COMS 101 Final Review

"To persuade my audience that a major earthquake will strike Los Angeles before the year 2020" is a specific purpose statement for a persuasive speech on a question of

fact

According to your textbook, research has shown that speakers can enhance their credibility by delivering their speeches

fluently and expressively

red herring

a fallacy that introduces an irrelevant issue to divert attention from the subject under discussion

self-actualization

creativity, spirituality, fulfillment of potential

guidelines for presenting visual aids

1. display visual aids where listeners can see them 2. avoid passing visual aids among the audience 3. display visual aids only while discussing them 4. explain visual aids clearly and concisely 5. talk to your audience, not to your visual aid 6. practice with your visual aids 7. check the room and equipment

what are the guidelines for informative speaking?

1. don't over estimate what the audience knows 2. relate the subject directly to the audience 3. don't be too technical 4. avoid abstractions 5. personalize your ideas 6. be creative

guidelines for preparing visual aids

1. prepare visual aids well in advance 2. keep visual aids simple 3. make sure visual aids are large enough 4. use limited amount of text 5. use fonts effectively 6. use color effectively 7. use images strategically

hasty generalization

a fallacy in which the speaker jumps to a general conclusion on the basis of insufficient evidence

ad hominem

a fallacy that attacks the person rather than dealing with the real issue in dispute

Because it follows the process of human thinking, __________ is particularly useful for organizing persuasive speeches that seek immediate action.

Monroe's motivated sequence

When Tami introduced the new university president to a group of distinguished alumni, she closed her remarks by saying, "You folks are really going to like this new Prez." Afterward, the event organizer told Tami that in the future she should use more formal language when speaking on such an occasion. Which of the following statements best describes Tami's error?

She did not use language appropriately

false cause

a fallacy in which a speaker mistakenly assumes that because one event follows another, the first event is the cause of the second

"Government of the people, by the people, for the people" is an example of

a. alliteration b. parallelism c. repetition

It is important in public speaking, especially in informative speeches, to avoid abstract and vague writing so you can communicate meaning not possible with vague generalities. How can you avoid abstractions?

a. use comparison and contrast b. use descriptive color and detail

In her persuasive speech, Kari wants to generate emotional appeal to help convince her classmates to sign up as organ donors. According to your textbook, how can Kari create this emotional appeal?

a. use emotional language b. develop vivid examples c. speak with sincerity and conviction

According to your textbook, __________ words refer to ideas or concepts rather than to tangible objects.

abstract

fallacy

an error in reasoning

As a speaker, you would probably use more connotative words if you wanted to...

arouse an emotional response

What kind of reasoning is exemplified in the following statement? According to a study by the University of Michigan, married men in the United States earn an average of 31 percent more money than unmarried men. It seems clear, then, that for many men being married is a major factor in financial success.

casual reasoning

As your textbook explains, perhaps no speech depends more on the creative and subtle use of language than does the

commemorative speech

According to your textbook, when you reason in a persuasive speech from a general principle to a specific conclusion, you are using

deductive reasoning

clutter

discourse that takes many more words than necessary to express an idea

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

from bottom (most basic) to top (least basic) 1. Survival: food, water, sleep, exercise, sexual expression 2. Security: shelter, safety, protection 3. Social: belonging, affection, acceptance 4. Esteem: self-respect, respect for others, accomplishment 5. Self-Actualization: creativity, spirituality, fulfillment of potential

The denotative meaning of a word is

its literal or dictionary meaning

inclusive language

language that does not stereotype, demean, or patronize people on the basis of gender, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or other factors

social

love, affection, belonging, acceptance

Jeremy's persuasive speech contained the following statement: Solving the problem of illegal immigration will involve two steps. First, we need to reverse the economic policies that keep illegal immigrants from earning a living in their own country. Second, we need to provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who are already here. Which of the three basic issues of persuasive speeches on questions of policy did Jeremy address in this excerpt?

plan

Heather gave her persuasive speech on the problem of teenage alcoholism. In her first main point, she showed how serious the problem is. In her second main point, she explained why the problem had reached its current proportions. In her third main point, she presented some ways of coping with the problem. What organizational pattern did Heather use in her speech?

problem-cause-solution

security

protection, shelter, safety

analogical reasoning

reasoning in which a speaker compares two similar cases and infers that what is true for the first case is also true for the second

reasoning from principle

reasoning that moves from a general principle to a specific conclusion

reasoning from specific instances

reasoning that moves from particular facts to a general conclusion

casual reasoning

reasoning that seeks to establish the relationship between causes and effects

esteem

self-respect, respect for others, accomplishment

reasoning

the process of drawing a conclusion on the basis of evidence

parallelism

the similar arrangement of a pair or series of related words, phrases, or sentences

When reasoning from specific instances in a persuasive speech, you should be careful to

use specific instances that are typical.

bandwagon

a fallacy which assumes that because something is popular, it is therefore good, correct, or desirable

survival

food, water, sleep, exercise, sexual expression

antithesis

the juxtaposition of contrasting ideas, usually in parallel structure

connotative meaning

the meaning suggested by the associations or emotions triggered by a word or phrase