sample persuasive speech outline using monroe's motivated sequence

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Persuasive speech outline example

-an outline using Monroe's 5 step Motivated Sequence

By:  Susan Dugdale  

This persuasive speech outline example uses Monroe's Motivated Sequence (MMS) - a 5 step structural pattern for organizing material focusing on, as its name suggests, motivational appeals.

The sequence forms the basis of many of the successful political, public awareness or advertising campaigns you see and hear around you on a daily basis.

For example: campaigns to raise awareness of health issues: The Heart Truth, NDAFW - National Drugs and Alcohol Facts Week, or STOMP Out Bullying. *

Why is the framework so popular? Because it faithfully follows the psychology of persuasion. In a nutshell, it works. Exceedingly well.

Use the quick links to get around this very long page efficiently. Each of the five steps is fully explained and illustrated in an example speech outline. There's a printable MMS speech outline document for your own use too!

Page quick links

• Step overview
• Step 1 - Attention
• Step 2 - Need
• Step 3 - Satisfaction
• Step 4 - Visualization
• Step 5 - Action
• Download blank outline template

More persuasive speech resources

About Monroe's Motivated Sequence

The pattern, or steps, of the sequence mirror those identified as being the normal thinking processes that occur whenever a person is confronted by a problem.

Because the steps are perceived as reasonable and logical using them prepares and motivates an audience to respond positively to the speaker's message.

The sequence is named after Dr  Alan H Monroe who, after graduating from Northwestern University in 1924, joined the staff at Purdue University (USA) as an Instructor in English. Two years later he became Instructor in Public Speaking and was subsequently promoted to Assistant Professor and head of the speech section of the English department. He retired from the role in 1963.  

 Overview of Monroe's 5 step motivation sequence

In developing your persuasive speech outline you will follow these 5 steps:

• Attention Grab the audience's attention
• Need Establish there is a problem (need) demanding their attention
• Satisfaction Outline a solution to the problem
• Visualization Show the audience how they will benefit from your solution
• Action Provide the impetus and means to act

Monroe's five steps in more detail

Now let's examine those steps more closely.

To make the process easier to follow I've prepared a simple example speech illustrating each step and the transitions between them.  That's the text in the green boxes. 

As you read start thinking about your audience and your topic.  Jot any ideas down for later use.

About this sample speech - topic, purpose and audience

The subject  is fear of public speaking.

The specific purpose of the speech is  to persuade and encourage people in the audience to take a course to overcome their fear of public speaking. 

The central idea   of the speech is that the ability to speak in public opens doors to many opportunities.

The audience is  drawn from the local community. They range in age from late teens to forties plus.

The 5 steps of Monroe's motivation sequence 

Getting attention - step 1.

This step is your introductory "listen up" call. To make it effective it needs to grab the audience. It could be any of the following:

• a startling statement
• a rhetorical question
• a quotation
• a funny story
• a dramatic story
• a photograph or other visual aid

Put yourself in the position of your audience when deciding how to hook and hold their attention. Why should they listen to you?  How does what you have to say benefit them? Is it relevant to them? How?

Step one - attention 

Do you know the real costs of public speaking fear?

The price is high.

Research reveals that a person with public speaking fear is 10% less likely to graduate from college, is likely to receive 10% less in wages and is 15% less likely to take on management or leadership positions.

Who pays? You. Me. Us. Anybody who allows fear to govern their decision making. We pay by sacrificing our potential selves, putting our dreams away and settling for less.

Establishing credibility

As well as getting their attention you also need to establish your credibility or right to talk on the subject. Your audience needs to know that they can believe what you're telling them. If they feel they can trust your expertise and experience they will be much more likely to follow your lead. 

Credibility statement

That’s a question I asked myself a long time ago. As a teacher with many years of experience I saw far too many students who would do anything they could to avoid public speaking. To answer it I researched.

Then I used those answers to devise public speaking programs that were effective and fun.

Transition - the link from step 1 to step 2

Can you imagine the positive impact feeling OK about speaking up would have? On individuals? On families? On our community?

E stablish the need - step 2

This step develops the need for change. Now that you have your audience's attention you will clearly show them what the problem is and the extent of it.

To be effective use:

• examples to illustrate how it impacts on them - their happiness, future, health, family, neighborhood...
• statistics - facts, figures, graphs, diagrams... Remember to cite your sources and remember too that some are more credible than others. You need recognized sources to give your speech the credibility you want.
• expert witness testimony - the more authoritative, the better

Your goal at the conclusion of this step is to have your audience eager to hear your solution. They agree with you that there is a problem and want the answer.

Step two – Need

A.  According to frequently cited statistics 75%   of people suffer from some degree of glossophobia - fear of speaking in public. Source:    Hamilton, C. (2008) [2005]. Communicating for Results, a Guide for Business and the Professions (eighth edition)

• At the extreme upper end of this very large group are the people who would literally run a mile rather than speak. For example, they will not apply for promotions if the new position means giving presentations. They will not give a speech at a special family occasion - a wedding, birthday or funeral.  Public speaking makes them ill, literally. There maybe quite a few of you here, so you’ll know exactly what I mean.
• At the other end of the scale are the people who have one or two butterflies fluttering around – enough to make them register they’re a little nervous about speaking but it’s nothing to worry about. There’s likely not so many of you here. If you have come along, it’s probably to support someone who needs it! Thank you.
• The majority of us are somewhere in the middle where it’s neither all fine nor all bad. Some days are OK. We manage. And some days it’s definitely not OK. We just hang in there by the skin of our chattering teeth.

B. Bad public speaking experiences often lead to more of the same. History repeats.

• We focus on the criticism we received and interpret it as a criticism of ourselves. Our speech is bad therefore I am bad. This makes a shaky platform to build public speaking skills and confidence on.
• When given a presentation to prepare we procrastinate because we don’t feel confident or competent. That means we don’t put the work in which in turn leads to another bad experience. It becomes a vicious circle.
• When we feel ashamed about ourselves we often close off. We don’t ask for help and it becomes easier to expect less of ourselves and our lives.
•  Here's those stats again. According to Franklin Schneier, MD, s omeone with public speaking fear is likely to receive 10% less in wages, be 10% more likely to drop out of college and be 15% less likely to apply for leadership or management roles.

C. Begins in youth.

• “The fear of public speaking is more common in younger patients as compared to older ones and may be more prevalent in females as compared to males,” says Jeffrey R. Strawn, MD, FAACAP, associate professor of psychiatry and pediatrics and director of the Anxiety Disorders Research Program in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati.
• More than 75% of people experience their first symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder which often includes fear of public speaking during their childhood or early teenage years - American Psychiatric Association. (2014). Understanding Mental Disorders
• Let’s conduct a quick informal survey to test that– raise your hand if any anxiety you feel about public speaking began when you were young.

