1. Human Communication: The Basic Course Twelfth Edition
PowerPoint™ Presentations prepared by:
Naomi Young
University of California, San Diego
Joseph A. DeVito
Hunter College of the City University of New York

2. Chapter Eighteen: The Persuasive Speech
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3. Chapter Goals Learn About:
The nature and goals of persuasion and how attitudes, beliefs, values, and behaviors are influenced
The major types of persuasive speeches
Learn To
Use the strategies of persuasion in a variety of communication contexts
Prepare a variety of effective persuasive speeches on questions of fact, value, and policy
Prevent yourself from being unfairly or unethically persuaded
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4. Goals of Persuasive Speaking
To strengthen or weaken attitudes, beliefs or values
To change attitudes, beliefs or values
To motivate to action
Persuasion continuum
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5. The Three Persuasive Proofs
Logical (logos)
Reasoning from specific instances and generalizations
Reasoning from cause and effect
Reasoning from sign
Listening to logical arguments and fallacies of reasoning
Anecdotal evidence
Straw man
Appeal to tradition
Bandwagon
Testimonial
Thin entering wedge
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6. Emotional Appeals Also called motivational appeals
Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs”
Listening to emotional appeals
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7. Credibility Appeals
The degree to which your audience regards you as a believable spokesperson
Competence
Tell listeners of your competence
Cite a variety of sources
Stress competencies of sources
Character
Stress fairness
Stress concern for audience
Stress concern for enduring values
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8. Charisma Demonstrate positive outlook Demonstrate enthusiasm
Be emphatic
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9. Listening to Credibility Appeals and Character Attacks
Personal interests
Character attacks
Name-Calling
Glittering generalities
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10. Principles of Persuasive Speaking
Focus on your audience
Identify with your audience
Secure a ‘yes’ response
Anticipate selective exposure
Use positive labeling
Ask for reasonable amounts of change
Provide social truth
Motivate your listeners with limited choices
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11. Persuasive Speeches on a Question of Fact
Concern what is or is not true
Formulate a thesis on the basis of a factual statement
Generate main points by asking:
“How do you know this?”
“Why would you believe this is true (factual)?”
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12. Persuasive Speeches on a Question of Value
Good or bad, moral or immoral, just or unjust
Generate main points with questions
Why is this good?
Why is this immoral?
Why is this justified?
Provide support through research
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13. Persuasive Speech on Question of Policy
Urging your audience to do something about an issue concern what should be done, what procedures should be adopted, what laws should be changed
Involve questions of values
Develop question of policy by asking strategic questions
“Why should the policy be adopted?”
“Why should this policy be discontinued?”
“Why is this policy better than what we now have?”
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14. Special Occasion Speeches
Speech to Secure Goodwill- to get the audience to change their behavior toward the person, product, or company
Demonstrate the contributions that deserve goodwill
Establish credibility
Don’t be obvious in asking for goodwill
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15. Special Occasion Speeches
The Commencement Speech-to congratulate and inspire the recent graduates
Organize the speech in a temporal pattern
Do your research
Be brief
Congratulate the graduates, parents, and
instructors
Offer the graduates a motivational message
Offer good wishes to the graduates
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16. Special Occasion Speeches
The Speech of Inspiration- to inspire, to raise the spirits of an audience
Demonstrate your oneness with the audience
Demonstrate your own intense involvement
Stress emotional appeals
Stress the positive
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17. Knowledge to Action
How can understanding the principles of persuasion help one to critically evaluate the messages they receive?
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