PRS: June 9th. More on Persuasive Speech

If you lack inspiration in choosing the topic of your speech, click on the following link - it may ignite your intellectual spark:
http://www.faulkton.k12.sd.us/persuasive_speech_topics.htm
It gives you topics as diverse as: "Dieting leads to eating disorders" to "You must donate your organs," and gay marriages.
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Rhetoric Devices: Logos, Pathos, Ethos

According to Aristotle, you can persuade your audience to see the things the way you see them if you use three rhetorical devices: logos, pathos, and ethos. Logos will appeal to their reasoning abilities, pathos to their emotions, and ethos to their sense of morality.
In all of my examples I’ve chosen the topic of smoking. If I were to talk about it using logos, pathos and ethos this could be the gist of my appeal to the audience. “Everyone knows and numerous studies show that smoking endangers your health (logos). Isn’t it tragic when a young mother leaves two young orphaned children behind, losing her young life to lung cancer (pathos). Everyone agrees that people should be free to decide what they do with their lives and how they will behave; however, there should be a clear limit: when one’s behavior endangers other people, then it should be banned. We consider it immoral to expose ourselves in public because we don’t want to make other people uncomfortable. Why is it then morally acceptable to smoke around others and not only put them at discomfort but also put them in health danger (ethos)
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5 Basic Patterns of Persuasive Speeches

NOTE: Remember that the point of any persuasive speech is to get your audience to think and feel the way you feel about issues.
****There are 5 basic patterns of persuasive speeches:
Problem - Solution //Cause-Effect //Comparative // Comparative Advantages //Reason Giving // Motivated Sequences

Problem-Solution

Problem-Solution pattern works well for topics involving social issues, current events or any problem-oriented topics.
There are usually only two main points in a problem-solution speech--the "problem" and the "solution." There may be numerous subpoints under each, such as causes or effects of the problem, and individual and societal solutions.

Problem: smoking is still allowed in many public places and we all know that the second-hand smoke is as harmful.
Solutions: prohibit smoking imposing monetary penalties; increase the price of cigarettes; allow smoking in designated areas only

Cause-Effect

In cause-effect organization, the speaker is attempting to offer proof that certain cause(s) are directly linked to certain effect(s). This is a challenge for any speaker.
Cause: People smoke because they refuse to acknowledge the danger of smoking; many believe that cigarettes are good for them because they help them relax. However, the effects of smoking are quite the opposite: lungs, throat, tongue, and many other types of cancer; premature aging and discoloration of skin; emphysema, bronchitis, asthma - all worsened by smoking

Comparative Advantages

Comparative Advantages is used to directly compare and contrast two or more items, brands, solutions or options. For example, you may choose to compare the life of a smoker with the life of a non-smoker.

Thesis: Living as a smoker is much more difficult than living as a non-smoker (so you should quit)
Comparisons: Non-smokers are healthier and live longer; Smokers are discriminated against and looked down upon in many societies; Smokers waste more money

Reason-Giving

Reason-Giving patterns are great for sales or motivational topics.
The main points in a reason-giving speech are simply a set of reasons your audience should think, feel, believe or act as you do.

Thesis: Everyone should stop smoking for various reasons
Reasons: Very bad for your health; Socially unacceptable; You can save money and do something that is good for you – like go on a vacation or buy a new swanky cell phone

Motivated Sequence

is an organizational pattern which uses five audience-oriented steps to persuade.
The steps are: Attention, Need, Satisfaction, Visualization and Action.
It has been proven to be very successful in motivating audiences. The five steps are of equal importance and should each be fully developed.

Topic: How to get motivated to stop smoking

Attention: You can say whatever you want as a smoker, e.g “it’s my right to smoke, I enjoy it and who are you to tell me to quit?” Only if you are blind or stupid or don’t care about your life or the lives of those you love, you’ll continue. The fact is: Cigarettes kill millions of people yearly, not only smokers, but also non-smokers who are innocent victims. Children from smokers’ families develop serious diseases being exposed to 2nd-hand smoke. Stop before you become a murderer or leave your kids orphaned. (Got your attention yet?)

Need: Face it – in today’s society smoking is rapidly going out of fashion. Many companies don’t want to hire smokers and many insurance companies will not insure smokers. Smokers are not as healthy, they socially unacceptable, they stink, have sickly skin and bad breath. If you want to succeed and leave a happier more productive life , please stop. If a Canadian couple smoke 2 packs of cigarettes a day, they burn 8,000,000 won a year, enough money to go on a luxurious vacation, by a used car, or put a down-payment on a house.

Satisfaction: It’s been proven that quitting smoking is one of the hardest things a person can do. It’s not just a physical addiction, but more an emotional one. It’s like getting a divorce from a most wonderful spouse you can imagine. Just think how proud of yourself you’d be if you kick the habit, how satisfied with your willpower and your ability to do something that’s proven to be difficult to do for the best of us. There are great men and women out there who did great things, but oddly failed at kicking the habit.

Visualization: Visualize yourself as a healthy non-smoker, walking along a most beautiful trail by an enchanting lake, surrounded by pine trees and meadows sprinkled with spring flowers. Imagine your clear lungs and unplugged nose being able to breathe all of this in; imagine your fresh breath and the fragrance of your freshly showered body and shiny hair – no smoke to make you stink like an industrial chimney. Imagine your clear skin and healthy glow, imagine the lightness with which you walk, no congested tarred lungs to slow you down.
On the other hand: imagine that moment of waking up in the morning after a night of heavy drinking and smoking. Imagine your sticky stinky mouth, your yellow fingers, your disgusting crumpled clothes that smell like rotten sausages…. Do you really want to be that guy/gal?

Action: Now is the time to take action: get assistance and get that patch; surround yourself with books and brochures; go on the internet and research practical help as how to quit smoking; have a support group, go for a walk, - whatever you do stay away from those deadly cancer sticks. If you slip, it’s not the end of the world, keep trying.
***Which pattern you will choose depends on your topic. Once you decide what kind of persuasive speech you want to give, then see which pattern is most suitable for you to get the audience to see and feel things your way.