Types of Supporting Materials

Question 9 • Speech I - B

Thea is giving a speech on the global HIV epidemic and would like to incorporate some testimony to lend credibility to her claims. Which of the following would be the least effective choice for Thea to include in her speech?

Answer

According to Eric S. Daar, MD, “There is little evidence that HIV can be transferred by casual exposure, as might occur in a household setting ... workplace or classroom.”

In 1987, Dr. Kevin DeCock, a CDC epidemiologist, and Professor Odehouri Koudou, a doctor from the Cote d'Ivoire Ministry of Health (MOH), helped shepherd the first public health agreement between their two countries which has now grown to support the expansion of HIV prevention, care, and treatment in Cote d'Ivoire.

My neighbor, who has lived with his uncle who is HIV positive for many years, can attest to the fact that casual contact with individuals who are infected poses no threat.

Scientists and medical authorities agree that HIV does not survive well in the environment, making the possibility of environmental transmission remote.

Explanation

Testimony is most credible when it comes from a qualified expert or a reliable authority. Choice C relies on Thea’s neighbor’s personal experience, which is an anecdote and cannot establish a general claim about HIV transmission. The expert quotation in A and the statements attributed to scientists and medical authorities in D are stronger forms of support.

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