Transition - the link between step 2 and step 3

However there is a way to break this pattern of anxiety. It can be stopped, and everyone who wants to can learn to speak in public confidently.

S atisfy the need - step 3

Now you outline your answer or solution and show the audience how it will work.

To do this well:

• outline your solution succinctly
• demonstrate how it meets the problem
• use examples to show how effective it is
• support with facts, figures, graphs, diagrams, statistics, testimony...
• if there is known opposition to your solution, acknowledge and counteract showing how your plan overturns it

The ideal outcome of this step is the audience nodding and saying to themselves: " Yes. This is possible, practical and sensible."   Your answer satisfies them. It gives them  "satisfaction".

Step three - Satisfaction 

A. Come along to an introductory course

• It's free, led by experienced teachers and especially designed for people with a history of being nervous about speaking in public.
• Once a week for 4 weeks you'll have 2 hours of practical public speaking training and practice.
• You'll learn tips and tricks to manage your anxiety, to give varying types of presentations, to effectively structure a speech, and to confidently deliver a speech.

B. When people overcome fear of public speaking there are so many things they can do:

• Complete their college education and go on to further study if they wanted to
• Apply for the positions they know would give them greater work satisfaction
• Speak up when they need to about issues concerning themselves, their family and their community
• Inspire others to follow their example

C. Exchanging public speaking fear for confidence will help people to:

• Communicate more effectively
• Listen more carefully to others
• Understand the power of the spoken word and what it can achieve

Transition - the link between step 3 and step 4

Can you imagine the positive impact that would have on people’s lives? Maybe yours?

S ee the future - step 4

In this step the audience "experiences" the solution. They see (feel, hear, taste...) what will happen if they do as you are suggesting contrasted against what will happen if they don't do as you are suggesting.

This step relies on your use of vivid imagery to portray the outcome of their action, or inaction. They see and feel the pleasure, or pain, in their imagination. To bring it home to your audience the pictures you provide, the stories you tell, need to be relevant and believable.

What you want folk thinking as you conclude this step is:  "I can see that this would be good for me."

Step four - Visualization

A. Imagine what society would be like if everyone took full advantage of the educational opportunities that best fitted their interests and abilities. How would that feel?

• There would be much less personal dissatisfaction and social unrest caused by people working in positions that do not pay very well or extend their skills and well being. That would be much more healthy: physically, emotionally and mentally, for everybody. You could ask for a raise! Apply for that job you always wanted! Give a presentation! Toast your bride!
• It would generate a ripple effect. People who speak up confidently and competently encourage others to do likewise. People would feel empowered – free to become the best of themselves - shoulders back, head up, standing tall, looking the world straight in the eye!

B. What disadvantages could there possibly be?

• Perhaps it could uncomfortable for those who have got used to assuming the right to talk for others without consultation. Is that really a bad thing?
• Perhaps it could lead to robust conversations where there are differing opinions over issues?  Again, is that a bad thing? It could be an opportunity to polish debating skills.
• There are no real disadvantages! Overcoming public speaking fear is good for everyone. A win-win.

Transition - the link from step 4 to step 5

Let’s do more than imagine speaking in public freely and competently. Let’s take the steps towards making it happen.

T ake action - step 5

In this last step you present your call to action.

The call to action can be embedded in any combination of the following:

• a challenge or appeal
• a personal statement of intent

To be effective the action step must be readily doable and executed as soon as possible. Make it as easy as you can for your audience. If you want them to sign up for something, have the forms available. If you wish them to lodge a personal protest in writing to your local government have stock letters and envelopes ready. In other words do the leg work for them!

Action steps that are delayed even for 48 hours are less likely to be acted on. We're human - life goes on. Other things intervene and the initial urgency is lost.

Step five – Action

  A. (Summary) Apparently 3/4 of us – 75%, are nervous about public speaking – often the result of a bad experience when were young. That has a direct impact on our adult lives. If we allow it to continue it is likely we will be paid less, fall out of college without graduating and settle for less-challenging jobs. In short – live a lesser life. However it doesn’t have to be like that. We could choose to change. We could become our bigger and best selves.

  B. (Call to Immediate Action)

We could, in the famous words of Susan Jeffers, "Feel the fear and do it anyway!"

I’ve got enrollment forms here for that free introductory public speaking course. That’s four two hour sessions over the next four weeks using tried, tested and proven methods of teaching with experienced instructors. You’ll learn how to prepare and deliver speeches. And you'll swap fear for confidence and competence while having fun!

C. (Memorable Close) Who knows what magic may happen once you speak up!

There are 15 places available. Make one of them yours.

Sources/references 

• Rosemary Black. (2018, June 4)  Glossophobia (Fear of Public Speaking): Are You Glossophobic?     Retrieved from  https://www.psycom.net/glossophobia-fear-of-public-speaking  
• Franklin Schneier. (2005) Social Anxiety Disorder. Retrieved from:  http://www.columbia.edu/itc/hs/medical/psychmed2/3_2005/Schneier-SocialAnxietyDisorderBW.pdf
• Author and date of publication unknown.  Social Anxiety Disorder. Retrieved from:  http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/social-anxiety-disorder
• Doug Staneart. (2018, March). Podcast 29 - How to Scare the Gooey Out of a Nervous Public Speaker. Retrieved from:  https://www.fearlesspresentations.com/how-to-scare-the-gooey-out-of-a-new-public-speaker/  

F itting the standard speech format

If you are wondering how these 5 steps of Monroe's Motivated Sequence fit into the standard 3 part speech format , they go like this:

• Step 1 ( Attention ) forms the Introduction.
• Steps 2,  3 and 4 ( Need,   Satisfaction and Visualization ) form the Body.
• Step 5 ( Action ) is the Conclusion.

Download a persuasive speech outline template

And now download printable blank ready-to-complete Monroe's Motivated Sequence  persuasive speech outline template . You'll find the entire 5 step process laid out clearly, ready for you to fill in the gaps.

A sample persuasive speech

Want to read a  persuasive speech example ?

This example speech ("After they're gone") follows the sequence outlined on this page.

Before you click through to it you should know the topic is somber; the impact of suicide on family and friends. I wrote it to persuade those in need to seek and accept help and to raise awareness of the issues around suicide.

