Instructor FAQ / SpeechPlanner
How do I log in and register for access to SpeechPlanner?
Students and instructors both access
SpeechPlanner at
www.sagepub.com/speechplanner
using their own unique user name and
password. When students log in for the
first time, they will be asked to register
using the access code included inside
the SpeechPlanner access card or
slimpack they purchased.
Please remind your students to hold
onto their access card with the
registration code for the entire time that they will be using SpeechPlanner to ensure that they
have no problems accessing SpeechPlanner throughout the duration of your course.
Instructors will be provided with registration information by their SAGE sales representative.
Students will register by following these steps:
1. Student will go to www.sagepub.com/speechplanner and click on the Register Now link in
the lower right hand corner of the page and then complete the registration process.
2. Student will enter an email address on the first page of the registration process, click the Next
button.
3.
On the next registration page, student enters their name and institution, selects a username
and password, and enters the registration code or access code provided on the inside of the
SpeechPlanner access card.
4. After the student has registered, they can log in with the username and password they created
from any computer* with internet connectivity.
5.
Each individual registration code can only be used by one person and will allow that person
access to SpeechPlanner for a period of 180 days after registration.
* Computer must meet system requirements. See “System Requirements” in this document for more detail.
What are the System Requirements?
CPU: Windows-Intel Pentium II 450MHz or faster (or equivalent), 128MB of RAM; Macintosh-PowerPC G3 500MHz
or faster processor, IntelCore Duo 1.33GHz or faster processor, 128 MB of RAM
Operating System and Browsers: Windows 98, 2000, Me, Xp, Vista: 7, 8 Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5, Firefox
1.x, Mozilla 1.x, Netscape 7.x or later; Mac OS x v.1 O.1.x, 10.2.x, 10.3.x, or 10A.x, 10.5.x-Firefox 1.x, Mozilla 1.x,
Netscape 7.x, Safari 1.x or later
Screen Resolution: 800 x 600 minimum, 1024 x 768 recommended
Speakers or headphones: Required for audio and video playback
1 Can SpeechPlanner be used on mobile devices or tablets?
While SpeechPlanner is not optimized for either mobile devices or tablets, it can be accessed
using a number of mobile devices and tablets. However, to ensure that you are able to use all
of the features in SpeechPlanner, we recommend that you use a computer that meets the
stated System Requirements.
How do I find Help or Technical Support?
1. Click the Help link on the top right corner of the site for more online support documents
and additional resources offering guidance on using SpeechPlanner.
2. For further assistance, please contact Technical Support at [email protected]
2 How do I create a new speech?
1. Click on the Add New Speech button to create a new speech.
2. On the Create New Speech page, the student will enter the new speech title, the date when
the speech is to be presented (by typing in the date or using the pop-up calendar), and then hit
the Create Speech button below the title and date.
3 3. After hitting the Create Speech button, the student will be taken directly to 1. Topic, Type,
and Purpose, the first step in preparing a speech with SpeechPlanner.
4. The student may edit the speech title or delivery date at any point by clicking on Change
Title or Date next to the speech title at the top of the page.
How do I find a speech that I already created?
1. Click on My Speeches at the top of the left menu to return to the main list of speeches.
4 2. In the main My Speeches view, you can click on any speech title to begin working on that
speech. You will automatically be returned to the most recent step you were working on within
that speech.
5 How do I delete a speech?
1. Return to the main My Speeches menu and then click on Delete immediately following the
title and date of your speech.
2. You will be asked to confirm that you want to delete the speech by clicking OK. If you decide
that don’t want to delete this speech, then you can click Cancel to keep the speech intact.
6 What is the step-by-step approach of SpeechPlanner?
1. SpeechPlanner walks you through 11 steps of speech preparation. When you are working
within a speech, you will see the 11 steps listed in the left menu. The step you are working on
will be marked in purple with the icon of an arrow inside a circle beside it. Any other steps that
you have already completed will be listed in green, with a green checkmark icon beside it. You
can click on any completed step to jump between steps. Incomplete steps will appear light grey.
You will not be able to click on incomplete steps in the left menu until the steps are completed.
2. Each step is contained on a single web page, and includes a series of questions above a
textbox or radio buttons. You respond to each question by entering text in the textbox or my
clicking on a radio button.
7 3. Next to each question on every step you will see a Tip and an Example. The Tip offers
advice on best practices in preparing and organizing your speech, while the Example offers a
helpful model for reference.
4. Click on Learn More and a menu will appear with additional learning resources and speech
examples. Each step contains its own set of Learn More resources specific to that stage of
speech preparation.
