Page 321 - Essentials of Human Communication

300 Chapter 14 The Persuasive Speech

Skill Development experienCe

preparing a persuasive Speech

Consult the online dictionary of topics at Mycommunicationlab for suggestions for persuasive speech topics.
Discussing rough outlines Select a topic and then create a rough outline in which you follow these guidelines:
of speeches in small 1. Identify a specific purpose and thesis.
groups is an excellent 2. Analyze your classroom audience and note adaptations you’d make.
way to see your speech 3. Generate at least two main points with persuasive supporting materials.
from the perspective of 4. Construct a conclusion and an introduction.
your audience.

Organization Speeches on questions of fact fit clearly into a topical organizational pat-
tern, in which each reason for your thesis is given approximately equal weight. Notice, for ex-
ample, that the outline for this “discrimination” example uses a topical order: All three facts
(women earn less, women are hired less often, women occupy fewer managerial positions)
pointing to discrimination are treated as equal main points (I, II, and III).

Persuasive sPeeches On QuestiOns Of value
Questions of value concern what people consider good or bad, moral or immoral, just or unjust. The
May 18, 2012, issue of Bing News dealt with questions of value such as these: What is the value of
Greece remaining in the European Union? What value do the UN monitors in Syria serve? What’s
the economic value of Hewlett-Packard’s planned layoffs? What’s the relative value of Windows
Phone and the iPhone? What’s the value of an at-home HIV test? How valuable is breastfeeding?
Speeches on questions of value will usually seek to strengthen audiences’ existing atti-
tudes, beliefs, or values. This is true of much religious and political speaking: People who lis-
ten to religious speeches, for example, usually are already believers and are willing to listen;
these speeches strive to strengthen the beliefs and values the people already hold. Speeches
that seek to change audience values are much more difficult to construct, because most peo-
ple resist change. When you try to get people to change their values or beliefs, you’re fighting
an uphill (though not necessarily impossible) battle.
Communication Be sure that you define clearly the specific value on which you’re focusing. For ex-
Choice point ample, let’s say that you’re developing a speech to persuade high school students to at-
Persuasive appeals tend college. You want to stress that college is of value, but what type of value do you
You want to give a speech focus on? The financial value (e.g., that college graduates earn more money than high
urging your listeners (students and instruc- school graduates)? The social value (e.g., that college is a lot of fun and a great place to
tors at your college) to vote in favor of es- make friends)? The intellectual value (e.g., that college will broaden your view of the
tablishing a hate speech code at the college. world and make you a more critical and creative thinker)? Once you clarify the type of
What are some persuasive appeals you value on which you’ll focus, you’ll find it easier to develop the relevant points. You’ll
might use to get students to vote for a hate also find it easier to locate appropriate supporting materials.
speech code?
thesis and Main Points Theses devoted to questions of value might look
something like this:
● The death penalty is unjustifiable.
● Bullfighting is inhumane.
● Discrimination on the basis of affectional orientation is wrong.
● Human cloning is morally justified.
● College athletics minimize the importance of academics.