Persuasive speech topics

Maybe you haven't found the persuasive speech topic you want yet? Check these pages:

- 100 great  persuasive speech ideas  

- 50  good persuasive speech topics

-  205 fun persuasive speech topics

- 309 'easy' persuasive speech topics

-  310 persuasive speech topics for college

- 108 feminist persuasive speech topics

Communication coach Alex Lyon explains

If you'd like more on Monroe's Motivated Sequence  here's a great video with excellent examples from communication coach Alex Lyons. 

And lastly, here's the links to those campaigns I mentioned at the top of the page: The Heart Truth ,  National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week (NDAFW)  and STOMP Out Bullying .

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Monroe’s Motivated Sequence: How to Write a Powerfully Persuasive Essay, Article, or Speech (Video)

Published June 26, 2022 | Last Updated November 13, 2023 By Nicole Bianchi 3 Comments

I hope all of your writing projects are going well this June. It’s been a few months since I last published a post here, and I’m happy to finally be back.

While I was away, I was making a new video, and I just uploaded it to YouTube:

You can click on the CC button for subtitles. In this video, I look at a persuasive speech outline called the Motivated Sequence created by psychologist Alan H. Monroe.

I first learned this structure when I was competing in a speech and debate league back in high school. It was extremely effective at grabbing the attention of the audience and inspiring them to action. 

Since then, I’ve continued to use it for articles and essays and have taught it to many writing students who were working on persuasive essays and speeches. And I’ve been wanting to share it here on the blog for quite a while! I hope you find it helpful.

If you enjoy  the video , be sure to give it a thumbs up on YouTube and subscribe to the channel. This lets me know that you found the video helpful and also encourages YouTube to share it with more people on the platform. Thank you!

**RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO**:

• 📚 Principles of Speech eBook by Alan H. Monroe: https://archive.org/details/principlesofspeemonr
• 📚 Paperback copy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3xQEyDL (affiliate link)
• 🎙Full Text of “I Have a Dream”: https://www.npr.org/2010/01/18/122701268/i-have-a-dream-speech-in-its-entirety
• 📝 2015 study on Attention Span: https://time.com/3858309/attention-spans-goldfish/
• 🎥 My Video about Four Powerful Persuasive Techniques: https://youtu.be/h2Zx6oBolZY
• 📬 My email newsletter, The Inkwell: https://nicolebianchi.com/newsletter/

Here’s a transcript of the video:

Psychologist Alan H. Monroe developed the five-step motivated sequence in the 1930s while he was a speech professor at Purdue University. Monroe designed this structure so that by following each of the steps you develop a solid argument that refutes any objections and also inspires your audience to take action.

Many persuasive pieces just leave the audience hanging and don’t give them a pathway forward to making a positive change in the world. With the motivated sequence, on the other hand, you take your audience on a journey and give them a solution to the problem you’re presenting with actions they can take, no matter how big or small.

Here are the five steps of the motivated sequence:

• Satisfaction
• Visualization

If you think back to middle school and the classic five paragraph essays your teachers would assign, you can imagine each of these steps of the motivated sequence as one of those paragraphs.  For example, the attention step is your introduction, then you have three body paragraphs, and then conclude with the action step.

Most likely, however, you’ll be writing a much longer essay or speech. Each of the steps then might encompass several paragraphs, and you can think of them as sections. Some of them might be longer, others shorter, depending on the topic you’re writing about. For example, your introduction might only be one paragraph or it could be three.

But, essentially, no matter how much time you spend on each step, you want to follow each of them in order so that you lead your audience into a certain frame of mind and persuade them of your position.

Now, the motivated sequence is a fantastic structure for outlining your own persuasive speeches, and it’s also a fantastic structure to use to analyze great speeches in history and literature and see what made them so powerful.

So let’s break down each of these steps, and I’ll show you how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s “ I Have a Dream ” speech follows this structure. I’ll be using quotes from Monroe’s book  Principles of Speech  to explain how to use the motivated sequence.

1. The Attention Step

Obviously, this step is all about grabbing your audience’s attention. Do you remember the famous line Mark Antony delivers at the beginning of his speech in the Shakespeare play  Julius Caesar ?

He says, “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.”

It’s a fantastic reminder that we need to grab the attention of our audience before we launch into our argument.

In fact,  a 2015 study  found you only have eight seconds to grab a person’s attention before they lose concentration.   Here are several ways you can grab your audience’s attention: a rhetorical question, a startling statement, a humorous anecdote, or a story.

Or you can just dive right in and state the subject or problem if you know your audience already has a vital interest in what you will be talking about.

That’s why when choosing how to open your speech, it’s important to consider your topic and your audience. A joke, for example, might be perfect for a light-hearted topic but not for a more somber one.

Once you’ve presented the topic you’re arguing about, clearly state your position so the audience knows what to expect in the rest of your piece.

For example, let’s say you’re writing an article about how an empty lot in your neighborhood should be turned into a park. Here’s what your attention step might look like. Open with a quote from a news story about the empty lot to grab the audience’s attention. Present your thesis statement that summarizes your argument that it should be turned into a park.

Let’s look at the attention step in the “I Have a Dream Speech.” Here’s the opening line:

“I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.”

That line grabs the attention of the audience, telling them that they are participating in a historic moment.

2. The Need Step

Once you’ve grabbed your audience’s attention and presented the topic you’re going to be arguing about,  it’s time to convince the audience that this is a serious problem that needs to be solved.

In a persuasive piece, there are two different needs you could be arguing for: one, to urge a change to the status quo (point out what’s wrong with the present conditions) or, two, to demand preservation of the status quo (point out the danger of change).

Your speech arguing to turn an empty lot into a park would be an example of urging change to the status quo.

Here are four elements that Monroe says will help you write a powerful need step:

• Statement:  “Point out the importance of the subject and the need to be better informed about it.”
• Illustration:  “Tell of one or more incidents to illustrate the need.”
• Reinforcement:  “Employ as many additional facts, examples, quotations, etc., as are required to make the need more convincing and impressive.”
• Pointing:  “Show the direct relation of the subject to the well-being and success of your audience.”

Here’s a quote from the need step part of the “I Have a Dream” speech.

“We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now…Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy.”

That repetition of the word “ now ” is an excellent way to drive home the need step.

3. The Satisfaction Step

Once you’ve convinced your audience there is a problem that needs to be solved, you need to offer them a solution. You’ve pulled back the curtain and shown that there is something wrong in the world. Now we have to work to make the world a better place.

B ut when will we be satisfied that the problem has been solved ? How will we know?

