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the skill set of developing main points and then being able to talk through each one is hugely useful in job interviews, informational interviews, client meetings, anytime you need to craft a message in a semi-formal setting

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inventing main points

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decide on your position, one side or the other

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ask yourself why your thesis is true

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try to come up with ten claims why your position is true

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you will eventually use less, but let yourself brain storm

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don't start writing or thinking in depth, i.e. don't get stuck on one point

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mumble to yourself to try to get out ten points quickly

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your main points not topic points, but whole-sentence claims

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bad

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5th grade

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high school

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good

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public speaking skills take a long time to nurture

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public speaking skills are important in every grade

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topics that help you think of ideas, e.g. "online education will never replace universities"

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divide up the topic into parts

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(1) online education is good at broadcasting information, whereas (2) traditional universities are good at cultivating learning environments

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short term / long term

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(1) online education will initially challenge traditional universities, but (2) they will eventually split into different entities

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past / future

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(1) extension education found its relationship with traditional universities, (2) online education will find a relationship with traditional universities

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increase / decrease

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(1) initially there will be an increase in online courses, but (2) we probably won't see a significant decrease in campus enrollments

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cause / effect

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(1) online education emerged because of adult learning, and (2) adult learning will impact traditional universities minimally