Your persuasive speech (7-10 minutes) will incorporate all of the principles of effective speaking in general, and persuasive speaking in particular. The emphasis in this speech is the integration of information from a variety of sources (four minimum) with the specific intention to support and defend your position. The end result should be an original attempt to alter the existing opinions, beliefs, attitudes, and/or behaviors of your audience. You should feel strongly about your position and be able to defend it. Stating an opinion is easy, defending it is not so easy. If asked "why" merely saying, "because" is not enough.

You will defend a position concerning a current event or issue:

1. Identify specific events or situations illustrating the impact of the issue.
2. Describe a range of opinions or positions on the issue by researching a variety of credible sources.
3. Select and defend a position based on information gathered. Define the issue in a way that makes your position clear. Be sure to give support to each of your major points. Include examples of situations to illustrate how the issue is making or has made impact on people's lives. Specific information about actual people, events, or situations will strengthen the points that you make.
4. Describing the responsibilities of citizens involved with the issues.

Basic Criteria for this assignment:

1. Your speech is to be 7 to 10 minutes long. Points will be deducted if your speech is short or long. After 11 Eleven minutes the timer will call time and your speech will end whether you have concluded or not and thus you will loose points for lack of a conclusion. Practice in front of a live audience; time your speech several times. Time cards will be used for all speakers.
2. Your speech should not be scripted either on note cards or your power point slides. You will not be allowed to read us your speech. Points will be lost if you appear to do so.
3. You must deliver your speech on the day assigned unless OK'd by me. Final time will be make-up day for all missed speeches. A 10%-20% reduction in grade may be the result of a missed/late speech. See syllabus for policy.
4. The use of at least one effective presentational aid is mandatory for this speech, plan for this, and start now.
5. Sources must be verbally cited, you must say your sources, during your speech delivery or points will be lost.

6. On the day of your speech:

*An outline that closely follows your chosen persuasive organizational pattern handout, indicate pattern at the top of your outline.
*All citations should be labeled and highlighted in your outline
*You must have a Bibliography.
*Don't forget the second part of your Survey Assignment and make it apparent how you used the information in your speech.

FINAL PERSUASIVE SPEECH CHECKLIST
If you can answer, "yes" to all of the following questions you are ready to give a great speech!!

______ Have you selected a claim or assertion that needs to be supported in order to change, instill, or inspire your audience's values, beliefs, and/or attitudes?

______ Have you selected facts and figures from a credible, unbiased source of information?

______ Have you found testimony to support your claim or assertion?

______ Have you introduced the source of testimony and established his or her credentials to speak on the topic?

______ Have you developed an example or narrative that focuses attention on the most important aspect of your claim/assertion?

______Have you planned transitions to make your presentation flow smoothly?

______Have you prepared a bibliography that contains at least 4 credible sources of information used to support your claim in your speech?

______ Have you planned to verbally cite at least 4 credible sources of information during your speech delivery?

______Have you labeled these verbally citations in your written outline?

______ Have you used a persuasive organizational pattern to develop my speech and indicated such on your outline? Is your speech organized in a persuasive manner?

______Have you prepared a suitable, effective presentational aid that will clarify and enhance your spoken words during your speech and not merely be incidental to your speech?

______Have you practiced your speech out-loud at least 3-4 times and preferably in front of a live audience?

______Have you practiced using your presentational aid?

______Have you practiced maintaining consistent eye contact with all areas of a room?

______Have you practiced using some appropriate gestures and facial expressions in your speech delivery?

______Have you practiced speaking at an appropriate volume and rate?

______Do you sound dynamic, confident, and enthused in your speech delivery?

______Have you timed your speech delivery and are you within the time limit of 7-9 minutes?

If you have answered "no" to any of these questions I urge you to remedy the situation.
Speaker____________________________ 100 point Persuasive Speech Evaluation Form

INTRODUCTION:
_____BELOW AVERAGE - D-F speech -Did not have clear introduction

_____AVERAGE - C speech -Had an effective Introduction

_____ABOVE AVERAGE -B speech - Introduction fulfilled all of the functions: attention-getter more than basic, importance of topic and speaker's credibility established, tie into audience established, proposition/stance/claim statement was clear, clearly previewed arguments to be covered.

