Persuasive Speech Outline, with Examples

What is a persuasive speech?

A persuasive speech aims to convince the audience to take a particular action or accept a particular point of view. It is typically given during a public address and uses rhetorical devices like ethos, pathos, and logos to convince the audience of its message.

According to Aristotle, there are three pillars of rhetoric: ethos (credibility), pathos (emotion), and logos (logic). These three aspects are commonly referred to as the “appeal.” You can sway your audience effectively by using ethos, pathos, and symbols in your persuasive speech outline.

The ability to present a successful persuasive speech seems more like a talent than a skill that you can learn.

The fact of the matter is there are some people with seamless public speaking ability.

When such people start talking, people find themselves listening keenly.

Nonetheless, you can write and deliver a good persuasive speech without inborn public speaking ability.

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How to Create a Persuasive Speech Outline?

Creating a persuasive speech outline is crucial. It serves as your guide, the structure of your material, and the compass of your thoughts. Your persuasive speech outline should show how you’ll introduce the topic, state your argument and provide evidence to support it. The outline should also include a final section summarizing what you have said and showing why the audience should care about it.

Here is a step-by-step guide to creating an outstanding outline for your speech.

1. Choose a Topic

The first step in creating your speech outline is to choose a topic. It should be something you are passionate about and something that interests you. If you are not interested in the topic, your audience will not be interested either. Also, people can tell when you speak from the heart, so use this as a chance to communicate with others about something that matters to you. Remember that if the topic is too complex or technical for your audience, they won’t remember much after listening to your speech.

You can choose a topic from our list of persuasive speech topics and write your persuasive speech:

1. Facebook is making people more socially anxious
2. All schoolchildren should wear a uniform
3. Lying isn’t always wrong
4. It should be illegal to drive over the age of 80
5. The Case for organ donation

Please read our full list of persuasive speech topics and ideas.

2. Set Guidelines

If you want to persuade your audience to do something, ask yourself what it is you want them to do. A speech that motivates the audience can differ from a speech that asks your audience to accept your idea.

3. Create an Outline

You should do your research before creating your outline, and be sure to include the following basic sections:

Introduction – in this section, you should introduce the topic and tell the audience why it is important and what you hope to achieve by convincing them to support your position.

Body – this will include all of the information that supports your claim. It should be broken down into several sections that present each point and any evidence used to back it up (statistics, facts, examples, etc.).

Conclusion – a summary of how everything you have presented supports your claim and what steps need to be taken next by the audience.

How to Write Your Persuasive Speech Outline

1 Introduction: Engage Your Audience And Stir Curiosity

The first step of a persuasive speech is to draw the audience’s attention and interest them in what you are about to say.

Therefore, your speech’s strong introduction must be engaging and exciting enough to make your audience curious about the information you are about to deliver.

You can make your intro enjoyable by telling a short story, for example:

Have you ever made a friend in the park?

Well, I recently did. I was walking in the park when this stranger started following me.

And, no, I didn’t feel unsafe or uncomfortable since it was a dog, and I love dogs.

Seeing it was not giving up on following me, yet I was not paying much attention, I decided to take it to an animal shelter.

That is how I found no animal shelters in my neighborhood.

To cut the story short, I now have a beautiful Staffordshire terrier to take morning and evening walks with – I have a friend.

Or, begin with an astonishing fact, for example:

The population of the USA is about 4.25% of the global population, yet we produce 30% of the world’s waste and deplete about 25% of the global natural resources.

Or a rhetorical question, such as:

How many trees have you planted this year? Leave that alone – how many trees have you planted in your lifetime?

Or even a joke. Jokes break the ice; they warm up the audience and boost your confidence, especially if the audience laughs.

However, do not make a lame or generalized joke or a joke that offends someone else.

Jokes that work well are personal and tend to insult you, the speaker.

The introduction should also provide a summary of what you are going to talk about.

2 Reveal The Problem in your Persuasive Speech Outline

After breaking the ice and giving your audience a general idea of what you will discuss, reveal the problem you want to address.

Remember, the purpose of a persuasive speech is to convince your audience that a problem needs to be solved.

You can reveal the problem in one or more of the following ways:

• Explain the issue and use examples and illustrations of real life.
• Use statistics and data to prove there is a problem.
• Demonstrate to the audience why they should be concerned and the likely results of continuing to ignore the problem.

When revealing the problem, do not provide solutions.

You want to create anticipation in your audience.

Therefore, you should not reveal all your cards in one go.

3 Solve The Problem

This section is the most important in a persuasive speech.

The solutions to the problem should be well-explained; in a manner that your listeners can understand, relate, and apply.

Your audience needs to see that they will make a difference by following your solutions and recommendations.

To be more persuasive, consider the following:

• Giving direct instructions.
• Proving your points is utterly right by providing counterarguments to opposing views.
• Avoid vagueness, ambiguity, and the use of equivocal phrases.

