The

Persuasive
Speech

Chapter 16
Persuasion
 “Communication process, involving both
verbal and nonverbal messages, that
attempts to reinforce or change listeners’
attitudes, beliefs, values, or behaviors”

 Persuasive strategies ask for a greater deal

of commitment.

 Ultimate goal: action or change

Writing a Speech Goal
as a Proposition
 “Declarative sentence that clearly
indicates [your] position on the topic”

 Audience’s initial attitudes toward topic:

- Opposed
- No opinion (uninformed, impartial,
apathetic)
- In favor
Developing Arguments
 Find reasons to use as main points

 Questions to consider:
1. Is the reason directly related to proving
the proposition?
2. Do you have strong evidence to support
a reason?
3. Will this reason be persuasive for this
audience?
Developing Arguments (Logos)
 Logos: logical reasoning a speaker uses to develop an
argument

 Both facts and opinions (expert) can serve as evidence.

 Questions to consider:
1. Does the evidence come from a well-respected
source?
2. Is the evidence recent? If not, is it still valid?
3. Does the evidence really support the reason?
4. Will this evidence be persuasive for this audience?
Types of Arguments
 Arguing by example: reasons you offer
are examples of proposition

 Arguing by analogy: support reason

with a single comparable example that is
so significantly similar to the subject that
it offers strong proof
Types of Arguments
 Arguing from causation: cite evidence
that one (or more) events always/almost
always leads to, creates, or prevents a
predictable event

 Arguing by sign: events have occurred

that are outward signals of the truth of
your proposition/reason
Avoiding Fallacies of Reasoning
 Hasty generalization: occurs when
speaker does not have sufficient data and
therefore argues or reasons from a specific
example

 False cause: speaker asserts something that

does not relate to/ produce outcome
claimed in argument

 Ad hominem: someone attacks/praises a

person rather than their argument
Avoiding Fallacies of Reasoning
 Either-or: supports a claim by suggesting
there are only 2 alternatives when, in fact,
others exist

 Straw person: speaker weakens the

opposing position by misrepresenting
it in some way and then attacks the
weaker (straw person) position
Emotional Appeals (Pathos)
 Five (5) most common negative emotions:
fear, guilt, shame, anger, and sadness

 Five (5) most common positive emotions:

happiness/joy, pride, relief, hope, and
compassion
Cueing the Audience through
Credibility (Ethos)
 Demonstrate goodwill: audience’s perception
that speaker understands, empathizes with, and is
responsive to them

 How to increase credibility:

1. Establish goodwill
2. Explain your qualifications
3. Establish common ground
4. Use and cite evidence
5. Be vocally expressive
6. Dress appropriately
7. Convey confidence
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Maslow%27s_Hierarchy_of_Needs.svg
Organizational Patterns
 Statement of Reasons

 Comparative Advantages

 Criteria Satisfaction

 Pattern-Solution

 Monroe’s Motivated Sequence

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence
1. Attention Step
2. Need Step
3. Visualization Step
4. Satisfaction Step
5. Action Step

 This will be the organizational pattern

used for your persuasive presentation.