Persuasive speech

chapter-23
chapter-24

Persuasive speech arouses emotions to incite action. It presents one or more arguments to appeal to the listener.

Every speech must also include a component of ethos, pathos, and logos.

Present arguments

An argument contains three parts:

1. The claim (or proposition)
2. The evidence
3. The warrant

The claim

State the conclusion you have drawn.

There are three types of claims:

1. Claims of fact
   • Something is true or false, will or won’t happen
2. Claims of value
   • Something is good or bad
3. Claims of policy
   • Something should be done

The evidence

Substantiate your claim by providing proof.

Evidence is more convincing when it is any of the following:

• From a secondary source, such as a statistic
• From personal experience
• Relating to the audience’s needs and motivations

The warrant

Explain how your evidence warrants (justifies) your claim.

Warrants rely on one of the following:

• Motivation (pathos)
• Authority (ethos)
• Substance (logos)

For substantive warrants, use causal reasoning or analogies.

Example

• Claim: Sugar should be a controlled substance, like alcohol, to protect public health.
• Evidence: Sugar causes diabetes and other diseases.
• Warrant:
  • Motivational: Your children’s health is at risk
  • Authoritative: The FDA is currently recommending this policy
  • Substantive: Sugar causes as many health problems as alcohol

Address counterarguments

Speeches are more persuasive when they address counterarguments.

Audience Type	Counterargument Strategy
Hostile	Raise counterarguments early. Focus on the most common.
Skeptical	Address major counterarguments and refute them; introduce new evidence.
Sympathetic	Briefly refute only important counterarguments, if time permits.
Uninformed	Briefly refute only key counterarguments the audience may hear in the future.

Organizational patterns

Problem-solution

1. The nature of the problem
2. Reasons for / effects of the problem
3. Unsatisfactory solutions
4. Proposed solution

Comparative advantage

Show your solution is better than other solutions.

Monroe’s motivated sequence

This pattern has five steps:

1. Attention
2. Need
3. Satisfaction
4. Visualization
5. Action

Aira pattern

1. Attention
2. Interest
3. Reduce resistance
4. Incite action

Refutation

1. State the opposing position
2. Describe the implications or ramifications of the opposing claim
3. Offer arguments for your position
4. Contrast your position with the opposing claim to emphasize its strengths