Transcription
In a persuasive speech, the speaker aims to convince the audience to accept a particular perspective on a person, place, object, or idea. The speaker strives to cause the audience to accept the point of view presented in the speech.
The success of a persuasive speech often relies on the speaker's use of ethos, pathos, and logos. Ethos is the speaker's credibility. Pathos appeals to the audience's emotions. Logos appeals to the audience's logic.
The three main types of persuasive speeches are factual, value, and policy. A factual persuasive speech focuses solely on information to prove the existence or absence of something through substantial proof. A factual persuasive speech includes historical controversy, a question of current existence, or a prediction.
A value persuasive speech concerns the morality of a certain topic. Speakers incorporate facts within these speeches; however, the speaker's interpretation of those facts creates the argument. These speeches are highly subjective, so the argument cannot be proven to be true or false.
A policy persuasive speech centers around the speaker's support or rejection of a public policy, rule, or law. Speakers provide evidence supporting their viewpoint to come to subjective conclusions based on the facts they provide.
When writing a persuasive speech, you'll want to identify the type of persuasive speech that will accomplish the goal. Select a topic to accomplish the goal and choose a position. Locate credible and reliable sources and identify evidence in support of the topic or position. Identify the audience and understand their baseline attitude about the topic.
When constructing an introduction, keep these questions in mind: What's the topic of the speech? What's the occasion? Who's the audience? What's the purpose of the speech?
Utilize the evidence from the identified sources to construct the body of the speech, keeping the audience in mind. Determine which pieces of evidence can best help develop the argument. Discuss each point in detail, allowing the audience to understand how the facts support the perspective. Addressing counterarguments can help speakers build their credibility, as it highlights their breadth of knowledge.
Conclude the speech with an overview of the central purpose and how the main ideas identified in the body support the overall argument.
Some famous persuasive speeches include President Kennedy's inaugural address, "Ask not what your country can do for you," President Reagan's "Tear down this wall," and Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a woman?"