18 Appendix E

Persuasive Speech

(Required speech for the COMM 131 course)

Speech Description

This speech is a persuasive speech. Your goal is to explain your position on a policy proposition that you develop and argue that your position is the one your audience should adopt or agree to. You must justify your position on the topic by building a case using ethos (credibility), pathos (emotional appeals) and logos (logic and reasoning). Your topic must be substantial and one of significant societal importance. Organize and structure your message using either the Problem/Cause/Solution format or Monroe’s Motivated Sequence. Give attention to the language utilized in the speech, and effective delivery/performance techniques. Focus on your extemporaneous speaking and your call to action. Apply all the feedback you receive throughout the semester to do your very best on this final speech.

Topics that previous students have used: decriminalizing sex work, porn should be illegal, public officials should not be allowed to deal in the stock market, the US implementing a Universal Basic Income, limiting children and teen use of technology and social media, banning TikTok, all schools should require uniforms, abolish the electoral college in favor of the popular vote, tax money being spent to change prisons into rehabilitation centers, college students required to take a politics class (gym class), all adults should be CPR certified, parents should not be able to post pics of their children on social media. Topics must be submitted and approved before speech preparations begin.

This speech should be 5-6 minutes long and will be delivered to the class audience during class time. The speech must include material from 3-4 credible sources, as well as 3-4 visual aids. You will turn in an outline with in-text citations and an APA formatted references page. Do not write your speech out in paragraph form word for word. You must orally cite each of your sources during your speech. It is required that you visit the Public Communication Center (PCC) and meet with a student mentor while preparing to deliver your speech. If you choose not to visit the PCC, or procrastinate until there are no available appointments, you will miss out on the points assigned to this class assignment. Making use of this University resource is an important part of this class, and one that will help you become a stronger public speaker. Once you make an appt with the PCC, if you are a no-show without sending an email to cancel your appt in advance, points may be deducted from your speech grade, and you may be unable to use the PCC for future speeches. It is critical that you keep the appts you make. This speech is worth 175 pts.

Preparation Outline Guide (Persuasive Speech / MMS)

This is a guide to use as you develop a preparation outline for your speech. The elements needed in the outline – title, specific purpose statement, thesis statement, introduction, body, conclusion, transitions, references – should all be included. Delete instructional text before submitting your personal outline. The title of your speech should be centered at the top of the page.

Title

Specific Purpose Statement: To persuade my audience….

Thesis Statement: [One sentence that states the purpose and goal of your entire speech; why it matters and how you are going to support your claims]

Introduction

1. Attention Getter / Reveal Topic: [create interest in topic right away]
2. Establish Credibility: [relate topic to yourself / how you know what you know]
3. Establish Relatability: [relate topic to your audience / why should they care]
4. Preview Main Points: [what your audience can expect to hear from you]

Transition: [A sentence that lets the audience know you are moving from one point to another]

Body

I. NEED: [State the need, or the problem, here in a full sentence. You are telling the audience about a problem you intend to present a solution to]

A. Evidence: [The example, testimony, or statistic you use to support the main pt]

B. Warrant: [Explain how the evidence you used supports the claim you made]

Transition: [A sentence that lets the audience know you are moving from one point to another]

II. SATISFACTION: [As described in Monroe’s Motivated Sequence, the satisfaction is the proposed solution; state it here in a full sentence]

A. Evidence: [The example, testimony, or statistic you use to support the main pt]

B. Warrant: [Explain how the evidence you used supports the claim you made]

Transition: [A sentence that lets the audience know you are moving from one point to another]

III. VISUALIZATION: [The visualization step is where you state the benefits of your proposed solution; summarize it here in a full sentence]

A. Evidence [The example, testimony, or statistic you use to support the main pt]

B. Warrant [Explain how the evidence you used supports the claim you made]

Transition: [A sentence that lets the audience know you are moving from one point to another]

Conclusion

1. Signal the Conclusion: [Be thoughtful about this and avoid relying on, “in conclusion” and signal in a more subtle way]
2. Review of Main Points: [This is a review, so add nothing new]
3. CALL TO ACTION / Clincher: [A statement that urges the audience to believe or act differently than they did before; a strong and memorable ending that leaves a lasting impression]

References

Instructions: Read this page carefully and then delete all the instructions to build your own references page that document your sources. The references page should begin at the top of a brand-new page. Use a page break to guarantee proper placement. Double space the references page and be sure the font is set at Times New Roman size 12 for consistency.

