Discussion Question #2 - Facts and Statistics

Facts and statistics are most effective when the speaker talks about a “hot topic” and uses credible facts and statistics to back his or her claim (logical appeals).  Facts are effective to use in a speech when the specific fact is something that happened in the past, and can be verified through a credible course.  For example, if you wanted to find out when the U.S. Supreme Court banned segregation in interstate bus travel, you would look for a credible source such as http://www.history-timelines.org/.  Statistics can be used successfully to make comparisons.  For example, if you are interested in researching how many California teens vs. adults die each year in auto accidents, you could search the California Highway Patrol (CHP) death statistic log.  Facts and Statistics would not be beneficial  if the speaker wanted to appeal to our emotions (pathos) or mythos which focuses on the values and beliefs embedded in cultural narratives or stories.