Communication Studies Department
Friendly Persuasion: Delivering Persuasive Presentations
Learn how persuasion works, and work through a process for developing an audience-centered persuasive presentation.
Friendly Persuasion: Delivering Persuasive Presentations
Enroll NowSample Course
$24.997 LessonsWorkshop
Overview

We live in an age of opinions and information, which means you can’t say a word without someone disagreeing with you.  That wouldn’t be a problem, except people can get so angry! How can you navigate disagreements without offending? How do you persuade without losing relationships?  You have two options - take a vow of silence or learn how to be an effective persuasive communicator. Given our roles as ambassadors of the Kingdom of God and Christ’s command that we take the gospel to the world, we need to learn to persuade well.

This course on persuasive communication walks you through some key biblical concepts connected with persuasion, teaches you how persuasion works, and guides you through the process of developing an audience-centered persuasive presentation. The goal is not manipulation or hard selling, but friendly persuasion. Featuring seven lessons from Tim Milosch, a professor in Biola University's Communication Studies department, the course also contains quizzes, reflection questions, and worksheets to help you develop a persuasive presentation and grow as a communicator.

What You Earn
Instructor
Tim Milosch
Communication Studies Department

Tim Milosch has been doing public speaking and debating for 15 years, and coaching speakers and debaters for 10 years.  In addition to his academic studies on diplomacy and political communication, he teaches courses in political science and communications at Biola University. He practically applies the lessons he teaches in this course in the fields of teaching, public relations, financial advising, and blogging.

Learn More about Communication Studies at Biola

Syllabus

Persuasion often gets a bad rap as people will...
Overview
Proverbs and Persuasion Reading
Resource
Biblical Wisdom on Persuasive Communication
Video
Lesson 1 - Quiz
Quiz
Proverbs and Persuasion Reflection, Part 1
Reflection
Proverbs and Persuasion Reflection, Part 2
Reflection
Persuasion is a cornerstone of human...
Overview
What is Persuasive Communication?
Video
The Persuasive Environment - Audience Analysis
Video
Lesson 2 - Quiz
Quiz
Persuasive Communication Reflection, Part 1
Reflection
Proverbs and Persuasion Reflection, Part 2
Reflection
Thinking About Your Audience Worksheet
Resource
Verbal speech - the ability to use sounds to...
Overview
How to Think About Persuasion
Video
Dissonance and Vision - The Effects of Persuasion
Video
Lesson 3 - Quiz
Quiz
Persuasion Reflection, Part 1
Reflection
Persuasion Reflection, Part 2
Reflection
Creating Your Argument Worksheet
Resource
Orators of the past developed a simple...
Overview
How to Write the Speech
Video
The Five Canons of Rhetoric - Invention
Video
The Five Canons of Rhetoric - Disposition
Video
The Five Canons of Rhetoric - Style
Video
Lesson 4 - Quiz
Quiz
Outlining Your Speech
Resource
Now that you’ve got a speech worked out, it’s...
Overview
The Five Canons of Rhetoric - Memory
Video
Lesson 5 - Quiz
Quiz
Practicing Your Persuasive Speech Reflection, Part 1
Reflection
Practicing Your Persuasive Speech Reflection, Part 2
Reflection
Practicing Your Speech Worksheet
Resource
Great job!  You’ve done the research, framed...
Overview
The Five Canons of Rhetoric - Delivery
Video
Speech Anxiety
Video
Handling Q&A
Video
Presenting Your Persuasive Speech Reflection
Reflection
Presenting Your Speech Worksheet
Resource
To wrap up this course, we evaluate an old, but...
Overview
Pauline Persuasion Reading
Resource
Pauline Persuasion - How the Apostle Persuaded
Video
Pauline Persuasion Reflection, Part 1
Reflection
Pauline Persuasion Reflection, Part 2
Reflection
Recommended Resources
Resource
Course Evaluation
Resource

Course FAQ

Each lesson is designed to take approximately 1-2 hours, depending on how deeply you engage the reflection questions. Since this is a self-paced course, the time it will take you to complete it will depend on the speed with which you want to progress through the course.

No. The course contains everything you need to successfully complete the course. There are resources recommended at the end of the course that you are free to purchase if you wish to pursue further study on the course topic.

Since this course is designed as a completely self-paced experience, you will not have any interaction with the professor during the course.