Persuasive
Speech Guidelines
You will prepare a speech that is 6-8 minutes long on a
question of policy. Your purpose will be to persuade the audience to take
immediate action. The format will follow Monroe’s Motivated Sequence.
I. Intro
II.
Need/Problem (with theoretical support and ramifications)
III.
Solution (with theoretical and practical support and objections)
IV.
Visualization (both pos and negative and emotional appeal)
V.
Conclusion
This speech follows a slightly different format as noted on the speech evaluation form and notes on Monroe’s Motivated Sequence. You will set up your outline accordingly, following each step in the sequence. After your intro, you will explain the need for the action you are requesting of the audience. Then you will describe the satisfaction, telling about similar efforts that have been successful and/or theories that tell us this action will be successful for this problem. In addressing the solution to the problem, you will clearly identify objections and counter them. We will not do a debate speech in this class, but you might imagine the silent objections and skepticism of your audience and be very clear in addressing them. You will next show visualizations of the problem if it continues as well as the solution. An emotional appeal is particularly compelling in this type of persuasive speech and you will want to consider an appropriate example or story. Finally, you will conclude with a call to action.
The tricky part of this speech is research that directly addresses your claims, not just your topic. You want to cite facts, testimony, and examples that demonstrate credible sources and support your purpose. If you only make a statement without addressing the source, it is only your opinion.
There is the potential to pick a topic and give information without persuading your audience. Be sure to remember your purpose: ‘to persuade’!
This speech will be followed by an opportunity to answer 2 questions from the audience. You should follow the guidelines for question and answer sessions described in class. This includes immediately paraphrasing the question before answering, directing the answer to the entire audience, and how to deal with hostile questions. Your respect for your audience can affect your speech grade.
You need 5 sources minimum for this speech (closer to 10 for an A) and a graph/chart in your visual aids. An outline and bibliography will be turned in.
Persuasive
Speech Topics:
UF
Attend
a UF swim meet
UF
is the best Florida college
Rave
law
Nature/Environment: Protect drinking water
Recycle
Don’t
litter/keep nature beautiful
Save
the manatees
Spay
neuter your pet/puppy mills/get a pet
Bike,
don’t ride
Why
you should hunt
Carpool
more
Open
wildlife refuge for drilling
Buy
Hybrid cars
Vote
Vote
for me for President
Legalize
Gambling
Legalize
Marijuana
Rehab
for drug addicts
Be
a feminist
Gun
Control
Patriot
Act is Unconstitutional
Teens
should not have sex
Legalize
gay adoption in florida
Social
security should remain same
Prevent
White collar crime
Gas
prices are not high
Tort
reform
Get
a living will
Monitor
sex offenders more closely
Support
Ebonics
Lower
drinking age to 18
Stem
cell research
Support
Immigration
Reform
current welfare
System
Increase
federal minimum wage
Blondes
are not dumb
Everybody
should have a personal assistant
Brittney
Spears is a poor role model
Cell
phones are rude
Legalize
ticket scalping
Controversial
Social topics
(watch these)
*Capital
punishment/abortion/date rape
Legalize
gambling
Euthanasia
Include
vocational education in high school
Illiteracy
Use
Daily Planners
Gangs
are dangerous
Study
Abroad
Learn
a foreign language
School
vouchers
Advertise
in the public schools
SATs
should be banned
Intelligence
tests need to be used for their real purpose
No
FCAT
Schools
should not be graded
Diamonds
are a girl’s best friend
Breastfeed
your baby
Adoption
Abstinence
Get
married
Live
on campus
Live
for today
Get
out of violent relationships
Have
family dinners
Exercise/lose
weight
Don’t
drink caffeine
Don’t
drink bottled water
Avoid
vitamin supplements
Drink
soy milk
Skin
cancer
Eat
healthy
Don’t
eat meat
Try
acupuncture/see a chiropractor
Give
yourself a monthly breast exam
Breastfeed
Have
comprehensive Sex Education
Prevent
obesity in youth
Be
a vegetarian
Wear
proper fitting shoes
Get
tested for AIDS
Don’t
buy GMO foods
Use
a sonicare toothbrush
Meditate
Fast
food is harmful
Floss
Avoid
tanning salons
Avoid
artificial sweeteners
Don’t
drink and drive
Road
rage
Wear
Seat belts
Elderly
should have yearly drivers’ tests
Get
rid of the speed limit
Don’t
speed
Carpool
Raise
age can drive to 18
Cloning
Time
travel
Watch
‘Sex in the City’
Watch
the ‘Simpsons’
Bring
back ‘the Family Guy’
Forget
TV
Seinfeld
is the best comedy
Watch
hockey
Superman
is the best superhero
Travel
Take
a discovery flight
Demand
better airline food
Raise
the standards of hotel cleanliness
Work/Career
Be
a camp counselor
Sports
Pay
College Athletes/ or Don’t Pay
Fans
are out of control
Professional
Athletes are paid too much
Youth
sports are good for self-confidence
More
P.E. in the schools
Don’t
legalize helmets for pole vaulting
Reevaluate
Title IX
Run
for Team in Training
Watch
hockey
Private
school athletics
shouldn’t
be allowed to compete with public high school teams
Stricter
penalties for steroids
Go
to a concert
Climb
a mountain
Take
naps
Move
to Dallas
Protect
pets from heartworms
Altruism/Nonprofits
Volunteer
for March of Dimes
Volunteer
Donate
your organs
Operation
Smile
Mentor
a child
Spirituality
Live
for today
Express
your feelings
Accept
God
Don’t
date outside of your faith