Public Speaking Handbook

ChAPTER 17 stUDY gUiDe 409

study guide: review and apply

Meet Your Objectives

17.1 Identify and use strategies to improve your initial, derived, and
terminal credibility.

Credibility is a listener’s view of a speaker. The three factors that contribute to
credibility are competence, trustworthiness, and dynamism. Initial credibility is
your listeners’ idea of your credibility before you start speaking. Derived cred-
ibility is the perception that they form while you speak. Terminal credibility is
the perception that the audience has after you’ve finished speaking. Specific
strategies can enhance all three types of credibility.

key terms
Competence
Trustworthiness
Dynamism

Charisma

Initial credibility

Derived credibility

Terminal credibility

17.2 use principles of effective logic and evidence to develop a persuasive
message.

The effectiveness of logical arguments hinges on the proof that you employ.
Proof consists of evidence plus the reasoning that you use to draw conclusions
from the evidence. Three types of reasoning are inductive reasoning, which
moves from specific instances or examples to reach a general, probable con-
clusion; deductive reasoning, which moves from a general statement to reach
a specific, more certain conclusion; and causal reasoning, which relates two or
more events so as to be able to conclude that one or more of the events caused
the others. Two popular types of inductive reasoning include reasoning by anal-
ogy and reasoning by sign. You can use four types of evidence: facts, examples,
opinions, and statistics. Avoid using fallacious arguments.

key terms
Inductive reasoning
Generalization
Reasoning by sign
Deductive reasoning
Syllogism
Major premise
Minor premise
Conclusion

Causal reasoning

Fact

Inferences

Examples

Reluctant testimony

Fallacy

Causal fallacy

Bandwagon fallacy

Either/or fallacy

Hasty generalization

Ad hominem

Red herring

Appeal to misplaced

authority

Non sequitur

17.3 employ effective techniques of using emotional appeal in a persuasive
speech.

Emotional response theory has identified three dimensions of emotional
response to a message: pleasure–displeasure, arousal–nonarousal, and
dominance–powerlessness. Specific suggestions for appealing to audience