Download The P-R-E-P Menmonic

The P-R-E-P Menmonic
By Zed Ngoh
Greek philosopher Aristotle once said, “In making a speech one must study three
points: first, the means of producing persuasion; second, the language; third, the proper
arrangement of the various parts of the speech” (Aristotle, 1954). As students of a public
speaking class, it is important to understand and apply proper arrangements when writing a
speech. This will help you compile your thoughts and idea, and also help you express them to
your audience in a manner that is easily understood. Similar to a speech having an
introduction, body and conclusion, your main points must also contain some form of
arrangement. Today, I will use the P-R-E-P mnemonic in helping you write your main points
in a manner that is clear, concise, and easy for your audience to follow.
Firstly, P stands for point. Here, you state the point you are trying to make. By stating
your point in the very beginning, you are putting your audience in a frame of mind where
they can understand the context for the next sentences you are going to tell them. For
example, in an informative speech on baking, your point could be ‘Measure all your
ingredients beforehand’. By stating your point first, your audience would easily follow your
logic when you discuss putting ingredients into different bowls. Telling your audience the
main point helps them see what’s coming next.
Secondly, R stands for reason. Here, you provide the reasoning behind your idea. This
reasoning is the persuasive aspect of your speech, where you can apply ethos, logos and
pathos appeals. Anybody can state a point, but making your audience accept your idea is
where strong reasoning would help. For example, in a persuasive speech on drink driving,
statistics showing the number of deaths caused by drink driving can convince your audience
that drink driving is an important problem which needs to be addressed. Supporting your
point with well thought out reasoning can help sway the audience.
Thirdly, E stands for example. Here, you provide examples to help your audience
relate to the point you are trying to make. Now that your audience has heard your point and
your reasoning, where do they see themselves in your idea? Examples can help your audience
visualize acting out your idea, or see themselves in the context of the point you are trying to
make. For example, in a ‘how to’ speech on dealing with nervousness, stating the example of
signing up for a public speaking class as taking the first step in dealing with nervousness can
help your audience see themselves in the picture. Examples help augment your reasoning.
Lastly, P stands for point. Here, you summarize your idea to let your audience know
what you have been trying to say with your preceding reasoning and examples. By stating
your point again, you help your audience review the material you have just discussed, and
also cue them that you are about to move on to your next point. For example, the last
sentence of the three paragraphs above is very similar to the first sentence of each
corresponding paragraph, but reading the last sentence alone may not provide the full picture.
Stating your point again at the end helps your audience in tying up your idea in an organized
package that can be easily understood and remembered.
In conclusion, you can use the P-R-E-P mnemonic to help you arrange your main
points by stating your point first, supporting your point with reasoning, augmenting your idea
with examples, and summarizing with your point. Following this arrangement style can make
your speeches (and other written papers) crisp and easy to understand. For as Benjamin
Franklin once said, “By failing to PREPare, you are PREParing to fail” (Booher, 2003, p. 83).
References
Aristotle. (1954). Rhetoric. New York: Kessinger Publishing.
Booher, D. (2003). Speak with Confidence. New York: McGraw Hill.