COMN11-102: Strategic Speaking and Writing

Whether the goal is to convince one person through conversation, sway a small group of work colleagues, or win over the public, the act of persuasion lies at the heart of the human experience. This subject investigates how you can convince others to change their attitudes and behaviour to (ethically) accomplish your goals through public speaking and writing. Taking an audience-centred approach to communication, you will examine the broader societal issues that shape our understanding of audiences and their behaviours. The persuasive power of narratives and stories will also be examined, based on the idea that individuals can integrate information from stories into their real-world belief structures. This subject aims to equip you with the skills to be influential and discerning creators and consumers of persuasive messages within various contexts.