8 5. After you have entered your answers for each step you must complete the Self Review
Check question that confirm you have followed the instructions correctly. If you are confident
you have provided the correct information, click on the Yes button next to the Self Review
Check. You will then see a Green Check Mark appear next to the question.
6. Once you have completed a step by answering every question and completing all Self Review
Checks, click on the Next button on the bottom right corner of the page to move forward to the
next step. You will not be able to move to the next step until you have completed all questions
and Self Review Checks on the page.
9 How do I save my work in SpeechPlanner?
There are no “Save” buttons to worry about. SpeechPlanner automatically saves your entries
for each step as you complete them. And if you leave SpeechPlanner in the middle of working
on a step, you’ll find that you return right back to your most recent step in preparing a speech.
How do I edit my entries within the SpeechPlanner steps?
You can return to any step of any speech and change your entries as needed. You’ll need to
answer the Self Review Check again after making changes to any entry. Consider creating a
New Speech if you anticipate making lots of speeches, so that you can hold onto both your
original and new versions of the speech, as any changes you make will replace your original
entries.
How do I cite References in SpeechPlanner?
1. Enter your reference citations in Step 11.
2. Use the Add another and Remove buttons to add a new text box for each citation.
3. SpeechPlanner will automatically set the list of References in alphabetical order at the
bottom of your outline.
4. Please note that you will not be able to enter special formatting such as italics directly into
SpeechPlanner. You will need to make such formatting changes in a word processor after
downloading your outline document.
5. If you would like citations to appear directly in your outline, alongside each main point or
subpoint, you should add your citations immediately after your main point entered in Step 5
or your subpoint entered in Step 6.
.
10 How do I view and edit the Outline of my speech?
1. Click on My Outlines in the left menu.
2. You will see that you have the option to view your speech in two outline formats: a fullsentence Main Idea Outline or a Key Word Outline. Find your speech title under the Main
Idea or Key Word heading and click View.
11 3. If you choose to view a Main Idea Outline, you will see an automatically generated
outline like the one in the example below that pulls together all of the information
you’ve entered into SpeechPlanner. In addition to the main speech outline, it will also
include a brief header with the Title, Topic, Purpose, Thesis Statement, and Audience
Analysis, as well as lists of Presentation Aids and References.
12 3. The Key Word Outline feature allows you to create an abbreviated version of the
full-sentence outline with a few key words or phrases to use as prompts when speaking.
Before you can view a Key Word Outline, you need to create one by clicking Edit next to
the name of your speech under the Key Word heading on the My Outlines page.
4. On the next screen, you will find the full text of your speech elements in blue text
above empty text boxes. Summarize each component of your speech in the text box with
a few key words to create a Key Word Outline.
13 5. Once you have completed your edits to the Key Word outline, use the Back button on
your web browser to return to the My Outlines page, and then click on View next to
the name of your speech under the Key Word heading on the My Outlines page.
.
5. After you have edited and selected to view a Key Word Outline, you will see an
abbreviated outline such as the example below.
14 How do I email an Outline to an instructor or classmate?
1. Go to the My Outlines page and click on Email Outline after the version of the outline
that you want to send via email.
2. On the next page, enter your email address, your name, and your recipient’s email
address. Enter a Subject that makes clear that you are sending your outline. Check your
course syllabus for any specific instruction on Subject formatting. You may also include a
brief message to your recipient to appear in the body of your email, along with the attached
outline.
15 How do I download an Outline?
1. Go to the My Outlines page and click on Download after the version of the outline that
you want to download.
2. Your speech outline will then download as a Word-compatible document.
3. You may then continue to edit, revise, and save your outline as a Word document.
16 How do I practice delivering a speech?
1. SpeechPlanner includes a unique Practice Timer that allows you to practice your
speech within an allotted time period. To get started, click on the Practice Speeches
button in the left menu.
2. On the next screen you will see a list of all of your speeches. Depending on which version
of the speech’s outline you want to practice, click on either Practice Keywords (to practice
from the keyword outline) or Practice Full Sentences (to practice from the full sentence or
main idea outline).
17 3. On the next screen, enter the time allotted for your presentation. In the example below,
2:00 minutes has been entered. The Practice Timer will automatically divide the time you’ve
entered by the number of main points in your speech according to the following formula:
Introduction: 10% of time; Conclusion: 10% of time; Main Body: 80% of time, divided evenly
among each of the main points.
4. Click Start to begin the Practice Timer, and a countdown clock will begin. As the time
advances, SpeechPlanner will scroll through the points of your speech, displaying prompts
for which point of your speech you should be delivering according to the suggested time
allotment formula described in Step 3.
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