1. { Methods of Persuasion Speech class

2.  The audience perceives the speaker as having high credibility  The audience is won over by the speaker’s evidence  They are convinced by the speaker’s reasoning  Their emotions are touched by the speaker’s ideas or language What makes a speaker persuasive?

3.  Source credibility or ethos  Audiences perception of whether a speaker is qualified to speak on a given topic  Competence – how an audience regards a speaker’s intelligence, expertise, and knowledge of the subject  Character – how an audience regards a speaker’s sincerity, trustworthiness, and concern for the well- being of the audience Credibility is an attitude. It exists in the audience not the speaker. Building credibility

4.  Initial credibility = speaker’s credibility before he or she even starts to speak.  Derived credibility = speaker’s credibility produced by everything she or he says and does during the speech  Terminal credibility = speaker’s credibility at the end of the speech Types of credibility

5.  Explain your competence  Establish common ground  = speaker connects with values, attitudes or experiences of the audience  Deliver speeches fluently, expressively, and with conviction Enhancing credibility

6.  Evidence = supporting materials = stats, testimony, examples  Used to prove or disprove something  Gives credibility if you aren’t an actual “expert” Using evidence

7.  Use specific evidence  Use novel evidence  Use evidence from credible sources  Make a clear point with your evidence  Logos = logical appeal of the speaker (reasoning) Tips

8.  Process of drawing a conclusion based on evidence  Make sure it’s sound  Get listeners to agree  4 methods  Reasoning from specific instances  Reasoning from principle  Casual reasoning  Analogical reasoning Reasoning

9.  Reasoning that moves from particular facts to a general conclusion  Come from observations  Mrs. Burnett’s English class is difficult.  Mrs. Burnett’s speech class is difficult.  Mrs. Burnett’s journalism class is difficult.  Therefore, Mrs. Burnett’s classes are difficult.  Not a fool proof plan; there are exceptions to every rule. Reasoning from specific instances

10.  Avoid hasty generalization  = an error in reasoning from specific instances, in which a speaker jumps to a general conclusion on the basis of insufficient evidence  Be careful with your wording  Qualify arguments  Reinforce argument with stats or testimony Guidelines

11.  = moves from a general principle to a specific conclusion  Opposite of reasoning from specific instances  All people are mortal.  Socrates is a person  Therefore, Socrates is mortal. Reasoning from principle

12.  Pay attention to your general principle  When both the general principle and the minor premise are soundly based, your audience will be more likely to accept your conclusion  Formulate a specific purpose  Support general principle  Bolster minor premise Guidelines

13.  = reasoning that seeks to establish the relationship between causes and effects Causal reasoning

14.  Two common errors  False cause = speaker mistakenly assumes that because one event followed another, the first event is the cause of the second event  Assuming that events only have one cause Guidelines

15.  Speaker compares 2 similar cases and infers that what is true for the first case is true for the second case Analogical reasoning

16.  Make sure two cases are alike  Invalid analogy = 2 cases are not essentially alike  Most used with questions of policy Guidelines

17.  = an error in reasoning  Speakers avoid them  Listeners pay attention to them  Examples: hasty generalization, false cause, invalid analogy Fallacies

18.  Red herring = introduces an irrelevant issue to divert attention from the subject under discussion  Ad hominem = attacks the person rather than dealing with the real issue in the dispute  Either-Or = forces listeners to choose between 2 alternatives when more than 2 exist  Bandwagon = assumes that because something is popular, it is therefore good, correct, or desirable  Slippery slope = assumes that taking a first step will lead to subsequent steps that cannot be prevented Other fallacies

19.  Pathos = emotional appeals, attempts to make listeners feel emotion  Fear – serious illness, natural disasters, rejection  Compassion – physical disability, battered women  pride – country, family, school Appeal to Emotions

20.  Use emotional language  Develop vivid examples  Speak with sincerity and conviction Generating emotional appeal