Oral Presentation SAC
Unit 3 Outcome 3 Task 2
What Persuades You?
 Why do you decide to go along with something?
 How do you convince others to go along with you?
 How persuasive are you?
 What engages you when listening to a speaker?
“Speech is power: speech
is to persuade, to convert,
to compel.” -Ralph Waldo
Emerson
What is an issue?
 An issue has more than one point of view, is
controversial and can be debated by two sides.
 For example:
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Should Australia become a republic?
Should school uniform be compulsory?
Should public transport be free?
Whether Australia should have a limit on population.
Should same-sex marriage be legal?
Current Issues in the Media
Topics, events and Policy changes that lead to debatable issues)
W.A. Shark cull
The ABC
Factory closures (Ford, SPC)
Dredging near the Great Barrier Reef
Protecting Tasmanian forests
Education-funding and national
curriculum (proposed review)
Australian government ‘border
protection’ policy and treatment of
refugees (including lack of
communication to the press and navy
entering Indonesian waters)
Marriage Equality
Punishment for ‘coward’s punch’ and
alcohol-fuelled violence
Legalisation of Marijuana (increase in
synthetic drug use)
Welfare payments for maternal leave
(same amount for the wealthy)
Australian Republic
Climate Change
What are some different
purposes of persuasion?
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Support a cause
Urge people to action
Promote change
Refute a theory
Arouse sympathy
Stimulate interest
Win agreement
Solve a problem
In a persuasive speech, the
speaker takes a position
FOR or AGAINST some
aspect of an issue and
attempts to convince the
audience to believe or do
something.
VCE English Outcome 3
 Analyse the use of language in texts that present a point of
view on an issue currently debated in the Australian media,
and to construct, orally (or in writing), a sustained and
reasoned point of view on the selected issue.
Task 2 Criteria (English 20 Marks) (EAL 35 marks)
1. “Presentation, of complex ideas in a sustained, coherent and
logical argument. “
2. “The skilful use of highly appropriate oral language
conventions to engage an audience. “
3. “Accurate and detailed acknowledgment of sources where
appropriate. :
Essential elements checklist
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Is 4-5 minutes (no longer)
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Persuasive (not expository)
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Use oral language conventions and a variety of persuasive techniques
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Clear contention throughout
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Structured coherent and logical arguments
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Engaging and considers the audience
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Hook your audience in the introduction
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Demonstrate your fair-mindedness and the fact that you have thoroughly researched the issue.
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Substantiate your argument with up-to-date evidence
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Consider the counter-arguments, state them clearly and indicate why you reject them (rebuttal)
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Acknowledge your sources (3-5)
What to avoid
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over-dramatising (balance emotion with logic)
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being forceful and aggressive with your opinion
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cliché (unless incorporating it as a persuasive
strategy)
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a speech that contains too much information
(and not enough argument)
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greeting, introducing yourself and ‘thank-you for
listening’ as parts of your presentation
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delivering your speech in a way that draws more
attention to your attempts to recall a memorised
speech than to the quality of your arguments and
manner of speaking
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plagiarism (from other sources and other
students)
Sources/Research
 3 articles minimum
Online news media sites
 Annotate and summarise
http://www.abc.net.au/news/thed
rum/
 View documentaries, TV
reports
http://www.theage.com.au/
 A variety of points of view
http://theaimn.com/
 Quote and refer to your
http://theconversation.com/au
research in the body of your
speech
http://www.theguardian.com.au/
http://www.sbs.com.au/insight
/archive
Persuasive Techniques
 Strategies
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Rhetorical questions
Inclusion of statistics
Expert testimony
Concession/Rebuttal
 Appeals
 Logical
 Emotional
 Ethical
 Language
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Alliteration
Repetition
Anaphora
Connotations
“He who wants to persuade
should put his trust not in the
right argument, but in the
right word. The power of
sound has always been
greater than the power of
sense.” - Joseph Conrad
Concession/Rebuttal
 It is true that…however…therefore…
 Certainly…but…in short…
 Admittedly…on the other hand…so…
 Of course…nevertheless…as a result…
 Obviously…on the contrary…finally…
 Sure…however…in addition…
Oral language conventions
 Pitch
 Pause
 Pace
“The right word may be
effective, but no word
was ever as effective
as a rightly timed
pause.” - Mark Twain
Hooking your audience
Focus your information
on a single, memorable
point
Unexpectedness
Use Vivid Examples
Establish
Elicit Emotion
Stories
Tell a Story
Plan a powerful
ending.
Some persuasive introduction
strategies
 Scenario/Anecdote: Provides a hypothetical or real-life
examples to illustrate the topic.
 Inquiry/Questioning: Ask thought-provoking, maybe
even edgy, questions to capture audience interest.
 Preparatory Definition/Explanation: Define or explain
the subject before discussing it in detail.
Conclusion Strategies
 Call to Action: the speaker implores the audience to
change.
 Offer a Solution: suggest some possibilities to resolve
the problem posed.
 Make a Prediction: similar to a startling statement, this
can be a warning or an encouragement.
Strategies for reducing nerves
“There are only two types of
speakers in the world.
1. The nervous and 2. Liars.”
- Mark Twain
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Anticipate how the audience will respond
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Memorise your opening so that you can
start off powerfully, looking at the
audience
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Don’t worry about body reactions (sweat,
nerves etc.) They are normal!
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Move around, use gestures to
emphasise and idea
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Rest up beforehand
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Don’t read from a script. Use cards with
key words, phrases so that you are
talking to the audience not reading to
them.
Rehearsal Techniques
 Practise - speak entire text aloud
 Lie in bed and recite speech or tape
yourself and listen to the speech
 Block into segments and areas of
emphasis
 Visualise success (like pro sports)
 Practise in the venue
 Edit out troublesome words or
phrases
 Practise on friends and family
“Best way to conquer
stage fright is to know
what you’re talking
about.” - Michael H
Mescon