Persuasive writing strategies

The writer writes to convince the reader to believe or do something. Persuasive Writing In persuasive writing, a writer takes a position FOR or AGAINST an issue The writer writes to convince the reader to believe or do something.

Purposes of Persuasion Provoke sympathy Support a cause Stimulate interest Urge people to action Win agreement Promote change Refute a theory

Persuasive Strategies Know your audience Provide information your audience may need/anticipate Have a clear position Take a side and stick with it! Don’t flip flop. Use persuasive word choice Use words or phrases that urge or compel the reader to agree with you

Persuasive Strategies 4. Emotional Appeal Predict how you think readers will respond emotionally to a statement or position, and use that to convince them of your argument 5. Use statistics Use data to reinforce your opinion 6. Use Quotes Use expert/authoritative voices to reinforce and support your opinion

Methods of Organizing Persuasive Writing 1) ORDER OF IMPORTANCE Support a position and prioritize from the most important to the least or from the least to the most.

Order of Importance Example Homework should be abolished because students are too busy after school to make up for what teachers can’t seem to find the time to teach during the day. Some students are athletes or participate in club activities, while many students spend their after-school time working. These young adults don’t have time to re-work algebra problems! If you’re a successful athlete, you may be lucky enough to get money to go to college—that’s more important than recopying an essay! Clubs may serve as practice for the work force. But what really counts in a teen’s life would be to work in order to live, help out the family by taking care of siblings, or save money for college. In the face of these responsibilities or chances to improve life, what student would instead choose to review history notes? What are the author’s main arguments? In what order does the author persuade the reader (least-most/most-least)?

Organizing Persuasive Writing 2) CAUSAL CHAIN A culminating chain of events where one action leads to the next (snowball effect)

Causal Chain Example #1 …as a high school student I know the concerns that people have expressed about the starting time for school. School starts too early and I agree it should be started later and held an equal time longer. For me school starts at 7:30, which means I need to leave my house at 7:00 or 7:05. But for other students who ride the bus they must be ready far earlier than that. I see people half asleep standing outside waiting for that big yellow bus to take them to a long, tiring day at school. I think if school started later it would put many people at ease. Even if you get that extra 1/2 an hour of sleep it can do wonders. You won’t be tired for that first period test, you won’t have to take that nap 2nd period and miss your history notes, You won’t miss breakfast and have to spend class time counting down the minutes to lunch. Many things would be so much better if school started later… In other words getting up too early makes you tired, which makes it hard to take the test, which causes you to nap and miss your notes, which causes you not to pay attention because you are hungry because you missed breakfast.

Causal Chain Example #2 Do you value quality education? Do you believe that the children in our community are our future? If you have answered “yes” to these questions, here’s another one that perhaps you should stop and think about before you answer. Do you plan to support the growth in the Clear Creek Amana School District by voting Yes-Yes to the upcoming school bond issues on Feb.14? If not, you may need to re-evaluate your previous answers above. Clear Creek Amana schools are extremely overcrowded and in desperate need of additional buildings. The upcoming bond issue will not close any of the existing sites; rather, some of the bond will actually be used to upgrade the Amana and Oxford locations. Please do your own research, listen to the facts, and vote responsibly. Do not believe the rumors and other false information floating around. Schools bring residents; residents bring money to the community. Schools bring businesses; businesses bring new jobs, services and income into the community. We all have a chance on Tuesday, Feb. 14, to be active and responsible community members. Will you do your part? We urge all of you to vote Yes-Yes to each of the ballot questions for the upcoming school bond issue. Our future, our children and our community are depending on you.

Organizing Persuasive Writing 3) CONCESSION AND REBUTTAL Recognize the opposing viewpoint by stating why people might disagree with you. Then counter with another argument that crushes the reason(s) why people might disagree with you.

CONCESSION/REBUTTAL EXAMPLE 2 …No one can concentrate equally on both. This is true in school as well. A learning environment (the classroom) needs to be free from distraction so students can focus their concentration on the task at hand. Cell phones break that concentration and therefore should be banned from school altogether. Those against my position will argue that the phone is an absolute necessity in case of an emergency. They are right - a phone is a vital communication tool in any stressful situation. Our school, therefore, has several. One is located at the main-floor reception desk, another at the attendance desk, one at the counseling desk as well as the library. If these are not enough, there are phones in every classroom as well as in all of the administrative and counseling offices – so, what’s the problem? A parent desperately needing to speak with a child can easily call the school. The message will immediately be delivered and the student can then make the call outside of the classroom, thus creating a minimal disturbance.

CONCESSION/REBUTTAL EXAMPLE 2 …I asked my teacher to be excused to use the school phone and immediately dialed her dorm number only to realize that I couldn’t make a long-distance call from the school line. I slammed down the receiver and headed back to class with tears of frustration streaming down my face. It wasn’t until I left school and used my cell phone that I was finally released from the depression and anxiety I’d had all day. If I had been allowed to use my cell phone at school, I could have eased my mind and concentrated on my studies. Instead, I spent all day worrying unable to learn anything. …With the numerous benefits cell phones provide, it is difficult to understand anyone not wanting to own one. However many people feel they have become more of a hindrance than a help. It is true that cell phones can be annoying if they ring in a restaurant or movie theater. It is not pleasant to be stuck next to someone on a train or subway while he/she gabs loudly on the phone. But most people are considerate enough to turn off their phone or lower their voice when it is brought to their attention. It does not seem then that the annoying qualities outweigh the benefits. Just think of the people visiting loved ones in the hospital relaying important information to the other family members. Or what about the last minute flight change that needs to be communicated to those awaiting your arrival. Really, cell phones are a huge convenience.

Your turn! Take this! Take that! You have been asked to be on a committee to review your high school’s rules. Choose one rule that needs to be revised, added, or eliminated. Write a dialogue with your principal persuading him or her to adopt your recommendation. This is to practice recognizing what the other sides point of view will be. Read the example dialogue between a student and a principal in your packet, then try it out for yourself. Be sure to look at both sides of the argument and use appropriate transition phrases.