Every speech will require credible sources to support the points you make. Check each speech assignment description for the number of sources required and prepare to document each source you use in three different places.

On the references page: Include full APA citations (examples will be provided). These citations begin with the author’s last name and first initial, followed by the year of publication in parentheses. Variations then follow with publisher content, titles, websites, etc. according to the type of sources you use.

In the outline: Use in-text citations that include the author’s last name and the year, both in parentheses after each area where you use the source content in your speech, just like the example at the end of this sentence (Morris, 2023).

In the speech: Include oral citations that are verbal ways to give credit to your sources in your speech. In each oral citation you need to include the author’s name, what makes the author credible, and the year of the source publication. You may include the title of the article as well if it is helpful, and then the quote or example you are sharing from that source. Practice delivering the oral citations in several ways to see what sounds smooth without distracting from your speech content.

Delete all these instructions and begin with your first citation after the word References, which should be centered and bolded at the top. Place page numbers in the top right corner of the header space and be sure your outline begins on page 1.

Preparation Outline Guide (Persuasive Speech / PCS)

This is a guide to use as you develop preparation outlines for your speech. The elements needed in the outline – title, specific purpose statement, thesis statement, introduction, body, conclusion, transitions, references – should all be included. Delete instructional text before submitting your personal outline. The title of your speech should be centered at the top of the page.

Title

Specific Purpose Statement: To persuade my audience….

Thesis Statement: [One sentence that states the purpose and goal of your entire speech; why it matters and how you are going to support your claims]

Introduction

1. Attention Getter / Reveal Topic [create interest in your topic right away]
2. Establish Credibility [relate topic to yourself / how you know what you know]
3. Establish Relatability [relate topic to your audience / why should they care]
4. Preview Main Points [what your audience can expect to hear from you]

Transition: [A sentence that lets the audience know you are moving from one point to another]

Body

I. PROBLEM: [State in a full sentence; in this case you are telling the audience about a problem that you intend to present the solution to]

A. Evidence [The example, testimony, or statistic you use to support the main pt]

B. Warrant [Explain how the evidence you used supports the claim you made]

Transition: [A sentence that lets the audience know you are moving from one point to another]

II. CAUSE/S: [State in a full sentence. The causes of the problem you introduced should lead into your planned solution. You may only have time to cover one main cause, depending on the topic]

A. Evidence [The example, testimony, or statistic you use to support the main pt]

B. Warrant [Explain how the evidence you used supports the claim you made]

Transition: [A sentence that lets the audience know you are moving from one point to another]

III. SOLUTION: [Summarize in a full sentence. The solution is your proposition, so use persuasive language and a strong call to action after presenting your full solution]

A. Evidence [The example, testimony, or statistic you use to support the main pt]

B. Warrant [Explain how the evidence you used supports the claim you made]

Transition: [A sentence that lets the audience know you are moving from one point to another]

Conclusion

1. Signal the Conclusion: [Be thoughtful about this and avoid relying on, “in conclusion” and signal in a more subtle way]
2. Review of Main Points: [This is a review, so add nothing new]
3. CALL TO ACTION / Clincher: [A statement that urges the audience to believe or act differently than they did before; a strong and memorable ending that leaves a lasting impression]

References

Instructions: Read this page carefully and then delete all the instructions to build your own references page that documents your sources. The references page should begin at the top of a brand-new page. Use a page break to guarantee proper placement. Double space the references page and be sure the font is set at Times New Roman size 12 for consistency.

Every speech will require credible sources to support the points you make. Check each speech assignment description for the number of sources required and prepare to document each source you use in three different places.

On the references page: Include full APA citations (examples will be provided). These citations begin with the author’s last name and first initial, followed by the year of publication in parentheses. Variations then follow with publisher content, titles, websites, etc. according to the type of sources you use.

In the outline: Use in-text citations that include the author’s last name and the year, both in parentheses after each area where you use the source content in your speech, just like the example at the end of this sentence (Morris, 2023).

