HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR IDEAS IN PERSUASIVE SPEECH

For Statistics

 Is the source of the statistics reliable?

 Has the source of the statistics been cited in the speech?

 Has the statistics been used correctly?

 Have you rounded-off complicated statistics?

 Have you interpreted the statistics (explained it in another way)?

 Have you done something to emphasize the statistic?

 Have you used statistics sparingly?

For testimony

 Is the source qualified to make the statement you’re quoting?

 Is the quotation accurate?

 Have you attributed the testimony prior to the quote?

 Have you made it clear whether you are paraphrasing or quoting directly?

 If you are quoting, is the quotation brief?

 Have you clearly signalled where the testimony begins and ends?

 Are the source’s conclusions reasonably free from bias?

For comparison/contrast

 Is comparison appropriate and justified?

 Is the comparison meaningful — does it tell your audience something valuable?

 Have you avoided overdoing the comparison?

Locating the information

 personal experiences and observations

 interviews

 library materials

Recording your Information and Citing Sources.

A source is the place where you got your information, such as a book, newspaper clipping, vital record certificate or e-mail exchange. A citation is how you record that source for future reference and connect it to your data. It is important to cite your sources, but also important to cite them correctly. These are the proper formats for recording your genealogy research findings. Please remember that it is very important to properly document and cite your sources when preparing for a public speech event. There are so many possible sources that you may come across which makes it vital that you keep proper track of where each piece of information came from.

There are many ways to record a citation, and they vary for the different kinds of sources. How you record a book is different from how you would record a newspaper clipping. While I would not expect an undergraduate student to learn a dozen different citation formats, you should still try to be as complete and consistent as possible. Whether you use the usual punctuation and style (brackets, etc) is really up to you. Remember that it is never ethical to pass on someone else’s ideas as if they were your own. Always give credit to the people whose ideas you have used by naming your sources. It is important to cite your sources, but also important to cite them correctly. Study the formats for citing sources:

 Books: Author, book title, (publisher, publication date), page numbers, location of source.

 John Smith, Our Family History in Wales, (Family Tree Books, 1973), p. 45-55, found at the Huntsville Public Library.

 Newspaper Clippings: “Title of piece”, name of newspaper, city, date of publication, page numbers, location of source.

 “Old Courthouse Demolished”, Huntsville Daily Press, Huntsville Ontario, March 16, 1962, p. 13,

CONCLUSION

The point we have emphasized in this unit is that, in order to be a credible speaker, you have to provide the audience with evidence to convince them that what you are saying is believable. Stating an opinion, or giving some information in a general way, is usually not sufficient to convince an audience of the credibility of your statements. You need to support your ideas in a way that makes them clear, interesting, and trustworthy.

Always give credit to the people whose ideas you have used by naming your sources. It is equally important that you know where to find the appropriate material you intend to use in your speech. If you find information from someone who has a recorded citation, you should not simply add that citation to your records until you have verified it for yourself. You should still record the source info, but make sure you also note where you got the actual information from. You should also make notes if you are getting your information from the actual document or a transcription.