Persuasive Speech

You should download this template and use it to write your speech outline. Please read the italicized instructions, and the
information in [brackets] and (parenthesis) then delete them, after you type in your own information.

[Your Name]
[Date]

Persuasive Speech: Audience Assessment

Specific Goal: My audience will [feel, believe, agree, etc.………….]

Type of Claim: This is a claim of policy.

Ethos: Primary Ethos:

a) Competence: I used to work for minimum wage at $7.25 an hour.
b) Fairness: I will only be using claims derived from statistics and experts. Opposing claims will be addressed
through these same resources.

Secondary Ethos: I will be citing five authoritative sources.

Audience Assessment: Most of my audience members will probably have an attitude toward my proposition that is unfavorable.

Adaptation to Audience Attitude:

a. Common ground: [Explain how you will present your topic in a way that is creates common ground between your stance
and your audience member’s stance.]
b. Latitude of acceptance: [Explain why your proposition lies within the audience’s latitude of acceptance (that is, based on
your assessment of their attitude, why do you think they will accept your proposition?]

Baby Steps: [Explain how you have tweaked your proposition to make it extremely EASY for the audience to believe or achieve.]

Pattern of Organization: [ Identify the persuasive organizational pattern you used. Choose one: problem-solution; comparative
advantages; motivational sequence; refutation. Choose a pattern that’s appropriate for the audience attitude you anticipate.]

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Persuasive Speech: Outline
Minimum Wage

Introduction

I. Hook: [Write your actual opening sentences here. Your hook should capture audience attention and lead directly into the
proposition/thesis. It should also relate directly to this audience, get them on yours side at the very beginning!]

II. Ethos: [Write how you are related to the topic somewhere in the introduction of the speech.]

III. Proposition (or Hint at Proposition): [Write your proposition here. Your proposition is like your thesis].

(If you plan to delay your proposition (inductive logic), write a central idea here that hints at the proposition but doesn’t
quite give it away. If you use a delayed proposition, label your actual proposition later, where it appears in your outline.
Your proposition must be achievable for this audience. To be effective, you can only ask your audience to take a baby step.
Avoid “turn-off” words like “I will convince you…; I will persuade you…; Avoid global exaggerations; use qualifiers (probably;
likely; typically; one of the consequences; one of the effects; in many cases)

IV. Preview: [List here the two or three main points you will cover in your speech. State your preview out loud in your introduction.]
1.
2.
 3.

Transition: [Write what you’ll say that will lead from your preview into your first main point.]

Body
(Include at least five authoritative sources throughout the body of your speech, cited out loud, and include at least one source in each
main point. Bold your sources to make it easy for the instructor to read.)

I. [Type your first main point here. This should match up with your main point #1 in the preview.]
A. [First supporting point].
i. Subpoint
b. sub-subpoint –(in-text reference/source)
ii. Subpoint
B. [Second supporting point.]
i. Subpoint
ii. Subpoint
C. [Additional supporting points as needed.] –(in-text reference/source)

Transition: [Write what you’ll say that will lead from your first claim into your second claim.]

II. [Type your second main point here. This should match up with your main point #2 in the preview.]
A. [First supporting point.]
i. Subpoint –(in-text reference/source)
ii. Subpoint
B. [Second supporting point.]
i. Subpoint –(in-text reference/source)
ii. Subpoint
C. [Additional supporting points as needed.]

[Transition…]

III. [Third main point, if needed. This should match up with your main point #3 in the preview.]
A. [First supporting point. Full sentences.]
i. Subpoint –(in-text reference/source)
ii. Subpoint
B. [Second supporting point. Full sentences.] –(in-text reference/source)
i. Subpoint
ii. Subpoint –(in-text reference/source)
C. [Additional supporting points as needed.]

Transition to close: [Say something like “finally, looking backing, in conclusion, let me close by saying” or make up something really
creative! You can also use gestures, or nonverbal ques likes tone, pitch, rhythm, rate, etc…]

Conclusion:

I. Summarize main points/thesis: [Restate your main points from the body of the speech (the same ones used in the
introduction, this may sound repetitive to you, but it won’t be for your audience who doesn’t have your outline and only
hears your speech one time]
II. Bookend: [This sentence should loop back to your hook, so your speech does a full circle. Restate the question, or part of the
story, or the stat, etc.]
III. End the speech memorably: [Use quotations, stories, questions, startling statements, humor, etc.. this statement should
make your audience remember your speech. End with a lasting line(s)]
IV. Challenge the audience to respond: [This is a persuasive speech, make sure you ask something of your audience, ask them
in the conclusion what you want them to do or think after hearing this persuasive speech.]

References:
Insert here complete bibliographical information for your references (at least five are required). Arrange references in
alphabetical order. Use APA format. You can use Microsoft Word, easybib.com, citation machine, and many other
sites/programs to do the works cited section for you!