_____SUPERIOR -A speech- Introduction fulfilled all of the functions, was an individual creation, well worded, and dynamic.

BODY OF THE SPEECH:
_____BELOW AVERAGE - D-F speech- Speech is not organized/presented in a persuasive fashion. Organizational pattern not clear, main points not clear, wandering, support not adequate, topic not sufficiently narrowed down or inappropriate for assignment.
_____AVERAGE -C Speech- Exhibits sound organization of arguments /reasoning- a clear purpose/position adequately supported by main points that are easily identified. Persuasive organizational pattern is evident. Revealed researched outside sources in speech delivery and in outline. (4 minimum requirement-4 points each)

_____ABOVE AVERAGE -B Speech- Contained a variety of organized supportive materials to defend speaker's position Tied ideas together effectively with smooth transitions. Reveals outside supporting materials, which are considered exceptionally relevant and authoritative on topic.

_____SUPERIOR -A Speech- contributed exceptional individual thinking and research on speech topic. Shows thorough topic knowledge and preparation. Documented verbal citations were incorporated in a conversational manner. Original attempt to strengthen or alter listener's positions.

DELIVERY:
_____BELOW AVERAGE -D-F speech- Speaker did not deliver speech in extemporaneous manner. Reasonable eye contact/directness never established with audience.

_____AVERAGE -C Speech- Exhibits reasonable directness and conversational in delivery. Eye contact is established with listeners. Rate, volume, vocal variation, and enthusiasm are reasonable.

_____ABOVE AVERAGE - B Speech-Relaxed physical and vocal delivery. Establishes a genuine rapport and interaction with listeners. Eye contact established and consistently maintained with all of listeners.

_____SUPERIOR -A Speech- Established a high rapport with audience, achieves a variety of moods and manners demanded by the subject matter and by the speaker-audience interaction. Shows evidence of thorough preparedness.

CONCLUSION:
_____BELOW AVERAGE- D speech-Did not summarize main arguments or enlist audience's agreement.

_____AVERAGE- C Speech- Basic re-list of main arguments and a persuasive closure provided.

_____ABOVE AVERAGE- B Speech- Summary of main arguments more than a re-listing, offered benefits. Brought speech to a clear ending with some memorable persuasive words.

_____SUPERIOR- A Speech- Creative, powerful end delivered.

___________Research/citation requirement met (-5points for each missed)
___________Presentational aid requirement met (5 of the 100 points)
___________Organizational pattern evident (5 of the 100 points)
___________Time (7-10 minutes)
___________Points for Speech
___________Adjustments (research, citations, organizational pattern, presentational aid, time, other)
___________Grade for Persuasive Speech (90-100=A, 80-89=B, 70-79=C, 60-69=D)
.
PERSUASION

Persuasion can be defined as: the process by which a communicator influences the values, beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors of another. Persuasion occurs any time you move a listener's opinion in the direction you advocate, even if that movement is slight.

Three types of influence: (1) changing your listener's values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. This type of influence is the most dramatic. Change is difficult for most people. (2) You can attempt to Instill a value, belief, attitude, or behavior. You instill when you address a particular problem about which your listeners are unaware of or have yet to established an opinion upon. (3) Finally, you may Intensify values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. In this case you must know before your speech that audience members agree with your position to a certain degree. Your goal is to strengthen your listener's position and actions. For example, your audience may already believe that recycling is desirable and may practice it at times. If your persuasive speech causes your listeners to recycle more often than you have intensified their behavior.

TYPES OF PERSUASIVE SPEECHES:

1. Speech to Convince: objective is to affect listener's beliefs and attitudes. For example, to convince the audience that air travel is safer that ground travel.
2. Speech to Actuate: may establish beliefs, but it always calls for the audience to act. For example, to move the audience to spay or neuter pet cats and dogs.
3. Speech to Inspire: attempts to change how listeners feel. For example, to inspire audience members to give their best efforts to all college courses they take.

