SAGE Flex for Public Speaking

An Overview of Persuasive Speaking

Brief: Persuasion can be applied systematically, through a process in which our attitudes or
beliefs are influenced by appeals to our logic and reason, as well as heuristically, through a
process in which our attitudes or beliefs are influenced by appeals to our habits or emotion.

Learning Objective: Identify the types of persuasive speeches.

Key Terms:
• Proposition: A tentative and conjectural relationship between ideas that is stated in
a declarative form.

Persuasion

Persuasion is an umbrella term used to describe the general concept of influence. When people
use persuasion, they are attempting to influence other people’s beliefs, attitudes, intentions,
motivations, or behaviors.

In Western cultures, persuasion is big business. Advertising and marketing campaigns bombard
us every day, attempting to influence our attitude towards their products with the goal of
ultimately convincing us to make purchases. Persuasion is part of the fabric of everyday
democracy, used as tool to change our opinions and win our votes.

Persuasion can be applied systematically, through a process in which our attitudes or beliefs
are influenced by appeals to our logic and reason or heuristically, through a process in which
our attitudes or beliefs are influenced by appeals to our habits or emotion.

Propositions and Appeals

Aristotle, considered the father of rhetoric, laid the foundation for our understanding of
persuasion. It was Aristotle who first defined a proposition, a tentative and conjectural
relationship between ideas that is stated in a declarative form.

Consider the following proposition: “An increase in a student’s self-confidence causes an

increase in their academic achievement.” This declarative statement may or may not be true. It’s
really a theory that an audience will either believe or not believe based on the strength of the
persuasive argument used to support it.

Aristotle identified three types of appeals that can be used to support a proposition:

Pathos: Appeals based on moving the audience emotionally

Ethos: Appeals based on convincing the audience of the speaker’s credibility

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Logos: Appeals based on evidence (data) and logical arguments

Types of Persuasive Speeches

There are three categories of propositions that lead to three basics types of persuasive
speeches: those that support propositions of fact, those that support propositions of value, and
those that support propositions of policy.

Persuasive Speeches of Fact

Propositions of fact assert that something is a fact, claiming that something is, something exists,
or something doesn't exist. Questions of fact rely heavily on logical appeals based on verifiable
evidence, in contrast with questions of policy, which state that something should be, and
questions of value, which state that something is good, bad, beautiful, or worthwhile. A speech
that begins with the proposition that sea levels are rising across the globe, for example, is a
speech that supports a proposition of fact.

Persuasive Speeches of Value

Persuasive speeches of value argue that something

is right or wrong, moral or immoral, or better or
worse than another thing. These types of appeals
are made on value judgements.
For example, a speech that begins with the
proposition that it’s wrong to drive over the speed
limit is considered a speech based on a proposition
of value. Likewise, a speech that asserts that Pepsi
is better than Coke is a speech that supports a
proposition of value.

Persuasive speeches on propositions of value imply that audience member should take certain
actions, but they are not explicitly calls to action.

Persuasive Speeches of Policy

Persuasive speeches of policy advocate for a change from the status quo, or the way things
currently are. Propositions of policy include a "should,” or at the very least imply a "should." The
ultimate goal of the speaker is to have the plan proposed by the speech to become policy.

For example, a speech that asserts that state legislators should vote to approve medical
marijuana sale and use is a persuasive speech of policy. Most persuasive speeches of policy
include an explicit call to action, such as calling a state representative.

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From Concept to Action

Suppose you have just received an assignment to deliver a persuasive speech of policy about
any topic that you sincerely care about. Draft a proposition, a declarative statement that reflects
your position. Then, once you state your argument, consider how you could use pathos, ethos,
and logos to support your speech.

OER IMAGE SOURCES:

“Street Sign Highway Travel Transportation Traffic.” Pixabay. https://pixabay.com/photos/street-sign-highway-travel-71397/.

Accessed 2 June 2019. [CC0]

OER TEXT SOURCES:

“Persuasion.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persuasion. Accessed 2 June 2019. [CC BY-SA 3.0]

“Proposition.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proposition. Accessed 2 June 2019. [CC BY-SA 3.0]

“Types of Persuasive Speeches.” Lumen Learning. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-communications/chapter/types-of-

persuasive-speeches/. Accessed 2 June 2019. [CC BY-SA 4.0]