The ultimate goal of all persuasion is action
four sub-goals:
• adoption,
• discontinuance,
• deterrence,
• continuance of a particular behavior.
Adoption – an action that asks listeners to
demonstrate their acceptance of an attitude,
belief, or value by performing the action suggested
by the speaker.
• Example: Assume you never wanted to donate
blood, but then you see a commercial pleading
for blood to help victims of a recent disaster. If
you give blood the next day, you would be
displaying adoption.
Discontinuance – the opposite of adoption.
When your action goal is discontinuance, you
want your listeners to stop doing something.
• Example: You want your listeners to stop using
illegal drugs, so you focus on all the problems
drugs use can cause.
Deterrence – an action goal that asks the listeners
to demonstrate their acceptance of an attitude,
belief, or value by avoiding a certain behavior.
• Example: If you don’t eat junk food, don’t start
now. If you don’t own a gun, don’t buy one. If
you support busing to promote school
integration, then don’t vote to eliminate the law.
Continuance – an action goal that asks the
listeners to demonstrate their continued
acceptance of an attitude.
• Example: Keep jogging for your health. Keep
reading for pleasure. Stay involved in
extracurricular activities. Keep buying from your
locally owned store.
Evaluate your audience
• How does your audience feel about your topic? Agree, disagree,
ambivalent, apathetic
• What motivates your audience to action? Logic, emotion, credibility?
• What is your audience’s age, gender, status, educational level?
• Why should your audience care about your topic?
• Your answers to these questions will determine the techniques you
use to move your audience to action.
Aristotle’s Persuasive techniques
• Logos – logical reasoning based on evidence
• present facts and statistics
• Pathos – emotional reasoning that helps the audience identify with
the writer's point of view and to feel what the writer feels
• use vivid language, emotional language, sensory details, anecdotes
• Ethos - the speaker's/author's authority or believability
• focus on style and tone to promote an honest and trustworthy reputation.
Critiques of great speeches
• http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/video-critiques/
• Dalton Sherman
• Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Barack Obama
Effective persuasive writing techniques
• Repeat signature phrase to emphasize a central theme - Anaphora, Epistrophe
(all three)
• Repeat key theme words (all three)
• Make your speech personal for everyone (all three)
• Use specific examples (all three)
• Use the rule of three (Obama)
• Make clear divisions in your argument (all three)
• Use quotations and/or allusions (MLK)
• Amplify words by drawing contrasts (Obama)
• Utilize figurative language – metaphors, analogies, (MLK)
• Add sound devices – alliteration, cacophony, euphony (all three)
• Address your critics (Obama)
• http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/video-critiques/
Assignment
• You will be placed in groups of three
• As a group, choose a topic and decide a goal for action
(Adoption, discontinuance, deterrence, or continuance)
• Bullying in school
• Language in school
• Expectations in school
• Each group member will write a speech to either the BV student body,
the BV teachers and administrators and school board, or BV parents.
Each group member must choose a different audience than the rest
of the group members.
• Analyze your audience
• Brainstorm the best persuasive techniques to move your audience to
action – must include three techniques in your speech/essay
• Limit your essay to 300-350 words. Do not include the header or title
in your word count
• Limited to four linking verbs
• Use proper formatting – 12 pt Times New Roman, 1 inch margins,
double space (look at notes for descriptive essay)
• Due Friday at the beginning of class. No credit will given for a late
paper because peer editing will take place on Friday.
• Final paper will be due Monday