Here’s how Monroe says you can frame your satisfaction step.

• Statement of Solution:  “A brief statement of the attitude, belief, or action you wish the audience to adopt.” For example, let’s turn the empty lot into a park.
• Explanation:  “Make sure that your proposal is understood. Explain it clearly.” For example, describe what the park will look like, how much money it will cost, etc.
• Theoretical Demonstration:  “Show how the solution logically and adequately meets the need pointed out in the need step.” For example, show why the park will benefit the community.
• Practical Experience:  “Actual examples showing where this proposal has worked effectively or the belief been proved correct. Facts, figures, and the testimony of experts to demonstrate this conclusion.” For example, show how parks in other cities have helped to lower crime rates and make the community stronger.
• Meeting Objections:  “Forestall opposition by showing how your proposal overcomes any objections which might be raised.” For example, show why building a park is better than building a strip mall on the empty lot.

Here’s a quote from the “I Have a Dream” speech that emphasizes the satisfaction step:

“There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights when will you be satisfied? … No, no, we are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until ‘justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.’”

4. The Visualization Step

Monroe noted that the function of this step is to intensify desire.  You envision for your readers what the world will be like if your solution is carried out or what it will be like if it isn’t.

“The visualization step must stand the test of reality. The conditions you describe must be realistic. You must make the audience virtually put themselves in the picture. Use vivid imagery: make the audience see, hear, feel, taste, and smell. The more vividly real you make the projected situation seem, the stronger will be the reaction of the audience.”

Monroe gives three methods for visualizing the future.

• Positive:  Describe the conditions if your solution is actually carried out. “Do not be abstract about this,” he writes. “Picture the listeners in that situation actually enjoying the safety, pleasure, or pride that your proposal will produce.”
• Negative:  Describe conditions if your solution is not carried out. “Picture the audience feeling the bad effects or unpleasantness that the failure to affect your solution will produce. Go back to the need step of your speech and select the most strikingly undesirable things and put these into the picture of future conditions.”
• Contrast:  This is a combination of one and two. “Begin with the negative method, the undesirable situation, and conclude with the positive method, the desirable solution.”

I call this last method the “two worlds” approach. For example,

“Imagine two worlds. In the first world, the empty lot attracts teen gangs and crime. In the second world, we have a beautiful green space where everyone in the community can come together and children can play safely.”

Of course, the most memorable part of the “I Have a Dream” speech is the part where the phrase “I have a dream” is repeated. That’s an example of this visualization step in action.

“And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream… I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.’”

5. The Action Step

Monroe writes,

“The function of the action step is to translate the desire created in the visualization step into a definitely fixed attitude or belief or to galvanize into overt action.”

You don’t want your action step to be too long. Sum up your points and conclude quickly.

Here are five different ways Monroe says you can frame your action step. You can combine these together for a powerful conclusion.

• Challenge or appeal:  “A short compelling and emphatic appeal to take a specific course of action or adopt a certain belief.”
• Summary:  “A quick recap of the main points in the need or satisfaction steps or both followed by a challenge or appeal to your audience.”
• Quotation:  “A direct statement made by an authoritative figure about the central idea of your piece which suggests the attitude or action you want the audience to take.” For example, this quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer would be fantastic to conclude a speech depending on your topic:  “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”
• Illustration:  “This could be an incident or a story which contains the kernel of the idea or suggests the action you wish the audience to take.” It could be a fictional story like a parable.
• Personal Intention:  “A statement of your own intention to take the course of action recommended.” Monroe points out that one of the most famous examples of this method was used by Patrick Henry when he concluded his speech with the words, “ As for me, give me liberty or give me death.”

Here’s how the “I Have a Dream” speech concludes,

“With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.”

The Takeaway

That’s it. Now you know how to write a powerful persuasive speech.

Of course, this persuasive speech outline should only be used when you’re attempting to convince someone to do something that is in their own best interest, something that will truly help them and make their life better and the world a better place.

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Comm 100: monroe's motivated sequence.

• Monroe's Motivated Sequence
• Hook (Attention)
• Problem (Need)
• Solution (Satisfaction)
• The Future (Visualization)
• Call to Action (Action)
• Evaluating Sources
• Oral Citations
• Written Citations

Introduction

Dugdale, S. (2020, February 8). Persuasive speech outline. Monroe's motivated sequence in action. https://www.write-out-loud.com/persuasive-speech-outline.html.

Points of Consideration

When following Monroe's Motivated Sequence to prime an audience to take action towards making an immediate change, it is important to:

• keep the listener's best interests front and center,
• support the listener's right to make a free and informed choice (no manipulation),
• be sincere and honest, and
• present true and factual information.
• Next: Hook (Attention) >>
• Last Updated: Oct 25, 2024 9:20 AM
• URL: https://libguides.mnsu.edu/monroe

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Module 10: Persuasive Speaking

Monroe’s motivated sequence, learning objectives.

• Explain the use of Monroe’s motivated sequence to motivate listeners.

Monroe’s motivated sequence is the best-known organizational pattern focused on motivational appeals. It is especially useful in situations where the speaker is proposing a solution to an existing problem.

If you use Monroe’s motivated sequence, you’re asking your audience to visualize the consequences of what will happen if they are persuaded to engage in the action you are arguing for. Health-related appeals often use this strategy: for example, smoking, seat belts, mask-wearing in a pandemic, etc.

Alan H. Monroe was a Purdue University psychology professor who used what he knew about the psychology of persuasion to write a book called “Monroe’s Principles of Speech.” He outlines a speech organizational pattern which is most effective in speeches of persuasion. It involves five key steps for which to order the speech.

• Get attention. This involves calling the audience’s attention to a problem. It may occur in the introduction part of the speech or as the first point in the body of the speech. For example, according to the New England Medical Journal in their 2018 June article, four out of five people do not get more than five quality hours of sleep per night.
• Establish the need. Show that there is a problem or a need for something to be done. Use statistics, evidence, etc., to prove the need. This establishment may occur in the introduction or the body of the speech. For example, lack of sleep depletes productivity.
• Satisfy the need.  Offer a solution to the issue and explain how the solution would work. This usually is in the body of the speech as a main point. Take a sleep workshop.
• Visualize the future. Paint a picture of what the world would be like if the need is satisfied using your proposed solution. For example, how productive the world would be on seven hours of sleep per night? The visualization could be in the body or conclusion.
• Action/Actualization.  Call the audience to take action and commit to doing something such as signing a pledge to get better sleep, going to a sleep workshop, etc. The call for action is usually in the conclusion.

