1. Honors Sophomore English

2. What is Persuasive Writing? Definition: persuasive writing… seeks to convince its readers to embrace the point-of-view presented by appealing to the audience’s reason and understanding through argument and/or entreaty.

3. Persuasive Genres You encounter persuasion every day. TV Commercials Letters to the Editor Junk mail Magazine ads College brochures Can you think of other persuasive contexts?

4. Steps for Effective Persuasion Understand your audience Support your opinion Know the various sides of your issue Respectfully address other points of view Find common ground with your audience Establish your credibility

5. When to Persuade an Audience Your organization needs funding for a project Your boss wants you to make recommendations for a course of action You need to shift someone’s current point of view to build common ground so action can be taken

6. Persuasion vs. Argument Persuasion and argument are often used interchangeably Persuasion is a broad term, which includes many tactics designed to move people to a position, a belief, or a course of action Argument is a specific kind of persuasion based on the principles of logic and reasoning

7. The Importance of Argument and Persuasion In everyday life… Appealing a grade, asking for a raise, applying for a job, negotiating the price of a new car, arguing in traffic court In academic life… Defending your ideas, engaging intellectual debate On the job… Getting people to listen to your ideas, winning buy-in, getting your boss to notice, getting cooperation, moving people to action In writing… Irrefutably making your point, writing to be read In reading and listening… Critically evaluating other’s arguments, protecting yourself from unethical persuasive tactics, recognizing faulty reasoning when you see it.

8. What exactly is an Argument? An argument involves the process of establishing a claim and then proving it with the use of logical reasoning, examples, and research.

9. The Essential Ingredients of an Argument An issue open to debate Your position on the issue Your reasons for that position Evidence to support your reason Experience, expert opinion, research and statistics

10. Understanding Your Audience Who is your audience? What beliefs do they hold about the topic? What disagreements might arise between you and your audience? How can you refute counterarguments with respect?

11. Understanding Your Audience What concerns does your audience face? For example: – Do they have limited funds to distribute? – Do they feel the topic directly affects them? – How much time do they have to consider your document?

12. Understanding Your Audience Help your audience relate to your topic Appeal to their hearts as well as their minds. Use anecdotes when appropriate Paint your topic in with plenty of detail Involve the reader’s senses in these sections

13. Logos Example: A Snickers bar has 280 calories and 30 grams of sugar. That’s not very healthy. Facts, numbers, and information can be very convincing.

14. Pathos Example: Your donation might just get this puppy off the street and into a good home. Getting people to feel happy, sad, or angry can help your argument.

15. Ethos Example: Believe me! I’ve been there before. I’m just like you. If people believe and trust in you, you’re more likely to persuade them.

16. Researching an Issue Become familiar with all sides of an issue. -find common ground -understand the history of the topic -predict the counterarguments your audience might make -find strong support for your own perspective

17. Researching an Issue Find common ground with your audience For example: Point of Opposition: You might support a war, whereas your audience might not. Common ground: Both sides want to see their troops come home.

18. Researching an Issue Predict counterarguments Example: Your Argument: Organic produce from local Farmers’ Markets is better than store-bought produce. The Opposition: Organic produce is too expensive.

19. Researching an Issue One Possible Counterargument: Organic produce is higher in nutritional value than store-bought produce and is also free of pesticides, making it a better value. Also, store-bought produce travels thousands of miles, and the cost of gasoline affects the prices of food on supermarket shelves.

20. Support Your Perspective Appeal to the audience’s reason – Use statistics and reputable studies Cite experts on the topic Do they back up what you say? Do they refute the other side?

21. Cite Sources with Some Clout Which source would a reader find more credible? The New York Times http://www.myopinion.com Which person would a reader be more likely to believe? Joe Smith from Fort Wayne, IN Dr. Susan Worth, Prof. of Criminology at Purdue University

22. Establish Credibility Cite credible sources Cite sources correctly and thoroughly Use professional language (and design) Edit out all errors

23. Cite Sources Ethically Don’t misrepresent a quote or leave out important information. Misquote: “Crime rates were down by 2002,” according to Dr. Smith. Actual quote: “Crime rates were down by 2002, but steadily began climbing again a year later,” said to Dr. Smith.

24. Tactics to Avoid Don’t lecture or talk down to your audience Don’t make threats or “bully” your reader Don’t employ guilt trips Be careful if using the second person, “you”

25. Bias, what is it? Bias is a particular tendency or inclination, especially one that prevents unprejudiced consideration of a question; prejudice Synonyms: predisposition, preconception, predilection, partiality, proclivity; bent, leaning. Bias, prejudice mean a strong inclination of the mind or a preconceived opinion about something or someone. A bias may be favorable or unfavorable: bias in favor of or against an idea. Prejudice implies a preformed judgment even more unreasoning than bias, and usually implies an unfavorable opinion: prejudice against a race. predispose, bend, incline, dispose.

26. Close Analysis Reveals There Are Subtle Indications of Bias Objective—based on factual information Subjective—based on feelings or opinions

27. Bias through Selection or Omission BIAS THROUGH SELECTION An editor can express bias by choosing not to use a specific news item Details can be ignored or included to give readers or viewers a different opinion about the events reported If during a speech, people “boo”, it might not even be mentioned. BIAS THROUGH OMISSION Bias through omission of stories or details can only be detected while comparing news reports from a wide variety of outlets.

28. Bias Through Placement Readers judge front page stories as the most significant. Where a story is placed influences what a reader or viewer thinks about its importance Some murders and robberies receive front page attention while others are only briefly mentioned on page 15 Ex. A local editor might campaign against the owning of hand guns by giving prominent space to every shooting with a hand gun and gun- related accident in his paper.

29. Bias by Headline Headlines are the most read part of a paper. They summarize and present carefully hidden bias and prejudices. They can convey excitement where little exists. They can express approval or condemnation.

30. Bias through Statistics and Crowd Counts To make a disaster seem more spectacular, numbers can be inflated. Ex. “One hundred injured in train wreck” can be the same as “Passengers injured in train wreck” Crowd counts are notoriously inaccurate. A reporter might estimate a crowd of several thousand if he/she agrees with the purpose of the assembly—or much smaller is he/she is critical of the crowd’s purpose or beliefs. News magazines use specific numbers to enhance believability.

31. Bias by Source Control To detect bias, always consider where a news item “comes from.” Is the information supplied by a reporter, an eyewitness, by police or fire officials, or by government officials? The question of who is quoted in an article can point to bias. Consider who is quoted and what the quote implies or reveals. Think about what perspectives are unrepresented or remain silent in the article.