3 minute persuasive speech examples about bullying

Persuasive Speech Guidelines

The purpose of the speech to persuade is to change or reinforce your audience’s attitudes, beliefs, values, or behavior.

1. Choose a topic that you care about and that is appropriate for this class. Make sure the topic is not too broad to cover in a 5-7 minute speech. Usually students choose topics that focus on current social or political issues that are timely and relevant. If you are still unsure of your topic, go to SIRS Issues Researcher for a list of current topics. This database posts a comprehensive list of topics suitable for persuasive speeches. You will probably find one that sparks your interest. You can also do advanced searches with different key words.

You may be interested in selecting one of the topics below. I have heard hundreds of speeches on these subjects to the point where I can recite the research. These have been “hot” topics for the past ten years and they continue to be popular subjects in the news. However, there has been very little new research and many states are actively addressing these problems. Please avoid the following topics:

· Distracted Driving (drinking, texting, talking on the phone, etc.)

· Childhood or Adult Obesity

· Diet and Exercise

· Legalizing Marijuana

· Abortion (either for or against)

· Capital Punishment (either for or against)

2. Research your topic using sources from on-line databases from the Brookhaven Library. To access these databases:

· Go to the Brookhaven College Homepage.

· Click “Library.”

· Scroll to the bottom of the Library Homepage and click “Quickstarts.”

· On the Quickstarts page, click “Current Issues Resources.”

· On the Current Issues page, click “Periodical Databases.”

· You will then be asked to type your name and ID number.

· You will see the top databases used for persuasive speeches:

“Opposing Viewpoints” “Current Issues: Reference Shelf Plus”

“SIRS Issues Researcher” “Facts-on-File: Issues and Controversies”

“CQ Researcher Online”

You may also use other credible sources such as:

· Google Scholar

· Federal and state government websites

· Non-profit organizations that are fact-based and unbiased

· Organizations and state agencies that conduct research and publish the results (Pew Center, Center for Disease Control, National Traffic Safety Administration, etc.)

· Research conducted by colleges and universities

3. Before you start researching your topic, click the “Evaluating Research Sources” link on the Current Issues Research page. This link tells you how to evaluate research. In persuasive speaking, it is important that the sources you use is current, accurate, objective, credible, and relevant. It is critical that you know the author’s qualifications and if s/he is an authority on the topic. Do not use a source if you cannot verify the author’s credentials. Use only articles that are less than ten-years-old . Depending on the topic, you may want to find articles that are less than five-years-old.

4. Find a minimum of 5 references on your topic. When you do a search on one of the above

databases, it will give you a list of newspaper articles, research studies from professional

journals, magazines, and books. Most of the databases also have graphics, charts, and

statistics that can be used in your PowerPoint slide show. When you open an article, you will

be able to download the full-text. At the end of the article, you will see the MLA citation

which you can copy and paste to your Works Cited page.

4. Please do not just Google your topic. You will find a lot of information but it will be difficult

to verify the qualifications of the author. Many web sites appear to be non-profit organizations

when they are really blogs. Blogs should not be used.

6. Once you have completed your search and found the articles you want to use, copy the article

to a Word document. Read the articles and highlight information that you would like to use in

your speech. Focus on finding facts, statistics, research studies, expert opinions, real-life

examples and stories that will help you build your persuasive argument. In persuasion, it is

important to use a combination of logical and emotional appeals. If your audience

disagrees with your position, presenting strong, factual evidence makes it more difficult for

them to dispute. They may still disagree with you but they will appreciate objective, balanced

arguments. Your audience is more likely to agree with you and remember your speech if you

touch their hearts. Giving real-life examples and telling short stories about people who have

been affected by this problem will appeal to your audience’s emotions and make the problem

more real. If the audience perceives that you are honest, trustworthy, knowledgeable,

passionate and enthusiastic, your credibility increases and makes you more persuasive.

Submit your highlighted articles on the appropriate link by the due date.

7. After you have read your articles and become knowledgeable of your subject, you are ready to

write the central idea or thesis statement. The thesis statement should be a clear, concise

one-sentence summary of your speech. It is the main thrust of your speech, a claim or

statement that you want your audience to support. It usually addresses either a question of

fact, value, or policy. For example,

“The unemployment rate must drop below 7% before the economy will recover.”

(question of fact)

“Health care costs will skyrocket if some provisions in the Affordable Care Act are not

cut by Congress.” (question of fact)

“Terminally-ill patients have the right to choose physician-assisted suicide.” (question of value)

“Small businesses are wrong to reduce their employees’ hours so they don’t have to

pay for their health insurance.” (question of value)

“Congress should pass a comprehensive immigration reform law before the year ends.”

