Select one of the topics given below for this question. Using the topic, develop an

Question

organizational plan using the motivated sequence. Include and explain each step in the
sequence.
Topics:

1. Audience members should volunteer to be a bone marrow donor;
2. The Board of Regents should vote to lower the tuition at this university;
3. Audience members should make a commitment to exercise at least thirty minutes each
day.
What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answers will vary. The steps of the motivated sequence are: (1 ) Attention: in this step,
the speaker gets the audience?s attention through use of interesting material, by using
an appropriate attention getting device as in any speech. An example would be telling a
personal story about how one improved one?s own health and appearance through an
exercise program. (2 ) Need. This step involves demonstrating that an undesirable
situation exists. In this step, the speaker must use evidence to support the existence of a
need, and perhaps create cognitive dissonance in the audience. An example might be
pointing to the susceptibility of the audience members to catching colds; the inability to
handle stress, the worn-out feeling, and perhaps a less than perfect body shape as
examples of problems caused by lack of exercise. (3 ) Satisfaction: in this step, the
speaker provides a solution, or a way to satisfy the need that was demonstrated in the
need step. Demonstrate how the solution satisfies the need. The speaker might outline a
simple plan for exercising that would be appropriate for his or her audience. (4 )
Visualization: in this step, the speaker describes the future for the audience. A positive
visualization is one in which the speaker describes what will happen if the audience
follows the solution (When you are fifty you will be as active as you are now). A
negative visualization is one in which the speaker describes what will happen if the
audience does not follow the solution. (When you are fifty you might be too out of
shape to enjoy a hike, or worse, you might have developed high blood pressure and
high cholesterol.) (5 ) Action: here, the speaker offers specific behavioral steps for the
audience to follow. (The multi-purpose room is free to students and offers a variety of
types of exercises. The recreation department sponsors a number of intramural events.
They are....)