Speaking to Persuade

Part One: The Persuasive Perspective

Chapter 1: THE WHYS AND WHATS OF PERSUASION

Why Persuasion?

The Importance of Persuasion

Dialectical Persuasion and the World Community

So What Is Persuasion?

Does Persuasion Infringe on Others’ Rights?

How Is Persuasion Different from Force?

Is Persuasion Common to All Societies?

Since You Asked . . .

The Canons of Rhetoric: Stages of Persuasive Speaking

In Summary

Theory into Practice

Oral Practice

Part Two: Invention—Preparing to Persuade

Chapter 2: THINKING ABOUT CONTROVERSIES

Considering Controversies and Issues

What Is Worth Arguing?

When We Must Choose a Subject

Defining the Purpose

Framing the Proposition

Types of Propositions

Looking For and Using Evidence

Why Evidence?

Primary Versus Secondary Sources

Sources of Evidence

The Foundational Value of Electronic Information

Electronic Resources: Academic Searches

Electronic Resources: General Searches

About Wikipedia

First-Hand Sources

Types of Evidence

Testimony

Examples

Facts And Statistics

Since You Asked . . .

Evaluating Evidence

In Summary

Theory into Practice

Speech Subject Brainstorm

Chapter 3: DISCOVERING ARGUMENTS: USING THE COMMON TOPICS

The Search for Ideas

Critical Thinking and Persuasion

The Function of the Common Topics

Putting the Topics to Use

Since You Asked . . .

Speech Preparation Checklist

In Summary

Theory into Practice

Speech Preparation Worksheet

Chapter 4: DISCOVERING ARGUMENTS: ANALYZING AND REPAIRING YOUR CREDIBILITY

Finding Arguments in Ethos

The Ancient View

A Contemporary Perspective

The Variability of Credibility

What Can We Do about Our Ethos?

Since You Asked . . .

Ethical Considerations for the Persuasive Speaker

In Summary

Theory into Practice

Oral Practice

Chapter 5: ANALYZING THE AUDIENCE

Uncovering Audience Information

First Steps

Cautions and Considerations

The Opportunity for Audience Polling

Constructing an Audience Questionnaire

The Likert Scale

The Semantic Differential

Fixed Alternative Questionnaires

Open-Ended Questionnaires

What to Do with Audience Information

About Me, the Speaker

About Experience

Since You Asked . . .

About Knowledge

Audience Attitude and the Proposition

Modifying the Proposition

In Summary

Theory into Practice

Sketching out the Audience Survey

Part Three: Organization and Style—Speech Construction

Chapter 6: PERSUASIVE SPEECH ORGANIZATION

Core Structure

Organization and the Proposition

Propositions of Fact

Propositions of Value

Propositions of Policy

Dealing with Counterarguments

Looking Over the Outline

Introductions and Conclusions

Introductions

Attention

Connect audience and issue

Since You Asked . . .

Proposition

Signposts

Conclusions

Review

Recall the proposition

Reinforce audience connection

In Summary

Theory into Practice

Oral Practice

Outline Worksheet for Speech of Fact

Outline Worksheet for Speech of Value

Outline Worksheet for Speech of Policy

Chapter 7: REASONING AND REFUTATION

The Nature of Reasoning

Forms of Reasoning

Deduction

Induction

Causal Reasoning

Comparison

Vulnerable Reasoning and Fallacies

Faulty Reasoning

Types of Fallacies

Hasty Generalization, Stereotyping, and Ad Hominem Arguments

Appeals to Conformity, Popular Sentiment, and Tradition

False Cause

Faulty Comparison

Building a Refutation

Since You Asked . . .

In Summary

Theory into Practice

Chapter 8: VERBAL STYLE IN PERSUASIVE SPEAKING

Language and Emotional Appeal

The Persuasive Use of Imagination

Why Images?

Metaphor and Persuasion

Finding Places for Images

Since You Asked . . .

Creating Persuasive Images

Terminology and Audience Identification

Ultimate Terms and Persuasion

Political Correctness and Ultimate Terms

Gender and Ultimate Terms

Other Perspectives on Usage

In Summary

Theory into Practice

Oral Practice

Part Four: Memory and Delivery—Speech Presentation

Chapter 9: MEMORY—ENHANCING RECALL AND REDUCING ANXIETY

On the Accuracy of Memory

How Memory Works

Memory in Speechmaking

Memory and Invention

Mnemonic Devices

Thinking and Talking About the Subject

Grouping Arguments by Common Topics

Memory and Organization: Preparation Outlines Versus Speaking Outlines

Using Notes

Since You Asked . . .

Additional Memory Aids

Memory and Speech Anxiety

In Summary

Theory into Practice

Chapter 10: DELIVERY DECISIONS

The Dominance of Delivery

The Persuasive Persona

Demonstrating Attitude through Dress

Demonstrating Attitude through Voice

Demonstrating Attitude through Body Action

A Word about Delivery Style

Climate Control

Since You Asked . . .

Physical Context

Time

Space

The Visual Aid Decision

Presentation Software

Presentation Guidelines

When to Use Visual Aids

What Can Go Wrong: A Word of Caution

In Summary

Theory into Practice

Speech Delivery Checklist

Part Five: Beyond the Speech: Analysis and Adaptation

Chapter 11: ADAPTING THE PERSUASIVE SPEECH

Speeches of Advocacy

Social or Political Advocacy

Sales Persuasion

Sales as Dialectic

Considering Form

The Elevator Pitch

Informal Debate

A “Culture of Debate”

Establishing Format

Isolate the Proposition

Define the Terms of the Proposition

Determine Affirmative and Negative Positions

Rebuttal

Speeches of Accusation and Defense

Editorial Commentary

Ethical Considerations in News commentary

Legal Persuasion

Since You Asked . . .

In Summary

Theory into Practice

Chapter 12: ASSESSING SPEECH EFFECTIVENESS

Listening to Persuasion

Why is this Person Speaking?

Recognize and Evaluate the Speaker’s Reasons

Recognize and Respond to Emotional Appeals

Evaluating Ethics

Framing and Phrasing a Useful Critique

How to Critique

Since You Asked . . .

What Makes a Good Speech?

In Summary

Theory into Practice

Critique for a Generic Persuasive Speech

Critique for a Fact or Value Persuasive Speech

Critique for a Policy Persuasive Speech

Glossary

Index