Persuasive
Speeches
Chapter 16 Recap/Lecture
Your next speech….
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Monday, April 4th and Wednesday, April 6th
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Tuesday, April 5th and Thursday, April 7th
Speech sign ups week before
Research required: at least 4 sources (with
citations)
Areas of Focus: EVERYTHING
Materials: Outline & note cards
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Visual aid: PowerPoint (emailed to
powerpoints2goldman@gmail.com by 8 a.m. on
the day of your presentation; also bring a back up
copy)
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We will discuss use of PowerPoint next week
http://faculty.gordonstate.edu/agoldman/Public%20Sp
eaking.htm
Informative vs. Persuasive
 Knowledge
and Understanding vs.
Attempting to change or convince
 Similarities: clear and concise, organized,
strong delivery, ethical, credible,
appropriate use of language
Importance/Role of Persuasion
 Persuasive
speech: ‘attempting to create,
reinforce, or change your audience’s
beliefs or actions’ (p. 300)
 Understanding persuasion—important for
speakers and listeners
 Speaker as advocate
Ethical Persuasion
 Ethical
goals and methods
 Avoid subtle and blatant dishonesty
 Power of language
 ‘learn about all sides of issue and
competing viewpoints’ (p. 301)
Persuasion as Psychological
Process
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2 or more viewpoints; competing or different
angle/degree
Degrees of Persuasion
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Strongly opposed -------------- Strongly in favor
Audience analysis/centeredness 
knowledge AND attitude
Mental dialogue (give and take) with
audience
Set realistic goals
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Will everyone change their beliefs/opinions after
hearing one speech?
Target Audiences; Audience
Centeredness
 Advertising
= big example of persuasion
and targeting audiences
 Check out these ads; what’s the
persuasive message & who is the target
audience?
Types of Persuasive Speeches
 Persuasive
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speeches on
Questions of Fact
Questions of Value
Questions of Policy
Addressing Questions of Fact
 True
answer exists; may not have enough
information yet
 Inconclusive info
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Speculations and Predictions
 Choose
side -- present those facts,
persuasively
 Popular org. pattern – Topical
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Main points = reasons to agree
Addressing Questions of Value
 Includes
facts; Demands value judgments
 Right or wrong? Good or bad? Moral or
immoral? Fair or unfair?
 Pick a side; justify your claim
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Standards for the value judgment?
 Popular
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org. pattern – Topical
Establish the standards  apply the
standards
Addressing Questions of Policy
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Course of action – should or shouldn’t be
taken
Can include questions of fact and/or value;
step further by deciding what should be done
Passive agreement vs. Immediate action
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Convincing that something should be done vs.
Convincing someone to do what should be
done (specific call to action)
Must identify need, plan, and practicality
Addressing Questions of Policy
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Popular org. patterns
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Problem-Solution Order
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Problem-Cause-Solution Order
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Identify the problem  analyze cause of problem 
solution to problem
Comparative Advantages Order
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Need/seriousness of problem  plan for solving the
problem/practicality
Each main point = why your solution is better than
others
Monroe’s Motivated Sequence (MMS)
Attention, need, satisfaction, visualization, action
 Will practice next class (SW#14)
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Speech Workshop #13
Topic Plan and Audience Analysis
Speech Workshop #14
Due Monday, 3/21 for MW class (and Tuesday, 3/22 for TR
class)
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Find an example of a (short) EFFECTIVE or
INEFFECTIVE persuasive speech
Bring in a typed 1 page, double-spaced
document with the following
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Link to speech
Explanation of why it was effective or ineffective
You must comment on the speaker’s persuasive
technique, organization, and delivery
 Should be at least half a page
 Type your name in the top left corner and then
start the content. Use size 12, Times New Roman,
1 inch margins.
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Be prepared to pull up the link in class and
discuss