Chapter 5: Introduction to Persuasive Speaking

You have completed and delivered your first LIVE speech. How did that feel? Most students experience an overwhelmingly accomplished feeling when their speech is done. Quite literally, you have taken a “load-off” your plate. Brava. All of the skills and strategies you have learned thus far will continue to help you through this course. Don’t forget them! You are now moving into persuasive speeches. We will revisit the speech making process and add rhetorical elements that are important for persuasive strategies and delivery. You will continue to consider your audience by conducting an audience analysis and determining an appropriate speech topic based on your audience demographics, their interests, and their knowledge set. Additionally, we will explore how to use research to your advantage during each stage of speech preparation. Finally, we will examine topics that work well with persuasion. Let’s get started!