Write Script for a Persuasive Talk
Goal: The pedagogical goal is to give you the opportunity to pull together all the
elements taught this quarter about persuasion into an effective, short persuasive talk.
Task: Choose a topic below; write the script for short presentation that should take 5
minutes to read out loud. Assume you are speaking to an audience
with a third undecided, a third pro, a third con. Your goal is to win over enough
undecideds to get a majority.
Deliverable. Typed script of the talk. It should clearly state the “crux argument”
before you begin your text, so I know what your rhetorical objectives are. Text of talk
should follow in full-block format.
Due: In class Monday, 5/20, orTuesday, 5/21
Here are the topics. Select one:
1. Persuade the group to donate money to a charitable organization of your
choice. Assume that another charitable group will be making its pitch after
yours and that you have to anticipate its argument. And that the audience has
to choose between you to make a $10,000 grant.
2. You’re testifying before the Seattle City Council about passing a $200 million
bond issue that will be part of a financial package that will build an NBA
quality arena. Persuade the councilors sitting on the fence to support this tax.
3. Convince a group of 21 elderly people that they need adopt a specific
exercise program. If at least 11 don’t sign up, they can’t pay for the
instructor.
4. Persuade those at a town council meeting that they need to support the
building of a recreation center rather than a juvenile detention center to
reduce gang violence.
5. You’re testifying before a Senate Committee taking testimony about gun
control. The issues on the table are whether to ban assault rifles and to
require background checks at gun shows. Pick one and take either side.
6. Persuade a group of art (or science, or engineering) majors to take Strategic
Communications next quarter.
7. If you have another topic you’d like to use instead of these, talk to me or
email me to get a green light to do it.
Midterm Rubric—100 points total
Content
Crux Argument: Use P.R.E.S. to succinctly summarize your argument.
I think art students should take Strategic Communications. Art isn’t just about
expression; it’s about communication. If you want to have a successful career as an artist,
you better know how to talk to dealers and gallery owners. You need to be an effective
communicator if you want to make it as an artist.
Arrangement: I want you to label each part of your text so that I know when you’re
doing Narration, when Division, etc.
Opening: Ethos—build credibility and a sense of connection and trust
Body: Logos dominant, but not exclusively. Exposition of both problem and
solution.
• Narration: establish the motivating problem.
• Division: solution options—solutions conceptually framed.
• Proof: prove why your solution is best (primary & secondary benefits)
• Prolepsis: anticipate and refute your opponents’ arguments.
Close: Pathos/Synthesis
Clarity/Correctness
Sentence Style
• decorum: tone, mood, appropriate pathos/ethos
• vividness/concreteness: examples, stories
• ornament: figures of speech, metaphors, humor
Correctness
• proper language: usage, mechanics, clarity, fluency
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