A Persuasive Speech Topics Checklist on Ethos, Pathos and Logos

A persuasive speech topics primer with handy checks for embedding the rhetoric methods of ethos, pathos and logos in your persuasive speaking speech topic arguments. I've designed this how to checklist if you want to:

• Establish your credibility plus the competence of your sources
• Evoke emotion in the audience
• Provide logic arguments

And use my checks to draft intro, body and conclusion of a presentation.

Ethos - Credibility/Competence

1. What is your experience?
2. What is your expertise: hobby, job, volunteering, school?
3. How did you ever handle related situations or events like this?

1. Is the author an expert her or his field or is she or he a controversial scientist or publisher?
2. Has the author written more books and articles on the issue?
3. What is the education background of the author?

Pathos - Emotion

1. What parts or aspects of your speech topic affect your students emotionally? Sort out what their fears, needs and interests are.
2. Do their emotions conflict with their own experiences and policy?
3. Could you use funny humor or irony to cool them down and accept a persuasive speech topics idea?

Logos - Logic

1. Locate major claims and assertions and ask: Do you agree with the author’s claim that... ?
2. Look at support for claims and ask: Is there any claim that appears to be weak or unsupported? Which one and why?
3. Can you think of counter-arguments most people don't consider?
4. Does the opposite side left something out on purpose you could use against while speech writing?