Persuasive Speech
Pick one of the topics from the list below. You will research and write a persuasive speech.
The goal of writing a persuasive essay is to persuade or convince the reader to believe
something. Writers do this through the use of logical arguments and emotional appeals.
A persuasive speech is a speech intended to convince the audience to do something. Whether
you want to get people to vote, stop littering, or change their minds about an important
issue, persuasive speeches are an effective way to sway an audience. There are many
elements that go into a successful persuasive speech. But, with some preparation and
practice, you can deliver a powerful speech.
I find that the best persuasive topics are
controversial, so don’t be afraid to ruffle a few feathers.



It doesn’t matter to me which side you choose because either side is defendable.
Whichever side you choose, focus only on your side of the argument. Do not waiver in your case.
You persuade your audience with logical or emotional arguments.
http://www.ereadingworksheets.com/writing/persuasive-essay-topics/
Writing a persuasive speech needs extra-special planning and consideration to be successful. In
my experience, this is not the type of speech that can be flicked out without thought. There may
be brilliantly competent speakers who can do it but the rest of us, me included, have to put the
time in to achieve what we want to.
Rough Draft for your Persuasive Speech/Topic Briefing:
You will write a rough draft for your upcoming speech on the topic we discussed in class on July
2nd. The rough draft/topic briefing will be due on Wednesday at 11:59pm just like the regular 8.1
Assignment would have been.
Your final persuasive speech needs to be thorough, will be at least 10 minutes, and should be
around 6 pages double-spaced. (Due on July 23rd before your final exam)
For your Rough draft you will write the following:
Topic Briefing & Rough Outline:
In this informal written "presentation," you will introduce the topic you will be discussing for your
persuasive speech due to be presented in class on July 23rd before your final exam.
Your topic
must address an issue about which there are multiple points of view. It needs to address a
controversy or significant problem. Pick a topic about which you interested and be prepared to
do extensive library and internet research to further investigate so that you can persuade the
class through an educated persuasive speech. You will fill out the worksheet below for this
assignment:
http://speakingcenter.uncg.edu/resources/speakingchange/pdfs/creatingaPersuasive.pdf
The worksheet needs to be completely filled out but please just copy and paste it into your word
processing program or follow the format when typing. No handwritten worksheets will be
accepted. The outline for this assignment is informal. However, for next week's assignment (due
July 15th - Wednesday at 11:59pm) you will need to have the outline polished and it should
look similar to the example below:
http://www.roch.edu/people/lhalverson/sample_persuasive_speech_outline.htm
Writing a Persuasive Speech:
A student’s aim should first be to speak coherently, and then second, to make a strong persuasive
argument.
You should have a solid understanding of the audiences perception of the topic that you have
selected

It is what is perceived that makes the difference.

Perception will also make or break your speech.
If you have ever sat and watched politicians speak, you have undoubtedly noticed that they not
only have a way with words but they have a good understanding of what is going on in the minds
of most people. They play on perception – the audiences perception of a certain subject, person,
group or social issue. You must learn how to quickly play on the audience's perception or your
speak will tank. So perception is key.
You should know the obstacles that people face with agreeing or disagreeing with the topic on
which you are speaking and face them head on in your speech.

You will need to discern a way to eradicate all opposition.

You have to be able to convince your audience that there is no opposition if they see things
your way.
This is the core of a persuasive speech.
Once you have presented the obstacles (or opposition) and your strategy for getting rid of those
obstacles then you will need to come to a conclusion. Your conclusive paragraph will need to link
all of your ideas succinctly and smoothly so that your audience is revved up to be on your team
when it comes to your stance and topic. Enthusiasm is essential in writing the persuasive speech
for without it you do not have a persuasive speech at all.
To write a persuasive speech you need to:

Come up with a controversial topic, one that will spawn heated debates regardless of your
position.

Research the topic thoroughly. Know the pros and cons of the topic.

Understand the perspective of your audience. You should have a stronghold on how the
audience views the topic that you are writing about so that you can better relate to them.

Grasp the obstacles that your audience face or have with the topic. It is through understanding
these obstacles that you can tackle them.

Present your strategy for eradicating the obstacles. You must know how to diffuse the tension
that surrounds the obstacles by having a plan for complete eradication.