PRINCIPLES OF PERSUASION:

1. Persuasion is more likely if goals are limited rather than global. Rather than trying to convince your listeners to support the death penalty, try convincing them of a smaller aspect of the topic; for example, that capital punishment deters crime (or does not). The greater number of points you must prove, the less time you have to support and explain each.
2. Persuasion is more likely if achieved incrementally, or one step at a time especially if you know your audience has been exposed to counterarguments and/or has adopted/agrees with the other side of the issue. Goal would be to address those counterarguments and dispel them.
3. Persuasion is more likely if the audience lacks information on the topic. In the absence of information, a single fact can be compelling. This is a good argument for choosing a current event topic.
4. Persuasion is related to how important the audience considers the topic. Keep in mind, just as importance of topic can work for you as a persuasive speaker; it can also work against you. We all would agree it would be easier to persuade someone to change his or her toothpaste brand than to change his or her religion. The reason is simple: your religion is more important to you. Convincing listeners that marijuana should be legalized for medicinal purposes might fall somewhere between toothpaste and religion. The establishment of the importance of a topic falls on the speaker's shoulders but the values of individual audience members will influence the importance perceived concerning certain topics regardless of what the speaker does or does not say.
5. Persuasion is more likely if the audience is self-motivated in the direction of the message. People change because they are motivated to do so. First, identify as many of the needs and desires of your listeners as possible. Second, select those needs and desires that your speech satisfy. Third, as you prepare your speech, explain how the action you advocate fulfills their needs.
6. Persuasion is more likely if the speaker's message is consistent with listeners' values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. Request an action that is consistent with your audience's values and beliefs. An if this than that approach. "More than ever we have become an informed society regarding the field of personal health. We all know what to eat and what not to eat. We all value our health and strive to hang onto it and thus adopt a critical attitude about what we eat. Also, we cannot dispute the factual information concerning cigarette smoking and its hazards to a person's health. So why is it that you may eat healthy but still smoke? The requested action is quit or don't smoke.
7. Persuasion is more likely if arguments are placed appropriately. Simply said, don't sandwich your strongest argument between weaker ones, you reduce its impact.
8. Persuasion is more likely if the source is credible. Think about it, we choose to see a movie because the critics we respect praise the film. Trusted experts in the field are credible sources for us.
Consider how your audience will view the source as you decide what researched information to include in your speech.
9. Persuasion is more likely if the speaker establishes common ground with the audience. People similar to ourselves more easily persuade us than those who are different. Your friends are credible sources of information not because they are experts on a subject but because they share similar values, beliefs, backgrounds, etc. One way to increase your persuasion is to identify with your listeners.

Aristotle, in his classic work The Rhetoric, discussed three modes of persuasion speakers have at their disposal:
ETHOS, or speaker credibility, derives from the character and reputation of the speaker. LOGOS, or logical appeal, relies on the form and substance of the argument. PATHOS, or emotional appeal, taps the values and feelings of the audience.

ETHOS
GUIDELINES FOR ENHANCING YOUR IMAGE AS A CREDIBLE AND COMPETENT SPEAKER:
INITIAL CREDIBILITY- is derived prior to speaking. Just as you do strangers, you form impressions of your classmates based on what they say in class, how they dress, whether they arrive at class on time, attendance behavior, their age, appearance, etc.
DERIVED CREDIBILITY- is the image the audience develops of you as you speak. If you convey confidence, authority, preparation, and a genuine concern for your listener's time and attention, you enhance your credibility.
TERMINAL CREDIBILITY- is the image the audience has of you after your speech. Terminal credibility is subject to change each time you speak
KNOW YOUR SUBJECT- would you buy an expensive disc player system from a salesperson who can answer all of your questions or from someone that doesn't know the answers and doesn't care to find out? The answer is obvious isn't it? You will discover the more you read about your persuasive topic, the easier it is to construct a message that is credible and interesting for your audience to hear.
DOCUMENT YOUR IDEAS/CITE YOUR SOURCES- Unsupported ideas are mere assertions. Your listeners don't expect you to be an expert on your topic, but they do need the assurance that what you say is backed by facts or by "experts". Providing documentation supports your statements, adds to your credibility as a speaker and increases your believability.
ACKNOWLEDGE ANY PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT- or experience with your subject. Listeners will probably assume that you have an edge in understanding your topic if you have personal experience or a vested interest in your subject.
STRIVE FOR A DYNAMIC DELIVERY MANNER- we enjoy listening to speakers who are energetic, vigorous, exciting, inspiring, spirited, enthusiastic about their topic!

