Academics · Study Skills

Fit the speech
to the minutes you have.

A speech is heard once, at the speaker’s pace, so it needs fewer points and clearer signposts than an essay. Set the time limit, write the central idea in one sentence, then give each main point its support and a transition. The builder shows how many words fit and how many seconds each point gets.

Outline a speechWhat you get
$5one-time · every device you sign in on
Buy · $5

Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the Study skills kit, $29 for 21 items.

Your speeches

The worked example is made up: a four-minute informative speech on honey, nearly ready, and a one-minute pitch to student council with four points crammed in. Saved on this device only.

Loading the speech form. If nothing appears, turn on JavaScript.

What you get

Academics · Study Skills$5

What you finish with
A record per speech: topic, purpose, audience, time limit, opening, central idea, main points with support and transitions, close and six delivery steps. Works out the main points, about how many words fit the time and the seconds per main point; flags too many or too few points, missing transitions and support, and the words that fit.
Who it is for
Middle school, high school and college students preparing class speeches, presentations, debates and student council pitches.
Format
Browser outline with a saved record per speech. Prints one outline, every speech in a table or a blank sheet; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
$5 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the tool opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the Study skills kit ($29) and the Academics Suite pass ($149), and 1 more bundle. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Study Skills space in Caveat Academics.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Set the topic, purpose, audience and time limit.
  2. Write the central idea in one sentence.
  3. Add two to four main points, each with support and a transition.
  4. Write a close that sums up and ends on a line people remember.
  5. Make key-word notes and time a full run aloud.

Outline a speech

Time and words

How much a speech holdsTime limitAbout this many wordsMain points1 minute1301 or 23 minutes3902 or 35 minutes650310 minutes1,3003 or 420 minutes2,6004 or 5How much a speech holds1 minuteAbout this many words: 130Main points: 1 or 23 minutesAbout this many words: 390Main points: 2 or 35 minutesAbout this many words: 650Main points: 310 minutesAbout this many words: 1,300Main points: 3 or 420 minutesAbout this many words: 2,600Main points: 4 or 5
Conversational speaking runs about 120 to 160 words a minute; nervous speakers speed up, so plan at the slow end and time it aloud.

Signposts

Readers can glance back; listeners cannot. Say how many points are coming, mark each one (“The second thing bees do…”) and sum up before the close. It feels repetitive to write and sounds clear to hear.

The seconds per point

The builder gives the body three quarters of the time and splits it evenly across the main points; the opening and close share the rest. A point that needs a story may need two shares, so cut elsewhere.

Sources

  1. Lucas, S. E. (2020). The Art of Public Speaking (13th ed.). McGraw Hill.
  2. National Communication Association. Public speaking competencies (natcom.org).
  3. Winston, M. L. (1987). The Biology of the Honey Bee, on nectar processing and honey ripening. Harvard University Press.
  4. National Governors Association and CCSSO (2010). Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Speaking and Listening standards 4 to 6.

The worked examples are made up; the honey facts are general biology. One tool covers both catalog titles, the builder and the generator; nothing is generated by AI. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.