In the speech: Include oral citations that are verbal ways to give credit to your sources in your speech. In each oral citation you need to include the author’s name, what makes the author credible, and the year of the source publication. You may include the title of the article as well if it is helpful, and then the quote or example you are sharing from that source. Practice delivering the oral citations in several ways to see what sounds smooth without distracting from your speech content.

Delete all these instructions and begin with your first citation after the word References, which should be centered and bolded at the top. Place page numbers in the top right corner of the header space and be sure your outline begins on page 1.

Documented Dreamers

Specific Purpose Statement: To persuade my audience that Documented Dreamers need to be offered a clearer path to be able to stay in the US.

Thesis Statement: Immigrants in the US called Documented Dreamers have a positive impact on the country and they need assistance through government legislative action.

Introduction

1. Attention Getter – Imagine it’s your 21^st birthday. You’re at a party with your family, some friends – there’s cake. Overall, it’s a wonderful day.
2. Establish Credibility – As a brother to two former Documented Dreamers, I have seen firsthand the difficulties Documented Dreamers go through.
3. Establish Relatability – But for over 200,000 immigrants living in the United States, turning 21 is probably one of the worst days of their life because it is the day that they are no longer legally allowed to live in the US. These immigrants are called Documented Dreamers, and they are part of an ever-increasing problem of immigration into the US.
4. Preview Main Points – Documented Dreamers are a group of immigrants in the US that are often overlooked when the issue of immigration is debated, and more options need to be provided for them so that they are able to stay in the US. Today, I will be discussing the issue of Documented Dreamers and why they, as immigrants, need assistance, some ways to address this issue, and the impact Documented Dreamers have on the US.

Transition: I will start by identifying who Documented Dreamers are, and why they need help in achieving legal status in this country.

Body

I. NEED: The main issue when it comes to Documented Dreamers is the wait time in applying for legal status.

A. Evidence: Documented Dreamers are immigrants who were brought to the US legally as children by their parents and once they turn 21, they are no longer considered children and they lose the temporary legal status that was provided to them as kids. Therefore, Documented Dreamers who were once legal are now illegal (Shoichet, 2021). Documented Dreamers have to apply for a Green Card that shows people they are a legal and permanent resident of the US – and are allowed to live and work here permanently. Getting a Green Card is not easy and it takes a long time. More than 960,000 immigrant families are in backlog for the Green Card (Department of Homeland Security, 2021).

B. Warrant: This evidence clearly shows that an injustice is happening in this country to a group of innocent people.

Transition: As you now know, it is clearly difficult for Documented Dreamers to get legal status quickly, but there are simple measures that can be taken to help solve this problem.

II. SATISFACTION: Simple changes through legislative action can help address the wait times for Documented Dreamers trying to get legal status.

A. Evidence: First, the number of Green Cards given should be increased. Only 7% of immigrants from each country can get a Green Card every year. But for populous nations like India and China, this percentage is too low as these nations have a larger number of immigrants than smaller countries (Anderson, 2021).

B. Evidence: The Congressional bill that is being considered as of July of this year is the CHILDREN ACT. If passed, this bill would protect Documented Dreamers by providing work authorization, which is a form of legal status, for those 16 and older and whose Green Card applications are still pending. (America’s CHILDREN Act, 2021).

C. Warrant: As you can see, the legislation in the US is important to the process of protecting the legal status of these children.

Transition: These measures will benefit not only Documented Dreamers, but eventually the entire country.

III. VISUALIZATION: With Documented Dreamers able to get legal status more quickly, the entire US economy is affected in a positive way.

A. Evidence: Undocumented immigrants, which include Documented Dreamers over the age of 21, are responsible for about 3% of the nationwide GDP (Institute of Labor Economics, 2018).

B. Warrant: So, if we can get Documented Dreamers legal status more quickly, they will be able to contribute to the US economy positively and more confidently without having to worry about the threat of deportation.

Transition: If given legal status, Documented Dreamers will have a positive effect on the US economy, and so we should be taking the first steps towards accomplishing this.

Conclusion

1. Signal the Conclusion: It may seem like a big change to make, but it can be done.
2. Review of main points: Documented Dreamers are a group that is often overlooked when it comes to the issue of immigration in the United States. Our immigration system is intentionally designed to keep immigrants from achieving legal status quickly, and this needs to be changed.
3. Call to action/Clincher: Help Documented Dreamers get legal status more quickly; visit www.improvethedream.org/takeaction . On this site, you will see a list of steps that you can take to help pass legislation that would help Documented Dreamers. I know for my family personally, it took over 15 years to get their Green Cards, and my oldest sister was 20 when she got her Green Card. Imagine what would have happened if she had been just 1 year older. She would have had to leave the country and she would have had nowhere to go. As Americans, we should be doing everything we can to make sure no family ever has to imagine that happening to them.
   