Pull it all together to make a proper conclusion. The conclusion is what hooks your audience.
It is essential when writing that you take into consideration the above steps for writing a
persuasive speech. If you fail to do so, you just might miss something crucial when putting
together your speech. For instance, if you have no enthusiasm or passion about your topic then
more than likely your audience will not be interested in what you have to say.
Here are a few references on persuasive speeches to help you get started:

http://www.ereadingworksheets.com/writing/writing-persuasive-essays/#introductoryparagraphs

http://www.ereadingworksheets.com/writing/persuasive-essay-worksheets/

http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/steps-for-writing-a-persuasive-speech.html
Public Speaking 101:

http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/kline-speak/b33ch1.htm

http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/professors-guide/2010/02/24/15-strategies-for-giving-oralpresentations

http://www.speaking.pitt.edu/student/public-speaking/index.html
Persuasive Speech
The Persuasive Speech usually takes place towards the end of the semester, so it is assumed that you will
have improved your ability to do the presentation as well as improved in the ability to research your topic.
•
Impact the belief or behavior of your audience
•
Significant and contemporary issue with meaning and influence for the lives of your audience
•
Take a position on a substantive topic
•
Impact the belief or behavior of your audience
•
Significant and contemporary issue with meaning and influence for the lives of your audience
•
6 + sources - 4 of them credible & at least 3 different types of supporting materials
Setting a Goal
The goal of writing a persuasive speech is to change or move the audience toward
accepting your position on the topic. An essential part of that is knowing exactly what it
is you want to achieve.
There are degrees of change. Do you want a little, or a lot?
Most wanted response or MWR
What you decide is called your most wanted response or MWR.
A realistic MWR is reached through analysis of your audience in relation to your topic.
Example: My topic is "obesity in children".
I am speaking to mothers whose children all attend the same kindergarten.
There is concern among the staff over the number of children who are over weight for
their age.
The children mostly come from homes where both parents work. Food is bought already
made up for a variety of reasons including time saving, convenience and a lack of
knowledge of preparing it any other way.
'Treat' food (sweets, cake etc.) is also used to pacify and/or to reinforce good behavior.
Fussy or picky eating is allowed principally because the effort and time required to
change already established patterns is difficult to find.
The problem is compounded by lack of exercise.
In setting the goal (MWR) for the speech I need to decide what approach will achieve the
best results.
Do I want to influence the mothers to open their minds to the idea that allowing a child
to establish habitual unhealthy eating patterns is detrimental to their children's growth
and development?
Or do I want them to stop using treat and pre-prepared foods immediately and only offer
home cooked healthy options instead?
The first approach is softly-softly. The second is direct or hard hitting.
Audience Analysis
Who is your audience?
How you persuade, and your MWR (goal) is most effectively established when you
understand who you are talking to.
In relation to your topic area are they:
1. Hostile - actively don't want to hear what you have to say for many reasons which
may include prejudice, fear, ignorance, inertia, cultural difference, differing
values/beliefs ...
2. Neutral - no decided opinion or beliefs and therefore no investment toward
maintaining the current state or moving toward a new one. This is the middle
ground.
3. Motivated - actively seeking to change. These people are already aware of the
'problem' and are looking for solutions. They want to hear what you have to tell
them and are likely to be already and convinced of the rightness of your solution.
What else do you need to know?
Aside from their anticipated baseline attitude, (hostile, neutral, motivated), toward your
speech topic, what else do you know about them?
Find out their:
 General Age
 Gender
 Shared fears, concerns or problems
 Cultural background(s)
 Shared interests, beliefs, values, goals, hopes, desires
 What obstacles there are to adopting the change you desire
The more you can find out, the more you can tailor writing a persuasive speech
(including tone and language choice), and your MWR to fit.
For instance, going back to the obesity in children example above, we could decide that
given what we've found out about the audience, the hard-hitting approach would
generate too many obstacles to overcome. Therefore we will be writing a persuasive
speech with a non-threatening MWR that has mothers accepting a pamphlet on children's
healthy snack choices to take home.
Keep it local
Where possible draw your examples from local material. The reason is that we are more
likely to care or respond when we actively know who or what is involved firsthand. We
identify, and the more we identify the more invested we are in finding a solution. The
situation becomes real to us and we care.
Evidence and empathy
Writing a good persuasive speech means finding credible evidence to support your
argument. Seek out reputable, reliable, quotable sources to back the points you make.
Without them your speech will fail its purpose.
Persuasion is a synthesis of emotional as well as intellectual appeal.
Emotional content will be dismissed unless it is properly backed. Conversely purely
intellectual content will be dismissed if it lacks empathy or feeling. You need both - in
equal measure.
Balance and obstacles
Seek out and address the opposition's arguments, or obstacles in the path of adopting
your course of action, fairly and respectfully. Find the elements you share. Openly
acknowledge and be clear about them. This builds credibility and trust and as a result
your points of departure are more likely to be listened to.
Choosing a structural pattern
Once you've decided your topic and its angle, done your audience analysis, fixed what
you want to achieve (MWR), researched for evidence, and addressed the obstacles,
you're finally ready to begin writing.
What pattern or model will you use?
There is more than one.
Have a look at each of the four below to see which best suits your topic, speech purpose
and audience.
1) Monroe's Motivated Sequence
This is a tried and tested model developed in the 1930's by Allan H
Monroe. Monroe's Motivated Sequence follows the mind-flow or
thought sequence someone goes through when someone else is
persuading him or her to do something.
It's a pattern used over and over again by the professional
persuaders: marketers, advertisers, and politicians...
Monroe's Motivated Sequence in action
You can find out more about the steps involved in writing a persuasive speech
using Monroe's Motivated Sequence here.
And read an example persuasive speech written using the method.
2. Problem/Solution
This is a two-step pattern. The first part outlines/explains the problem and the second
part provides the solution, which includes meeting the obstacles and giving evidence.
3. Comparison
In this pattern the method is to compare an item/object/idea/action against another
similar item/object/idea/action and establish why the item/object/idea/action you are
supporting is superior.
Example: Why a SBI website is better than a Wordpress site if you want to build an
online business

