Principles of Writing a Great Principles of Writing a Great Persuasive SpeechPersuasive Speech

Principles of Writing a Great Principles of Writing a Great Persuasive SpeechPersuasive Speech

Beginning Your SpeechBeginning Your Speech

• First impressions are very important.• A poor beginning may distract or alienate your

audience so that you may never recover, Start with an interesting GRABBER!

• Having a good beginning is a confidence booster. It will propel you through the rest of the speech.

• First impressions are very important.• A poor beginning may distract or alienate your

audience so that you may never recover, Start with an interesting GRABBER!

• Having a good beginning is a confidence booster. It will propel you through the rest of the speech.

Three Elements in your Introduction

Three Elements in your Introduction

• Get the attention and interest of your audience (Interesting Grabber!!! )

• Reveal the topic of your speech. (Background Information)

• Establish your opinion of the topic (for or against) in your thesis statement.

• Get the attention and interest of your audience (Interesting Grabber!!! )

• Reveal the topic of your speech. (Background Information)

• Establish your opinion of the topic (for or against) in your thesis statement.

Where Do I Start?Where Do I Start?

• Start with a grabber…there are many ways to GRAB your audience…

• Start with a grabber…there are many ways to GRAB your audience…

Attention-Getting TechniquesAttention-Getting TechniquesRelate the Topic to the Audience

• Bring the topic home to your listeners. They will be more likely to be interested if the topic relates to their personal lives. Ask them a question that may relate to them.

• If I was writing a persuasive paper on why smoking should be illegal, maybe I can start by asking, “Do you know anyone in your family that smokes and has health problems because of it?”

Relate the Topic to the Audience

• Bring the topic home to your listeners. They will be more likely to be interested if the topic relates to their personal lives. Ask them a question that may relate to them.

• If I was writing a persuasive paper on why smoking should be illegal, maybe I can start by asking, “Do you know anyone in your family that smokes and has health problems because of it?”

State the Importance of Your Topic • Show your audience why your topic

is important. Using an interesting Fact would be useful in this area, if you have one from your readings.

• “Fact: Every 30 seconds someone dies from smoking cigarettes” (smoke.com, 2009).

State the Importance of Your Topic • Show your audience why your topic

is important. Using an interesting Fact would be useful in this area, if you have one from your readings.

• “Fact: Every 30 seconds someone dies from smoking cigarettes” (smoke.com, 2009).

Startle Your Audience Startle Your Audience

• Sharing a shocking statistic or making a bold statement will grab the attention of your audience as well as introduce them to your topic.

• “87% of smokers wished they had never picked up their first cigarette”(smoke.com, 2009).

• Sharing a shocking statistic or making a bold statement will grab the attention of your audience as well as introduce them to your topic.

• “87% of smokers wished they had never picked up their first cigarette”(smoke.com, 2009).

Attention-Getting TechniquesAttention-Getting TechniquesArouse the Curiosity of the Audience • Draw your audience into your speech with

several statements or action.• Maybe you could come in with a list of several

problems that are caused by smoking…

• “Yellow teeth, bad breath, LUNG CANCER, Emphysema, etc. There are the problems smoking causes!”

Arouse the Curiosity of the Audience • Draw your audience into your speech with

several statements or action.• Maybe you could come in with a list of several

problems that are caused by smoking…

• “Yellow teeth, bad breath, LUNG CANCER, Emphysema, etc. There are the problems smoking causes!”

Question the Audience Question the Audience • Asking a rhetorical question or a

series of questions is another way to get the attention of your listeners.

• Why do people start smoking? Why would anyone want to hurt their bodies? Why is smoking looked at as cool when all it does is cause death?

• Asking a rhetorical question or a series of questions is another way to get the attention of your listeners.

• Why do people start smoking? Why would anyone want to hurt their bodies? Why is smoking looked at as cool when all it does is cause death?

Begin with a Quotation • Beginning with a quote from a famous writer,

from the Bible or other book, from a poem or song, from a television show or movie is another way to arouse the interest of your listeners.

• “I should never have done it!” (smoke.com, 2009).

• “IF smoking is so cool, then death is cool” (smoke.com, 2009).

Begin with a Quotation • Beginning with a quote from a famous writer,

from the Bible or other book, from a poem or song, from a television show or movie is another way to arouse the interest of your listeners.

• “I should never have done it!” (smoke.com, 2009).

• “IF smoking is so cool, then death is cool” (smoke.com, 2009).

Attention-Getting TechniquesAttention-Getting Techniques

Define an important termDefine an important term

• A powerful way to start a paper is to educate the audience on an important and relevant term within your topic.

• For example, maybe you could define what a “Carcinogen” is (if you were writing about making smoking illegal).

• A powerful way to start a paper is to educate the audience on an important and relevant term within your topic.

• For example, maybe you could define what a “Carcinogen” is (if you were writing about making smoking illegal).

So, now you have a ton of different ways to grab your audience.

Pick one way and go with it…

So, now you have a ton of different ways to grab your audience.

Pick one way and go with it…• Relate the Topic to the Audience• State the Importance of Your Topic with a fact• Startle Your Audience with a statistic• Arouse the Curiosity of the Audience with a list • Define a term• Ask rhetorical questions• Start with a powerful quote

• Relate the Topic to the Audience• State the Importance of Your Topic with a fact• Startle Your Audience with a statistic• Arouse the Curiosity of the Audience with a list • Define a term• Ask rhetorical questions• Start with a powerful quote

After you grab the audience…Don’t Forget to Reveal the Topic

After you grab the audience…Don’t Forget to Reveal the Topic

• In the process of gaining attention, be sure to state clearly the topic of your speech. If you do not, your listeners will be confused. And once they are confused, your chances of getting them absorbed in the speech are almost nil. This is so basic, that it seems silly to have to mention it, but many speakers fail to do this .