References

America’s CHILDREN Act would protect Documented Dreamers from aging out of legalimmigration status at 21. (2021). [Press release]. https://ross.house.gov/media/press-releases/representatives-ross-miller-meeks-krishnamoorthi-kim-introduce-bipartisan

Anderson, S. (2021). New bill has many good but two bad measures for employment immigrants. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2021/02/19/new-bill-has-many-good-but-two-bad-measures-for-employment-immigrants/?sh=501feb1e5af9

Department of Homeland Security. (2021). Approved employment-based petitions awaiting visa availability by preference category and country of birth as of April 21, 2021 (Form I-140, I-360, I-526) [Dataset]. https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/reports/EB_I140_I360_I526_performancedata_fy2021_Q1_Q2.pdf

Institute of Labor Economics. (2018). The economic effects of providing legal status to DREAMers (No. 11281). Deutsche Post Foundation. https://ftp.iza.org/dp11281.pdf

Shoichet, C. E. (2021). Why hundreds of thousands of kids in the US dread their 21st birthdays. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/27/us/documented-dreamers/index.html

Partisan Bias in the Media

Specific Purpose Statement: To persuade my audience that partisan media bias is a concerning issue within the United States, and that action should be taken to correct it.

Thesis Statement: Making individual judgments about issues in our country is impossible if news outlets defer to partisan bias when sharing their reports, and changes are needed to guarantee that citizens are informed before making decisions.

Introduction

1. Attention Getter / Reveal Topic – How would you feel if you were always told what to think, what to say, and how to feel about every political or social issue that affected you?
2. Establish Credibility – We have all witnessed over the last several years, especially during the 2020 presidential election, how our news organizations are beginning to take very clear stances to one side when it comes to politics, and as voters, this should concern us all.
3. Establish Relatability – We may not even realize it anymore, but many of our own media outlets within the United States are essentially telling us how we should think on certain issues.
4. Preview Main Points – Partisan bias in the media has become a major problem, having a number of root causes, and we must promote fair and unbiased reporting from major networks. Today I will be discussing the problem with partisan media bias, what its main causes are, and what needs to change.

Transition: I would like to start off by identifying what partisan media bias is, and some of the problems it causes.

Body

I. PROBLEM: Many major media outlets are biased in their reporting on topics including politics and social issues.

A. Evidence: Policy decisions and election of politicians depend greatly on the views and perspectives of the voting population. Major news outlets have a great deal of influence over what information is received, and how it is framed for the public to consume (Druckman & Parkin, 2005). Studies have shown that half of all online articles and blogs contain nothing except for the author’s opinion. Major media outlets are using bias in their reporting as a “successful business model” (Dean, 2021).

B. Warrant: As you can see the way that government and media interact are influencing all of us and these are not the only sources that demonstrate this.

Transition: The problems with media bias are plenty, but it’s important to recognize the main causes of bias in the media.

II. CAUSE: The cause of bias in the media comes from the organizational level, having several influencing factors and motivations.

A. Evidence: Partisan media bias at the organizational level aims at maximizing profit from a target demographic, defined by political interests and beliefs. Media outlets are often motivated politically, financially, and in the interest of competing with other large outlets. Individual journalists will generally not take a stance or lean towards one perspective in their reporting. The final way in which articles are published is determined by the owners of the media outlet (Shultziner & Stukalin, 2021).

B. Warrant: It is clear from the evidence shared that money and greed have a trickle-down effect and are causing the bias that we hear and read every day.

Transition: Recognizing the main causes of media bias can help us focus on some solutions we can work towards.

III. SOLUTION: Action should be taken to better regulate and discourage bias in media reporting.

A. Evidence: It is important that factual and unbiased information is reported in the news. Media outlets hold too much power and influence over the flow of information, and they should be more responsible with their reporting. News stories, especially those concerning a political or social issue should be reported fairly and should not favor only one side or perspective.

