Chapter 22: Persuasive Strategies
Key Concepts
22-1 Clarify your persuasive goal.
22-2 Organize your points for persuasive impact.
Suggested Activities and Exercises
The Clash
This exercise gives students an opportunity to argue a policy proposition. (In the past, students
have chosen to debate everything from “People who subscribe to tabloids should be banished to
Step 1: Selecting a topic
The topic must be phrased as a debatable policy. The class will narrow the possibilities and vote
side you are leaning toward.
Step 2: Procedures for “clash”
Move your desks so supporters of the policy are on one side of the room and those opposing the
policy are on the other side of the room. Neutral individuals can move to the front of the room.
Step 3: Discussion
After the clash is completed, discuss the claims made by each side, the evidence which was used
Motivated Sequence and Visualization
Have students prepare a series of brief vivid pictures (visualizations) to demonstrate how a
Scenario Activity
Give the students a public speaking scenario where they would encounter an unfavorable
Tests
Correct answers are marked with an asterisk. The places in the Compact Handbook where the
information was presented are shown in brackets.
True/False Questions
Multiple Choice Questions
5. Which of the following is not recommended for dealing with an unfavorable audience?
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6. If your audience is favorable, which of the following is not a persuasive strategy suggested
by your text?
7. Which of the following audience members are not part of a neutral audience?
8. According to Monroe’s motivated sequence, the visualization step involves _____.
A. Creating a vivid picture of the benefits of agreeing with the speaker
Essay and Short Answer Questions
9. Suppose that you are speaking to a neutral, well-educated audience about a topic which will
be very much in the news and upon which you have no special credibility. Outline your
basic persuasive strategy and justify your choices. [22b.2]