In this video, Eric Robertson breaks down the components of Monroe’s Motivated Sequence.

You can view the transcript for “Monroe’s Motivated Sequence | COMMUNICATION STUDIES” here (opens in new window) .

To watch: Ron Finley, “A guerilla gardener in South Central LA”

In this TED talk, fashion designer and urban gardener Ron Finley talks about creating gardens in a South Central food desert.

You can view the transcript for “A guerilla gardener in South Central LA | Ron Finley” here (opens in new window) .

What to watch for:

Finley’s speech is a good example of Monroe’s Motivated Sequence. Here’s how it fits into the five steps:

Attention : “I live in South Central. This is South Central: liquor stores, fast food, vacant lots.”

Need : “Just like 26.5 million other Americans, I live in a food desert, South Central Los Angeles, home of the drive-thru and the drive-by. Funny thing is, the drive-thrus are killing more people than the drive-bys.”

Satisfaction : “So me and my group, L.A. Green Grounds, we got together and we started planting my food forest, fruit trees, you know, the whole nine, vegetables. . . . I have witnessed my garden become a tool for the education, a tool for the transformation of my neighborhood. To change the community, you have to change the composition of the soil. We are the soil.”

Visualization : “Now this is one of my plans. This is what I want to do. I want to plant a whole block of gardens where people can share in the food in the same block. I want to take shipping containers and turn them into healthy cafes.”

Action : “If you want to meet with me, come to the garden with your shovel so we can plant some sh*t.”

• Monroe's Motivated Sequence | COMMUNICATION STUDIES. Authored by : Eric Robertson. Located at : https://youtu.be/NdrJX5b4R-0 . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• A guerilla gardener in South Central LA | Ron Finley. Provided by : TED. Located at : https://youtu.be/EzZzZ_qpZ4w . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• Monroeu2019s Motivated Sequence. Authored by : Mike Randolph with Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution

• Collaboration

Mastering Monroe’s Motivated Sequence: A guide to persuasive speaking

Georgina Guthrie

April 19, 2023

Have you ever watched a skilled chef prepare a meal? They don’t just toss ingredients together and hope for the best. Instead, they follow a carefully crafted recipe that guides them through each step to ensure a delicious outcome. 

Similarly, persuasive speakers need a recipe for success, and that’s where Monroe’s Motivated Sequence comes in. This persuasive speaking technique is like a recipe for a great speech, guiding speakers through each step of the process. Following the sequence ensures that they capture their audience’s attention and motivate them to take action, two crucial goals for any speaker. 

Whether you’re presenting to your colleagues, making a pitch to potential investors, or simply trying to convince a friend to try a new restaurant, understanding Monroe’s Motivated Sequence can help you become a more persuasive and effective communicator. Here’s what you need to know to start using it.

What is Munroe’s motivated sequence?

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence was developed by Alan H. Monroe , a professor of speech at Purdue University, in the 1930s. At the time, Monroe was studying psychology and persuasion principles, and he wanted to develop a framework for creating more effective speeches.

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence was the result of years of research and experimentation. He analyzed thousands of speeches and identified the most effective elements for persuading audiences to take action. He then combined these elements into a five-step framework for structuring persuasive speeches.

The five steps of Monroe’s Motivated Sequence are:

• Attention : Grab the audience’s attention with a compelling opening statement or question.
• Need : Identify a problem or need that the audience has.
• Satisfaction : Present a solution to the problem or need.
• Visualization : Help the audience visualize the benefits of adopting your solution.
• Action : Call the audience to action, and provide a clear and actionable next step.

Since its development, Monroe’s Motivated Sequence has become one of the world’s most widely used persuasive speaking techniques. Its effectiveness is clear in everything from political speeches to advertising campaigns.

How to follow Munroe’s Motivated sequence

Here is how to follow each step.

Step 1: Attention 

First, you must grab the audience’s attention with a compelling opening statement or question. This step is crucial because it sets the tone for the rest of the speech and determines whether the audience will be engaged. Here are some practical tips for effectively grabbing the audience’s attention:

• Use a surprising statistic or fact. People are naturally drawn to numbers and statistics, especially if they’re surprising or shocking. For example, you might begin by saying, “Did you know that approximately 1 in 3 people worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water?” before starting a talk on improving water quality. 
• Ask a rhetorical question . A well-placed rhetorical question can be a powerful way to engage the audience and get them thinking. For example, if you’re giving a speech on wild animal preservation, you might begin by asking, “How many more species need to be lost before we take action?”
• Use a personal anecdote . Sharing a personal story can be an effective way to connect with the audience on an emotional level. For example, if you’re giving a speech on the importance of education, you might begin by telling a story about how education changed your life.
• Use humor. Humor can be a great way to break the ice and put the audience at ease. Just be sure to keep it appropriate and relevant to your topic.
• Use a powerful quote. A powerful quote can be a great way to set the tone for your speech and get the audience thinking. For example, if you’re giving a speech on leadership, you might begin by quoting John F. Kennedy’s famous line, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”

Step 2: Need 

This step involves convincing the audience that a problem or issue needs to be addressed. Here are some practical tips for effectively establishing a need for change or action:

• Identify a problem or issue. First, identify a problem or issue that is relevant to your audience. This could be a societal issue, a personal problem, or something else entirely. For example, if you’re giving a speech on mental health, you might identify the problem of stigmatization surrounding mental illness.
• Use evidence and statistics. To convince your audience there’s a problem, you must provide objective evidence supporting your claims. This could include data from scientific studies, government reports, or other credible sources. For example, if you’re giving a speech on climate change, you might use data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to demonstrate the severity of the issue.
• Use personal stories or examples. Again, sharing personal stories or examples can be a powerful way to illustrate the need for change or action. For example, if you’re giving a speech on the importance of organ donation, you might share a story of someone whose life was saved by an organ transplant.
• Appeal to emotions. Emotions can be a powerful motivator for change or action. Appealing to your audience’s emotions can help them connect with the issue more deeply. For example, if you’re giving a speech on animal rights, you might use images or videos to show the mistreatment of animals and appeal to your audience’s sense of empathy.

