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?
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