Page 371 - Between One and Many The Art and Science of Public Speaking

In Their Own Words

Sample Speech Outline

GO SUN SMART
by Shelly Lee Spratt
Shelly Lee Spratt
General purpose: To inform
Specifi c purpose: To inform the audience how to protect
themselves from deadly skin cancer.

Introduction
I. Open with impact: How many of you can remember
a sunburn so bad you could barely put your clothes
on? How many of you have simply been burned while
spending the day at the beach, tubing on the river, wa-
ter skiing at the lake, or even skiing or riding your board
on a fresh powder day at your favorite mountain?
A. Did you know that there are over 1 million new
cases of skin cancer each year in the United
States, including over 51,000 cases of melanoma
(Kalb, 2001)?
B. Did you know that many of these cases can be
directly linked to the cumulative effects of the sun?
C. Did you know that there is no such thing as a safe
tan, despite what the indoor tanning industry would
like you to believe (Young and Walker, 1998)?
II. Connect with audience: Every one of you who
raised your hand needs to know that those sunburns
you got put you at increased risk for skin cancer.
Further, even if you’ve never burned or you are dark
skinned, the information I’ll share in a moment is im-
portant to you as well.
III. Thesis: Skin cancer is not only the fastest growing
form of cancer in the United States, it also is one of the
easiest forms of cancer to prevent (American Cancer
Society, 1996).
IV. Preview: As a result, I’d like to look at three important
things we all need to know to reduce our risk for skin
cancer. First, there are three basic forms of skin cancer.
Second, skin cancer is all too often a by-product of too
much fun in the sun. And third, you can reduce your
risk for developing skin cancer by following some easy
steps.

Body
I. There are three types of skin cancer: basal cell, squa-
mous, and melanoma (Kalb, 2001).
A. Basal cell is the most common and easily treated
and is rarely life threatening.
B. Squamous cell cancer is the next most common,
and it too is easily treated and seldom fatal unless
completely unattended.
C. Melanoma, which is the form of skin cancer Mau-
reen Reagan died from, is increasing at an alarming
rate in the United States. It is deadly if not treated
338 early in its growth.