Step 3: Satisfaction

Next, it’s time to offer a salve to those issues you just raised. This step involves providing a clear and actionable plan for addressing the problem. Here are some practical tips:

• Identify the key components of the solution. To effectively present a solution, you must break it down into its key features. This will help your audience understand how the solution works and what steps they need to take to implement it. For example, if you’re giving a speech on reducing plastic waste, you might break your solution down into components such as using reusable bags, reducing single-use plastics, and recycling.
• Explain how the solution works. Once you’ve identified the key components of the solution, you need to explain how it works. This could involve demonstrating a product or service, providing instructions for using a particular tool or resource or showing before-and-after examples. For example, suppose you’re giving a speech on reducing plastic waste. In that case, you might show your audience how to properly use a reusable water bottle or provide before-and-after examples of how much plastic waste you can reduce by using reusable bags.
• Highlight the benefits of the solution. To motivate your audience to take action, highlight the solution’s benefits. This could include environmental benefits, health benefits, cost savings, or other positive outcomes. For example, suppose you’re giving a speech on the benefits of exercise. In that case, you might highlight the health benefits such as improved cardiovascular health, reduced risk of chronic disease, and improved mental health.
• Address potential objections. When presenting a solution, it’s important to address any potential objections or concerns your audience may have. This could involve addressing common misconceptions, providing evidence to support your claims, or providing counterarguments to common objections. For example, suppose you’re giving a speech on the benefits of renewable energy. In that case, you might address common objections such as the installation cost or the green credentials of renewable energy sources.

Step 4: Visualization

This step involves painting a vivid and compelling picture of what the world will look like after the solution. Here are some practical tips for effectively visualizing outcomes:

• Use storytelling. By telling a story that illustrates the positive outcomes of the solution, you can help your audience imagine what the future could look like. For example, if you’re giving a speech on the benefits of education, you might tell a story about a student who overcame adversity and achieved academic success.
• Use statistics and data. As with the other steps, statistics and data can be powerful tools. You can help your audience understand the solution’s impact by providing concrete numbers and data points. For example, suppose you’re giving a speech on the benefits of renewable energy. In that case, you might provide statistics on how much carbon emissions can be reduced by switching to renewable energy sources.
• Use visual aids. Visual aids such as graphs, charts, and images can help you illustrate the outcomes of the solution. If you’re giving a speech on reducing poverty, you might use a graph to show how poverty rates have declined in other countries that have implemented poverty reduction programs.
• Paint a picture. Use descriptive language to paint a vivid picture of what the world will look like if everyone makes the change. Use sensory language to help your audience imagine the sounds, smells, and feelings associated with the positive outcomes. For example, if you’re giving a speech on the benefits of public transportation, you might describe a city with clean air, quiet streets, and happy commuters.
• Show the consequences of inaction. Sometimes, it can be effective to highlight the consequences of inaction to motivate your audience to take action. This could involve describing the negative outcomes that will occur if the solution is not implemented. For example, if you’re giving a speech on climate change, you might describe the catastrophic effects of rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and food shortages. 

Speaking of negative approaches: when it comes to helping your audience visualize the future, there are three approaches you can take. 

• The Positive Method: This method involves describing what the situation will look like if everyone adopts your idea. It emphasizes the positive aspects of the solution and focuses on the benefits and opportunities that will arise.
• The Negative Method: This method involves describing what the situation will look like if people reject you. It focuses on the dangers and difficulties caused by not acting and highlights the negative consequences of inaction. 
• The Contrast Method: This method involves developing the negative picture first and then revealing what could happen if things change. This method can be effective because it creates a sense of contrast between the negative outcomes of inaction and the positive outcomes of taking action. For example, if you’re advocating for education reform, you might describe the negative outcomes of a broken education system, such as high dropout rates and low test scores, before highlighting the positive outcomes of reform, such as better-prepared students and a more educated workforce.

When deciding which method to use, it’s important to consider your audience and the context of your message. The positive method is more effective for inspiring and motivating your audience, while the negative method highlights the situation’s urgency more effectively. The contrast method is good for creating a sense of contrast and emphasizing the importance of taking action in general. 

 Step 4: Call to action 

This is the sequence’s final and arguably most important step: you ask your audience to take a specific action. Here are some practical tips.

• Be specific. Whether signing a petition, donating to a cause, or making a personal change, provide clear instructions on how to take action.
• Make it urgent. Create a sense of urgency around your call to action. Explain why taking action now rather than later is important and use strong language to convey the situation’s urgency.
• Use emotional language. Use emotional language to connect with your audience and inspire them to take action. Use words that evoke compassion, empathy, or urgency to motivate.
• Provide a reason why. Explain why taking action is essential and how it will make a difference. Provide evidence or personal stories that illustrate the impact of taking action, and show your audience how their efforts can make a positive change.
• Offer alternatives. Sometimes, the action you’re asking your audience to take may not be feasible for everyone. Offer alternative activities that your audience can take to support the cause, such as sharing information on social media or volunteering their time.

Three famous speeches that follow Munroe’s Motivated sequence 

Martin luther king jr’s “i have a dream”.

Martin Luther King Jr. used Monroe’s Motivated Sequence in his “I Have a Dream” speech . He first identified the need for racial equality and presented a solution. King then helped the audience visualize the benefits of his solution, which was a world free of discrimination and prejudice. Finally, he called upon the audience to take action and join him in the fight for civil rights.

By using Monroe’s Motivated Sequence, King effectively communicated his message and inspired his audience to take action. His speech remains a powerful example of how this persuasive speaking technique can create lasting change.

Steve Jobs’s 2007 iPhone launch

Steve Jobs used Monroe’s Motivated Sequence in his 2007 iPhone launch keynote . During his keynote speech, Jobs hooked the audience’s attention with a powerful opening statement: “Every once in a while, a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything.” He then identified the need for a better mobile device and presented the iPhone as the solution. Jobs highlighted the benefits of the iPhone, which combined a phone, music player, and internet browser into one device, and helped the audience visualize its potential. Finally, he called upon the audience to take action and go out to buy the iPhone.

Using this approach, Jobs effectively communicated the iPhone’s value and created a buzz around the product. His presentation remains a classic example of how to use Monroe’s Motivated Sequence to market a product successfully.

Winston Churchill’s “We Shall Fight on the Beaches”

Winston Churchill used Monroe’s Motivated Sequence in his “We Shall Fight on the Beaches” speech . Churchill’s famous speech began with a powerful opening statement, “We shall fight on the beaches,” which captured the audience’s attention. He then identified the need for a strong defense against the Nazis and presented a solution: to fight them on the beaches, fields, and streets. Churchill helped the audience visualize the benefits of victory, which would be a world free of Nazi tyranny. Finally, he called upon the audience to take action and join him in the fight against the Nazis.

By using Monroe’s Motivated Sequence, Churchill delivered a powerful speech that motivated the British to fight against the Nazis during World War II. His speech remains a classic example of using persuasive techniques to inspire action and create change.

