A SPEAKER’S GUIDEBOOK
4TH EDITION
CHAPTER 24
The Persuasive Speech
Persuasive Speaking Objectives
To influence the audience
 To advocate on behalf of an issue
 To persuade others to accept your views
 To change behaviors
 To encourage people to get involved

Question
Which of the following is NOT a purpose of a
persuasive speech?
A. To limit alternatives
B. To respect audience choices
C. To explain candidate platforms
D. To seek audience response
E. To influence audience behaviors
The Process of Persuasion
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Persuasion is a complex psychological process of
reasoning and emotion.
Skill is required to convince people to change.
Discovering your listeners’ perspective on your topic in
advance provides clues on how to approach the
organization of your speech.
The act of being persuaded does not happen with one
message transmission; persuasion is a layering process.
Persuasion & Rhetoric
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Aristotle defined the process of persuasion as we know
it today.
Modern social scientists have built upon Aristotle’s
theory of rhetorical proof centered on three types of
persuasive appeals.
Successful persuasion requires a balance between
emotion and reason.
Audiences must believe the speaker is credible and
trustworthy.
Types of Persuasive Appeals
LOGOS
PATHOS
ETHOS
Proof by Logos – Logical Appeal
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Is based on the power of reasoning.
Relies on facts, figures, and diagrams.
Statistics must come from valid sources and be
computed correctly.
Creates a pattern of logical
argument to which all other types
of proof must substantiate.
Reasoning
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Draws inferences or conclusions from the evidence
presented by the speaker
Binds the components of claims and evidence
together
Follows a syllogistic line of deductive reasoning
with a major premise, a minor premise, and a
conclusion.
Or is an enthymeme as a probability in which one
of the premises is implied.
Syllogism
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Is a test to determine if the argument is valid.
Follows a set of rules for affirmation of the
antecedent or negation of the consequent.
Example:
First Premise: All men are mortal.
Second Premise: Socrates is a man.
Conclusion: Therefore Socrates is a
mortal.
TRY IT! Model this syllogistic argument by
drawing a Venn diagram as in mathematics.
Question
Does this argument pass Aristotle’s syllogistic test?
First premise: Anything I possess is mine.
Second premise: I possess your pen.
Conclusion: Therefore, your pen is mine.
A. Yes, it is valid.
B. No, it is not valid.
C. I don’t know.
Enthymeme
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Restating a syllogism as an enthymeme takes away
the condition that it must be true or valid.
The argument is reasonable if it is probable.
Example:
General Case to Conclusion:
Regular exercise enhances
your
ability to study
productively, so
swimming
regularly should
enhance
your studying.
Hasty Generalization

An attempt to support a claim by asserting that an
isolated case is true for all cases.
 Example:
One basketball player is tall, so all tall people
are good basketball players.
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Erroneous conclusions are reached if the argument
begins with an unfounded first premise.
A SPEAKER’S GUIDEBOOK
4th EDITION
CHAPTER 24
PERSUASIVE APPEALS
Question
Which type of classical persuasive appeal relies on
making a reasonable argument?
A. Logos
B. Pathos
C. Ethos
D. Mythos
E. Legos
Proof by Pathos – Emotional Appeal
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Relies on personal examples
or narratives
Evokes an emotional response
in the listener
Relates to LOGOS during use
as the one case that
exemplifies the sample
population
Moves audience to action
Can be overused and create
a negative reaction
Emotions Used in Pathos
Anger vs. Meekness
 Love vs. Hatred
 Fear vs. Boldness
 Shame vs.
Shamelessness
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Evoke these emotions by
using vivid descriptions
(through words or
pictures) and emotionally
charged words.
Unethical Emotional Appeals
Demagogues use irrelevant emotional appeals
without reason to sway the audience.
Leaders often manipulate followers with fear tactics
or propaganda which distorts opposing viewpoints.
When emotional appeals are based on sound
reasoning, the speaker is more likely to be acting
ethically.
Proof by Ethos – Credible Appeal
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Supplements LOGOS by providing expert testimony
Is based on competence, likeability, integrity, or
power
Involves quoting valid sources/experts which the
audience believes in the credibility of the
source/expert
The moral character of the speaker impacts appeal
Persuading Listeners to Change Behavior
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Determines listeners’ attitudes towards the behavior
you want them to change
Identifies listeners’ beliefs about the consequences
of their behavior
Investigates what listeners believe their loved ones
think about the behavior in question
Demonstrates positive outcomes of changing
behaviors
Contemporary Persuasive Appeals
Appealing to Human Needs
 Appealing to Reasons for Behaviors
 Appealing to Relevance
 Appealing to Speaker Credibility
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Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Expectancy-Outcome Values Theory
Your audience will evaluate the
potential costs and benefits associated
with taking the action you request.
 Identify the expected outcomes and use
them to appeal to your audience.
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Elaboration Likelihood Model
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Explores how the listener processes a persuasive
message based on degree of involvement.
Central processing involves critical thinking about
the message and how it affects the listener.
When the listener lacks motivation, peripheral
processing occurs.
Listeners who engage in peripheral processing are
more likely to be persuaded by emotional appeals.
Components of Speaker Credibility
Speaker Expertise
 Speaking Similarity
 Speaker
Attractiveness
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Question
Which theory explains how listeners are concerned
with what their family and friends think about their
behaviors?
A. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
B. Elaboration Likelihood Model
C. Expectancy-Outcomes Values Theory
D. Speaker Similarity
E. Enthymeme
Chapter 24 Key Terms for Review
persuasion
persuasive speaking
rhetorical proofs
logos
reasoning
syllogism
general case
major premise
specific case
minor premise
deductive reasoning
inductive reasoning
hasty overgeneralization
enthymeme
pathos
demagogue
fear appeal
propaganda
ethos
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
expectancy-outcome values theory
elaboration likelihood model of
persuasion (ELM)
central processing
peripheral processing
speaker credibility