COMMUNICATION STUDIES 331

PERSUASIVE SPEAKING

INSTRUCTOR:  JIMMIE MANNING

Course Description (from KU Undergraduate Catalog)

Guided experiences in the preparation and presentation of discourse intended to influence outcomes of human interactions in various speaker-audience situations, including television.  Special emphasis on speech styles in influencing thought, attitudes, and behavior.

 

Text and Materials

  1. Applicable project materials.
  2. Computer access with internet capabilities.
  3. Course readings available through KU libraries:

Benoit, W. L. (1995).  A theory of image restoration.  In Accounts, Excuses, and Apologies:  A Theory of Image Restoration Strategies, pp. 63-95.  Albany:  State University of New York.

Davis, E.  (1995).  Sexism and the art of feminist hip-hop maintenance.  In Walker, R. (ed.). To Be Real, pp. 127-141.  New York:  Anchor.

hooks, b.  (1999).  Mock feminism.  In Goshgarian, G. (ed.). The Contemporary Reader, pp. 255-261.  New York:  Longman.

Slan, J.  (1998a).  Using humor from the platform.  In Using Stories and Humor:  Grab Your Audience, pp. 164-178.  Needham Heights, MA:  Allyn & Bacon.

Slan, J.  (1998b).  Where to find your sense of humor.  In Using Stories and Humor:  Grab Your Audience, pp. 179-202.  Needham Heights, MA:  Allyn & Bacon.

 

Tracy, K.  (2002a).  Narratives.  In Everyday Talk:  Building and Reflecting Identities, pp. 148-171.  New York:  Guilford.

 

Tracy, K.  (2002a).  Speech acts.  In Everyday Talk:  Building and Reflecting Identities, pp. 62-84.  New York:  Guilford.

 

 

Tracy, K.  (2002a).  Stance indicators.  In Everyday Talk:  Building and Reflecting Identities, pp. 172-184.  New York:  Guilford.

 

  1. Gass, R. H. & Seiter, J. S.  (2003).  Persuasion, Social Influence, and Compliance Gaining (2nd ed.).  Boston:  Allyn & Bacon. 

 

Course Goals

  1. To learn the basic tenets of persuasion theory.
  2. To understand how ethos, pathos, and logos tie into persuasion.
  3. To refine use of language in speechwriting.
  4. To experience, through hands-on projects, the power of persuasive speaking in a variety of contexts (especially interpersonal and mediated contexts).
  5. To discover the sometimes esoteric nature of suasive forces.
  6. To explore a sample of current research regarding persuasion.

 

Individual assignment details are as follow:

 

ATTENDANCE, PARTICIPATION, AND DISCUSSION (100 points, or 10%)

Success in this course is dependent upon reading the textbook and understanding the material discussed in class as well as being an active part of the classroom community.  Points for this portion of the course will be allotted based on a checkmark system.  Each day class meets, one checkmark is available.  Every time the class engages in an in-class activity, it is worth one checkmark.  During discussions, those who meaningfully contribute will receive a checkmark.  Viewing any student presentation (see the persuasive assignments for examples of these) is worth one checkmark (please note that this means if six speeches are delivered during a class period, then that class period is worth seven total checkmarks).  At the end of the semester, the total number of checkmarks earned will be divided by the total number of checkmarks possible and multiplied by 100.  That total will constitute this portion of your grade.

 

MINI-ASSIGNMENTS (100 points, or 10%)

Throughout the semester ten smaller assignments will be made.  Each of these small assignments is worth ten points for a total of 100 points.  All mini-assignments will be due the next class period after the assignment is made.  Please see the schedule portion of this syllabus for more detail.

 

EXAMS (200 points, or 20%)

Two examinations worth 100 points each will be administered, one early in the semester and another at the end of the semester.  The exams will be written and comprehensively based upon all course material covered up until the examination date.  Exams typically are comprised of multiple choice, matching, short answer, and essay questions.  Students will only be allowed to take examinations outside of the scheduled time period in case of an emergency (e.g. a verifiable death in the family, verifiable extreme illness, a fire or disaster, etc.).

 

PERSUASIVE ASSIGNMENTS (500 points, or 50%)

During the course of this class, you will create five persuasive artifacts or speeches:  an art project, a talk show, an evocative speech, a debate, and an apologetic speech.  For more details on how many points each specific assignment is worth, please see the grade book portion at the end of this syllabus.

