Rhetorical Analysis Of Altman's Speech

Despite the skillful delivery of facial expression, body movement, and tone in the speech, Altman is not able to maximize his ability to connect with and influence the audience. His emotional appeal to the audience will be more effective if he analyzes his audience and employ adaptation strategies during the speech. During the entire talk, Altman does not effectively use the space in which he is speaking. He does not eliminate the physical barrier between him and the audience. Altman mainly stays at the center and does not move to different locations of the stage. The audience wants to see who is speaking and see some positive body languages reinforcing what is being said. His immobility creates the feeling that he is talking down to the audience, …show more content…
Altman progresses the talk in chronological order, illustrating a vivid pathway of his study to the listeners. Giving a scenario to foreshadow the topic of his talk, Altman discusses how his student and he draw on the FDA database and discover that patients taking a cholesterol-lowering drug at the same time are experiencing significant increase in their blood glucose levels. He uses plain language and attempts to clarify technical terms to ensure that the audience is familiar with and following what is being discussed. For instance, Altman includes the generic name for the brand-name medications. The generic drug for Pravachol is pravastatin. Paroxetine is its generic form of Paxil. Moreover, he informs the audience of the use of each drug. Pravachol or pravastatin treats high blood cholesterol; Paxil or paroxetine is an anti-depressant medication. By explaining the the medication terminology and the condition each drug treats, Altman avoids creating barriers that set him apart from the people whom he is communicating. People with low health literacy can readily understand the result and important health information behind his research so they can use and communicate in a way that helps others aware of the consequences of mixing …show more content…
The first persuasive mode, ethos, focuses on the speaker’s credibility, specifically his reputation, intention, and character. The rationality and structure of the talk, categorized as logos, is equally crucial to the effectiveness of persuasion. The last component is the feelings of connectedness, known as pathos. Different aspects of each persuasive mode are practiced by Altman to set the foundation of persuasion effectiveness in his TED Talk. Clear, concise, and logical arguments provide substance to his message. The creative delivery techniques enable Altman to rapidly gain acceptance for expression, to stimulate emotions of audience, and to obtain their support, which all heighten the impactfulness of his