1. Kevin Carter
Oral Comm 2381
Informative Speech Outline
Introduction
I. Attention-Grabbing introduction: According to the National Institute on
Drug Abuse, a recent government survey shows that over 98 million Americans over the
age of 12 have tried marijuana at least once in their lifetime.
II. Preview of 3 Main Points: Today I am going to give you information about
marijuana legalization. There are three main points to touch on. First, what is marijuana
and how does it affect humans. Second, when and why did marijuana become illegal?
Third and finally, I will speak about the trend of states legalizing marijuana for medical
purposes.
Thesis/Specific Purpose Statement: Using these three points, I am going to
attempt to inform you about marijuana and the movement to legalize it.
Body
I. Point One: What is marijuana and how does it affect humans?
A. Sub-point A: According to WebMD, marijuana, or cannabis sativa, is a
naturally occurring plant that contains several psychoactive ingredients, including
delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
B. Sub-point B: When THC reaches the brain, it induces relaxation and a
feeling of euphoria. It also typically heightens the senses and relieves pain.
Transition Now that we know what marijuana is, let’s look at when and why it became
illegal in the United States.
II. Point Two: When did marijuana become illegal in the United States?
A. Sub-point A: According to an article published in Fortune magazine,
marijuana has been utilized by human civilizations for thousands of years.
It has been a part of western medicine since the early 19th century.
B. Sub-point B: Starting in the early 1900’s, states began outlawing
cannabis because it had become associated with violence and psychosis.
C. Sub-point C: In 1937, through the Marihuana Tax Act, the federal
government effectively outlawed marijuana, in spite of objections by the
American Medical Association.
Transition: So, we have looked at what marijuana is, as well as when it became illegal
in the United States. Let’s finally look at the current trend of states legalizing marijuana
for medicinal purposes.

2. III. Point Three: More and more states are enacting legislation that legalizes
medical marijuana.
A. Sub-point A: According to the USA Today, when New Jersey passed
medical marijuana legislation in 2010, it became the 14th state to legalize
marijuana in some form.
B. Sub-point B: In addition to this, there are another 14 states that are
currently considering legislation that will either legalize medical marijuana
or decriminalize possession of personal amounts.
Conclusion
A. Summary Statement / 3 main points & thesis: In review, first we
looked at what marijuana is as well as its effects on the human brain, second we saw
when and how marijuana was prohibited in the U.S. and third, we looked at the growing
number of states that have legalized or decriminalized marijuana.
B. Statement tying introduction to conclusion: With a large portion of
Americans having tried marijuana, and more and more states considering legislation, it
seems that the time has come for a serious debate about the legality of marijuana.

3. Sample Outline
Goal: To convince listeners that the often-criticized Campus Food Service is really quite
good.
Introduction
I. How many times have we, as students, complained about Campus Food Service and
decided to order in or go out after having previewed that day’s menu?
II. By showing how the Food Service on campus keeps costs to a minimum, keeps
offering a good variety, and keeps maintaining high quality standards, I am going to
prove that Campus Food Service is the best meal program for students.
Thesis/Specific Purpose Statement: Campus Food Service is vastly underrated.
Body
I. Cost is not a valid complaint.
A. According Myer Tempel, an outside review company, no one is getting rich
off Food Service, since proceeds are divided among utilities, labor, wages, and the
cost of food.
B. An informal survey shows that Campus Food is comparable in price to local
restaurants.
Transition: Now that we’ve talked about the cost of the food, let’s move to quality of
the food itself.
II. Taste is not a valid complaint.
A. According to Matt Davis, the Campus Foods coordinator, and supported by
Myer Tempel, all foods served are Grade A, fresh daily, and never reused under
any circumstances.
B. Every Friday night, Campus Foods has an “international dinner night,” taking
us from Latin America to Italy to China.
Transition: In addition to preferring tasty food, students also wish for a variety of
foods to choose from.
III. Lack of variety is not a valid complaint.
A. Every day, Food Service offers three entrees and a vegetarian meal, not to
mention a salad bar option, breads, soups, and a dessert bar.
B. Although Food Service serves a lot of chicken and fish, Myer Tempel says this
is because students have requested healthier sources of protein.

4. Conclusion:
I. Through consistent efforts to charge students a low price, maintain fresh, tasty
standards, and offer a wide variety of food, Campus Food Service is a fair, affordable
way for students at the university to dine.
II. We are just left with one problem: now that we know all the benefits of eating at Food
Service, what are we going to complain about at dinner?