Learning Objectives
Understand the structural parts of a persuasive speech.
Here is a generic sample speech in an outline form with notes and suggestions.
Attention Statement
Show a picture of a person on death row and ask the audience: does an innocent man deserve to die?
Introduction
Briefly introduce the man in an Illinois prison and explain that he was released only days before his impending death because DNA evidence (not available when he was convicted), clearly established his innocence.
A statement of your topic and your specific stand on the topic:
“My speech today is about the death penalty, and I am against it.”
Introduce your credibility and the topic: “My research on this controversial topic has shown me that deterrence and retribution are central arguments for the death penalty, and today, I will address each of these issues in turn.”
State your main points.
“Today, I will address the two main arguments for the death penalty, deterrence, and retribution, and examine how the governor of one state decided that since some cases were found to be faulty, all cases would stay until proven otherwise.”
Body
Information: Provide a simple explanation of the death penalty in case there are people who do not know about it. Provide clear definitions of key terms.
Deterrence: Provide arguments by generalization, sign, and authority.
Retribution: Provide arguments by analogy, cause, and principle.
Case study: State of Illinois, Gov. George Ryan. Provide an argument by testimony and authority by quoting: “You have a system right now…that’s fraught with error and has innumerable opportunities for innocent people to be executed,” Dennis Culloton, spokesman for the Governor, told the Chicago Tribune. “He is determined not to make that mistake.”
Solution steps:
- National level. “Stay all executions until the problem that exists in Illinois and perhaps the nation is addressed.”
- Local level. “We need to encourage our own governor to examine the system we have for similar errors and opportunities for innocent people to be executed.”
- Personal level. “Vote, write your representatives, and help bring this issue to the forefront in your community.”
Conclusion
Reiterate your main points and provide synthesis; do not introduce new content.
Residual Message
Imagine that you have been assigned to give a five to seven-minute persuasive presentation. Follow the guidelines in Table 14.7.1 and apply them to your presentation.
Key Takeaway
A persuasive speech includes an attention statement, an introduction, the body of the speech with main points and supporting information, a conclusion, and a residual message.
Exercises
Apply this framework to your persuasive speech.
Prepare a three- to five-minute presentation to persuade and present it to the class.
Review an effective presentation to persuade and present it to the class.
Review an ineffective presentation to persuade and present it to the class
This page titled 14.7: Sample Persuasive Speech is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Anonymous (LibreTexts Staff), from which source content was edited to the style and standards of the Pressbook platform licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License by Brandi Schur.