Applying Monroe’s Motivated Sequence in the digital world 

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence is a powerful tool for crafting persuasive and memorable messages. By following the five steps — attention, need, satisfaction, visualization, and call to action — you can effectively grab your audience’s attention, create a sense of urgency, offer a solution, paint a picture of the future, and inspire action. 

When working remotely, this sequence can help you communicate more effectively with your remote team and leave a lasting impression on others. With the increasing use of chat apps in today’s world, it’s important to adapt your communication style so that your messages have as much impact as face-to-face interactions. The same rules apply, but you’ll need to consider factors like accessibility, reliability, engagement (using tools like images, polls, and video), and email or direct message best practices (avoid sending someone a ‘ wall of text ’!). 

Whether you’re messaging a friend, emailing a colleague, or having a video chat with a client, remember the power of Monroe’s Motivated Sequence and use it to create more impactful messages.

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17.3 Organizing Persuasive Speeches

Learning objectives.

• Understand three common organizational patterns for persuasive speeches.
• Explain the steps utilized in Monroe’s motivated sequence.
• Explain the parts of a problem-cause-solution speech.
• Explain the process utilized in a comparative advantage persuasive speech.

Steven Lilley – Engaged – CC BY-SA 2.0.

Previously in this text we discussed general guidelines for organizing speeches. In this section, we are going to look at three organizational patterns ideally suited for persuasive speeches: Monroe’s motivated sequence, problem-cause-solution, and comparative advantages.

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence

One of the most commonly cited and discussed organizational patterns for persuasive speeches is Alan H. Monroe’s motivated sequence. The purpose of Monroe’s motivated sequence is to help speakers “sequence supporting materials and motivational appeals to form a useful organizational pattern for speeches as a whole” (German et al., 2010).

While Monroe’s motivated sequence is commonly discussed in most public speaking textbooks, we do want to provide one minor caution. Thus far, almost no research has been conducted that has demonstrated that Monroe’s motivated sequence is any more persuasive than other structural patterns. In the only study conducted experimentally examining Monroe’s motivated sequence, the researchers did not find the method more persuasive, but did note that audience members found the pattern more organized than other methods (Micciche, Pryor, & Butler, 2000). We wanted to add this sidenote because we don’t want you to think that Monroe’s motivated sequence is a kind of magic persuasive bullet; the research simply doesn’t support this notion. At the same time, research does support that organized messages are perceived as more persuasive as a whole, so using Monroe’s motivated sequence to think through one’s persuasive argument could still be very beneficial.

Table 17.1 “Monroe’s Motivated Sequence” lists the basic steps of Monroe’s motivated sequence and the subsequent reaction a speaker desires from his or her audience.

Table 17.1 Monroe’s Motivated Sequence

The first step in Monroe’s motivated sequence is the attention step , in which a speaker attempts to get the audience’s attention. To gain an audience’s attention, we recommend that you think through three specific parts of the attention step. First, you need to have a strong attention-getting device. As previously discussed in Chapter 9 “Introductions Matter: How to Begin a Speech Effectively” , a strong attention getter at the beginning of your speech is very important. Second, you need to make sure you introduce your topic clearly. If your audience doesn’t know what your topic is quickly, they are more likely to stop listening. Lastly, you need to explain to your audience why they should care about your topic.

In the need step of Monroe’s motivated sequence, the speaker establishes that there is a specific need or problem. In Monroe’s conceptualization of need, he talks about four specific parts of the need: statement, illustration, ramification, and pointing. First, a speaker needs to give a clear and concise statement of the problem. This part of a speech should be crystal clear for an audience. Second, the speaker needs to provide one or more examples to illustrate the need. The illustration is an attempt to make the problem concrete for the audience. Next, a speaker needs to provide some kind of evidence (e.g., statistics, examples, testimony) that shows the ramifications or consequences of the problem. Lastly, a speaker needs to point to the audience and show exactly how the problem relates to them personally.

Satisfaction

In the third step of Monroe’s motivated sequence, the satisfaction step , the speaker sets out to satisfy the need or solve the problem. Within this step, Monroe (1935) proposed a five-step plan for satisfying a need:

• Explanation
• Theoretical demonstration
• Reference to practical experience
• Meeting objections

First, you need to clearly state the attitude, value, belief, or action you want your audience to accept. The purpose of this statement is to clearly tell your audience what your ultimate goal is.

Second, you want to make sure that you clearly explain to your audience why they should accept the attitude, value, belief, or action you proposed. Just telling your audience they should do something isn’t strong enough to actually get them to change. Instead, you really need to provide a solid argument for why they should accept your proposed solution.

Third, you need to show how the solution you have proposed meets the need or problem. Monroe calls this link between your solution and the need a theoretical demonstration because you cannot prove that your solution will work. Instead, you theorize based on research and good judgment that your solution will meet the need or solve the problem.

Fourth, to help with this theoretical demonstration, you need to reference practical experience, which should include examples demonstrating that your proposal has worked elsewhere. Research, statistics, and expert testimony are all great ways of referencing practical experience.

Lastly, Monroe recommends that a speaker respond to possible objections. As a persuasive speaker, one of your jobs is to think through your speech and see what counterarguments could be made against your speech and then rebut those arguments within your speech. When you offer rebuttals for arguments against your speech, it shows your audience that you’ve done your homework and educated yourself about multiple sides of the issue.

Visualization

The next step of Monroe’s motivated sequence is the visualization step , in which you ask the audience to visualize a future where the need has been met or the problem solved. In essence, the visualization stage is where a speaker can show the audience why accepting a specific attitude, value, belief, or behavior can positively affect the future. When helping people to picture the future, the more concrete your visualization is, the easier it will be for your audience to see the possible future and be persuaded by it. You also need to make sure that you clearly show how accepting your solution will directly benefit your audience.

According to Monroe, visualization can be conducted in one of three ways: positive, negative, or contrast (Monroe, 1935). The positive method of visualization is where a speaker shows how adopting a proposal leads to a better future (e.g., recycle, and we’ll have a cleaner and safer planet). Conversely, the negative method of visualization is where a speaker shows how not adopting the proposal will lead to a worse future (e.g., don’t recycle, and our world will become polluted and uninhabitable). Monroe also acknowledged that visualization can include a combination of both positive and negative visualization. In essence, you show your audience both possible outcomes and have them decide which one they would rather have.

