1. THE ART OF PERSUASION: An Introduction to Argument and Persuasion
WHAT IS A PERSUASIVE ARGUMENT?
THE ART OF PERSUASION: An Introduction to Argument and Persuasion

2. A persuasive argument is a communication/message that appeals to a listener’s or reader’s—
Reason
Values
Beliefs
Emotions

3. WHY ARE PERSUASIVE ARGUMENTS USED?

4. Why are persuasive arguments used?
To convince you to accept the writer’s or speaker’s position
To change your mind or point of view
To challenge you to act (buy a product, contribute to a campaign)

5. THE GOAL
The goal of argumentative writing is to persuade your audience that your ideas are valid, or more valid than someone else’s.

6. What kind of persuasive messages do you encounter?

7. What kind of persuasive messages do you encounter?
Media: advertising, commercials, radio ads, TV shows, internet ads, infomercials, editorials
Oral communications: Political messages, speeches
Images: TV shows, magazines, billboards, print ads

8. PERSUASION AND ARGUMENT ARE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES
Persuasion influences someone to do something by making promises and/or appealing to emotions, beliefs, and values.
Argument is a form of persuasion that relies on logical thought and reasoning.

9. COMBINE BOTH TO CREATE A WINNING MESSAGE
Most persuasive messages and communications combine both reason and emotion.

10. WHO PERSUADES YOU? Politicians, advertisers, organizations
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
To make an informed decision or to make choices that are in your own best interest, you must know how to read between the lines.

11. HOW ARE WE PERSUADED? THREE PILLARS OF PERSUASION
The Greek philosopher Aristotle
divided persuasive appeals into
three categories:
Ethos—body
Logos—brain
Pathos—heart

12. ETHOS relates to the character of the writer/speaker.
WE ASK—
Who is speaking?
Is the speaker credible?
Is the speaker believable? Trustworthy?

13. Appeals to logic and reasoning
Facts, statistics, authorities

14. Appeals to emotions, such as – Sympathy Pity Fear Regret Vanity

15. THE FOUR PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES
How would you influence people?
Create a message that —
Appeals to emotions
Appeals to values
Appeals by association
Appeals through word choice or rhetoric (the art of speaking or writing effectively and persuasively)
We will take notes on each, so you can wait to write them

16. 1. Emotional Appeal Trying to produce strong emotions in your audience to gain support
Smoking causes premature aging

17. 2. THE VALUES APPEAL Draws on people’s moral standards

18. We will take notes on each, so you can wait to write them
3. ASSOCIATION APPEAL Persuading you to do what others do (so you can “associate” with them
A. Bandwagon Appeal
B. Plain Folks Appeal
C. Testimonial
D. Transfer
We will take notes on each, so you can wait to write them

19. A. BANDWAGON APPEAL Taps into people’s desire to belong or be a part of a group

20. A. BANDWAGON APPEAL Taps into people’s desire to belong or be a part of a group
Liking isn’t helping

21. B. PLAIN FOLKS APPEAL The speaker is (or pretends to be
B. PLAIN FOLKS APPEAL The speaker is (or pretends to be!) an Average Joe, a regular person, who can understand the concerns of ordinary people
trust

22. C. TESTIMONIALS Endorsements from celebrities or satisfied customers

23. D. TRANSFER Connects a product, candidate, or a cause with a positive image or idea

24. 4. RHETORIC / WORD CHOICE: repetition, parallelism, questioning
Vs.

25. 4. WORD CHOICE/RHETORIC: repetition, parallelism

26. RHETORICAL QUESTIONS:
responses need not apply…
A figure of speech in which the person asking the question is trying to make a point and is not interested in the actual answer to the question
Mercy For Animals is a 501(c)(3) non-profit animal rights organization focused on promoting a vegetarian diet.

27. Still Confused? Maybe a little silliness from Shmoop can clear it up for you!
Ethos, Logos, and Pathos by Shmoop

28. Time to practice! With a little more silliness…
Choose one of the following prompts and write a short persuasive piece, using one or more of the techniques you just learned about:
As a citizen of your town, you want to convince the city council that pets should wear clothing. At their next meeting, you will have the chance to state your case. Prepare an explanation telling why animals want to dress up, why the public wants pets to wear clothes, and what sorts of outfits pets might wear for different occasions or in various settings.
A dragon has made a nest in a large tree in your backyard, and the two of you have just started becoming friends. How will you persuade your parents to let it stay?
Invent a crazy new summer sport you would like to add to the Summer Olympics, such as underwater boxing, parachute biking, or dolphin wrestling. Write a letter to the International Olympic Committee in which you describe your sporting event and persuade them to consider adding it as an event in the 2024 Summer Games.
While on vacation with your grandparents in Hawaii, you see an advertisement offering a 2-for-1 deal on a snorkeling or parasailing excursion. Make a list of reasons why your elderly grandma should do one of these activities with you.

29. As a citizen of your town, you want to convince the city council that pets should wear clothing. At their next meeting, you will have the chance to state your case. Prepare an explanation telling why animals want to dress up, why the public wants pets to wear clothes, and what sorts of outfits pets might wear for different occasions or in various settings.
A dragon has made a nest in a large tree in your backyard, and the two of you have just started becoming friends. How will you persuade your parents to let it stay?
Invent a crazy new summer sport you would like to add to the Summer Olympics, such as underwater boxing, parachute biking, or dolphin wrestling. Write a letter to the International Olympic Committee in which you describe your sporting event and persuade them to consider adding it as an event in the 2024 Summer Games.
While on vacation with your grandparents in Hawaii, you see an advertisement offering a 2-for-1 deal on a snorkeling or parasailing excursion. Persuade your elderly grandma that she should do one of these activities with you.