Decide how your outline is to be organized. You can organize it in a chronological or spatial manner. In most cases it is best to order it with a general idea then use specific examples as supporting material.
Use a thesis statement as the header for your outline. The thesis statement tells the reader (or speaker) what the outline and speech are about. It must be short but to the point.
Choose a topic or sentence outline for your speech. The headings of a topic outline are all single words or short phrases. The headings of a sentence outline are always full sentences with proper punctuation. You should never mix the two styles of outlines for your speech.
Subdivide your outline according to topics. Use roman numerals for your first heading. Your subheadings should be capital letters. The remaining subheadings should be numbers and lowercase letters. The heading and subheadings must have two parts minimum.
Type your thesis statement at the top of the page followed by the outline. Don't include an introduction or conclusion in your outline. Make sure you keep the outline consistent, using either full sentences or phrases but not both.