PATHOS-The strongest arguments combine logical reasoning (logos) with passion (pathos).
GUIDELINES FOR ENHANCING EMOTIONAL APPEALS:
1. Tap your audience's values and beliefs. Demonstrate in your speech how your audience's values support your position; make that connection as evident as possible.
2. Use vivid examples to explain and support your ideas. As speaker, strive to arouse emotions such as anger, envy, fear, hate, jealousy, joy, love, or pride in your listeners.
3. Use emotive language/powerful words instead of abstract, non-descriptive words.
4. Use effective delivery. Avoid distracting mannerisms, maintain eye contact, be enthusiastic, don't speak in a monotone, control your volume and rate appropriately. Some areas of your speech will call for a change in volume, rate and pauses. For example, delivering your speech at a reading rate, barely loud enough to hear, with little eye contact, and expressionless comes across as uninterested and insincere besides unprepared! Remember, if a speaker's verbal and nonverbal are in conflict.
We tend to believe the nonverbal message
LOGOS- or logical appeal relies on the structure of arguments and how those arguments are organized in your speech.
1. At its simplest level, an argument has three steps: (a.) You make a claim or a statement you want your listeners to accept as true and valid. For example- "Textbook prices are too high." (b.) You offer evidence. The validity of any claim depends on the evidence supporting it. Evidence is the supporting material you use to prove a point. You must offer your listeners reasons to accept your conclusion. (c.) You show how the evidence proves the claim. Focus your listener's attention on the key point(s), (statistic, example, testimony, quote, etc.) that proved your point.
2. Speakers can justify their claims by using any of five types of argument.
· Argument by Example: or inductive argument says that what is true of a few instances is true generally. For example, if you have struggled through three different math classes you may conclude that math is a difficult subject for you. You arrive at this conclusion by generalizing from the few specific math classes you have taken. We form many of our opinions through proofs provided from arguments by example. We read of several murders in a certain area of a city and assume that area or the city is plagued with violence. We hear our friends/family members complain of various problems of a certain model/make of car and decide not to buy that model. Keep in mind that argument by example is valid or useful only if you can answer yes to each of four tests of argument:
· Are the examples true; well, are they?
· Are the examples relevant to my subject or are you comparing apples to potatoes? Three murders in our city therefore not safe to walk the streets at night. But the three murders were all related to domestic violence. Does this examples relate to the claim?
· Are the examples sufficient to prove my case? In general, the greater the population for which you generalize, the more examples you need. (Three murders in one week in Rochester, therefore unsafe place to live verses, even though tragic, three murders in one week in Los Angeles).
· Are the examples representative or typical, not exceptions? For example, during the week in question, five convicted murderers broke out of a nearby prison.
Argument by Analogy: Says that what is true in one case will be true in another. For example- Parents do all they can to keep their kids safe; they monitor food, playmates, where they play and at what hours, seat belts, etc. The federal government requires, through regulation, that special caps are placed on prescription drugs; seat belts must meet specification codes. These rules are accepted by our society as good. If it is good that policy regulates what our children eat and how they ride in a car, would it not also be good for the federal government to regulate the Daycare facilities parents leave their children in while they are at work?
Argument by Cause: says that one action or condition caused or will cause another. A simple example of cause-effect- if you smoke cigarettes you will get lung cancer. Effect-cause example- a decline in cigarette consumption caused by an increased tax therefore up the cost of cigarettes.
Argument by Authority: Uses testimony from an expert source to prove a speaker's claim. Its validity depends on the credibility the source has with the audience.
Argument by Deduction: says that what is true generally is or will be true in a specific case. For example-(in general or major premise) College students need to develop effective time management skills. Because (specific or minor premise) you are a college student (conclusion) each of you needs to develop effective time management skills. If the two premises are true and relate to each other, the conclusion must also be true.

Fallacies of Argument: "A fallacy is a defect in reasoning which destroys its validity" Fallacies are often persuasive and resemble valid reasoning and sometimes we accept them as legitimate and that is the danger. We need to be aware of these fallacies so we can be more critical of the persuasive messages that bombard us every day. Use the powerpoint Fallacies presentation.

