eee and logic. Suppose someone charges your state governor with illegal campaign activities. If you respond by saying “I'm sure the charge is false because I have always admired the governor,” or “I'm sure the charge is true because I have always disliked the governor,” then you are guilty of applying emotional criteria to a purely factual question. Even when trying to move listeners to action, you should never substitute emo- tional appeals for evidence and reasoning. You should always build your persuasive speech on a firm foundation of facts and logic. This is important not just for ethical reasons, but for practical ones as well. Unless you prove your case, careful listeners will not be stirred by your emotional appeals. You need to build a good case based on reason and kindle the emotions of your audience.'® When you use emotional appeal, keep in mind the guidelines for ethical speech- making discussed in Chapter 2. Make sure your goals are ethically sound, that you are honest in what you say, and that you avoid name-calling and other forms of abu- sive language. In using emotional appeal, as in other respects, your classroom speeches will offer a good testing ground for questions of ethical responsibility. Sample Speech with Commentary mnect The following speech deals with a question of policy and is organized according to f Monroe’s motivated sequence. As you read the speech, notice how the speaker uti- lizes the methods of persuasion discussed in this chapter as she moves through each " step of the motivated sequence. The speech also shows how a speaker's delivery can enhance the impact of her or his ideas, as you can see by watching Video 17.5. hanging Lives Through the Literacy Network COMMENTARY SPEECH Imagine being dropped into a foreign country—a country The first step in Monroe's motivated sequence is where you can’t read the street signs, can’t order food from a gaining attention, which the speaker accomplishes menu, can't fill out a job application. You're surrounded by SEE CuRRa aE eEL as 2 scribbles and squiggles that simply don't make sense. Now Seay 2 us imagine that that country isn't a foreign one, but your own. That's exactly what people like Dwayne MacNamara exper A reallfe example shows that the opening ence on a daily basis. A father of two daughters, Dwayne has hypothetical example i not far-fetched. Poignant struggled with reading and writing for years. These struggles anid memorsbte; the. exemple WItod Kees Ney ie made it difficult for him to find a job, to take care of his fam- MacNamara, who will appear again later in the speech ily, and to develop a positive selfsimage. “Not being able to read and write as well as other people,” Dwayne says, “has taken a life-long toll on my confidence and my ability to make sound decisions.” | caper +7and logic. Suppose someone charges your state governor with illegal campaign activities. If you respond by saying “I’m sure the charge is false because T have always admired the governor,” or “I'm sure the charge is true because I have always disliked the governor,” then you are guilty of applying emotional criteria to a purely factual question, Even when trying to move listeners to action, you should never substitute emo- tional appeals for evidence and reasoning. You should always build your persuasive speech on a firm foundation of facts and logic. This is important not just for ethical reasons, but for practical ones as well. Unless you prove your case, careful listeners will not be stirred by your emotional appeals. You need to build a good case based i on reason and kindle the emotions of your audience.'® When you use emotional appeal, keep in mind the guidelines for ethical speech- making discussed in Chapter 2. Make sure your goals are ethically sound, that you are honest in what you say, and that you avoid name-calling and other forms of abu- sive language. In using emotional appeal, as in other respects, your classroom speeches will offer a good testing ground for questions of ethical responsibility. | Sample Speech with Commentary connect The following speech deals with a question of policy and is organized according to Monroe's motivated sequence. As you read the speech, notice how the speaker uti- lizes the methods of persuasion discussed in this chapter as she moves through each step of the motivated sequence. The speech also shows how a speaker’s delivery can enhance the impact of her or his ideas, as you can see by watching Video 17.5. Changing Lives Through the Literacy Network soe aoa Imagine being dropped into a foreign country—a country The frst step in Monroe's motivated sequence is where you can't read the street signs, can’t order food from a gaining attention, which the speaker accomplishes menu, can’t fill out a job application. You're surrounded by with a vivid hypothetical example that she ties scribbles and squiggles that simply don’t make sense. Now Gedy to nar audience trpigh the use ofzyoul imagine that that country isn't a foreign one, but your own and “your” That's exactly what people like Dwayne MacNamara experi- Arealife example shows tat the opening ence on a daily basis. A father of two daughters, Dwayne has hypothetical example is not far-fetched. Poignant struggled with reading and writing for years, These struggles and memorable, the exemple introduces Dwayne made it difficult for him to find a job, to take care of his fam- RTPI TSI ie A ily, and to develop a positive selfimage. “Not being able to se read and write as well as other people,” Dwayne says, “has taken a lifeong toll on my confidence and my ability to make sound decisions.” 