Rhetoric Checklist
Once you have the basis of your speech (logos), how can you bring more (pathos) to the
speech using the seven flowers of rhetoric.
1. Metaphor
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Do you have a compelling metaphor within the speech?
Do you use the contrast of light and darkness to associate with your key
themes?
2. Rhetorical Questions
- Do you have rhetorical questions that engage the audience to the key
themes?
- Have you utilised the right pronouns to build empathy with the audience
‘we’ not ‘I’
3. Triad
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Have you used the magical number three within your speech?
Do you have a maximum of three themes or arguments in your speech?
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Have you used contrasts within your speech to emphasise your key
themes?
Do you set up the key messages through using contrasts?
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Where can you add poetic quality to the speech?
How can you add anaphora, isocolon and alliteration to the speech?
4. Contrasts
5. Rhythm
6. Appeal to authority
- Have you built powerful associations from figures and historical
perspectives?
- Are there relevant quotes you can utilise to ass gravitas to your speech?
7. Exaggeration
- Have you applied the power of exaggeration to the speech?
- Where can you extend the argument to add colour to make the speech
more memorable?
Consider where you can combine these techniques to make the speech flow and the
argument more persuasive.
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