Persuasion and writing winning proposals Logos, ethos, pathos

Persuasion and proposal writing Proposals are persuasive documents They seek to move readers to a particular action Your proposal should make an argument What are the components of argument?  Logic  Credibility  Emotional appeal

Logic in a proposal Logic refers to the internal consistency of your message You make a series of claims, supported by evidence Claims develop the main points you want to make about your proposed solution The evidence supports the claims to convince the reader that you can develop and deliver the solution you proposal

How do I create a strong logical appeal? Show the need for a solution to the problem you identify Show how your solution will be superior to other proposed solutions Explain the benefits of your approach

Credibility or trustworthiness Refers to the extent to which your readers respect you and trust what you say as a writer You are selling yourself and your ability to implement the solution

How do I demonstrate trustworthiness? By appearing knowledgeable about your subject matter  Provide a thorough and detailed discussion of the issues relevant to the topic  Use appropriate technical language  Include details about your qualifications and resources

How do I demonstrate trustworthiness? By submitting a realistic and detailed work schedule  Work schedule maps out the scope of the project and predicts the amount of time each stage of the process will take  Accuracy of your work schedule supports your claim that you can complete the project to deadline

Emotional appeal Legitimate use of readers’ emotions and feelings to engage their minds  Include truthful and clear evidence to support your claims so readers can understand the importance of the situation you describe Successful emotional appeal is critical to getting readers to act on your logical appeal and your appeal to credibility

How do I create an effective emotional appeal? Use concrete examples—specificity improves readers’ ability to imagine what you are describing Use examples and illustrations—make abstract ideas concrete and real by adding examples or visuals to make your points vivid Use suitable word choice, metaphors, and analogies—appropriate connotations and comparisons can help readers to understand and feel the importance of your ideas

How do I incorporate persuasion into the format of a winning proposal? All three appeals work throughout the proposal, but sometimes one or two form the dominant appeal in a particular section  E.g., the problem statement requires a logical discussion of the issues, which also supports your credibility by showing your sophisticated grasp of the problem

How do I make my problem statement clear and convincing? Use informal logic to help you develop your claims and support them properly with evidence Use informal logic to identify your assumptions and assess whether your readers will share those assumptions

Quick review of informal logic Claim: a statement  You should replace your worn-out shingles with metal. Stated reason  If you do, you will not need to replace your roof again in your lifetime. Grounds: evidence supporting stated reason— facts, statistics, data, examples  Galvanized metal will not rust or erode for decades, and these roofs are guaranteed for 50 years.  Cite engineers’ tests on durability of galvanized metal.

Unstated Assumptions Warrant (the unstated assumption that underlies the stated reason):  Reader values not having to replace the roof a second time  Saving money in the long run is a good thing Backing (evidence to support the warrant):  Testimonials from homeowners with metal roofs  Statistics about the annual cost of the roof averaged over 50 years Backing is only needed if you expect disagreement with your unstated assumption (warrant)

Conditions of rebuttal Explore the limits of your claim and evidence Under what conditions might someone disagree with you?  How can a roof that costs 3 or 4 times what an asphalt roof would cost be cheaper?  Will interest on money borrowed to pay for the roof negate the long-term savings?  If homeowner ends up moving, the purchaser will reap the benefits

Based on rebuttals, qualify your argument After assessing the weaknesses of your initial claim, revise it to make it less open to counter-argument  E.g., “If you have sufficient savings and plan to stay in your house for several decades, you should replace your asphalt shingles with a galvanized metal roof because you will not have to replace it again in your lifetime.”

How can you use informal logic in your proposal? Develop your claims in the problem statement as well as in the qualifications and resources section using informal logic Assess your underlying assumptions and ensure you include evidence to support them Evaluate the strength of your claims and evidence and revise them to reduce counter-arguments

Lab Assignment 6.1 or 6.2 In groups of two or three or individually, spend the rest of the class drafting a response to either Lab Assignment 6.1 (on emotional appeals in proposal writing) or Lab Assignment 6.2 (on rhetorical appeals). See pages 171 and 179. Hand in a draft of your assignment at the end of class.

In-class Lab Assignment Draft a problem statement for a technical communication project that you have the knowledge and ability to create. Enhance the emotional appeal using the strategies outlined in your text (pp ). Employ as many of the rhetorical schemes and tropes as possible in your statement (see handout)