388 CHAPTERIT Mo F IIIIIs-''CT” OSS nl Here the speaker reveals the topic of her speech and shows that low literacy is a local as well asa national problem. ‘The speaker establishes her credibility by citing her personal experience with the Literacy Network. She ends the introduction by stating her central Idea and previewing the body of her speech. The speaker moves into the need step of Monroe's motivated sequence, in which she explains the problem of ow adult literacy. ‘A combination of statistics and expert testimony documents the extent of low adult literacy, The speaker uses high-quality evidence and clearly cites her sources, This paragraph builds upon the previous one by showing the many challenges facing adults who have low literacy skills, By moving from the national level to the local level, this paragraph shows how low adult literacy affects the immediate community, As in this case, testimony from a personal interview can be an excellent way to reinforce a speaker's ideas, The question at the start ofthis paragraph signals that the speaker is moving to the satistaction section of her speech. Notice how clearly she explains the range of services provided by the Literacy Network. Dwayne is far from alone in dealing with these problems, Low literacy affects millions of adults throughout the United States, including right here in Madison and Dane County, For the past year, I've been volunteering at the Literacy Net- work—a local, Madison-based, nonprofit organization that helps adults and families with reading, writing, and speaking skills. I've seen the problems people face because of low liter. acy, and I've also seen how improved literacy can change peo- ple’s lives for the better. Today I'd like to encourage you to join me as a volunteer. But first le’s look more closely at low adult literacy and the problems it can cause, According to a 2012 report from the U.S. Department of Edu- cation and National Research Council, more than 30 million adults in the United States lack basic literacy skills. Another 60 million have only basic skills, but little beyond that, When you add these two groups together, 90 million people— more than 40 percent of the adult population—have trouble reading the newspaper, understanding instructions from a doctor, registering to vote, or reading a lease for a place to live. As the National Commission on Adult Literacy states, we face an “adult education crisis that permeates every aspect of American life.” ‘The problem is even worse when you consider the social con- sequences of low adult literacy. According to a report from the American Institutes for Research, 42 percent of people with less-than-basic literacy skills live in poverty. Adults with low literacy are less likely to participate in the workforce, to assist with their children’s education, and be involved in their community. Here in Madison we are not immune to these challenges. The Literacy Network estimates that 17,000 people in Dane County lack “the functional literacy skills needed to read a letter from their children’s teacher, a label in a grocery store, or instructions from a doctor.” Another 38,000 don't know English well enough to perform these tasks. When I interviewed Jeff Burkhart, Executive Director of the Literacy Network, he told me that “even though we live in a university town, thousands of people still struggle with every- day literacy skills necessary for success.” So what can you and I do to help combat the problem of low adult literacy? One option is to volunteer at the Literacy Net Work. It offers a range of services that include basic skills of reading and writing, learning English as a second language, even math and health skills. Best of all, all these services are free. Individuals and families pay absolutely nothing to receive help.The speaker encourages her classmates to join her as a volunteer atthe Literacy Network. She provides options for her listeners by noting a number of ways in which they can contribute. In this paragraph and the next, the speaker addresses the audience's possible hesitations about volunteering, By relating her own experiences as a new volunteer, she personalizes her ideas and gives them added credibility. Whenever a speaker asks listeners to donate time to a cause, itis important to show how they can fit the volunteer activities into their schedules. Having explained her plan and its practicality, the ‘speaker moves into the visualization section. Returning to the example of Dwayne MacNamara ‘ives the speech a sense of unity and shows the concrete benefits provided by the Literacy Network. ‘an instance of peer testimony, the quotation from MacNamara is particularly effective. {As you can see from the video, the sincerity and directness of the speaker's delivery add to her persuasiveness. The speaker moves into the action section. Once again she addresses her classmates directly as “you.” The Literacy Network's motto provides a perfect vehicle for the speakers closing appeal 340 CHAPTERA7. Wothods of But the Literacy Network can only offer its services for free if it has enough volunteers—and that’s where you come in. Whatever your skill set, the Literacy Network has a way for you to help. You can join me as a tutor and help improve people’s writing, speaking, and reading skills. If tutoring doesn't sound right for you, you can help with data entry, fundraising, or scheduling. There are also positions for pho- tographers and those with computer skills. If you volunteer as a tutor, you don't need prior experience, teaching certification, o fluency in another language. You'll attend a training seminar at which the staff will show you exactly what to do. I have to admit: I was alittle nervous during sy first training seminar. But it calmed my nerves and helped ‘me understand exactly what I was doing. Then, when I met my adult learner for the first time, I was ready to get started. But, you may be asking, how much time does it take to be a literacy tutor? The usual commitment is two hours a week. It can be before class, after class, during lunch, on the week- ends—whatever works best for you. You can even pick the place. I meet my learner in a study room at Memorial Library. It’s a convenient spot for both of us. Whether you volunteer as a tutor or in some other capacity, you wil! change the lives of people who have suffered for far too long. Remember Dwayne MacNamara, who I mentioned in my introduction? He lives here-in Madison. Because of the Literacy Network, he now works at a home-improvement store, where reading instructions and dealing with customers is essential Dwayne is also able for the first time to help his kids with their homework. He even reads to them every night