Persuasive Speaking

Assignment requirement:

For this speech, develop a 4-6 minute presentation to change the way we act, the way we feel about something, or what we believe to be true. You may use any props or visual aids that are helpful to you, but you can't use video clips for this speech. We are listening to hear you cite your three sources during your presentation. Here are the criteria for this speech:

• Use a strong, clear voice, avoiding filler language such as "um," and "uh"
• We should see you from at least the waist up, so you will be able to incorporate gestures
• Be sure to check your posture
• You will need to cite at least two different sources during your speech
• Begin your speech with an attention-getter, and reveal your speech topic, along with relating the topic to your audience, and previewing your main ideas
• Signal the end of your presentation, summarize your main ideas, and find a strong statement to wrap things up

Oral Citation:

In this speech, you will need to cite your three sources for us. These should be the three references from your outline. What is included in a citation? 

1. Source material (author, or title, or type of source - whatever will be the easiest for your audience to recognize. 

2. Year published (this is important, because it tells us how current your source is.

Examples:

"According to a New York Times article from 2016..."

"In 2012, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that..."

"The website, PETA.Org, updated in 2017, states that..."

Avoid:

"In 2011, Bob Smith said that..." Who's Bob Smith? No one knows; no one cares.

Better - "Bob Smith, an NYC police officer, posted on Twitter in 2011 that..." 

Reference:

• Sample Persuasive Speech

• Sample Persuasive Speech with Visual Aids

• Sample Persuasive Speech

• Video Lecture: Persuasive Categories and Srategies

• Three Elements of Great Communication, According to Aristotle

  • Ethos is essentially your credibility — that is, the reason people should believe what you’re saying.

  • Pathos is making an emotional connection — essentially, the reason people believe that what you’re saying will matter to them.

  • Logos is your mode for appealing to others’ sense of reason, ergo the term logic. (data and analysis)

Outline:

Speech Topic/Category: E-books are better than paper books (Fact)

Introduction: 

Attention: 

One year ago, when I immigrated to the U.S. from China, there was a big problem—how to carry my one hundred paper books. One hundred. The answer is "I can't." They are too heavy to carry.

Last month, I traveled to California from New York. I carried tens of books in my backpack. They are e-books on my kindle.

Reveal (yourself and your topic): 

Well, my name is Qingquan Li. Today, I wanna encourage you to read e-books instead of paper books. And I’m going to tell you why e-books are better than paper books.

Relate (the topic to your audience): 

According to the report by Pew Research Center from 2016, “Americans read an average (mean) of 12 books per year.”

Credibility (why are you credible to speak on this topic): 

I am also an avid reader. In the past dozen years, I not only read paper books but also read
e-books on my computer, kindle, and iPad. Currently, however, I read e-books only.

Preview (what will your main points be? Short summary, like a thesis): 

So, I am here to explain why e-books are better than paper books. I am here to call on everyone to start reading e-books and gradually replace paper books with e-books.

Transition #1: Let’s start.

Main Point #1: E-books are more environmentally friendly.

1. It's paper-free with reading e-books.
2. The transportation (transmission) process is lower carbon.
3. It can also reduce solid waste. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency 2022, “In 2018, paper and paperboard (cardboard) materials comprised the largest component of municipal solid waste.”

Transition #2: Let’s move on.

Main Point #2: There is a lower price with e-books.

1. E-books are generally cheaper than paper books.
2. Some e-books are free to read online.
3. E-books are easier to rent at a lower price.

Transition #3: As a final point,

Main Point #3: E-books are more convenient.

1. E-books are easy to carry when you move or travel.
2. E-books are easy to share with your friends.
3. It's easy to search keywords or sentences in your e-books.

Conclusion: 

Signal – To conclude,

Summary – compared to paper books, e-books are more environmentally friendly, cheaper, and more convenient. However, according to the data provided by Statista from 2022, "E-Books Still No Match for Printed Books." So today, I encourage you all to join me in reading more e-books rather than paper books.

Strong Statement – Think about the story I mentioned in the beginning—how can we carry one hundred books to move? In fact, we can take a bookstore with thousands of e-books to travel around the world.


References: 

“Paper and Paperboard: Material-Specific Data.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 27

Jan. 2022, www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/paper-

and-paperboard-material-specific-data.

Perrin, Andrew. “Book Reading 2016.” Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech, Pew

Research Center, 30 May 2020, www.pewresearch.org/internet/2016/09/01/

book-reading-2016/.

Richter, Felix. “Infographic: E-Books Still No Match for Printed Books.” Statista Infographics,

21 Apr. 2022, www.statista.com/chart/24709/e-book-and-printed-book-penetration/.