Sort your research and select the points you want to make. Choose two or three points for a shorter speech and no more than five points for a longer speech. Relate your points to the main topic and to each other. For example, although dehydration, snake bites and the importance of quality boots are all good points to make in a speech about hiking, they are difficult to connect to each other; instead, team dehydration with injury prevention, snake bites with first aid and boots with other hiking gear.
Choose the logical order for presenting your points. Order a speech on the history of jazz chronologically and a speech about the elements of jazz by importance, for example. Present a problem-solving speech by discussing the problem first and then your proposed solution.
Compose your introduction. Draw the audience in with a personal story or leading question that relates to your main point. Begin the speech about first aid while hiking with a couple of sentences about an injury you experienced on the trail, for instance. Open a persuasive speech with relevant statistics. Reveal your main points in the order that they will be presented in the rest of your speech.
Draft your conclusion, summarizing your main points. Leave the audience with something to think about such as a tip or an appeal to take action. Use definitive language to end the speech. Anticipate taking questions if possible. Thank the audience.