The ultimate goal of all persuasion is action four sub-goals: adoption, discontinuance, deterrence, continuance of a particular behavior.

Adoption – an action that asks listeners to demonstrate their acceptance of an attitude, belief, or value by performing the action suggested by the speaker. Example: Assume you never wanted to donate blood, but then you see a commercial pleading for blood to help victims of a recent disaster. If you give blood the next day, you would be displaying adoption.

Discontinuance – the opposite of adoption Discontinuance – the opposite of adoption. When your action goal is discontinuance, you want your listeners to stop doing something. Example: You want your listeners to stop using illegal drugs, so you focus on all the problems drugs use can cause.

Deterrence – an action goal that asks the listeners to demonstrate their acceptance of an attitude, belief, or value by avoiding a certain behavior. Example: If you don’t eat junk food, don’t start now. If you don’t own a gun, don’t buy one. If you support busing to promote school integration, then don’t vote to eliminate the law.

Continuance – an action goal that asks the listeners to demonstrate their continued acceptance of an attitude. Example: Keep jogging for your health. Keep reading for pleasure. Stay involved in extracurricular activities. Keep buying from your locally owned store.

Evaluate your audience How does your audience feel about your topic? Agree, disagree, ambivalent, apathetic What motivates your audience to action? Logic, emotion, credibility? What is your audience’s age, gender, status, educational level? Why should your audience care about your topic? Your answers to these questions will determine the techniques you use to move your audience to action.

Aristotle’s Persuasive techniques Logos – logical reasoning based on evidence present facts and statistics Pathos – emotional reasoning that helps the audience identify with the writer's point of view and to feel what the writer feels use vivid language, emotional language, sensory details, anecdotes Ethos - the speaker's/author's authority or believability focus on style and tone to promote an honest and trustworthy reputation.

Critiques of great speeches http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/video-critiques/ Dalton Sherman Martin Luther King, Jr. Barack Obama

Effective persuasive writing techniques Repeat signature phrase to emphasize a central theme - Anaphora, Epistrophe (all three) Repeat key theme words (all three) Make your speech personal for everyone (all three) Use specific examples (all three) Use the rule of three (Obama) Make clear divisions in your argument (all three) Use quotations and/or allusions (MLK) Amplify words by drawing contrasts (Obama) Utilize figurative language – metaphors, analogies, (MLK) Add sound devices – alliteration, cacophony, euphony (all three) Address your critics (Obama) http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/video-critiques/

Assignment You will be placed in groups of three As a group, choose a topic and decide a goal for action (Adoption, discontinuance, deterrence, or continuance) Bullying in school Language in school Expectations in school Each group member will write a speech to either the BV student body, the BV teachers and administrators and school board, or BV parents. Each group member must choose a different audience than the rest of the group members.

Analyze your audience Brainstorm the best persuasive techniques to move your audience to action – must include three techniques in your speech/essay Limit your essay to 300-350 words. Do not include the header or title in your word count Limited to four linking verbs Use proper formatting – 12 pt Times New Roman, 1 inch margins, double space (look at notes for descriptive essay) Due Friday at the beginning of class. No credit will given for a late paper because peer editing will take place on Friday. Final paper will be due Monday