Reason One
Wordpress primarily is a blogging platform and blogging is not a business model

Reason Two
Wordpress does not supply fully integrated step-by-step instructions to build a
sustainable e-business
Reason Three
Wordpress does not provide its users with constant and fully tested upgrades/updating

With each comparison point compelling, relevant evidence is provided and obstacles are
met.
4. Using the negative to persuade
In this model the reasons why you are against the opposition of your chosen topic are
highlighted.
Example: The topic is Teenage Binge Drinking and the angle is to persuade parents to
take more control
1. Leads to anti-social behavior - mindless vandalism, drunk-driving, unprotected sex etc
2. Impacts on growing brains - an overview of current research
3. Has implications for developing addictions - alcoholism, nicotine...
Each negative reason is backed with evidence. One piles on top the other creating an
urgency to solve the problem. Your positive solution coming at the end of the speech
clinches the argument.
Speech outlining in 4 steps
The process of outlining a speech is broken down into 4 essential steps.
(Click a heading to find out more about each one)
1. Preparation
deciding on your topic

considering the audience and refining your topic to suit them

deciding on the purpose of the speech

choosing an organizational method to support your speech purpose
2. Introduction-

opening greeting and attention getter
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defining your thesis statement (a summary of what your speech is about)

establishing your credibility
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an overview and the benefit to the audience
3. Body
transition or link between introduction and body

