1. Persuasive Writing Convincing others of a stated opinion or belief
Example: An article arguing in favor of raising the minimum wage

2. Thesis/Claim
The thesis or claim of a persuasive writing or speech is the main focus of the argument
Example: Anna Quindlen’s “Stuff is Not Salvation” makes the claim that Americans are addicted to buying things they do not need.

3. Counterargument
A counterargument recognizes the opponent’s position and refutes it
Example: Anna Quindlen in “Stuff is Not Salvation” acknowledges there are real needs people must spend money on, but they are things like tuition, medication, food, and rent.

4. Logical Appeals (Logos)
A technique used in persuasive writing or speaking
Attempts to reach the “mind” of the audience
Supported by evidence such as facts, statistics, quotations, and examples

5. Emotional Appeals (Pathos)
A technique used in persuasive writing or speaking
Attempts to reach the “heart” of the audience and create an emotional response
Writers or speakers may use loaded language, imagery etc…

6. Ethical Appeals (Ethos)
A technique used in persuasion that taps into people’s morals and values. It appeals to their sense of doing what is “right.”
Often focuses on the speaker/author’s credibility

7. Repetition Using the same words/phrases more than once for effect
Example: Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech uses the phrase “I have a dream” throughout the speech.

8. Parallelism
Words, phrases, clauses, and sentences with a similar structure
Example: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…” from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

9. Rhetorical Questions
A technique used in persuasive writing or speaking
Questions asked purely for effect that are not meant to be answered .
Everyday Example: “Have you lost your mind?”

10. Loaded Language
uses words with strongly positive or negative connotations to stir people’s emotions
Example: For the safety of our innocent children, we must protect our community from rampant crime.

11. Logical Fallacies
Errors in reasoning that make an argument invalid; trying to persuade others using untrue statements
Circular reasoning
False cause and effect
Hasty generalizations
Personal attacks

12. Logical Fallacies
Circular Reasoning: Making statements that seem like reasons, but are really just restating the author/speaker’s opinion
False Cause and Effect: Stating that one event caused another when the two events are unrelated

13. Logical Fallacies
Hasty Generalizations: Presenting broad statements as facts when they are actually based on only one or two cases or situations.
Personal Attacks: Focusing on an opponent’s character or judgement rather than the issue at hand.

14. Analogy
A comparison used to explain something complex or unfamiliar by relating it to something familiar
Very similar to a metaphor, but usually longer and addresses a more complex idea