Persuasive Speech Preparation: Fill this out on Monday to make sure you meet qualifications.

Name ______________________________________
Topic: ___Tests___________________________________
Remember that this speech should focus on a specific idea or belief that you are trying to
persuade the audience to change. Complete this statement first so that you are focused on one
idea:
My idea is that before I give the speech, my peers think/do this: __Testing in school is
“whatever”______________________.
After the speech, I would like them to think/do this: ____That it really doesn’t
help_______________________________.
In other words, I hope that by listening to my speech, my peers will be persuaded to _Agree that
tests are throwing answers back up on a test. ________
____________________________________________________________________________
_
HOOK: Begin your speech with a hook technique: a personal anecdote, cited research, a
meaningful quote, a historical story, an example from the news, and so on. Develop your
hook to get the audience’s attention:
How many of you like to take a test? Well, I know that I definitely don’t enjoy a good algebra
test.

SPECIFICALLY EXPLAIN the problem that needs to change (to your audience):
The problem is that most students today need to take a test. All this information that we tried
to learn and memorize all being thrown back up onto the test, and once the test is done, what
do we all remember from that unit. Or when the year is over, what do all the tests, that
measure what we know have proven useful or true. The point is that most of the time tests
can be faulty in many ways. That day might not be a good day, you could

Now, use a combination of ethos (credibility--research, stats), pathos (emotion--anecdotes,

rhetorical questions), and logos (logic--steps, reasons) in developing your speech to convince
your audience. Choose two out of the three. Refer to the Google Presentation in Google
Classroom if you need help. Fill out the next two boxes with your ideas for either ethos/logos,
pathos/ethos, or pathos/logos. (be sure to cite all sources & mention them in speech, too)
Now, after convincing your audience to make the change in belief or action with
ethos/pathos/logos, help them imagine what the change will look like in the next box:
Help your audience imagine what the change will look like--describe it:

Finally, close the speech by reminding the audience of the importance of the topic and driving
your point home. Here are some techniques you can choose from (or use your own
simile/metaphor/saying, etc…). *Source is from “How to Write an Outline for Persuasive Speech” Landofhoz
CONCLUSION: A. Brakelight/Transition: As you can easily see, donating your organs can be one of the most
important decisions you ever make and also the greatest gift you could ever give.
B. Summary: I’ve told you about the need for organ donors in our area, how you can become an organ donor after
you die, and finally, how your family and organ recipients benefit from your donation. You become a donor by talking
to your family and making sure they know you want to be a donor, fill out and sign a donor card, and indicate your
wishes on your driver’s license.
C. Tie Back to the Audience: What if the person waiting on the list needing an organ transplant was someone you
loved? Imagine if you had a brother or sister who had unexpectedly died and you were able to meet the person who
received their heart, for example. Think of the satisfaction and possible comfort knowing that your brother or sister
provided life for somebody else.
D. Concluding Remarks: I’m going to leave you with a short message from Michael Jordan who is a sponsor for the
Iowa LifeGift Coalition on Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness and appears in their 1996 brochure. "Please make the
decision to become an organ and tissue donor. Remember: Share your life. Share your decision."

Conclusion
You may use this during your speech, or you may type these ideas out to use, as well. Also, it is on Google
Classroom if you’d like to complete it digitally. Good luck! We will draw numbers on Tuesday.