main ideas with supporting ideas

examples and details
4. Conclusion
summary of main points

closer or call to action
SAMPLE PERSUASIVE SPEECH OUTLINE
(Motivated Sequence)
Topic: Organ Donation
Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience to donate their organs and tissues when
they die and to act upon their decision to donate.
Thesis Statement: The need is constantly growing for organ donors and it is very simple
to be an organ donor when you die.
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Attention material/Credibility Material: How do you feel when you have to wait for
something you really, really want? What if it was something you couldn’t live without? Well,
my cousin was five years old when he found out he needed a new kidney. He went on the
organ waiting list right away. He was called twice during a six month span that they had a
kidney available only to find out that the kidney wasn’t a good match. He had to wait again.
The third time was a charm. A small adult was in an accident and his kidney was a good
match. This story had a happy ending but so many do not.
B. Tie to the audience: One of the people on the waiting list for an organ transplant might
be someone you know.
C. Thesis and Preview: Today I’d like to talk to you about first, the need for organ donors
in our area, second, how you can become an organ donor after you die, and finally, how
your family and organ donor recipients benefit from you donation.
[Transition into body of speech]: I’ll begin by telling you about the need for organ
donors.
II. BODY
A. People around the world but also right here in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois,
need organ transplants and they need our help.
1. The problem is that there is a lack of organs and organ donors who make
organ transplantation possible.
a. The need is many organs and tissues such as the heart, lungs, liver,
kidneys, pancreas, corneas, bone, skin, heart valves, and blood
vessels(Iowa Statewide Organ Procurement Organization undated
brochure).
b. A new name is added to the national waiting list every 16 minutes.
That means that 3 people will be added to the list during the time we are
in class today.
1) The problem is that 10 people will die each day waiting for an
organ transplant (LifeSource: Questions and Answers).
2) The reason is that are only on the average 5,000 donors
nationally per year
(LifeSource: Statistics).
c. You can choose to donate any needed organs or you can specify
which organs or tissues you wish to donate.
2.. Organ donation is very important.
a. The following poem by Robert Test entitled, "To Remember Me,"
shows the importance of organ donation.
"Give my sight to the man who has never seen a sunrise, a baby’s
face or love in the eyes of a woman. Give my heart to a person
whose heart has caused nothing but endless days of pain… Take
my bones, every muscle, every fiber and nerve in my body and
find a way to make a crippled child walk…Take my cells, if
necessary, and let them grow so that, someday, a speechless boy
will shout at the crack of a bat and a deaf girl will hear the sound of
rain against her window (South Dakota Lions Eye Bank, undated
brochure).
b. Not only is this a problem nationally but also it is a big problem right
here at home in the Midwest.
1) Nationally, there are over 62,000 people waiting as of October
7, 1998. As of October 7, 1998, there are 1,422 people from
Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and part of Wisconsin
that are on the organ waiting list (LifeSource: Statistics).
2) The sad part is that there have only been 104 donors in the
Midwest so far from January 1998 through August 1998
(LifeSource: Newsnotes).
[Transition: I’m sure that you can see the need for people like you to donate your
organs. The majority of this class has already said they would like to donate their
organs when they die. But you might be asking, well, how can I make sure my
organs are donated after I die? Let me tell you.]
B. This is how you go about making sure your organs are donated.
1. Talk with your family about your decision. They will be involved in the donation
arrangements when you die. If they do not know your wishes of becoming a donor, your
wishes may never be carried out.
2. Mark your driver’s license so that your license indicates your intent to donate. Each state
varies.
a. Fill out, sign and carry a uniform donor card with you.
b. This donor card says what organs you wish to have donated and also has places for
your family members to sign as witnesses after you have discussed your decision with
them (Gundersen Lutheran Hospital [LaCrosse, WI] undated brochure).
[Transition: You can see that it isn’t difficult to be an organ donor. Now let’s look at
what may happen if you choose to donate your organs and what may happen if you
choose not to.]
C. Organ donation benefits both the donor’s family and the recipients.
1. If you do donate your organs, your family and the people who receive your organs might
benefit in a similar way like this family. A seventeen year old died of head injuries in a car
accident. His mom decided to donate his organs. His heart went to a prison chaplain, his
kidneys went to a mother of 5 children and a Vietnam vet. The Vietnam vet is "energetic"
and finally is getting his college degree. The teenager gave life to others and his family
feels a sense of satisfaction and comfort that other lives have been touched by his
(University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics 1991 brochure).
2. The problem arises when you are thinking about becoming a donor but never do
anything about it. Then, no one knows your wishes and your organs will not be donated.
The consequences of this are more people waiting for organs and there will still be an
incredible shortage of available organs.
III. CONCLUSION:
A. Brakelight/Transition: As you can easily see, donating your organs can be one of the
most important decisions you ever make and also the greatest gift you could ever give.
B. Summary: I’ve told you about the need for organ donors in our area, how you can
become an organ donor after you die, and finally, how your family and organ recipients
benefit from your donation. You become a donor by talking to your family and making sure
they know you want to be a donor, fill out and sign a donor card, and indicate your wishes
