PERSUASIVE SPEECH

PURPOSE

The objective of this speech is to apply the theory learned in class in persuading your classmates on a subject of your choice, either by reinforcing or altering the audience’s attitudes, beliefs, values, and behavior.

DESCRIPTION

Prepare a speech to induce your listeners to believe the claim you are advocating or alter their attitudes or actions toward the ideas you develop. Your speech must be organized to motivate your listeners’ acceptance by using strong appeals and clear and cogent reasoning.

GUIDELINES

1. This speech should be 6-8 minutes in length. Timing is very important. You will receive time signals from an audience member. Practice until you are sure you will fit within the limits.
2. Delivery must be extemporaneous. You should deliver the speech in a manner animated by your own conviction in your ideas.
3. You may use note cards with an outline on them. DO NOT write your speech word for word. DO NOT use an 81/2 X 11 piece of paper. Quotations may be written out word for word. Do not rely on your notes for more than limited cueing.
4. Prepare a typed Formal Outline of the speech. The outline is due a week before speeches start on Canvas. The outline must be revised and put in the speech assignment on Canvas by the speaking day. Follow the format shown in the syllabus.
5. The topic must be one that is of use to an educated audience. You should offer research in support of your ideas. Three resources of different types must be used and cited within the speech. For example, three interviews are not acceptable as the only sources. You could use one magazine article, one web site, and one interview to meet this requirement.

SAMPLE PERSUASIVE OUTLINE

(adapted from Kearney and Plax, Public Speaking in a Diverse Society, 3rd ed. 2012)

Topic: Neutralizing Our Language

Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience to neutralize their language in an effort to eliminate sexist implications in speech.

I. Introduction

A. Attention material:

(Get people focused on the problem with a vivid story or example, a surprising claim, striking facts, or eloquent statements from admired speakers. Connect that attention material to the subject and especially to your audience. Why should they care?)

What do the words chairman, salesman, workman, and mailman have in common? They all include the word man, but, more importantly, they all exclude women.

B. Credibility Material:

(How do YOU know about this subject? Why do YOU care? Why are YOU the expert?)

I’ve always been interested in how language is used to unite or divide and have read several articles and books on the topic. I attended a lecture on campus about the subject when a guest speaker came to visit.

C. Preview: (Clearly state the main points of the speech.)

Today, I’ll look at research on language use, ways we can address the problem, and how neutralization of language can work in our world.

(Transition: Many people use “generic” words, but they are not harmless, as research shows.)

II. Body

A. Main Point #1 – Need (what is the urgent need for change?)

1. How we view world tied to how we use language

a. (Description of Problem)

b. (Signs, Symptoms, Effects of Problem)

c. (Example, Narrative, or Testimony)

2. “Generic” language excludes women

a. (Extent of Problem)

b. (Facts/Statistics)

c. (Expert Testimony)

3. Studies show “generic” phrases not seen as both male and female

a. job descriptions – job seen as inappropriate for women

b. textbook wordings – 40% more likely to assume only men

c. research on children and adults – see only males referenced

(Transition into Main Point 2 – “Generic language is exclusionary and has an impact, so what can we do?)

B. Main Point #2 (Satisfaction – Description of Solution)

1. Use alternatives to masculine generics and man-linked words

a. switch to second-person (you) or first- or third-person plural (we, they)

b. alternate between masculine and feminine (she/he)

c. replace man-linked words to gender-neutral ones (flight attendant, mail carrier)

2. Changes implemented already in many places

a. Roget’s thesaurus

b. English teachers accepting alternative pronouns

3. Neutralizing is not difficult

a. quickly get used to it

b. research shows sexist language encourages sexism

(Transition into Main Point 3 – Once we put those neutralizing practices into place, what will we see?)

C. Main Point #3 (Visualization – Describe Expected Results of Action and/or Consequences of Inaction)

1. If gender-biased language is eliminated, would affect sexual bias – world view shaped by language

1. Continued use of man-linked words condones inequality and alienation

(Transition into Conclusion -What have we learned about our language usage?)

III. Conclusion

A. Summary of main points – “Generic” language has an effect on how we see the world. Practicing eliminated gender-biased language makes a difference and is easy to do.

B. Connection to Audience – Consider how you feel when you are excluded from something.

C. Concluding Remarks (Call for Action!) – challenge, appeal, something specific to do – We can all give gentle reminders to others, suggest alternatives, and model gender-neutral language. Let’s begin now with ourselves in our everyday speech. Neutralize it!

References (APA Style References list) (Please note that in APA the content should be double-spaced and should be indented on each line after the first for each item. Canvas will not allow this formatting here. See syllabus for what it actually looks like)

Bradley, E. D. (2020). The influence of linguistic and social attitudes on grammaticality judgments of singular “they.” Language Sciences, 78, N.PAG. https://doi- org.csu.ezproxy.switchinc.org/10.1016/j.langsci.2020.101272 (Links to an external site.)

Smith, L. R., Myrick, J. G., & Gantz, W. (2019). A test of the relationship between sexist television commentary and enjoyment of women’s sports: impacts on emotions, attitudes, and viewing intentions. Communication Research Reports, 36(5), 449–460. https://doi-org.csu.ezproxy.switchinc.org/10.1080/…

Douglas, K. M., & Sutton, R. M. (2014). “A Giant Leap for Mankind” But What About Women? The Role of System-Justifying Ideologies in Predicting Attitudes Toward Sexist Language. Journal of Language & Social Psychology, 33(6), 667–680. https://doi-org.csu.ezproxy.switchinc.org/10.1177/…