B. Warrant: This will help everyday Americans to be more open minded and determine their own interpretation and viewpoints.

Transition: Now that we have covered actions being taken on a national level, I would like to close out my thoughts.

Conclusion

1. Signal the Conclusion: News reporting in our country should not favor one side or support one agenda over another. How are we supposed to make informed decisions based on facts that are filtered through someone else’s opinion?
2. Review of Main Points: The evidence has clearly shown that biased journalism and media reporting has become a prominent issue in the United States, caused by organizations’ desire for money and power, and the media needs to rise above it to give every person the chance to make an informed decision about what we believe.
3. Call to Action/Clincher: It is critical that each of us, as media consumers, recognize bias and not allow ourselves to be influenced until we have done our due diligence and researched every side of a story. Are you willing to let the news and media you watch, listen to, and read tell you how to think for one more day?
   References

Dean, W. (2021). Understanding bias. American Press Institute. https://www.americanpress institute.org/journalism-essentials/bias-objectivity/understanding-bias/

Druckman, J., & Parkin, M. (2005). The impact of media bias. The Journal of Politics, 67(4), 1030-1049. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2508.2005.00349.x

Shultziner, D., & Stukalin, Y. (2021). Distorting the news? The effects on partisan media bias and its effects on news production. Political Behavior, 43(1), 201-222.
doi:10.1007/s11109-019-09551-y

Persuasive Speech Rubric

Evaluative Concept	Excellent	Good	Average	Below Aver.	Poor	Missing
SPEECH PREPARATION
Outline – The outline is in full-sentences with in-text citations and a references page in APA format.	10	8	6	4	2	0
CONTENT
Policy – The topic is a proposition of policy.	5	4	3	2	1	0
Language Choice – Free of serious grammar & word choice errors. Speaker uses language accurately, clearly, vividly, appropriately, and inclusively.	10	8	6	4	2	0
Thesis – The student uses a strong thesis statement within the framework of the topic, previewing all main pts.	10	8	6	4	2	0
Introduction – The introduction contains a strong attention getter, establishes credibility & relatability, and previews the main points of the speech.	10	8	6	4	2	0
Main Points – The main points are identifiable claims, support the thesis, and are well developed using a variety of supporting material.	10	8	6	4	2	0
Supporting Material – The supporting material utilized in the speech is highly credible and the sources used strengthen the information in the speech. There are 3-4 sources required for this speech.	10	8	6	4	2	0
Oral Citations – The speech contains oral citations for each source and includes the author, year, and credibility factor relevant to the citation.	10	8	6	4	2	0
Transitions – The speaker uses transitions to indicate when they are moving to each new point and uses nonverbal cues to reinforce the transitions.	10	8	6	4	2	0
Organization – The speech is organized using either Problem/Cause/Solution or Monroe’s Motivated Sequence.	10	8	6	4	2	0
Conclusion – The conclusion begins with a clear transition, signals the end, reviews main points (thesis), and closes in an engaging way.	10	8	6	4	2	0
PERSUASIVENESS
Ethos – The student builds their credibility effectively to persuade their audience.	5	4	3	2	1	0
Logos – The student uses logic and reasoning effectively to persuade their audience.	5	4	3	2	1	0
Pathos – The student uses emotional appeal effectively to persuade their audience.	5	4	3	2	1	0
Call to Action – The student includes a realistic call to action that asks the audience to do something substantial.	5	8	6	4	2	0
DELIVERY
Vocalics – The speaker can be heard and understood throughout the speech and vocal variety is used to keep audience attention. The speaker uses pronunciation, articulation, volume, pitch, rate, tone, and strategic pauses to strengthen speech delivery.	10	8	6	4	2	0
Nonverbal Consistency – Speaker uses gestures, movement, & facial expressions and keeps the audience’s attention.	10	8	6	4	2	0
Extemporaneous – Speaker delivers speech using notecards sparingly; displays confidence that demonstrates a well-rehearsed speech. Strong eye contact with audience is maintained; speaker doesn’t read from preparation outline.	15	8	6	4	2	0
Visual aids – Visual aids enhance the interest and clarity of the speech. A total of 3-4 visual aids is required.	10	8	6	4	2	0
Time – The speech is 5-6 minutes long.	5	4	3	2	1	0
TOTAL	175	140	105	70	35	0