# How to Write an Informative Speech: Outline and Examples

An informative speech teaches your audience one topic clearly. Narrow the topic until you can cover it in three main points, open with something that makes people curious, preview the points, signpost each one as you go, summarise at the end, and speak from keyword notes rather than a script so it sounds explained, not read.

By the Speaking Coach team at Sodhera Intelligence. Updated 2026-10-22. Source: https://www.orecci.com/speaking-coach/speeches/informative-speech/

## Informative vs persuasive

An informative speech teaches. A persuasive speech asks the audience to believe or do something. If you catch yourself saying "you should", you've drifted into persuasion. In an informative speech, your job is for the audience to leave understanding something they didn't before. For the other kind, see our [persuasive speech guide](/speaking-coach/speeches/persuasive-speech/).

## Step 1: narrow the topic

Most weak informative speeches try to cover too much. "Space" is a library shelf. "How astronauts sleep on the space station" is a five-minute speech.

| Too broad | Narrow enough for 5 minutes |
| --- | --- |
| Coffee | How coffee gets from a farm to your cup |
| Dogs | How guide dogs are trained |
| The internet | What happens when you type a website address |
| Volcanoes | Why some volcanoes explode and others ooze |
| Sleep | What happens in your brain during one night of sleep |
| Money | How a debit card payment goes through |

A good test: can you explain the topic in three main points? If you need seven, narrow again.

Types of informative speech you might be assigned:

- **Process:** how something works or is made (how bread rises).
- **Object or place:** a thing, explained (the history of your town's bridge).
- **Event:** what happened and why it matters.
- **Concept:** an idea explained simply (what inflation means for a student's budget).

## Step 2: the outline

| Section | What it does | Time (5 minutes) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Attention-getter | A question, surprising fact or short story | 20–30 seconds |
| Thesis and preview | What you'll explain, and the three points | 15–20 seconds |
| Main point 1 | Explained with an example | 60–75 seconds |
| Main point 2 | Explained with an example | 60–75 seconds |
| Main point 3 | Explained with an example | 60–75 seconds |
| Summary | The three points again, in one sentence each | 20 seconds |
| Closing | Bring it back to the attention-getter | 15 seconds |

At about 130 words per minute, a five-minute speech is roughly 650 words. Check yours with the [speech length calculator](/speaking-coach/tools/speech-length-calculator/).

## Example outline: "How guide dogs learn their job"

A made-up outline showing the structure. Check your facts against real sources for your own speech; your teacher will likely ask for them.

1. **Attention-getter.** "Imagine crossing a busy road with your eyes closed, trusting a dog to tell you when to stop."
2. **Thesis and preview.** "Guide dogs aren't born knowing how to do this. Today I'll explain how they're chosen, how they're trained, and how they're matched with a person."
3. **Main point 1: choosing the dog.** What qualities trainers look for, with one example.
4. **Main point 2: the training.** What the dog learns, in order, with one example of a skill.
5. **Main point 3: the match.** How a dog and person are paired, with one example of what makes a good match.
6. **Summary.** "So: chosen for temperament, trained step by step, and matched with care."
7. **Closing.** "Next time you see a guide dog stop at a kerb, you'll know how much work went into that one second."

## Step 3: signposting

Signposts are the phrases that tell listeners where they are. Readers can see headings; listeners can't. Without signposts, even a clear speech sounds like one long paragraph. Read more in our [signposting definition](/speaking-coach/glossary/signposting/).

| Where | Example signpost |
| --- | --- |
| Preview | "I'll cover three things: how they're chosen, trained and matched." |
| Starting a point | "First, let's look at how the dogs are chosen." |
| Moving on | "So that's the choosing. Now, the training." |
| Giving an example | "Here's what that looks like in practice." |
| Last point | "Finally, the part I found most surprising: the match." |
| Summary | "To recap…" |

It can feel repetitive when you write it. It doesn't sound repetitive to an audience; it sounds clear.

## Step 4: making it sound explained, not read

The biggest delivery problem in informative speeches is reading. Some fixes:

1. **Use keyword notes.** Turn each section into three or four words on a card. "Point 2: training. Kerbs. Obstacles. Traffic." You'll explain in your own words, which is what sounds natural.
2. **Explain it to a friend first.** Before you rehearse the speech, tell someone your topic without notes for two minutes. The words you use with them are better than the words you wrote.
3. **Use one example per point.** Examples make you talk like a person rather than a textbook.
4. **Look up at every signpost.** That's when the audience needs you most.
5. **Slow down for new words.** If you introduce a term, say it, pause, then define it.

Our guide on [explaining things simply](/speaking-coach/guides/how-to-explain-things-simply/) has more techniques for turning facts into clear explanations. To check whether you're rushing, record a run-through with the [free speech review](/speaking-coach/tools/free-speech-review/), which shows your words per minute and filler words. In the Speaking Coach app, you can also practise with an AI audience that asks questions afterwards, like a class Q&A.

## Mistakes to avoid

- **Too many facts.** Three points explained well beat ten listed quickly.
- **Slides full of text.** If you add slides, use one image or a few words per slide, and talk to the room, not the screen.
- **No examples.** Abstract explanations lose people. Every point needs something concrete.
- **Slipping into opinion.** Keep "should" out unless the assignment asks for it.
- **No summary.** Listeners forget; a ten-second recap helps them keep the three points.

## Questions people ask

### How long is an informative speech?

Most school assignments are 3 to 7 minutes. Follow your teacher's limit and aim to finish slightly under it.

### What are good informative speech topics?

Topics you're curious about and can narrow to three points: how something works, how something is made, or what happened in an event. Pick one your classmates probably don't know much about.

### How many sources do I need?

Check your assignment. For a short class speech, two or three reliable sources are typical, and you may be asked to mention them aloud.

### Can I use notes for an informative speech?

Yes. Keyword cards are better than a full script, because they make you explain rather than read.

### How do I end an informative speech?

Summarise your three points in one sentence each, then return to your opening question or story so the speech feels complete.

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