1. The Persuasive Speech
Ch. 24

2. What is a Persuasive Speech?
Persuasive Speeches are meant to influence the audience’s attitudes, beliefs, and values.
It is derived from the Greek Word meaning “to believe”.
Persuasive Speeches attempt to influence audience choices.
Persuasive Speeches limit alternatives.
Persuasive Speeches seek a response.

3. The Process of Persuasion
Persuasion is a complex psychological process of reasoning and emotion.
The process of changing an audience members mind is extremely difficult and, therefore, requires the use of considerable skill.
Key Factors of Persuasive Speeches: ________, _________, ___________, ___________.

4. Classical Persuasive Appeals: Using Proofs
There are three types of persuasive appeals or rhetorical proofs.
Logos: Proof by reason. This persuasive appeal is directed at the audience’s reasoning on a topic. *Reasoning is to draw conclusions based on evidence.
There are two forms of Reasoning in Speeches.
The Syllogism, and The Enthymeme.

5. The Syllogism
A 3 part argument consisting of a general case (also called a Major Premise), a specific case (Minor Premise), and a logical conclusion.
It is a form of deductive reasoning, or reasoning from a general condition to a specific instance.
Hasty overgeneralization is an attempt to support a claim by asserting that a particular piece of evidence (an isolated case) is true for all individuals or conditions concerned.

6. Syllogism Examples Original Example GC: All men are mortal.
SC: Socrates is a man.
C: Therefore, Socrates is mortal.
Good Example
GC: Regular exercise enhances your ability to study productively.
S: Swimming is good exercise.
C: Swimming regularly will enhance your ability to study productively.

7. The Enthymeme
An enthymeme is a syllogism presented as a probability rather than an absolute, and it states either a general case or a specific case but not both.
Enthymemes use inductive reasoning, or an argument that moves from a specific instance to a general condition.

8. Enthymeme Example
General Case to Conclusion: Regular exercise enhances your ability to study productively, so swimming regularly should enhance your studying.
Specific Example to conclusion: Swimming is good exercise and should enhance your studying.