1. Methods of Persuasion
Chapter 17

2. Building Credibility- Ethos
Audience perception on whether a speaker is qualified to speak on a topic
2 Main Factors of Credibility:
Competence
How the audience regards the speaker’s intelligence, expertise, and knowledge
Character
How the audience regards a speaker’s sincerity, trustworthiness, and concern for the well-being of the audience
Example:
Payton Manning talking about football vs. Payton Manning talking about hockey

3. Building Credibility- Ethos
3 Types of Credibility
Initial credibility
The credibility of the speaker before the speech begins
Derived credibility
The credibility of the speaker produced by what is being said during the speech
Terminal credibility
The credibility of the speaker at the end of the speech

4. Building Credibility- Ethos
Enhancing Credibility
Explain your competence
Note your research, background, or personal experience
Establish Common Ground
Show respect for listeners
Connect with audience values, attitude, or experiences
Deliver speech fluently, expressively, and with conviction
Vary your vocal pitches
Get rid of “uhm” “er” and “uh”
You must care about your speech to be able to deliver it so your audience cares

5. Using Evidence-Logos
Use of supporting materials (statistics, examples, testimonies) to prove or disprove something
Evidence increases credibility
Crucial to audiences that oppose your views
Tips for Evidence:
Use specific eveidence
A lot of money vs. $200 billion a year
Use novel evidence
Old vs. new
Credible sources
Make the point of your evidence clear
Don’t just present examples or stats without the point you are trying to make

6. Reasoning-Logos
The process of drawing a conclusion on the basis or evidence
Reasoning from specific instances:
Reasoning that moves from particular facts to general conclusion
Ex. My phys ed class was easy, my roomates phys ed class was easy, my brother’s phys ed class was easy=phys ed courses are easy
Reasoning from principal:
Reasoning that moves from general principal to specific conclusion
Ex. The Constitution guarantees all U.S citizen to vote, women are U.S citizens, The U.S Constitution guarantees women the right to vote

7. Reasoning-Logos
The process of drawing a conclusion on the basis or evidence
Causal Reasoning:
Seeks to establish the relationship between causes and effects
Ex: What caused the soccer team’s win or loss? What causes the economy to boom or fall?
Analogical Reasoning:
Compares two similar cases and infers that what is true for the first is true for the second
“If you are good a tennis, you are probably good at ping pong”
When persuading, find other cases or events that mirror yours

8. Reasoning-Logos Fallacies: Hasty generalization False cause
An error in reasoning (avoid in your speeches)
Over 125 identified fallacies
Hasty generalization
False cause
Invalid analogy
Bandwagon
Red herring
Ad hominem
Either-or
Slippery slope
Appeal to tradition
Appeal to novelty

9. Appealing to emotions-Pathos
Emotional Appeals:
Intended to make an audience feel a certain way
Fear
Compassion
Pride
Anger
Guilt
Admiration

10. Appealing to emotions-Pathos
Generating Emotional Appeals:
Use emotional language
Develop vivid examples
Speak with sincerity and conviction
Ethics and Emotional Appeal
Make sure it is appropriate for the topic
Do not substitute emotional appeal for evidence and reasoning
Make sure your goals are ethically sound