Critical thinking Forum Prompt 2

Week 3 Discussion Forum

Write a persuasive speech that addresses a current political or social issue of your choice. The goal of your speech is to convince your audience to adopt your viewpoint or take specific action regarding the issue. Your speech should be at least 250 words in length and must incorporate at least five distinct persuasive techniques from the list given below.

Make sure to respond to two other posts.

Guidelines:

1. Choose a Topic:

• Select a political or social issue that you feel passionate about. This could range from climate change, healthcare reform, and education policy, to social justice issues like racial equality, gender rights, or immigration.

1. Incorporate Persuasive Techniques:

• Your speech must use at least five of the following persuasive techniques:
• Reciprocity: Offer something of value or highlight mutual benefits to encourage your audience to act.
• Commitment and Consistency: Encourage your audience to commit to small actions that align with your message, making it more likely they will support your broader cause.
• Social Proof: Use examples, statistics, or anecdotes that demonstrate how others support your viewpoint or have taken similar actions.
• Authority: Reference credible experts, studies, or organizations that support your argument.
• Liking: Build rapport with your audience by sharing personal stories, using humor, or demonstrating empathy.
• Scarcity: Highlight the urgency or limited time available to act on the issue, encouraging prompt action.
• Unity: Appeal to the shared identity, values, or goals of your audience.
• Fear: Illustrate potential negative outcomes if your audience fails to act on the issue.
• Humor: Lighten the mood with appropriate humor to make your message more relatable and memorable.
• Anecdotes: Use personal or historical stories to make your argument more compelling and relatable.
• Repetition: Reinforce your key message by repeating it throughout the speech.
• Contrast: Show the differences between your position and the opposing viewpoint to make your argument stronger.
• Flattery: Compliment your audience to gain their favor and encourage them to align with your message.
• Guilt: Make your audience feel responsible for acting on the issue to prevent negative outcomes.
• Bandwagon: Encourage your audience to join a larger movement or trend.
• Foot-in-the-Door: Start with a small request to gradually build to a larger commitment.
• Door-in-the-Face: Start with a large request, then scale down to a more reasonable one to make it seem more acceptable.
• Inoculation: Present and refute potential counterarguments to strengthen your position.
• Anchoring: Start with an initial point of reference to make your argument more compelling.

1. Structure Your Speech:

• Begin with a strong introduction that clearly states your position and captures the audience’s attention.
• Use persuasive techniques throughout the body of your speech to build your argument.
• Conclude with a powerful closing statement that reinforces your message and includes a clear call to action.

1. Language and Tone:

• Ensure that your speech is respectful and appropriate for a broad audience. The tone should be persuasive, confident, and engaging.

1. Submission Requirements:

• Your speech should be at least 250 words.

Evaluation Criteria:

Your speech will be evaluated based on the following:

• Clarity of Argument: How clearly and effectively you present your position on the issue.
• Use of Persuasive Techniques: How well you integrate the five required persuasive techniques into your speech.
• Engagement: The ability of your speech to capture and maintain the audiences attention.
• Coherence and Organization: The logical flow and structure of your speech.