Write Script for a Persuasive Talk
Goal: The pedagogical goal is to give you the opportunity to pull together all the
elements taught this quarter about persuasion into an effective, short persuasive talk.
Task: Choose a topic below; write the script for short presentation that should take 5
minutes to read out loud (800-900 words). Assume you are speaking to an audience
with a third undecided, a third pro, a third con. Your goal is to win over enough
undecideds to get a majority. Accounting concentration students: you are limited to
topics 6, 7, and 8.

Deliverable. Typed script of the talk. It should clearly define the frame and the “crux
argument” before you begin your text, so I know what your rhetorical objectives are.
Text of talk should follow in full-block format.

Content

Frame &: Crux Pathos Frame: If you want to succeed, you need to create awareness
about your work. It’s not about making money; it’s about making connections with
dealers and gallery owners.

Arrangement: I want you to label each part of your text so that I know when you’re
doing Narration, when Division, etc.
Opening: Ethos—build credibility and a sense of connection and trust

Body: Narration has a pathos focus, but Division and Proof are more logos
centered. Prolepsis? It depends.

• Narration: establish the motivating problem.
• Division: solution options—solutions conceptually framed.
• Proof: prove why your solution is best (primary & secondary benefits)
• Prolepsis: anticipate and refute your opponents’ arguments.

Close: Pathos/Synthesis
Clarity/Correctness

Sentence Style

• decorum: tone, mood, appropriate pathos/ethos
• vividness/concreteness: examples, stories
• ornament: figures of speech, metaphors, humor

Correctness
• proper language: usage, mechanics, clarity, fluency