• In the process of gaining attention, be sure to state clearly the topic of your speech. If you do not, your listeners will be confused. And once they are confused, your chances of getting them absorbed in the speech are almost nil. This is so basic, that it seems silly to have to mention it, but many speakers fail to do this .

So, you should give the audience the background

information…

So, you should give the audience the background

information…

• Tell the WHAT, WHEN, WHY, HOW, WHO

• Tell the WHAT, WHEN, WHY, HOW, WHO

The What, When, Why, How, Who…

The What, When, Why, How, Who…

• What is the topic?

• When did the problem start?

• Who was/is involved?

• How did it come about?

• Why is this important?

• What is the topic?

• When did the problem start?

• Who was/is involved?

• How did it come about?

• Why is this important?

While you are reading about your topic,

While you are reading about your topic,

• It’s smart to note the background information when it comes up.

• It will make writing your introduction

A LOT EASIER!!!

• It’s smart to note the background information when it comes up.

• It will make writing your introduction

A LOT EASIER!!!

When writing your background information…

When writing your background information…

• Try not to give too much information- no need to give great detail. Just enough for them to understand what the topic is about.

• ***The details will be brought up in your body paragraphs

• Try not to give too much information- no need to give great detail. Just enough for them to understand what the topic is about.

• ***The details will be brought up in your body paragraphs

The structure of your introduction…

The structure of your introduction…

1.) Grabber (flows into ..)

2.)Background information (which flows into..)

3.)Thesis

1.) Grabber (flows into ..)

2.)Background information (which flows into..)

3.)Thesis

What is a thesis statement? What is a thesis statement? • It is the HEART of your paper.

• It is the statement on what you believe about the topic.

• It answers the question, “What is your perspective/ position on a topic” (Are you for or against animal cruelty?)

• It is usually located as the LAST SENTENCE in the introduction

• It is the HEART of your paper.

• It is the statement on what you believe about the topic.

• It answers the question, “What is your perspective/ position on a topic” (Are you for or against animal cruelty?)

• It is usually located as the LAST SENTENCE in the introduction

When writing your thesis…When writing your thesis…• Do write what you think

• Don’t write “I think” “I believe” :In my opinion” etc.

• If this is too difficult, write a rough draft with the sentence starting out as “I think” but when you FINALIZE it, take it out!

• Do write what you think

• Don’t write “I think” “I believe” :In my opinion” etc.

• If this is too difficult, write a rough draft with the sentence starting out as “I think” but when you FINALIZE it, take it out!

AGAIN, the structure of your introduction…

AGAIN, the structure of your introduction…

1.) Grabber (flows into ..)

2.)Background information (which flows into..)

3.)Thesis

1.) Grabber (flows into ..)

2.)Background information (which flows into..)

3.)Thesis

Let’s look at a good example…Let’s look at a good example…

• Ask yourself, does it grab the audience well?

• Does it give me enough information about the topic? Not too much? Not too little?

• Do I know the writer’s position on the topic?

• Ask yourself, does it grab the audience well?

• Does it give me enough information about the topic? Not too much? Not too little?

• Do I know the writer’s position on the topic?

Now, let’s look at a bad example…

Now, let’s look at a bad example…

What makes it bad? What makes it bad?

STOP!STOP!

NOW, IT’S YOUR TURN

NOW, IT’S YOUR TURN

Transitions…Transitions…

• Before moving on to your conclusion, you should make sure your body paragraphs flow well.

• Transitions are the glue that keeps your paper together!

• Before moving on to your conclusion, you should make sure your body paragraphs flow well.

• Transitions are the glue that keeps your paper together!

The Body or Substance of Your Argument

The Body or Substance of Your Argument

• Signal to the audience/readers when you are changing points by adding transitions:

• First …• Furthermore• Another reason…• In addition…• Moreover…• Ultimately…• and by using body language to show a shift in topic

• Signal to the audience/readers when you are changing points by adding transitions:

• First …• Furthermore• Another reason…• In addition…• Moreover…• Ultimately…• and by using body language to show a shift in topic

Ending Your Speech GracefullyEnding Your Speech Gracefully

• Signal the end: Speakers who abruptly walk off the stage take the audience by surprise

• Use the phrases like: Ultimately, In closing, Let me end by saying, My purpose has been..

• Signal the end: in your body language and tone

• Signal the end: Speakers who abruptly walk off the stage take the audience by surprise

• Use the phrases like: Ultimately, In closing, Let me end by saying, My purpose has been..

• Signal the end: in your body language and tone

Conclusion RequirementsConclusion Requirements

1.) Summarize the outline of your speech

2.) Restate the main points in different words

BUT THAT’S NOT ALL…

1.) Summarize the outline of your speech

2.) Restate the main points in different words

BUT THAT’S NOT ALL…

3.) Finally, leave them thinking, passionate, and motivated

3.) Finally, leave them thinking, passionate, and motivated

• Call for Action

• End with a quotation

• Make a dramatic statement

• Refer back to the introduction (especially if you began with a story)

• Call for Action

• End with a quotation

• Make a dramatic statement

• Refer back to the introduction (especially if you began with a story)