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Terri's Tips for Creating Strong Persuasive Speeches and Essays
To give a strong persuasive speech, you'll need to follow a logical structure.To help, I have created the Persuasive Speech Worksheet . Fill in the blanks as specified and you will be well on your way to drafting a strong persuasive speech or essay.If you'd like this worksheet in MS Word format, you can get it here.
All persuasive speeches require strong evidence, and strong evidence requires strong research skills. This page contains my research tips for students. At the University of the Virgin Islands, we have access to the Viewpoints database, and I encourage you to use this resource as you conduct your reseach. I've developed some tips for searching that database, here.
Finally, in order to construct a strong argument, you'll need to be familiar with the problems of logical fallacy. This is as good a guide for beginners as any I know.
Persuasive Speaking Worksheet
Statement of Purpose
Your Name: (fill this part in) ___________
General Purpose of your speech/essay: to persuade
Specific Purpose To persuade my audience (that/to): (fill this part in) _________
Summarize your argument in one sentence: (fill this part in) ___________
Introduction
I. Attention Material (i.e. the “hook”)
A . Tell a story or example that “sets the scene” for your reader and gets them interested in what you want to argue: (fill this part in)
B . Create a clear segue that tells the reader, “I use this story in order to discuss the issue of (fill this part in)”
II. Orienting Material (i.e. the background and definitions)
A. Statement of your argument (“In this speech, I want to argue that ...”) (fill this part in)
B . Reason why this issue is important, and why people should care (fill this part in)
C . Discussion of where you are getting the research you’ll cite in your speech (fill this part in)
D Definitions for any crucial terms you’ll be using in your speech.(fill this part in)
E. Write a transistion sentence that will get you to your reasons for your argument. (fill this part in)
Body of Your ArgumentIII. Reason #1 for your argument, in one sentence: (fill this part in)A. Further explantion of reason #1: (fill this part in)
B . Evidence to back up reason #1: (fill this part in)
IV. Reason #2 for your argument, in one sentence: (fill this part in)
A. Further explanation of reason #2 (fill this part in)
B. Evidence to back up reason #2(fill this part in)
V. Reason #3 for your argument, in one sentence: (fill this part in)A. Further explanation of reason #3 (fill this part in)
B . Evidence to back up reason #3 (fill this part in)
C. You must write a transition statement here that gets you from your reasons to the objections to your reasons in the next section. (fill this part in)
VI. Objection #1 to your argument, in one sentence: (fill this part in)A. Further explanation of the objection: (fill this part in)
B . Your refutation of the objection: (fill this part in)
C . Evidence to support your refutation: (fill this part in)
VII. Objection #2 to your argument, in one sentence: (fill this part in)A. Further explanation of the objection (fill this part in)
B . Your refutation of the objection (fill this part in)
C . Evidence to support your refutation (fill this part in)
Ending
VIII. Summary
A. Re-statement of the first thing you want your audience to remember about your speech/essay (fill this part in)
B . Re-statement of the second thing you want your audience to remember (fill this part in)
C . Re-statement of the third thing you want your audience to remember (fill this part in)
IX. ClincherA. Figure out a snappy way to end your speech, here. (fill this part in)
B . You might want to create a picture in your audience’s mind of the world as you are trying to “sell” it to them. (fill this part in)