Persuasive Speaking

Persuasive Speaking In this unit you will be able to: 1. Define persuasive speaking 2. Select a persuasive speech topic and develop it into a persuasive speech 3. Use logical reasoning consisting of reasons and evidence to support and develop your speech 4. Establish your credibility while meeting ethical standards for public speaking

Persuasive Speaking • What is persuasion? • When you try to convince someone to think, believe, or act as you want them to. • A persuasive speech is one that • Establishes a fact • Changes a belief • Moves an audience to act on a policy

Persuasive Speaking Persuasion stems from the idea that people can hold different views on a topic and it is open to question as to which view is the better one. In this way persuasive speeches deal with three types of questions that can be answered in more than one way: 1. Question of fact 2. Question of belief 3. Question of policy

Persuasive Speaking Question of fact concerns statements that can be seen as either true or false. you as the speaker offer proof to support a statement of fact, but the audience determines whether you have convincingly proven the statement true. Examples: A community recycling program will (will not) save the community

Persuasive Speaking Question of belief: focuses on what is right or wrong, good or bad, best or worst, moral or immoral. Cannot prove that a belief is true or false. You can supply convincing information to justify a belief. Example: A community recycling program is better that building a new landfill.

Persuasive Speaking Question of policy: focuses on a particular action. You try to convince the audience to act on some policy or to agree that some policy should be changed. Example: Everyone here should call and encourage their councilman to vote in favor of the community recycling program.

Persuasive Speaking Selecting a topic. (2 criteria.) 1. Must be a topic or issue that you care about deeply. 2. Must have some knowledge of topic. Then choose which question you will approach the topic from. Then write your thesis. For example: FACT: Ann Welch is qualified for the job of senior class president. BELIEF: Ann Welch is the best candidate for senior class president POLICY: You should vote for Ann Welch for senior class president

Persuasive Speaking • Persuasive techniques. • applying logical reasoning – to convince the audience by using logical argument • appealing to emotions – to affect how the people in the audience feel so that they will agree with you • establishing your credibility – to make the audience believe in you

Persuasive Speaking • Applying logical reasoning: • means building an argument that is based on reasons supported by evidence. • LOGIC: a way of thinking about something that uses an easily recognizable pattern • A reason is a statement that explains or justifies your thesis. It answers the question “WHY?” • Reasoning is the logical method used to come to a conclusion. There are two (2) types. • Deductive Inductive

Persuasive Speaking Finding and evaluating reasons To find reasons to support your thesis you can use three sources: 1. yourself 2. other people 3. reference material

Persuasive Speaking Supporting reasons with evidence In your speech you should support each reason with at least two pieces of evidence. Two types of evidence: Fact Expert opinion

Persuasive Speaking How to evaluate reasons • Is each reason relevant to your thesis? Each of your reasons should directly support your thesis. Set aside any that don’t answer the question “why?” in relation to your thesis. • Is each reason distinct? Each reason should be separate from each of your other reasons and from your thesis. • Does each reason provide strong support for the thesis? • Will the audience consider the reason important? • Do you have just enough reasons? An effective persuasive usually presents two to three reasons.

Persuasive Speaking Deductive reasoning: start with a mass of evidence and then slowly weed out the information that does not support the thesis. This leads straight to a conclusion. Think of a sieve or a kitchen strainer. It is the same principle. Inductive reasoning: Starts with small piece of information that leads to more information which in turn leads to more information until there is so much that it leads to a conclusion. Think of building a pile to reach the top of another cliff.

Persuasive Speaking • Types of organizational patterns: • Deductive approach – • Statement of reasons method. (classic deductive method) The thesis is stated directly followed by supporting reasons. • Problem Solution Method. First you present and define a problem then offer at least one possible solution. • Comparative advantage method. Similar to the statement of reasons method however, each reason is presented as a benefit or advantage to the audience.

Persuasive Speaking • Inductive approach— • Criteria satisfaction method. This has the purpose of getting the audience to agree to a set of standards by which to judge a proposal or thesis. Then show how the thesis meets those criteria. • Negative method. Show that no other option other than the one you propose is acceptable. • Monroe Motivated Sequence. 1. Draw attention to the problem. 2. Show a need for some action. 3. Outline a plan to solve the problem. 4. Help the audience visualize the benefits of your plan. 5. Call the audience to action.

Help finding a topic http://www.valencia.cc.fl.us/lrcwest/kaysmith.html

Persuasive Speaking