emotional points that are clear to the listeners.
  
  

Thesis Writing

• The key to a speech -- or any written document -- is a well-formed thesis. The thesis sums up the subject concisely in one to two sentences. In most cases, your thesis will be a specific position on the subject, such as why people should adopt pets from animal shelters instead of pet stores or why it is important to learn two or more languages.
  
  

Organization

• Once you have completed your research on the subject and settled on a thesis, organize the information for your presentation. Decide which relevant points you want to include in the speech to support your position. Also, organize your points so that there is a natural and easy-to-follow progression of information. For example, if you are speaking about three health concerns for people with diabetes, you could include the most dangerous concern to grab the audience's interest, then follow up with the remaining issues.
  
  

Outlining

• After you have organized your ideas, outline the information. This outline can be passed out to the audience as an accompaniment to your speech, or you simply can use it to guide you when delivering it. Put a title at the top of the outline. Beneath the title, write a one to two sentence summary of your speech titled "purpose" or "thesis." Use Roman numerals to accompany each section in your speech. Capital letters will be the main points under each heading. Lowercase letters will provide the supporting details.
  
  

Call for Action

• An effective speech often encourages the listener to behave a certain way or support a particular viewpoint. This is known as the "call to action." Throughout the body of your presentation, you should support your thesis with strong details that persuade your audience to agree with you about the subject. In your conclusion, include a clear definition of this call to action so the listeners will understand how to proceed.
  
  

Rehearsal

• After you have written and organized your speech, research it several times to check for effectiveness and length. If you are nervous about public speaking, it is sometimes helpful to recite the speech in front of a mirror or for a trusted friend or relative. Practice eye contact and delivery to instill confidence in your presentation. Throughout the speech, focus on grabbing the interest of the audience with exciting information or anecdotes.