(question of policy)

“States that have “stand your ground” laws should repeal them.” (question of policy)

8. Write a formal sentence outline (25 points) and include a Works Cited page (25 points). You will find more examples of formal outlines in the Persuasive Speech Unit. Give your

speech a title. Formal or full-sentence outlines should be written in complete sentences and

should include:

· an introduction (an attention getter; audience-topic-speaker connection; speaker credibility; persuasive purpose (the central idea or thesis); a preview of main points)

· the body (3-4 clearly defined main ideas, evidence and examples to support the main ideas; sources are incorporated in the outline)

· transitional sentences connect your main ideas and parts of your speech; internal summaries summarize the previous point; internal previews introduce the next main idea; signposts cue the audience i.e. “First, . . .”

“Next we will . . .”

· the conclusion (restatement of your basic argument, summary of major points, a challenge to the audience to take action or to support your proposition)

· a Works Cited page or Reference page with all of the sources you cited in your outline.

10. Clearly state the purpose or goal of your speech and preview the main points

in your introduction: “Today I want to convince you that bullying must

not be tolerated in our schools. First, I will discuss the different types of bullying, next I

will tell you how widespread this problem is, and then give you examples of the harm

caused by bullying. Finally, I will discuss what schools are doing to prevent bullying and

suggest other solutions.”

11. In the body of the speech, develop the problem (history, cause, effects) and then discuss

solutions. Show why these solutions are needed, practical, workable, or beneficial. Use one of

these organizational patterns:

a. Problem-Solution c. Monroe’s Motivated Sequence

b. Cause-Effect-Solution d. Statement of Reasons or Benefits

12. Use a combination of logical appeals (documented factual evidence; authoritative testimony),

emotional appeals (vivid imagery and language to engage the audience emotionally; real-life

stories and examples), and balanced arguments to persuade the audience. Establish your

credibility in the introduction and during your speech by being an expert on your subject.

13. Beware of plagiarism. If you are using a direct quote, summarizing a research study, giving

statistics, or paraphrasing information from an article, make sure you give credit to the author

and source. If plagiarism is evident in your written outline or during your speech, a grade

of “0” will be assigned.

14. As you develop your speech, consider the following questions:

· Is the persuasive goal clear?

· Did you focus on the problem and give the most important facts?

· Were specific examples and sufficient details given to help the audience

understand the problem?

· Did you develop your ideas logically and in-depth?

· Did your evidence relate to the problem?

· Did the research appear to be recent, accurate, objective, credible, and

relevant?

· Did the evidence seem to support the conclusion and prove the argument?

· Were other points of view considered? Were both sides of the argument given?

· Did you use vivid language, concrete illustrations and descriptions, and

pictures on your PowerPoint to appeal to the audience’s emotions?

15. Review your arguments for logical fallacies. Examples: drawing conclusions from

insufficient evidence, speaking in generalities or making unsubstantiated claims, drawing

a cause and effect relationship when none exists.

“It’s a proven fact . . . “ (but you haven’t stated the source who proved this fact)

“Everyone’s voting for ____; so you should vote for ___ too.” (bandwagon fallacy)

“This proves my point.” (but you’ve only given us two brief examples, not hard

evidence)

“Marijuana is a gateway drug.” (hard to prove in light of other evidence)

“If students wear uniforms to school, it will reduce the number of discipline problems.”

(there’s not enough evidence to show a cause-effect relationship)

16. Submit your outline on the appropriate link by the due date.

17. Prepare a PowerPoint slide show to enhance your presentation. There are several of my former students’ PowerPoints listed in the “Prepare PowerPoint” section in the Persuasive Speech Unit. Submit on the appropriate link by the due date. Follow these guidelines:

· Include at least five slides and a cover slide (your name and the title of the speech). Do not give away the topic in your cover slide.

· State your thesis and preview your main points on the second slide.

· Restate your thesis and summarize your main points on the last slide.

· Use correct grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and word choice.

· Do not use titles such as Introduction, Main Points, or Conclusion. Every slide should have a title.

· Use Rule of Six-no more than 6 lines/6 words per line on each slide.

· Font size should be 40+ for titles and 28+ for text. Use upper and lower-case letters and a readable font.

· Use some color (not all black and white). Do not use black on red or red on green.

· Use a combination of text and pictures for variety.

· Cite sources on the bottom left or right of each slide in a smaller font when you give a fact, statistic, quote, etc. Cite copyrighted pictures properly. See PowerPoint examples.

· Slides should compliment speech instead of becoming the speech.

· Display slides only while discussing them. Use blank slides in between slides.

· Practice and rehearse with slides so you will be at ease.

18. Practice and rehearse 8 – 10 times until you feel confident and comfortable citing

your sources orally, and you can deliver your speech with minimal use of delivery cards.

Persuasive speeches are difficult to present because you are citing research, expert testimony, and statistics that are new to you. The key is to “own” your speech. Make the research “come alive” by summarizing and paraphrasing the research in your own words. You will be much more extemporaneous if you write your speech using conversational language and using words, sentences, and phrases that sound like you. Plagiarism is easy to spot when students go beyond their language skills.