4 Offer Perspective

Your solutions should make a difference.

Demonstrate that to your audience.

Tell them what might happen if they do not consider your solutions.

Provide Perspective by:

• You are comparing the future of those who follow your solutions and those who do not.
• Illustrate the effects of the lack of action toward the problem.
• Explain and demonstrate the positive effects of taking action.

5 Conclusion: A Call-to-action

This section provides a sense of urgency for taking action – a persuasive speech should be a call for quick action.

At this point, you are finalizing your speech.

It is your last chance to convince the audience that they need not hesitate to take action.

However, do not introduce a new idea in your conclusion.

That is the persuasive speech outline.

Follow it for a persuasive speech that will ring in the minds of your audience for a long time.

How to Write a Persuasive Speech Outline? PDF Example

Persuasive Speech Outline Template  

 Title:______________, by____________________

 Exact purpose: To convince the audience that. . .   (Complete this statement)

(Although it is the first part of your outline, DO NOT begin your speech delivery by stating your exact purpose. The first thing you say should be your attention grabber.)

1. INTRODUCTION
2. Attention Grabber: (Statement to wake the audience up/ make sure they are listening!)
3. Thesis: (Tell listeners what action you want them to take—OR—how you want them to think.)
4. Qualification: (Tell listeners your personal experience with your topic, making you qualified to affect their opinions about it.)
5. BODY 
6. Reason 1: (Tell one reason why listeners should act or think as your thesis suggests.)
7. Example 1—Support for the reason given above.
8. Example 2—Support for the reason given above.

• Example 3—Support for the reason given above. 

TRANSITION SENTENCE: (Smoothly connect Reason 1 with Reason 2)

1. Reason 2: (Give listeners a second reason why they should act or think as you want them to.) 
2. Example 1—Support for the reason given above.
3. Example 2—Support for the reason given above.

• Example 3—Support for the reason given above.

TRANSITION SENTENCE: (Smoothly connect Reason 2 with Reason 3.)

1. Reason 3: (This should be your STRONGEST argument. Tell listeners the most important reason why they should act or think the way you want them to.)
2. Example 1—Support for the reason given above.
3. Example 2—Support for the reason given above.

• Example 3—Support for the reason given above.

SIGNAL THE WRAP-UP! (Move smoothly from Reason 3 to the conclusion of your speech.

• CONCLUSION 

1. Summary: (Briefly remind listeners why they should agree with your position.) 
2. Memorable Ending/Audience Challenge: (End with a powerful closing thought or recommend a course of action.)
3. Thank the Audience for Listening!

Persuasive Speech Outline Format

Specific Purpose: (To change this audience’s minds about…)

Thesis:  (What you hope to prove)

INTRODUCTION

§       Attention Getter – (You do need to grab our attention…)

§       Thesis – (Clearly and succinctly, adapt your thesis from above to your audience’s sensibilities)

§       Ethos & Audience Adaptation – (Create a credible ethos TO US, the opposition – then show us how we share common values on this topic, even though we differ on how to achieve them )

§       Preview – (Tell us what your main points are and how they will change our minds to your point of view – concludes with Transition to your first main point.)

BODY                         (5-7 Key Arguments; at least 1 PATHOS appeal]

1.   Main Point [opposition claim] – identity as LOGOS or PATHOS [cites?]

(Transition)

2.   Main Point [opposition claim] – identity as LOGOS or PATHOS [cites?]

(Transition)

3.   Main Point [opposition claim] – identity as LOGOS or PATHOS [cites?]

a)   Subordinate points (need to be clearly shown as such by being below and inside Main Points)

i)    Like This! [cites?]

(Transition)

4.   Main Point [opposition claim] –  identify as LOGOS or PATHOS

a)   Subordinate points [cites?]

(Transition)

5.   Main Point [last opposition claim or coup de grace claim from your side]

a)   [cites?]

CONCLUSION

§       Signal   (Transition, it tells us you’re “winding up)”

§       Summary      (Review main points and that  you convinced us of each point)

§       Closing (Persuade us that you’ve proven your thesis [restate it here] and let us know you’re done!)

REFERENCES CITED 

§       APA or MLA cites all sources used as supporting material (minimum of 8)

Persuasive Speech Outline Examples

Persuasive Speech Outline Sample

Persuasive Speech Outline Example

Example Outline of a Persuasive Speech

Still, Struggling to Grasp the Concept?

Writing a persuasive speech outline is not easy because it requires lots of time to do background research. Not everyone has basic writing skills or the time and energy to put into learning volumes about the many sides of an issue. Here at EssayFreelance Writers, we have a team of expert writers for any topic you can think of. Contact us today for a good speech outline or help you write your speech.

Jamie Boone

Experienced writer and dedicated professor with a passion for crafting compelling narratives and nurturing the next generation of critical thinkers