Persuasive Writing

What is persuasive writing? Persuasive writing is used to convince others to agree with your point of view.

What are the applications of persuasive writing? Advertising and selling products Writing a newspaper column Writing a speech or debate Convincing people to take action

Read through the two example texts. Both are trying to persuade people that invasive non-native species are an important issue. Which do you think is more persuasive?

Text 1 Not inclusive “…quite a problem for scientists and people interested in the environment.” - What about everyone else? Weak wording “They can cause some problems for rare species, and might alter and damage the ecosystems in which they are found.” - Doesn’t sound very certain. Too vague “…been known to impact boats and other things.” - What other things? Should give examples.

Text 2 Inclusive and personal “Whether you are interested in the environment or not, the problems caused by invasive non-native species affect us all.” Impressive facts “…may cost as much as £2 billion every single year” Relevant to the audience “It's not just our wildlife that suffers, invasive non-native species can also have an impact on the way we live.”

Text 2 Plenty of examples “…they can clog our waterways, exacerbate flooding, disrupt the navigation of boats, interfere with recreational activities such as fishing, and remove oxygen from the water…” Strong wording “Their impact is now so significant that they are considered to be one of the greatest threats to biodiversity worldwide.”

Tips and tricks Who is your audience? Think about who you are writing for or speaking to - what is important to them and how can you get them on side? “Many families enjoy visiting the beach, and by volunteering to help clean up litter here you can help to ensure it is a safe place for your children to play, as well as protecting the environment.”

Tips and tricks Think about why people might disagree with you By thinking about what the opposite point of view might be, you can prepare counter-arguments and answers to questions. “Some people support poaching because they think rhino horn can be used as a medicine, but scientists have shown it has no medicinal properties.”

Tips and tricks Be personal - use words such as “we” and “us” Make the reader or audience feel like you are one of them, and that they ought to be on your side. “Climate change is an issue which affects all of us - surely it is time that we took action.”

Tips and tricks The rule of threes Try and use three adjectives when describing something to help drive home your message. “Shopping online is fast, safe and convenient.”

Tips and tricks Emphasise the issue! Don’t be afraid to emphasise your point - use strong words to highlight the importance of the issue and get your point across. “Habitat loss is a serious problem for endangered species. Thousands of species are already on the brink of extinction, and without protection many will disappear completely within our lifetime.”

Tips and tricks Ask questions Pose questions to which there is only one possible answer, or ask a question and then answer it yourself. “Are you really too busy to spend five minutes each day sorting your recycling?” “But does recycling really make a difference? Yes it does - recycling a single tonne of paper can save 17 trees.”

Tips and tricks Use facts and figures If you have impressive facts, figures or statistics, you can use them to help make your case. “Energy saving light bulbs use 80 percent less energy than a standard bulb and will last around 10 times longer.”

Your task You will be given some general information about invasive non- native species and a card outlining a real campaign relating to this issue and what people can do to help. Using the information from these cards, your task is to write an article for the school paper or newsletter. In the article you need to persuade people that: Invasive species are a serious problem. There are simple ways we can stop invasive species spreading. Everyone should get involved and help stop the spread.

Things to remember: Who is your audience? Why might people disagree with you? Be personal The rule of threes Emphasise the issue Ask questions Use facts and figures where possible