Business communications 2
Business Communications Essentials
Topic 4
Informative and Persuasive Speaking
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Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Distinctions between Informative and
Persuasive Speaking
Informing versus Persuading
• Informing: seeks to increase listeners’ knowledge
• Persuading: seeks to alter attitudes and behavior
• Distinction is slight; depends on goal of speaker
• Information can be presented without persuading
• All persuasion must provide information
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Information in Communication
We send and receive vast amounts of information every day, in every
kind of situation. It’s no wonder, then, that informative speech is often
one of the first assigned in communication classes such as this one. Source: Stockfour/Shutterstock
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The Goals of Persuasive Speaking
Persuasion
• Using verbal and nonverbal messages to reinforce or
change attitudes, beliefs, values, or behavior
• Ultimate goal is action or change
• Reinforce existing beliefs
• Change existing beliefs
• Lead to a new belief
• Occurs over time
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Persuasion is Challenging
Speakers whose topic is the environment face some stiff competition
from listeners who believe the environment is a nonissue. Source: Junfu Han/Kalamazoo Gazette-MLive Media Group/AP Images
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Topics for Informative and Persuasive
Speeches (1 of 3)
The Informative Speech
• Objects
• Processes
• Events
• Concepts
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Topics for Informative and Persuasive
Speeches (2 of 3)
The Persuasive Speech
• Suggestions for selecting a topic
• Select a topic you are interested in or familiar with
• Select a worthwhile subject of concern to your audience
• Select a topic with a goal for influence or action
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Topics for Informative and Persuasive
Speeches (3 of 3)
The Persuasive Speech continued
• Questions of fact
• Questions of value
• Questions of policy
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Preparing and Developing an
Informative Speech (1 of 4)
Gain and Maintain Audience Attention
• Generate a need for the information
• Create information relevance
• Provide a fresh perspective
• Focus on the unusual
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The Gates Foundation
Melinda and Bill Gates, and Bill Gates Sr., oversee the Gates Foundation, a
philanthropy benefitting scores of institutions and individuals around the world.
Melinda Gates is also in demand as a speaker because of her unique global
perspective. Source: Jean-Christophe Bott/Epa/Shutterstock
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Preparing and Developing an
Informative Speech (2 of 4)
Increase Understanding of the Topic
• Organize your presentation
• Plan for repetition
• Use advance organizers
• Choose language carefully
• Use concrete words
• Use description
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Preparing and Developing an
Informative Speech (3 of 4)
Increase Understanding of the Topic continued
• Use definitions
• Contrast definition
• Synonyms
• Antonyms
• Etymology
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Preparing and Developing an
Informative Speech (4 of 4)
Hints for Effective Informative Speaking
• Avoid assumptions
• One mistaken assumption could undercut your work
• Personalize information
• It holds audience’s attention and interest
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Demonstration Speech
Teaching others the fine art of surfboarding requires an understanding of the
listeners, careful organization, and planning. When the instructor shares personal
stories, the listeners are likely to remember more. Source: Eye35/Alamy Stock Photo
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Evaluating the Informative Speech (1 of 7)
Topic
• Merit audience’s attention
• Take into account audience’s knowledge
• Connection between topic and speaker and topic
and audience
• Narrow enough to cover in allotted time
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Speaker’s Self-
Evaluation Form
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Evaluating the Informative Speech (2 of 7)
General Requirements
• Purpose should be clearly
• Meet time requirements
• Cite sources of information
• Purpose should be relevant to assignment and relate
to the audience
• Show evidence of careful preparation
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Listener’s
Evaluation Form
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Evaluating the Informative Speech (3 of 7)
Audience Analysis
• Shape speech to reflect audience analysis
• Show listeners why topic is important to them
• Connect with listeners at several points of speech
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Evaluating the Informative Speech (4 of 7)
Supporting Materials
• Well documented
• Sources should be cited completely/accurately
• Research should be up to date
• Adequate and sufficient clarifying materials
• Visual aids should be appropriate, add to audience’s
understanding, and follow assignment guidelines
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Evaluating the Informative Speech (5 of 7)
Organization
• Introduction should be properly developed
• Body should be clear and easy to follow
• Conclusion should be properly developed
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Evaluating the Informative Speech (6 of 7)
Delivery
• Stance and posture should be suitable
• Eye contact with audience should be appropriate
• Method of delivery should follow assignment
• Facial expressions should convey/clarify thoughts
• Body movement should be appropriate and effective
• Vocal delivery should enhance the speech
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Evaluating the Informative Speech (7 of 7)
Language Choice
• Appropriate to assignment and audience
• Word choice appropriate for college-level students
• Grammar should show college-level competence
• Correct word pronunciations
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Persuasive Claims (1 of 2)
Three Modes of Persuasion
• Ethos
• Logos
• Pathos
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Persuasive Claims (2 of 2)
Toulmin’s Model
• Accept claim at face value
• Reject claim outright at face value
• Accept or reject according to evaluation of data and
warrant
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Establishing Credibility (Ethos) (1 of 3)
Competence
• Demonstrate involvement
• Relate experience
• Cite research
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Personal Experience Adds to Credibility
Actor Michael J. Fox has been
public with his struggles with
Parkinson’s disease and
shared personal experiences,
which make him a credible
and persuasive advocate for
research to find a cure. Source: Rick Mackler/ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy
Stock Photo
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Establishing Credibility (Ethos) (2 of 3)
Character
• Trustworthiness
• Ethics
• Cite sources that are not your own;
• Do not falsify/distort information to make your point
• Show respect for your audience
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Establishing Credibility (Ethos) (3 of 3)
Charisma
• Appeal or attractiveness audience perceives
• Contributes to the speaker’s credibility
• Sincere interest
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Preparing and Developing a
Persuasive Speech (1 of 6)
Researching the Topic
• Research must be especially thorough
• Research should support/clarify views
• Make note of research that contradicts views
• Find information to refute opposing views
• Anticipate possible objections to your claims
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Preparing and Developing a
Persuasive Speech (2 of 6)
Organizing the Speech
• Should you present one or both sides of issue?
• When should you present strongest arguments?
• What is the best way to organize the speech?
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Preparing and Developing a
Persuasive Speech (3 of 6)
Organizing the Speech continued
• Problem-solution pattern
• Cause-effect pattern
• Monroe’s motivated sequence pattern
1. Attention
2. Need
3. Satisfaction
4. Visualization
5. Action
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Preparing and Developing a
Persuasive Speech (4 of 6)
Supporting Materials
• Appeals to needs
• Physical needs
• Safety needs
• Social needs
• Self-esteem needs
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Preparing and Developing a
Persuasive Speech (5 of 6)
Supporting Materials continued
• Logical appeals (logos)
• Deductive reasoning
• Inductive reasoning
• Causal reasoning
• Reasoning by analogy
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Preparing and Developing a
Persuasive Speech (6 of 6)
Supporting Materials continued
• Emotional appeals
• Playing on people’s feelings
• Can be powerful
• Ethical speaker uses emotional appeals carefully
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Evaluating the Persuasive Speech
General Requirements
• Purpose should be clearly to persuade
• Speech should include goal
• Supporting materials should appeal to audience
• Use a variety of supporting materials
• Appropriate organizational pattern
• Speaker should convey a positive attitude
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Speaker’s
Self-Reflection
Evaluation Form (1 of 2)
For long description, see slide 51, Appendix C
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Speaker’s
Self-Reflection
Evaluation Form (2 of 2)
For long description, see slide 52, Appendix D
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Sample Listener
Evaluation Form
for Persuasive
Speeches
For long description, see slide 53, Appendix E