METHODS OF PERSUASIONBUILDING CREDIBILITY, USING EVIDENCE, & REASONING

Oral Communication:

Small Group 3 Project

Table of Contents

Building Credibility s.3-7

Using Evidence s.8-10

Reasoning s.11-27

Appealing to Emotion s.28-31

Building Credibility

Factors of Credibility Competence – a speaker’s intelligence and

expertise on the subject. Character – a speaker’s sincerity and

trustworthiness on the well-being of the audience.

Types of Credibility

Initial Credibility – the credibility of the speaker before she or he starts to speak.

Derived Credibility – the credibility of the speaker produced by everything she or he says and does during the speech itself.

Terminal Credibility – the credibility of the speaker at the end of the speech.

Enhancing Your Credibility

Explaining Your Competence Ask yourself, “Did I investigate the topic

thoroughly? Do I have the experience that gives me special knowledge or insight?” Ex. “Before returning to school last year, I spent

three years working at local assisting centers. I worked in every part of the city and with every kind of person.”

You can set your qualifications based on your study or research or your background and personal experience.

Enhancing Your Credibility (Cont’d)

Establish Common Ground with Your Audience Always show respect for you listeners. Your speech becomes more appealing when

you identifying with the audience. Showing that your point-of-view in lines with

what they believe. Show that you share the same values and attitudes, and experiences.

Enhancing Your Credibility (Cont’d)

The Delivery Faster speakers are better accepted that slow

speakers. Good speakers DO NOT lose their place, hesitate

frequently, or pepper talk(“uh”, “er”, “um”). This is why speakers need to practice way ahead

of time. Genuine conviction will also help strengthen your

credibility. “sincerity, honesty, and straightforward manner are

more important than special talent or polish.” - President Harry S. Truman

Using Evidence

When using evidence, you must have a good persuasive speed in how evidence works: A Case Study the tips for using evidence

“To be a good persuasive speaker, you must present reliable evidence to solidify your

credibility”

Strong supporting materials consist of: Examples Statistical measures to support your

message.

When speaking to persuade, your evidence must prove your view point and supports your idea.

Therefore, you must make your point of evidence clear by using credibility and logic.

Evidence

Evidence: Self-Examination

When using evidence to persuade your audience, ask yourself the following:1. Are all my major claims supported by

evidence?2. Is my evidence from a creditable source?3. Have I gathered and done enough

research to support my information?

Reasoning

the process of drawing a conclusion based on evidence.

No matter how strong your evidence, you will not be very persuasive unless listeners gasp you reasoning.

Many think it is only for philosophers. What are some examples of reasoning?

Concerns in Reasoning

Your reasoning must be sound.

Must get listeners to agree with your reasoning. Four methods of reasoning:

Specific Instances

Reasoning from Specific Reasoning

A number of particular facts to a general conclusion Fact 1: My physical education course

last term was easy.

Fact 2: My roommate’s physical education course was easy.

Fact 3: My brother’s physical education class was easy.

Conclusion: Physical education courses are easy.

No matter how many specific

instances you give, specific instances conclusions are never foolproof.

Guidelines for Reasoning from Specific Instances

First, avoid generalizing too rapidly. Don’t jump to conclusions Be fair, unbiased, and representative in your

instances Second, be careful with your wording.

Discuss specific instances: Ex. Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Everglades, etc…

Third, reinforce your argument with statistics or testimony. Testimony the statistics will better demonstrate

that the instances are in fact representative. It doesn’t matter which order you use as long as your

facts support your conclusion

Concerns in Reasoning

Your reasoning must be sound. Must get listeners to agree with your

reasoning. Four methods of reasoning:

Specific InstancesPrinciple

Principle

moves from the general to the specific.

1. All people are mortal

2. Socrates is a person

3. Therefore, Socrates is mortal

1. The United States Constitution guarantees all U.S. citizens the right to vote.

2. Women are U.S. citizens.

3. Therefore, the United States Constitution guarantees women the right to vote.

Guidelines for Reasoning from Principle

Give evidence to support it before moving to your minor argument.

