How to develop Your Persuasive speech 16.4 365
To prove each of these propositions, a speaker would need to provide spe-
cific supporting evidence. To persuade listeners to agree with a proposition of
fact, the speaker must focus on changing or reinforcing their beliefs. Most per-
suasive speeches that focus on propositions of fact begin by identifying one or
more reasons that the proposition is true.
The following persuasive speech outline on the topic of low-carb diets is
based on a proposition of fact:
TOPIC: Low-carbohydrate diets
GENERAL PURPOSE: To persuade
PROPOSITION: Low-carbohydrate diets are safe and effective.
SPECIFIC PURPOSE: At the end of my speech, audience members will
agree that low-carb diets are safe and effective.
MAIN IDEAS: I. Carbohydrates are a significant part of our
diets.
A. Many people eat a significant amount of fast
food that is laden with carbohydrates.
B. Lunches provided by the cafeterias in
elementary schools include significant
amounts of carbohydrates.
C. Many people eat a significant amount of
highly processed, carb-rich foods.
II. Carbohydrates are making people fat and
unhealthy.
A. A diet rich in carbohydrates leads to obesity.
B. A diet rich in carbohydrates leads to Type
II diabetes.
III. Low-carb diets are a safe and effective way to
lose weight and maintain your health.
A. The safety of such low-carb diets as the
South Beach diet or the Paleo diet is docu-
mented by research.
B. The effectiveness of such low-carb diets is
documented by research.ProPosition of vaLuE A proposition of value is a statement that calls for
the listener to judge the worth or importance of something. Values, as you recall,
are enduring concepts of good or bad, right or wrong. Value propositions are
statements that something is either good or bad or that one thing or course of
action is better than another. Consider these examples:
It is wrong to turn away immigrants who want to come to the United States.
Communication is a better major than history.
A private-school education is more valuable than a public-school education.