The final step in Monroe’s motivated sequence is the action step , in which a speaker asks an audience to approve the speaker’s proposal. For understanding purposes, we break action into two distinct parts: audience action and approval. Audience action refers to direct physical behaviors a speaker wants from an audience (e.g., flossing their teeth twice a day, signing a petition, wearing seat belts). Approval, on the other hand, involves an audience’s consent or agreement with a speaker’s proposed attitude, value, or belief.

When preparing an action step, it is important to make sure that the action, whether audience action or approval, is realistic for your audience. Asking your peers in a college classroom to donate one thousand dollars to charity isn’t realistic. Asking your peers to donate one dollar is considerably more realistic. In a persuasive speech based on Monroe’s motivated sequence, the action step will end with the speech’s concluding device. As discussed elsewhere in this text, you need to make sure that you conclude in a vivid way so that the speech ends on a high point and the audience has a sense of energy as well as a sense of closure.

Now that we’ve walked through Monroe’s motivated sequence, let’s look at how you could use Monroe’s motivated sequence to outline a persuasive speech:

Specific Purpose: To persuade my classroom peers that the United States should have stronger laws governing the use of for-profit medical experiments.

Main Points:

• Attention: Want to make nine thousand dollars for just three weeks of work lying around and not doing much? Then be a human guinea pig. Admittedly, you’ll have to have a tube down your throat most of those three weeks, but you’ll earn three thousand dollars a week.
• Need: Every day many uneducated and lower socioeconomic-status citizens are preyed on by medical and pharmaceutical companies for use in for-profit medical and drug experiments. Do you want one of your family members to fall prey to this evil scheme?
• Satisfaction: The United States should have stronger laws governing the use of for-profit medical experiments to ensure that uneducated and lower-socioeconomic-status citizens are protected.
• Visualization: If we enact tougher experiment oversight, we can ensure that medical and pharmaceutical research is conducted in a way that adheres to basic values of American decency. If we do not enact tougher experiment oversight, we could find ourselves in a world where the lines between research subject, guinea pig, and patient become increasingly blurred.
• Action: In order to prevent the atrocities associated with for-profit medical and pharmaceutical experiments, please sign this petition asking the US Department of Health and Human Services to pass stricter regulations on this preying industry that is out of control.

This example shows how you can take a basic speech topic and use Monroe’s motivated sequence to clearly and easily outline your speech efficiently and effectively.

Table 17.2 “Monroe’s Motivated Sequence Checklist” also contains a simple checklist to help you make sure you hit all the important components of Monroe’s motivated sequence.

Table 17.2 Monroe’s Motivated Sequence Checklist

Problem-Cause-Solution

Another format for organizing a persuasive speech is the problem-cause-solution format. In this specific format, you discuss what a problem is, what you believe is causing the problem, and then what the solution should be to correct the problem.

Specific Purpose: To persuade my classroom peers that our campus should adopt a zero-tolerance policy for hate speech.

• Demonstrate that there is distrust among different groups on campus that has led to unnecessary confrontations and violence.
• Show that the confrontations and violence are a result of hate speech that occurred prior to the events.
• Explain how instituting a campus-wide zero-tolerance policy against hate speech could stop the unnecessary confrontations and violence.

In this speech, you want to persuade people to support a new campus-wide policy calling for zero-tolerance of hate speech. Once you have shown the problem, you then explain to your audience that the cause of the unnecessary confrontations and violence is prior incidents of hate speech. Lastly, you argue that a campus-wide zero-tolerance policy could help prevent future unnecessary confrontations and violence. Again, this method of organizing a speech is as simple as its name: problem-cause-solution.

Comparative Advantages

The final method for organizing a persuasive speech is called the comparative advantages speech format. The goal of this speech is to compare items side-by-side and show why one of them is more advantageous than the other. For example, let’s say that you’re giving a speech on which e-book reader is better: Amazon.com’s Kindle or Barnes and Nobles’ Nook. Here’s how you could organize this speech:

Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience that the Nook is more advantageous than the Kindle.

• The Nook allows owners to trade and loan books to other owners or people who have downloaded the Nook software, while the Kindle does not.
• The Nook has a color-touch screen, while the Kindle’s screen is black and grey and noninteractive.
• The Nook’s memory can be expanded through microSD, while the Kindle’s memory cannot be upgraded.

As you can see from this speech’s organization, the simple goal of this speech is to show why one thing has more positives than something else. Obviously, when you are demonstrating comparative advantages, the items you are comparing need to be functional equivalents—or, as the saying goes, you cannot compare apples to oranges.

Key Takeaways

• There are three common patterns that persuaders can utilize to help organize their speeches effectively: Monroe’s motivated sequence, problem-cause-solution, and comparative advantage. Each of these patterns can effectively help a speaker think through his or her thoughts and organize them in a manner that will be more likely to persuade an audience.
• Alan H. Monroe’s (1935) motivated sequence is a commonly used speech format that is used by many people to effectively organize persuasive messages. The pattern consists of five basic stages: attention, need, satisfaction, visualization, and action. In the first stage, a speaker gets an audience’s attention. In the second stage, the speaker shows an audience that a need exists. In the third stage, the speaker shows how his or her persuasive proposal could satisfy the need. The fourth stage shows how the future could be if the persuasive proposal is or is not adopted. Lastly, the speaker urges the audience to take some kind of action to help enact the speaker’s persuasive proposal.
• The problem-cause-solution proposal is a three-pronged speech pattern. The speaker starts by explaining the problem the speaker sees. The speaker then explains what he or she sees as the underlying causes of the problem. Lastly, the speaker proposes a solution to the problem that corrects the underlying causes.
• The comparative advantages speech format is utilized when a speaker is comparing two or more things or ideas and shows why one of the things or ideas has more advantages than the other(s).
• Create a speech using Monroe’s motivated sequence to persuade people to recycle.
• Create a speech using the problem-cause-solution method for a problem you see on your college or university campus.
• Create a comparative advantages speech comparing two brands of toothpaste.

German, K. M., Gronbeck, B. E., Ehninger, D., & Monroe, A. H. (2010). Principles of public speaking (17th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon, p. 236.

Micciche, T., Pryor, B., & Butler, J. (2000). A test of Monroe’s motivated sequence for its effects on ratings of message organization and attitude change. Psychological Reports, 86 , 1135–1138.

Monroe, A. H. (1935). Principles and types of speech . Chicago, IL: Scott Foresman.

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Sample Persuasive Outline (Monroe's Motivated Sequence)

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Persuasive Speech Outline

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• This student’s outline is well developed, coherent, integrates research, follows a strong organizational pattern, and meets all expectations of an outline in a public speaking course.
• Click on the Google Document provided for a sample speech outline.

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