Speaking to Persuade
Types of persuasion can be categorized according to the
proposition/question. There are three propositions/questions to consider.
Questions of fact:
 Require your audience to make judgments based on facts
 Involve something you can look up and no reasonable person would
dispute
 Many cannot be answered absolutely – some prediction may be
needed
Question of value:
 Require your audience to make judgments based on values
 Audience members make judgments based on their own beliefs about
what is right or wrong, good or bad, moral or immoral, ethical or
unethical, proper or improper
 When speaking about questions of value, you must justify your
opinion!
Questions of policy:
 Require your audience to do something
 Deal with specific courses of action
 Must involve questions of fact and may involve questions of value
In your persuasive speech, what action are you asking from the
audience?
Some examples of action verbs that can be used in your specific purpose
and your action statements found in the intro and conclusion are:
Adopted from Lucas, S.E. (1998) The Art of Public Speaking (6th ed.)
UNCG University Speaking Center, (336)256-1346, speakingcenter.uncg.edu
2 of 2
Support, accept, agree, sign (something), campaign or protest, favor, stop,
testify, become a ____, acknowledge, believe
Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience to (complete this sentence
with an action word)
Adopted from Lucas, S.E. (1998) The Art of Public Speaking (6th ed.)
UNCG University Speaking Center, (336)256-1346, speakingcenter.uncg.edu