You might also need to support your minor argument with evidence.

Excessive consumption of refined sugar is unhealthy.

Soft drinks, desserts, candies, and sweetened dairy products contain excessive amounts of sugar.

Therefore, excessive consumption of soft drinks, desserts, candies, and sweetened dairy products is unhealthy.

Concerns in Reasoning

Your reasoning must be sound. Must get listeners to agree with your

reasoning. Four methods of reasoning:

Specific InstancesPrincipleCasual Reasoning

Casual Reasoning

The establishment of the relationships between causes and effects.

We use casual reasoning daily.

“Because of the patch of ice, I fell and broke my leg.” Ex. Terrorism, football games, roommate’s

habits.

Guidelines for Casual Reasoning

The two common errors to avoid when using casual reasoning.

1. Fallacy of false cause (after this, therefore because of this) Ex. Just because a black cat crosses your path and

five minutes later you fall and break your arm, you cannot blame the cat for your broken arm.

2. Assuming that events have only one cause Ex. What causes the economy to boom or burst?

Interest rates, gas prices, tax policies, labor cost, consumer confidence, etc…

Concerns in Reasoning

Your reasoning must be sound. Must get listeners to agree with your

reasoning. Four methods of reasoning:

Specific InstancesPrincipleCasual ReasoningAnalogical

Analogical Reasoning

Comparing two similar cases inferring that what is true to one statement is also true with the other.

Guidelines for Analogical Reasoning

The two cases being compared are essentially alike when assessing analogical reasoning

Reasoning from analogy is used most often in persuasive speeches on questions of policy Ex. When arguing for a new policy, you

should find out whether a similar policy has been tried somewhere else.

Fallacies

an error in reasoning. Red Herring

Introducing an irrelevant issue in order to divert attention from the subject under discussion. Ex. “How dare my opponents

accuse me of political corruption at a time when we are working to improve the quality of life for all people in the United States.

Previous Fallacies:

HastyGeneralizatio

nFalse Cause

Invalid Analogy

Fallacies (cont’d)

Ad Hominem Refers to the attacking the person

rather than dealing with the real issue in dispute. Ex. “The governor has a number of

interest economic proposals, but let’s not forget that she comes from a very wealthy family.”

However, sometimes a person’s character can be called into question.

Ex. A police chief that violates the law.

Fallacies (cont’d)

Either-Or Sometimes referred to as a false

dilemma, which forces listeners to choose between two alternatives. Ex. “Either we build a new high school

or children in this community will never get into college.

Either-or’s fallacy opens up questions you may not have.

Ex. “What does a new building got to do with the education of our children?”

Fallacies (cont’d)

Bandwagon The assumption about something

that is popular is good, correct, or desirable. Ex. Just because more people use

Alieve than Advil does not mean Alieve is a better product.

The bandwagon speakers are usually followers.

Fallacies (cont’d)

Slippery Slope A speaker that assumes that taking

a first step will lead to the next step and so on. Ex. “If the government begin to control

the amount of violence on television…then they will gain absolute control of the media and censorship.”

If a speaker uses the slippery slope fallacy then they will need to supply the listeners with evidence to support the claim.

What are Emotional Appeals

Fear – of serious illness Compassion – for the physical

disabled Pride – in one’s country Anger – at terrorist and their

supporters Guilt – about not doing one’s

best Reverence – for an admired

person

Generating Emotional Appeals

Often make a persuasive speech compelling.

To generate an emotional appeal you should use emotional language. For example, when giving a

speech to a graduate college class, you want to use words like property, opportunity, strong leadership, continue, to learn and succeed and so forth….

Ethics and Emotional Appeal

Some people have taken the position that ethical speakers should avoid emotional appeal entirely.

Why? Because emotional appeals can sometimes fan the flames of hatred, religious bigotry, and political fanaticism.

Who are the ethical speakers that also had emotional appeal?

Ethics and Emotional Appeal

In many cases ethics and emotional appeal works hand in hand.

What is an example? On the other hand, emotional

appeals can also be inappropriate.

What is an example?