The Art of Public Speaking • Chapter 16

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Creating, reinforcing,
changing people’s beliefs or
actions

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 Ethical goals
 Ethical
methods

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McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
Mental give & take between
speaker & listener

McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
Portion of audience speaker
most wants to persuade

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 Questions of fact
 Questions of value
 Questions of policy

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 Deals with truth
or falsity of
assertion

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McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
Specific Purpose:
To persuade my audience that an earthquake
of 9.0 or above on the Richter scale will hit
California in the next ten years.
Central Idea:
There are three good reasons to believe that
an earthquake of 9.0 or above on the Richter
scale will hit California in the next ten years.

McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
I. California is long overdue for a
major earthquake.
II. Many geological signs indicate that a
major earthquake may happen soon.
III. Experts agree that an earthquake of
9.0 or above could strike California
any day.
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Deals with
worth,
rightness of
idea or action

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McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
Specific Purpose:
To persuade my audience that capital
punishment is morally and legally
wrong.
Central Idea:
Capital punishment violates both the
Bible and the U.S. Constitution.

McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
I. Capital punishment violates the
biblical commandment “Thou
shalt not kill.”
II. Capital punishment violates the
constitutional ban on “cruel and
unusual punishment.”

McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
Whether course of action
should or should not be taken

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McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
 Convinces audience policy is
desirable
 Avoids encouraging action
to support policy

McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
Specific Purpose:
To persuade my audience that a
balanced-budget amendment
should be added to the U.S.
Constitution.

McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
Convinces audience to act in
support of policy

McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
Specific Purpose:
To persuade my audience to
participate in alternative spring
break.

McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
 Need
 Plan
 Practicality

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McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
Is there a problem that
requires change from current
policy?

McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
What is speaker’s plan to
solve the problem with
current policy?

McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
 Will plan solve problem?
 Will plan create new
problems?

McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
 Problem-solution
 Problem-cause-solution
 Comparative advantages
 Monroe’s motivated
sequence
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Main Point I: Documents existence of
problem
Main Point II: Presents solution to
problem

McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
Specific Purpose:
To persuade my audience that the U.S.
Congress should pass legislation curbing
the spread of phony pharmaceuticals.
Central Idea:
Because phony pharmaceuticals are a
serious problem in the United States,
Congress should pass legislation ensuring
that the medications we buy are safe.

McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
I. The spread of phony
pharmaceuticals is a serious
problem.
II. Solving the problem of phony
pharmaceuticals requires action
by the federal government.

McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
Main Point I: Documents problem
Main Point II: Analyzes causes

Main Point III: Presents solution

McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
Specific Purpose:
To persuade my audience that action is
required to deal with the problem of
childhood obesity.
Central Idea:
Childhood obesity is a serious
problem that can be controlled by
changes in diet and exercise.

McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
I. Childhood obesity is a major
problem in the United States.
II. There are two major causes of
the increase in childhood obesity.
III. Solving the problem requires
dealing with both causes.
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Each main point explains why
one solution is preferable to
other

McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
Specific Purpose:
To persuade my audience that our city
should build a rapid bus system instead
of a new highway.
Central Idea:
A rapid bus system will be cheaper
and more effective than a new highway.

McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
I. Research models show that we will
save a million dollars if we build a
rapid bus system instead of a new
highway.
II. Research models also show that a
rapid bus system will reduce traffic
congestion more than a new
highway.
McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
Five-step sequence for
speeches that seek immediate
action

McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.
Attention: Gain attention
Need: Show need for change
Satisfaction: Provide solution
Visualization: Enhance solution by
visualizing benefits
Action: Urge action for solution
McGraw-Hill Education ∙ The Art of Public Speaking, 12th Edition © 2015 Stephen E. Lucas. All rights reserved.