Persuasive SpeechesChapter Fourteen

Assignment Requirements

✓ Any topic of your choice – must argue a policy claim (use the words

“should” or “should not”) – argue for a change from the status quo

✓ Time: 5 – 7 minutes (4:30 – 7:30)

✓ Five (5) outside sources required

✓ Submit an outline and speak from note cards

✓ Present a visual aid!

The Persuasive Process

Stage 1: Issue Awareness

Stage 2: Comprehension

Stage 3: Acceptance

Stage 4: Integration

Types of Credibility

• Initial – credibility before the speech begins

• Derived – credibility produced by what is said and done during the speech

• Terminal – credibility at the end of the speech

Types of Persuasive Speeches

Questions/Claims of Fact

• Speaker seeks to persuade their audience about how to interpret

facts; the truth or falsity of an assertion

Questions/Claims of Value

• Refers to the rightness or wrongness of an idea, action, or so forth

• Uses words like good/bad, ugly/beautiful, moral/immoral, just/unjust,

etc.

Questions/Claims of Policy

• Argues whether an action should or should not be taken

• Future-oriented, must include the words “should” or “should not,” or “ought” or “ought not”

• Should advocate for some change from the status quo in your speech!

Sample Policy Claims

• “The U.S. Treasury should stop minting the penny.”

• “You should not walk and text at the same time.”

• “Parents should vaccinate their children.”

• “OSU should reduce the price of parking permits.”

• “Bicyclists who use public roads should be required to carry insurance.”

Persuasive Speaking Organizational Patterns

** Outline templates of each pattern can be found on my Instructor Website! **

Comparative Advantages

• There must be a general consensus that a problem/need/issue exists

• Each main point shows how your proposed solution to the problem is

better than another potential solution

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence

I. Gain audience’s Attention

II. Establish the Need/Problem

III. Explain the Solution/Satisfaction

IV. Ask audience the Visualize the benefits

V. Call the audience to Action!

Problem-Solution

• First main point argues that there is a problem – explain the scope, who is

affected, etc.

• Second main point argues for a specific solution to that problem – explain

practicality, costs, benefits, etc.

Refutation

• Seeks to refute another’s argument, or correct a common misconception

• Each main point refutes one aspect of the argument or misconception