Difference between a thesis statement and a proposition statement:

1. Propositions express a judgment held by the speaker. It states the position the speaker will defend. For example: "The United States should not send the young Cuban boy back to Cuba = a proposition statement. Thesis statement might be: "Sending the boy back to Cuba, a dictatorship, would be a crime against his basic human right to freedom. The people of Cuba are not free." This is a reason you will offer to prove your proposition. "So today we will explore the concept of basic human rights, the political policies of Cuba, and…" This is a preview.
2. Propositions are debatable, usually means there are two sides to the topic, pro and cons of the issue, some degree of controversy. If you are unlikely to find any qualified authority today opposing your proposition statement it is not a good topic for a persuasive speech.
3. Propositions require proof. Propositions are assertions, and assertions are statements that have not been proven. Your job as a persuasive speaker is to offer valid reasons/arguments to support your position.

Types of Propositions
1. Proposition of Fact: Focuses on the belief of a statement's truth or falsity. "Electric automobiles are commercial feasible." "An aspirin a day can reduce the risk of heart disease."
2. Proposition of Value: Requires a judgment on the worth of an idea or action, the goodness or badness determination. "Censorship is a greater evil than pornography." " The death penalty is morally wrong no matter what the crime."
3. Propositions of Policy: Advocates a course of action. You ask the audience to endorse a policy or commit themselves to some action advocated by you, the persuasive speaker. "There should be a ban on advertising of all tobacco products." "Television programs should not be allowed to portray inappropriate sex and violence." "Burning a United States flag should carry jail time penalties."

ORGANIZING PERSUASIVE SPEECHES
PATTERNS THAT ARE UNIQUE TO PERSUASIVE SPEECHES:

REFUTATIONAL STRATEGY: There is always another side, perhaps several sides, in addition to the one presented by the speaker. You may have selected your topic because you read or heard a statement with which you disagree. Your purpose,then,is to refute or disprove that statement
1. State the position you are refuting. "One argument opponents make against…"
2. State your position. "Well, before you are taken in by these ill claims, let's replace the fear with facts…"
3. Support your position. "In the Oct. 1998 issue of … and for example…."
4. Show how your position or arguments undermines the opposing argument. "As intelligent people we must be guided by the facts, not fears. The experts, fifty years of research, and statistics clearly demonstrate that…"

PROBLEM-SOLUTION DIVISION: In this approach the major divisions of your speech and their order is predetermined. You first establish a compelling problem and then present a convincing solution. Because you advocate a plan of action to conclude with, this method is by nature persuasive.
Speeches that call for a law or some action often use a problem-solution format.

NEED-PLAN DIVISION: is similar to the problem-solution format. Salespeople often use this strategy There are four steps:
1. Establish a need or deficiency in the present system. (Salesperson demonstrates or describes the newest computer technology or some type of service to you and creates a need.)
2. Present a proposal to meet the need. (Salesperson/store has the product and it is on sale!)
3. Demonstrate how the proposal satisfies the need. (Salesperson now demonstrates or describes how well the product works.)
4. Suggest a plan for implementing the proposal. (Salesperson offers you an easy payment plan…no payments or interest until the year 2001!)

You can use this and the problem-solution format when you want to prompt your listeners to action.

MONROE'S MOTIVATED SEQUENCE: In the 1930's Alan Monroe developed one of the most popular patterns for organizing persuasive speeches. This pattern is particularly useful when discussing a well-known or easily established problem.
1. Speakers must first command the attention of their listeners. This means the speaker must go beyond and average "Hello, how are you" type of introduction. Begin with a vivid description of a situation. Choose words that help your audience form realistic mental images and experience intense emotion. Appeal to the listener's values; stimulate their senses (hearing, touch, smell, and sight).
2. A speaker's second objective is to establish a need. This step is similar to the problem-solution and need-plan patterns for organizing your speech.
3. When your dramatize a problem, you are creating an urgency to do something about it. In the satisfaction step of this sequence you propose a way to solve, or minimize the problem.
4. Simply proposing a solution is seldom sufficient to bring about change. Through visualization, Monroe's fourth step, a speaker seeks to intensify an audience's desire to adopt and implement the proposed solution. This step again calls for intensity, will chosen words that create pictures for your audience to visualize as if real.
5. The final step is the action you request of your listeners. It is not enough to know that something must be done; the audience must know what you want them to do, and your request must be within their power to act.