Writing To Persuade Produced by Geraldine Norris

What’s the Purpose? To put your point of view across in a forceful, informed and engaging manner. To put your point of view across in a forceful, informed and engaging manner. To lead your audience into agreeing with you. To lead your audience into agreeing with you. To help your audience to think positively about your ideas. To help your audience to think positively about your ideas. Produced by Geraldine Norris

What Forms Can it Take? A Persuasive text can be in the form of: A Letter A Letter An Essay An Essay A Speech A Speech An Advertisement An Advertisement A Poster A Poster A Job Application A Job Application A Political Speech A Political Speech A Speech in court from the Prosecution or Defence A Speech in court from the Prosecution or Defence Produced by Geraldine Norris

A Little Piece of Ancient Wisdom Produced by Geraldine Norris Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher (thinker). Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher (thinker). He established this framework for writing a GREAT persuasive text or speech. He established this framework for writing a GREAT persuasive text or speech. ETHOS ETHOS LOGOS LOGOS PATHOS PATHOS

What Exactly Does that Mean? ETHOS means that you have to establish your thesis or position and create a role for yourself. Are you going to be a formal expert or an informal “one of us”? ETHOS means that you have to establish your thesis or position and create a role for yourself. Are you going to be a formal expert or an informal “one of us”? LOGOS means that you must have logical and structured arguments to support your position. LOGOS means that you must have logical and structured arguments to support your position. PATHOS means that you must have an emotional appeal to your audience by your choice of vocabulary. PATHOS means that you must have an emotional appeal to your audience by your choice of vocabulary. Produced by Geraldine Norris

How is this Managed? Usually you have to decide if you are FOR something or AGAINST it. Usually you have to decide if you are FOR something or AGAINST it. You introduce your thoughts to your audience. You introduce your thoughts to your audience. You present at least 3 arguments or reasons for your position. You present at least 3 arguments or reasons for your position. You make your conclusion and encourage your audience to agree or act on your behalf. You make your conclusion and encourage your audience to agree or act on your behalf. Produced by Geraldine Norris

What Does it Look Like? A written persuasive text usually has 5 paragraphs A written persuasive text usually has 5 paragraphs INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION ARGUMENT 1 ARGUMENT 1 ARGUMENT 2 ARGUMENT 2 ARGUMENT 3 ARGUMENT 3 CONCLUSION CONCLUSION Produced by Geraldine Norris

Introduction This orientates your audience to your topic and your thesis or position that you are going to make. This orientates your audience to your topic and your thesis or position that you are going to make. It should have a “hook” to get your audience interested. This could be in the form of: It should have a “hook” to get your audience interested. This could be in the form of: Visualisation Visualisation Rhetorical question Rhetorical question Humour Humour Personal anecdote (story) Personal anecdote (story) Produced by Geraldine Norris

The Arguments These are the reasons for your thesis or position. These are the reasons for your thesis or position. One paragraph per argument or reason. One paragraph per argument or reason. You must give some evidence or details for each belief. This could be in the form of: You must give some evidence or details for each belief. This could be in the form of: Statistics Statistics Personal experience Personal experience Well-known facts Well-known facts Scientific research Scientific research Produced by Geraldine Norris

Conclusion This restates your thesis or position This restates your thesis or position It makes a brief summary of the arguments that you have used. It makes a brief summary of the arguments that you have used. It makes an emotional appeal to your audience to agree with you. It makes an emotional appeal to your audience to agree with you. It can make a “call to action” and ask your audience to do something about your thesis. It can make a “call to action” and ask your audience to do something about your thesis. Produced by Geraldine Norris

How to get that Appeal Use high modality language. Use high modality language. Ask rhetorical questions. Ask rhetorical questions. Use alliteration, similes, metaphors or idioms. Use alliteration, similes, metaphors or idioms. Use humour when appropriate. Use humour when appropriate. Use emotional language. Use emotional language. Use a variety of evidence or details. Use a variety of evidence or details. Use repetition as an effect. Use repetition as an effect. Produced by Geraldine Norris

What Else is there to Remember? A minimum of 2 sentences per paragraph. A minimum of 2 sentences per paragraph. A variety of sentence forms – simple, compound and complex. A variety of sentence forms – simple, compound and complex. Accurate spelling, grammar and punctuation. Accurate spelling, grammar and punctuation. The use of sophisticated vocabulary (Tier 2 and 3 words). The use of sophisticated vocabulary (Tier 2 and 3 words). Recognition of purpose and audience. Recognition of purpose and audience. Produced by Geraldine Norris