CHAPTER SIXTEEN
SPEAKING TO PERSUADE
OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter students should be able to:
2. Describe three types of persuasive speeches;
4. Describe the three means of persuasion;
6. Define and develop three types of logical arguments;
8. Analyze a persuasive convincing speech;
9. Develop and present a persuasive convincing speech.
Additional Skill Builder Exercises
3. Persuasive convincing speech. Have students begin working on their persuasive convincing
speeches.
4. Audience attitude survey. Using the attitude survey discussed in Chapter 4, have students
5. Practice persuasive outlining. For 3 of the following topics, ask students to write outlines for
persuasive speeches using the reasons, problem-solution, and comparative advantages methods:
• Trying terrorists in U.S. federal courts rather than military tribunals
6. Persuasion diary. To help students understand the different types of persuasive messages, ask
them to keep a diary of their persuasive activities during an entire week. Have them describe the
7. Persuasive discussion. When introducing the persuasive speaking chapter, it is helpful to
have a general discussion with the class about the historical and contemporary bases of
persuasion. Ask students whom they feel have been some of the most influential persuasive
speakers in human history. You may get answers such as Jesus, Mohammed, Luther, Confucius,
Elizabeth I, Jefferson, Franklin, Ghandi, Hitler, Churchill, Roosevelt, Kennedy, Pope John Paul
II, King, and so forth. Ask the class why they chose these individuals. What were the positive
influences of these individuals on civilization? How did some of these speakers impact society
negatively? What persuasive methods did these speakers employ? This discussion is an
8. Persuasive speech analysis. Have students read the sample persuasive speech to convince in
the chapter by Anna D’Archangelis. Separate class members into groups and have them respond
to the following areas.
a. Identify the emotional appeals.
b. Identify the logical-factual appeals.
c. Discuss how the speaker establishes credibility in her speech.
InfoTrac/Library Database Exercises
1. Using the databases, have students locate the article titled, “The Red Flags of
Persuasion,” by Don Trent Jacobs and then answer the following questions about the
article:
a. Identify and define the 11 major elements of language that the listener should be
aware of when listening to a persuasive speech.
b. The author cites many of his examples about persuasive language from the radio
2. Have students search in Vital Speeches to located the speech titled, “The Virtue of
Tolerance,” by Dan Coats. Ask them to answer the following questions after reading the
article:
a. What kind of persuasive speech is it? Why?
b. What are the specific purpose and thesis?
c. What areas of the speech do you agree with?
d. What are some parts of the speech with which you disagree?
e. Do you feel any areas of the speech are biased? If so, explain your answer.
Speech Builder Express
This chapter gives the student the opportunity to use the online program for developing an
outline for the persuasive convincing or stimulating speech.