before bed. “The Literacy Network gave me the skills I needed to succeed,” Dwayne says. “I have become more confident, and Tam more motivated and excited to go forward with life." Dwayne’s experience is matched by many others. Here are some brochures you can take a look at after my speech. They are filled with success stories from people here in Madison whose lives have been changed through literacy. So I hope you will join me as a volunteer, You can help some- one’s life go from isolation and despair to a life of progress and promise. “Improving Lives Through Literacy”—that’s the motto of the Literacy Network. It's a motto I've seen come to life over the past year. And it's a motto I hope you see for yourself by becoming a volunteer. Thank you.But the Literacy Network can only offer its services for free if it has enough volunteers—and that’s where you come in. Whatever your skill set, the Literacy Network has a way for you to help. You can join me as a tutor and help improve people's writing, speaking, and reading skills. If tutoring doesn’t sound right for you, you can help with data entry, fundraising, or scheduling. There are also positions for pho- tographers and those with computer skills. If you volunteer as a tutor, you don’t need prior experience, teaching certification, or fluency in another language. You'll attend a training seminar at which the staff will show you exactly what to do. I have to admit: I was alittle nervous during my first training seminar. But it calmed my nerves and helped me understand exactly what I was doing. Then, when I met my adult learner for the first time, I was ready to get started. But, you may be asking, how much time does it take (0 be a literacy tutor? The usual commitment is two hours a week. It can be before class, after class, during lunch, on the week: ‘ends—whatever works best for you. You can even pick the place, I meet my learner in a study room at Memorial Library. It's a convenient spot for both of us. Whether you volunteer as a tutor or in some other capacity, you will change the lives of people who have suffered for far too long. Remember Dwayne MacNamara, who T mentioned in my introduction? He lives here—in Madison, Because of the Literacy Network, he now works at a home-improvement store, where reading instructions and dealing with customers is essential. Dwayne is also able for the first time to help his kids with their homework. He even reads to them every night before bed. “The Literacy Network gave me the skills I needed to succeed,” Dwayne says. “I have become more confident, and Tam more motivated and excited to go forward with life." Dwayne’s experience is matched by many others. Here are some brochures you can take a look at after my speech. They are filled with success stories from people here in Madison whose lives have been changed through literacy. So I hope you will join me as a volunteer. You can help some- one’s life go from isolation and despair to a life of progress and promise. “{mproving Lives Through Literacy”—that’s the motto of the Literacy Network. It's a motto I've seen come to life over the past year. And it's a motto I hope you see for yourself by ‘becoming a volunteer. Thank you. —— = Listeners accept a speaker's ideas for one to four reasons—because they perceive the speaker as having high credibility, because they are won over by the speaker's evidence, because they are convinced by the speaker's reasoning, and because they are moved by the speaker’s emotional appeals. Credibility is affected by many factors, but the two most important are competence and character. The more favorably listeners view a speaker's competence and character, the more likely they are to accept her or his ideas. Although credibility is partly a matter of reputation, you can enhance your credibility during a speech by establishing com- ‘mon ground with your listeners, by letting them know why you are qualified to speak on the topic, and by presenting your ideas fluently and expressively. If you hope to be persuasive, you must also support your views with evidence~ examples, statistics, and testimony. Regardless of what kind of evidence you use, it will be more persuasive if it is new to the audience, stated in specific rather than general terms, and from credible sources. Your evidence will also be more persuasive if you state explicitly the point it is supposed to prove. ‘No matter how strong your evidence, you will not be persuasive unless listeners agree with your reasoning, In reasoning from specific instances, you move from a num- ber of particular facts to a general conclusion. Reasoning from principle is the reverse— you move from a general principle to a particular conclusion. When you use causal reasoning, you try to establish a relationship between causes and effects. In analogical reasoning, you compare two cases and infer that what is true for one is also true for the other. ‘Whatever kind of reasoning you use, avoid fallacies such as hasty generalization, false cause, invalid analogy, appeal to tradition, and appeal to novelty. You should also be on guard against the red herring, slippery slope, bandwagon, ad hominem, and eitheror fallacies Finally, you can persuade your listeners by appealing to their emotions. One way to ‘generate emotional appeal is by using emotion-laden language. Another is to develop vivid, richly textured examples. Neither, however, will be effective unless you feel the emotion yourself and communicate it by speaking with sincerity and conviction. ‘As with other methods of persuasion, your use of emotional appeal should be guided by a firm ethical rudder. Although emotional appeals are usually inappropriate in speeches on questions of fact, they are legitimate—and often necessary—in speeches that seek immediate action on questions of policy. Even when trying to move listeners to action, however, you should never substitute emotional appeals for evidence and reasoning. ethos (318) creating common ground (320) credibility (319) evidence (322) initial credibility (319) logos (325) derived credibility (319) reasoning (326) terminal credibility (319) reasoning from specific. instances (327)