on your driver’s license.
C. Tie Back to the Audience: What if the person waiting on the list needing an organ
transplant was someone you loved? Imagine if you had a brother or sister who had
unexpectedly died and you were able to meet the person who received their heart, for
example. Think of the satisfaction and possible comfort knowing that your brother or sister
provided life for somebody else.
D. Concluding Remarks: I’m going to leave you with a short message from Michael Jordan
who is a sponsor for the Iowa LifeGift Coalition on Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness
and appears in their 1996 brochure. "Please make the decision to become an organ and
tissue donor. Remember: Share your life. Share your decision."
WORKS CITED
Gundersen Lutheran Hospital (Lacrosse, WI): "Life…Pass It On." Undated brochure. Iowa
LifeGift Coalition on Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness: "Share Your Life, Share
Your Decision." 1996 brochure. Iowa Statewide Organ Procurement Organization: "Be an
organ donor…it’s the chance of a lifetime!" undated brochure.
LifeSource:Newsnotes. October 1998. Accessed November 2, 1998. <www.lifesource.org/newsnotes.htm>.
LifeSource: Questions and Answers. April 1998. Accessed November 2, 1998. <www.lifesource.org/public.htm >.
LifeSource: Statistics. October 1998. Accessed November 2, 1998. <www.lifesource.org/statistics.htm >.
South Dakota Lions Eye Bank: "No Greater Gift…Than Yourself To Others." Undated
brochure.
University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics: "A Circle of Life: The Gift of Organ and Tissue
Donation." 1991 brochure.
SAMPLE OUTLINE FOR A PERSUASIVE SPEECH
By Tom Wingard
Introduction
Attention
Material
Are you getting a bit tired of that three inch spare tire around your waist? Are
you becoming increasingly lazy, fat?
Thesis/
Overview
I'd like to show you that we're all in need of exercise. Now is the time to get
started so that we can enjoy the health and psychological benefits the rest of
our lives.
Motivation
Transition
I'm assuming that none of you will argue that exercise is harmful. You'll
agree that exercise is beneficial. However, I'm not so sure all of us are
actually exercising. I'd like to tell you, then, not how to exercise, but to
persuade you to go out and get some exercise
(First, I'd like to tell you why I'm so concerned about our inactivity.)
Thought Pattern: PROBLEM-SOLUTION
Body
Problem:
I. Lack of exercise is harmful to our health.
A.
Cardiovascular disease, the nation's leading cause of death, is caused
by inactivity.
1.
Clogged arteries and veins are a result of
inactivity. (example)
2.
Excess fat also caused by inactivity leads to a higher
incidence of heart disease.
(explanation and example)
(Statistically, then, you will die at an earlier age if you do not exercise.)
(Internal
summary)
Transition
(Now some of you might be wondering why I'm preaching to a bunch of 20
year olds.)
B.
College students are not as healthy as we are often lead to
believe.
1.
2.
C.
High school seniors are in better health than we
are. (survey)
We are on the threshold of decline as our level
of activity drops. (explanation)
This change is correlated with the changes in our lifestyles
that occur between high school and college.
1.
2.
3.
Most of us have less time to run around
because we are studying more. (explanation)
Many of us have given up the sports we used to
play competitively. (example)
Now that we're in college we have less
motivation to exercise. (explanation)
Internal
summary
(The point here is that exercise for us must come from within. But,
statistically that hasn't been happening.)
Transition
(This point becomes increasingly significant as we realize that this stage in
our lives is a primary force in determining our future behavior.)
D.
Internal
summary
Transition
Our inactivity now may lead to inactivity later.
1.
Our choices in brand of beer will be carried on
through the coming years. (analogy)
2.
By being inactive now we are getting ourselves
into a rut of being inactive. This rut can be
avoided, but it is difficult. (explanation)
(I have shown you that by not exercising we are decreasing our life spans,
and at this particular time in our lives we are especially
vulnerable to becoming out of shape. This may carry with
us for years, until it is too late.
(A fair question to ask here is: "What is so great about exercise? If it's such
a pain in the ass, it's not worth living a few more years." To
this I would respond that it isn't such a pain.)
Solution
II. Exercise is not a large investment, but the yield is very high. We should
all exercise to take advantage of this.
A.
To exercise, you don't have to lift weights for hours on end
or join the wrestling team. Exercise can take as little as 15
minutes a day. (statistic)
B.
One advantage of being healthy is that your body needs
less sleep. This may more than make up for the time it
takes to exercise. (explanation)
C.
Studies show exercise clears your thoughts so that you
can be more efficient. (Testimony)
D.
Also, you'll feel better.
1.
When hurrying to class you won't get
winded so easily. (example)
2.
You won't get sick as easily since exercise
increases the body's resistance.
(testimony and explanation)
E.
More important, however, are the effects on your body you
don't feel.
1.
Increasing your cardiovascular strength
Internal
summary/
transition
2.
increases your heart's stroke
efficiency. (testimony)
Researchers at San Diego State have
found that increases in exercise slow the
onset of senility. (testimony)
(If none of these facts impress you, keep in mind that exercise might make
us look better and this might make girls take a little more notice of us.)
Conclusion
Attention
material
Just as none of us wants to be called a fat slob by our mothers, none of us
wants to die earlier than we should.
Underview
So, we should all get into the habit of exercising regularly right now. If all of
us now begin a routine of staying in shape, keeping in mind that it will make
us healthier, give us a better state of mind, and body, we can make the
future years of our lives more rewarding.
Last
Thought
And why wait for tomorrow? Start today!
More Samples:
http://www.sagepub.com/edwards/study/materials/outlines/77593_per.pdf
http://libguides.indstate.edu/content.php?pid=16937&sid=1558490