1. Persuasive Terms
persuasive essay: uses logic and reasoning to persuade readers to adopt a certain point of view or take action
propaganda: uses emotional appeals and often biased, false, or misleading information to manipulate people to think or act in a certain way
thesis: sentence that clearly states your position or controlling idea

2. Persuasive Terms
counter-argument: acknowledging readers’ divergent views and refuting them
call to action: how you want the reader to think or act
supporting evidence: details, such as facts, expert opinions, or quotations that logically support your argument
connotation: the emotional response evoked by a word
denotation: the literal meaning of a word

3. Rhetorical Slanters: words chosen to put a negative or positive spin on what the speaker or writer is saying
rhetorical analogy: use of a figurative comparison (ex. metaphor or simile) to convey a positive or negative feeling toward the subject Example: “The environment needs global warming like farmers need a drought.”
rhetorical definition: use of emotively charged language to express or elicit an attitude about something Example: Capital punishment is “government-sanctioned murder.”

4. Rhetorical Slanters
rhetorical explanation: expressing an opinion as if it were fact, and doing so in biased language Example: Joe “didn’t have the guts to fight back” as compared to Joe “did not take a swing.”
innuendo: use of language to imply that a particular inference is justified, as if saying “go ahead and read between the lines.” Example: “Think carefully about whom you choose; you want a president who will be ready to do the job on day one.”

5. Rhetorical Slanters
downplayers: use of qualifier words or phrases to make someone or something look less important or significant. Example: “She got her “degree” from a correspondence school.”
truth surrogates: hinting that proof exists to support a claim without actually citing that proof. Example: “There’s every reason to believe that …”
ridicule/sarcasm: use of language that suggests the subject is worthy of scorn. Example: “…the news media themselves are impervious to the predispositions and prejudice that afflict their audience.”