PersuasionPersuasionPersuasive Public Speaking

Persuasive Public SpeakingPersuasive Public Speaking

Persuasive Public Speaking is Oral communication designed to influence the attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors of others in a setting where one person talks to many others at a time (Verlinden).

Cicero said: 2,000 years ago, in order to persuade you must educate, the audience, and to keep the audience listening you must entertain them.

Persuasive Public SpeakingPersuasive Public Speaking

Persuasive speaking has a natural connection to critical thinking and argumentation.

A major way to persuade an audience is to make sound, convincing arguments.

A significant part of preparing the speech is to think critically about your subject, the situation and your audience.

Aristotle’s 5 canons of rhetoricAristotle’s 5 canons of rhetoric

The ancient Greeks studied Rhetoric, defined by Aristotle as the available means of persuasion.

They identified five “canons” of rhetoric, or lesser arts that constitute the greater art of rhetoric.

InventionInvention

The first canon is invention, which helps the speaker discover what to say in the speech.

This includes the systematic search for content and the critical thinking to decide what should be included for the audience being addressed.

This is the canon most related to critical thinking.

DispositionDisposition

The second canon is disposition which is the arrangement of ideas.

This is the organization of the speech. Effective arrangement and organization

are essential to the persuasiveness of a speech as well, by the use of building arguments.

Effective disposition also leads to greater speaker credibility

StyleStyle

The third canon of rhetoric is style. This canon refers to the way language is

used to express ideas.Effective use of style can help to make

your ideas and message clear.Language can also hide ideas and trick

people as well, thus it is important to remain ethical in use of language.

MemoryMemory

The fourth canon of rhetoric is memory. This relates to how to remember to say

what it is you are trying to say.It has to do today with your use of notes

or a manuscript for delivery, instead of relying completely on memorization, as they did in the Greek days.

DeliveryDelivery

Delivery is the final canon of rhetoric.It involves the way you vocally and

physically present your speech.Delivery is important because people pay

more attention to ideas presented in interesting and powerful ways.

Delivery can make a mediocre speech good and a good speech poor.

Suggestions for SpeakersSuggestions for Speakers

When you can choose your topic, speak about something worthwhile

Know the subject about which you speakKnow what you want from your audienceMake the best arguments you canAnalyze your audienceTailor the speech to the audienceMake sure the audience knows that the

subject is worthwhile

More suggestions:More suggestions:

Use high quality evidenceCite the sources of your evidence

to increase credibility and trustworthinessBe organizedRespond to potential objectionsBe able to adapt to constraints

Suggestions for the audienceSuggestions for the audience

Consider substance over styleThink critically in the “strong sense”Consider the evidenceConsider the speaker’s credibilityMake an independent judgmentRecognize that there will always be some

uncertainty / don’t expect a persuasive speech to remove all doubt