What is credibility What two factors exert the most influence on an audiences perception of a speakers credibility?

Speaker credibility has its roots in Aristotle’s teachings over 2,000 years ago as he wrote about a speaker’s character, otherwise known as ethos. According to Aristotle, a speaker’s character was just as important as the content of their speech. Ethos, as defined by Aristotle, resides in two areas: character and competence:

  • A speaker’s character is related to a speaker’s perceived honesty, sincerity, and concern for the audience’s well-being.
  • A speaker’s competence is related to a speaker’s knowledge, experience, and preparedness.

Based on Aristotle’s concept of ethos, speaker credibility can be defined as “the extent to which the audience believes you and your message.” In other  words, speaker credibility comes from your audience, and is based on their perceptions of you. However, credibility is dynamic and can change during your presentation.

What is credibility What two factors exert the most influence on an audiences perception of a speakers credibility?

Now, you may be wondering if there are factors that can help boost and maintain your credibility with your audiences? The answer is yes! There are factors that can elevate and enhance your credibility:

  • Competence. One can enhance the audience’s perception of your competence when you communicate your knowledge, experience, training, or background on the topic on which you are speaking. Some speakers come into their presentations with initial credibility based on their professional credentials, roles/job titles, collateral such as books, and/or well-known achievements. If you don’t have first-hand experience with your topic, citing evidence to support your point of view from recent credible research can demonstrate you are well-informed and enable you to gain your audience’s trust that you know what you are talking about.
  • Trustworthiness. When you are speaking, do you have the audience’s best interest at heart? Or are you speaking in your own self-interest? Audiences can tell if you are genuinely interested in their wants and needs. Establishing common ground and demonstrating how your topic is aligned with your audience’s values and beliefs can develop trust between you and your audience members.
  • Preparedness. One of the surest ways to build your credibility is through your confident and dynamic delivery of your presentation. Rehearse your material so that you can deliver with fluency and expressiveness. Even if you have initial credibility due to your role or credentials, you can lose credibility with your audience if your delivery fails to meet their expectations.

The biggest take-away here is that we don’t give ourselves credibility. Credibility is built by how much our audience trusts and believes us and our message.

The audiences's perception of whether a speaker is qualified to speak on a given topic.

What two factors exert the most influence on an audience's perception of a speakers credibility?

What are the differences among initial credibility, derived credibility, and terminal credibility?

Initial: is the credibility of speaker before they even start to speakDerived: the credibility of the speaker produced by everything she or he says and does during the speech itself.

Terminal: the credibility of the speaker at the end of the speech.

What are three ways you can enhance your credibility during your speeches?

Explaining your competence, establishing common ground with the audience and speaking with genuine conviction.

Supporting materials used to prove or disprove something.

why do persuasive speakers need to use evidence?

Because people are naturally skeptical. They are suspicious of unsupported generalizations. They want speakers to justify their claims and you do this with evidence.

What are four tips for using evidence effectively in a persuasive speech?

Use specific evidence; use novel evidence; use evidence from credible sources; make clear the point of your evidence

What is reasoning from specific instances?

Reasoning that moves from particular facts to a general conclusion.

Why is it important to supplement reasoning from specific instances with testimony or statistics?

To demonstrate that the instances are representative of your specific instances

What is reasoning from principle?

Reasoning that moves from a general principle to a specific conclusion

How is it different from reasoning from specific instances?

It is the opposite it goes from a general principles/ideas to specific conclusions/solutions

What is casual reasoning?

Reasoning that seeks to establish the relationship between causes and effects

Why is the relationship between causes and effects not always clear?

2 reasons 1.) the instance of one even does not signify the occurrence of the next even. It can just be coincidence

2.) some events have more than one origin. Like what makes the economy go up or down?

What is 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 case.

Why is analogical reasoning frequently used in persuasive speeches on questions of policy?

Because you can find out if the policy had been tried else were and use it to argue your point of view.

What are the ten logical fallacies discussed in this chapter?

Hasty generalizationFalse causeInvalid analogyBandwagonRed herringAd hominem Either-orSlippery slopeAppeal to tradition

Appeal to novelty

What is the role of emotional appeal in persuasive?

To produce or generate a desired effect from your audience.

Identify three methods you can use to generate emotional appeal in your speeches.

Use emotional languageDevelop vivid examples

Speak with sincerity and conviction