ENG 285 UNIT 5

U S A B L E R E S E A R C H F O R T H E D I F F E R E N T TA S K S O F
S P E E C H 2 ( I N F O R M AT I V E ) A N D S P E E C H 3 ( P E R S U A S I O N )
FROM CHAPTER 3 OF THE SPEAKER’S
PRIMER
“As the originator of a message in a public speaking situation, the speaker is bound by several
ethical responsibilities. These obligations begin at the start of the speech-making process, then
progress through the research stage, and culminate with the delivery of the presentation itself. It
is important to be attuned to the moral issues that arise throughout the development of your
remarks, because doing so will help you keep the best interests of your audience in mind”.
 SPEECH 2 & SPEECH 3 GROW BEYOND PERSONAL
EXAMPLES, AND MUST BE INFORMED BY RESEARCH
IN F O R M AT IV E ( D E L IV E R E D IN
U NI T 4)
• Select a subject that you wish to inform your
audience about
• Make the idea your own
• Use sources and research to support what you
choose to include
• Make sure you pick something you care about
so that you can choose an aspect of this topic to
then persuade your audience about for Speech 3
P E R S U AS I V E ( D O N E L AT E R , B UT
MUST BE THOUGHT ABOUT
NOW)
• Using the subject/topic you informed your
audience about in Speech 2, decide on an
angle you wish to take, in order to
persuade your audience to adopt a position
or point of view about this subject
• Use three sources that will help you make
an argument that supports your persuasive
angle/point
 EXAMPLE FOR DEMONSTRATION ONLY
SELECTING TO INFORM
TRANSFORMING INTO PERSUASION
IN F O R M AT IV E ( D E L IV E R E D IN
U NI T 4) P E R S U AS I V E ( D O N E I N U N IT 5 )
• Pick topic example: I have decided to inform my audience about the • The angle I wish to take on homeless pets and
facts and issues surrounding homeless pets in America.
rescue groups in America is that I believe animal
• Making it my own example: In my opening, my attention grabber will
be a description of all the times I have rescued homeless animals from rescue organizations should be state-funded so that
dangerous situations, such as the time I saved a puppy running in animal rescue is seen to be in the best interests of
traffic.
the citizens of our state, rather than just a private
• Research selection example: I now know I need statistics to show the
size of the problem, and I need a source with a story about pet rescue
matter.
organizations in America. • Now, I am ready to add my three sources that will
• Why do I care? Example: Though I do not get to talk about this in
help me not just inform my audience, but persuade
Speech 2, I need to have it in mind so I am ready, later for Speech 3: I
care about this because for me, homeless pets go through needless them that animal rescue is an important civic virtue
suffering. and should be state-funded.
USING A QUOTE…TO DEMONSTRATE THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INFORMING AND
PERSUADING
• Imagine that I have gotten a good source on the facts and contexts for my Speech 2, which will
inform my audience about the problem of homeless pets in America. Here is my quote for use in
informing my audience about this issue:
• “Each year, approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized (670,000 dogs and 860,000
cats).  The number of dogs and cats euthanized in U.S. shelters annually has declined from
approximately 2.6 million in 2011.  This decline can be partially explained by an increase in the
percentage of animals adopted and an increase in the number of stray animals successfully
returned to their owners.” (ASPCS.org)
• In this quote, there are first facts, then the facts are followed by context. Both of these things
inside this quote are informative….so how do I take them and make them persuasive?
PERSUADING
HAPPENS WHEN I TAKE A FACT OR A REASONABLE CONTEXT AND
REPACKAGE IT FOR MY ARGUMENT:

• Quote:
• As the ASPCA notes, regarding the reduction in the homeless pets problem in America, “This decline
can be partially explained by an increase in the percentage of animals adopted and an increase in the
number of stray animals successfully returned to their owners.” (ASPCS.org) What I can do with the
quote:
• I believe you should adopt my idea that homeless animals be helped by state funding, because for a
small investment, we can improve pet adoption numbers and also get pets back to owners. This helps
citizens by reducing animal suffering in two major ways, and this helps our state.

• Now, I have used my gathered information to grow into my persuasive argument.

 JUST FOR FUN:
THE FOLLOWING TWO SLIDES CONTAIN TWO
MOVIE CLIPS THAT ALSO ILLUSTRATE THE
TOPIC OF INFORMING AND PERSUADING, BY
GIVING YOU A SCENARIO THAT SHOWS A
CHARACTER WHO HAS DEVELOPED AN IDEA
AND CAN DO MORE WITH IT, VS. A
CHARACTER WHO HAS NOT DONE THAT…

VIDEO EXAMPLES FROM WORKING GIRL ( A

VERY OLD MOVIE, BUT A VERY GOOD ONE)
• Tess proves her game… WORKING GIRL
CLIP 1
In this movie, Tess (blonde
character) has been trying to make
her way in the New York business
world, and someone (the dark-
haired woman) has stolen her idea.
But the stealer does not understand
the background of the idea, and she
can’t explain it. In the first clip,
Tess is given the chance to explain
the origins of her business idea and
this gives her credibility!
• Tess’s rival proves she has no game…
• PLEASE COPY AND PASTE LINK –
the copyright will not allow me to insert
this one!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=JjgKkluHXJM
WORKING GIRL
CLIP 2
In this clip (please copy and paste
link), Tess’s rival shows not only that
she has not done her homework on
the business deal she stole, she also
shows us that in order to be
persuasive, we must first be
informed. The rival gets the boot,
because she gets caught trying to
adopt ideas she does not understand.
What is important is that this short
scene shows the importance of
research to our ability to use that
research in original and sustainable
ways!