Persuasive Speech

Lecture Overview

  • Today's lecture is described as straightforward and not expected to be long.

  • The plan is to review previous concepts discussed on Monday, particularly focusing on the decisive process and reasoning.

  • The importance of reasoning and understanding fallacies is highlighted, especially in relation to informal speech.

Recap from Monday

Decisive Process (Four Steps)

  1. Issue Awareness

    • This is the first step wherein the audience is made aware of the issue.

    • Importance: It lets the opposition know that this is a matter worth discussing.

  2. Comprehension

    • The audience understands how the issue relates to them—its importance and implications.

    • Questions to pose: Why should they care? What are the consequences of taking no action vs taking action?

  3. Relevance

    • This deals with how the issue connects to the audience's life, emphasizing its significance.

    • Outcome: Acceptance which does not mean agreement but rather understanding where the speaker is coming from.

  4. Acceptance

    • Indicators of moving from acceptance to action may take time; it involves influencing the audience over time.

    • Concept of planting the seed of understanding and reflection.

Types of Credibility

  • Initial Credibility: The perceived credibility before the speaker has said anything (due to appearance, background, etc.).

  • Derived Credibility: The credibility established throughout the speech based on content, preparation, and audience interaction.

  • Terminal Credibility: The sum of initial and derived credibility at the conclusion of the speech.

Organizational Patterns in Speech

  • Proper organization aids in clarity and effectiveness of the speech. Different organizational styles include:

    • Problem-Solution: Identifying a problem and presenting a solution.

    • Problem-Cause-Solution: Identifying a problem, analyzing its causes, and then proposing a solution.

    • Motivated Sequence: A five-step process effective for persuasive speaking that involves attention, need, satisfaction, visualization, and action.

    • Comparative Advantages: Discussing why one solution is superior to others.

Audience Adaptation

  • Different audience types require tailored messages:

    • Hostile Audiences: Need persuasive strategies to counter objections.

    • Neutral Audiences: Information must engage and inform.

    • Favorable Audiences: Even when audiences are supportive, messages still must be structured effectively.

Types of Persuasive Speeches

  1. Questions of Fact: About the veracity of statements or claims.

  2. Questions of Value: Persuasion based on subjective value or belief in something.

  3. Questions of Policy: Argue for a specific course of action.

    • Need-Purpose-Practicality considerations must be addressed here.

Reasoning

Types of Reasoning

  • Deductive Reasoning: Drawing conclusions based on general premises.

  • Inductive Reasoning: Inferring generalizations from specific instances.

    • Often includes statistics and group generalizations, but shows limitations in conclusion certainty based on sample size.

    • Syllogism types:

    • Categorical: Establishes association via premises (e.g., All men are mortal).

    • Disjunctive: Presents two options with a conclusion based on evidence (e.g., Either A or B).

    • Conditional: If-then constructions (e.g., If I take the bus, then I save money).

Forms of Reasoning

  1. Cause and Effect: Exploring the direct relationship between a cause and its effect.

    • Types: Necessary causes (essential for effect) and sufficient causes (one of many paths to effect).

  2. Reasoning by Examples: Accumulating specific instances to support a conclusion while ensuring the relevance of examples.

  3. Analogies: Drawing parallels between similar frames (literal vs. figurative).

  4. Signs: Indicating that the presence of one fact suggests the presence of another.

Fallacies in Reasoning

  • Definition: Fallacies are errors in reasoning that undermine the argument's credibility.

  • Types of Fallacies:

    1. Ad Hominem: Attacking character instead of argument.

    2. Appeal to Authority: Using authority improperly to validate claims.

    3. Slippery Slope: Suggesting extreme consequences from a minor action.

    4. Non Sequitur: Jumping to unrelated conclusions without logical support.

    5. Straw Man: Misrepresenting an opponent’s argument to make it easier to attack.

    6. Hasty Generalization: Drawing broad conclusions from insufficient evidence.

    7. Either/Or: Presenting only two options when more exist.

    8. False Cause: Assuming a cause-effect relationship without sufficient proof.

    9. Red Herring: Introducing irrelevant points to distract from the main issue.

    10. Begging the Question: Making assumptions without evidence, implying everyone agrees on a point that might not be understood.

Conclusion

  • The importance of practice and preparedness is emphasized for effective performance in speeches.

  • Avoiding fallacies and ensuring sound reasoning lead to better persuasive efforts.