INFORMAL SPEECH OUTLINES USING
VOICE XPRESS WITH MICROSOFT WORD
© Speaking
Solutions, July 2000
This lessons may be printed and used by
Speaking Solutions customers and
Speaking Solutions trained instructors.
Speaking Steps
1. Before you begin dictating the practice outline, say each of these terms and see if they appear correctly. If not, train them!
- Nanotechnology
- Nano-bombs
- E. coli bacteria
- Salmonella
- Anthrax
2. A typical speech outline created in Microsoft Word can look like Picture 1 below depending upon the MS Word options you select when creating your outline. Review this sample Microsoft Word speech outline before you dictate it. Notice that this speech outline contains:
- Complete sentences.
- Punctuation at the end of the sentences.
- The indenting the subtopics in the outline.
Picture 1: A Typical Microsoft Word Speech Outline
3. Open Voice Xpress and then open Microsoft Word with the following command:
Open Microsoft Word
4. Switch to the outline view in Microsoft Word with the following voice command:
View Menu
Outline
5. Begin your outline by saying:
Nanotechnology Uppercase This Paragraph New Line
Tab Key
Nanotechnology
is being researched in the healthcare, military, and computer industries.
New Line
6. Notice how the New Line command creates a new item in your outline. The Tab Key command will indent a subordinate item so that it falls underneath its main heading. Continue speaking the outline using the following commands:
Tab Key
IBM
research scientists are creating nano-bombs.
New Line
Tab Key
Minature
nano-bombs are machines the size of molecules.
New Line
Tiny
nano-bombs are creating the next industrial revolution.
New Line
7. As you begin the next line of the speech outline, you must use the Shift Tab Key command in order to bring the next item up one level of subordination. Use the following commands to accomplish this task:
Shift
Tab Key
Military
researchers are using nano-bombs to help kill deadly biological agents such as
anthrax.
New Line
Tab Key
Small nano-bombs achieved
100% success rates when killing anthrax.
New Line
Mini
nano-bombs are seen as essential tools in defeating biological weapons of mass
destruction.
New Line
Shift Tab Key
Medical researchers are
creating nano-bombs that kill diseases.
New Line
Tab Key
Miniscule nano-bombs are being
created to attack E. coli bacteria, salmonella, or even cancer cells.
Extension Idea 1: Now that you understand the basics of creating a speech outline using Microsoft Word, create an outline of your own for writing you intend to do in the future. Make sure you train each misspoken or new vocabulary word as your create your outline. This will help ensure that your accuracy will improve when you dictate your document later.
Extension Idea 2: Use the outline you just created on Nanotechnology to write a short report on nano-bombs. Use the complete sentences you just dictated to help you dictate logical paragraphs and sentences.
This lessons may be printed and used by
Speaking Solutions customers and
Speaking Solutions trained instructors.