 

ARTICLE REPORT (100 points, or 10%)

Each student will read an article related to current research on persuasive speaking or persuasive culture.  This article will be assigned by the instructor.  Students must locate a copy of the article, create an original and informative annotated bibliography for the article, and provide a copy of both for the instructor.  More information about this assignment will be provided on a future date.

 

Tentative Class Schedule

 

Jan 21    Course review (syllabus distributed and discussed); Introductions; Mini-

Assignment:  #1-14 on p. 18, plus a paragraph on what you want from the course

 

PART I.  UNDERSTANDING PERSUASION THEORY

Jan 24              Discussion:  Why Study Persuasion?  (Chapter 1)

Jan 26              Lecture:  What Constitutes Persuasion?  (Chapter 2)

Jan 28              Media:  Bowling for Columbine

 

Jan 31              Media:  Bowling for Columbine; Discussion:  How effective is the  film?; Mini-Assignment:  Paragraph on how you believe attitude comes into play in Bowling for Columbine

Feb 2               Lecture:  Attitudes and Consistency (Chapter 3); Study Guide distributed

Feb 4               Lecture:  Speech Acts (Tracy)

 

Feb 7               Exam:  Persuasion Theory

PART II.  EXPLORING ETHOS, PATHOS, AND LOGOS

Feb 9               Discussion:  What is Credibility?  (Chapter 4); Art Project assignment distributed

Feb 11             Discussion:  How Does Likeability Affect Credibility?  (Chapter 5); Mini-Assignment:  Analyze the credibility and likeability of Al Gore, Anne Coulter, Margaret Cho, and Tom Hanks

 

Feb 14             Art conferences

Feb 16             Art conferences

Feb 18             Class viewing of art projects; Talk Show assignment distributed and groups announced

 

Feb 21           Discussion:  How does visual persuasion work? (Chapter 14); Mini-Assignment:  Find an image of one of your favorite paintings and write a paragraph explaining how it persuades you

Feb 23             Media:  “Deer God” from Everwood;  Mini-Assignment:  What visual strategies were used for persuasion?  How did they work?

Feb 25             Class work day (for talk show project); Evocative speech assignment distributed

 

Feb 28             Talk Show 1

Mar 2               Talk Show 2

Mar 4               Talk Show 3

 

Mar 7               Lecture:  Motivational Appeals (Chapter 13)

Mar 9               Lecture:  Structuring and Ordering Persuasive Messages (Chapter 9)

Mar 11             Lecture:  Sequential Persuasion (Chapter 10) 

 

PART III.  REVISITING SPEECHWRITING

Mar 14             Discussion:  How Does Language Use Affect Speeches?  (Chapter 7); Mini-Assignment:  Analyze the language use in “I Have a Dream” and “Matthew’s Passion” (available via Blackboard)

Mar 16             Lecture:  Stance Indicators (Tracy); Mini-Assignment:  Write a paragraph on how stance indicators and humor could be related

Mar 18             Discussion:  Humor in Speechwriting (both Slan readings); Article Assignment distributed

 

Mar 28             Evocative Speeches Round 1

Mar 30             Evocative Speeches Round 2

Apr 1               Evocative Speeches Round 3

 

Apr 4               Evocative Speeches Round 4; Mini-Assignment:  Fill out debate preference form

Apr 6               Lecture:  The Format of a Debate; Activity:  Mini-Debate; Debate assignment distributed

Apr 8               Debate research day; Debate teams and topics announced

 

Apr 11             Debates A & B

Apr 13             Debates C & D

Apr 15             Debates E & F

 

PART IV.  THE ESOTERIC NATURE OF PERSUASION

Apr 18             Lecture:  Esoteric Forms of Persuasion (Chapter 15)

Apr 20             Discussion:  How is Organizational Rhetoric Esoteric?  (Benoit); Apologia assignment distributed

Apr 22             Media:  Hip-hop songs; Mini-Assignment:  Write a paragraph on the esoteric nature of persuasion in hip-hop songs

 

Apr 25             Media:  Waiting to Exhale

Apr 27             Media:  Waiting to Exhale; Mini-Assignment:  How does Waiting to Exhale persuade its audience?  Is it persuasive speaking?

Apr 29             Discussion:  Narrative (Tracy)

 

May 2              Discussion:  Esoteric Elements and Ethics (hooks and Chapter 16); Article Assignment due; Final Exam Study Guide distributed

May 4              Apologia Speeches Round 1

May 6              Apologia Speeches Round 2

 

May 9              Apologia Speeches Round 3

May 11            Apologia Speeches Round 4

 

May 18            Final Examination (1:30 to 4 p.m.)