1. PERSUASIVE WRITING

2. Main Goal
Convince your audience that your ideas are valid OR
More valid that someone else’s
Convince your audience to do something or believe something
Backup Goal
If nothing else, you should strive to make your audience think about your topic in a new light

3. The art of speaking and writing effectively
Rhetoric
The art of speaking and writing effectively

4. Aristotle Greek philosopher
Claimed in any given case, you can observe and determine the most effective way of persuasion
Divided the means of persuasion into three categories:
Ethos (credibility)
Pathos (emotional)
Logos (logical)

5. Ethos: How do we do it? How NOT to do it: Stay consistent
Do your research
Have confidence
Straddle the line
Choose your side and don’t go back
How NOT to do it:

6. Pathos: How do we do it? How NOT to do it:
Flattery—you will be more persuasive by complimenting someone and being positive
You may want to arouse anger or pity
Create an emotion by setting a scene
Be descriptive—show, don’t tell!
Never insert direct appeal (ex: “At this point, you should be crying…”)
You can’t force it! Be natural.
How NOT to do it:

7. Logos: How do we do it? State your argument within the first paragraph
Repetition is key
Rebuttal: the part of the argument where the writer acknowledges and counters the opposing view—this must be in your papers!
Put yourself in the shoes of your opponent
Think about objections and say it before your opponent can

8. Persuasive writing… Is convincing
Has a clear position and is focused on that position
Has more than one argument to support a position
Is elaborated on using reasons, well-chosen and specific details, examples, anecdotes, facts, and/or statistics as evidence to support arguments
Is organized to make the best case for your position with an opening including the position statement and an effective persuasive conclusion, such as a call to action
Anticipates and refutes the opposing opinion
Uses transitions to connect position, arguments, and evidence
Shows commitment to position with voice and language appropriate for the audience
Uses specific words, phrases, and persuasive strategies that urge or compel to support a position

9. Use persuasive writing to…
Support a cause (Please support my team by buying these coupons)
Urge people to action (Vote for Pedro)
Make a change (The school should serve better lunches)
Prove something wrong (Cars do not cause global warming)
Stir up sympathy (If you don’t adopt this dog, it could be put to death)
Create interest (Better grades lead to a better job and more money)
Get people to agree with you (I’m sure that you will agree that Reese’s are the best candy)

10. Example:
Some late work counts as 70% credit, giving kids a C-, which is passing. Some kids are happy because they think a C- is a good grade. How can we allow students to turn in all of their work late but still earn a passing grade? The kids that have C-s don’t care about their work because even if they turn it in late, they can still get a passing grade. These kids have sort of twisted the grading system to benefit themselves. This can no longer be allowed.

11. Audience Awareness KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
The audience is who will read your writing
The audience may be your teacher, your parents, your friends, or even the President of the United States
Knowing who your audience is helps you decide:
How to connect with the ideas, knowledge, or beliefs of the person or group
What information to include
What arguments will persuade him/her/them
How informal or formal the language should be

12. Clear Position
The writer must clearly state or imply his or her position and stay with that position
The position is stated generally in the opening paragraph or introduction

13. Persuasive Language
Choosing just the right words or phrases to use at just the right time with just the right audience
Precise words:
Trigger strong feelings
Seizes
Snarls
Dumbstruck
Repeated words or phrases
For emphasis
“I Have a Dream” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
Different connotations
Positive or Negative
Mean or strict
Dead or passed away
Used or pre-owned

14. Persuasive Strategies: Expert Testimony
Evidence in support of a fact or statement by a person thought to have special skills or knowledge
“The effort put in reflects the outcome,” says Professor Plum from the University of Washington. I must say that I have to agree with this powerful message.

15. Persuasive Strategies: Anecdote
A personal experience inserted into your writing in which the audience sees your own expertise or knowledge, and as a result will support your position
Even an A student like myself can forget an assignment once in a while! I think every student should be entitled to the right of having at least one “late pass” per quarter.

16. Persuasive Strategies: Compromise or Problem Solving
When you create a solution that is in between the two points of view
Even if you don’t choose my position on this argument, at least consider this: Make late work be at the teacher’s discretion. Let the teachers decide a fair punishment or penalty, or if late work will be accepted at all. Thank you for taking my ideas into consideration.
I also understand that some students would choose not to do their homework and do it later. But I have solutions to this problem, too. A student could have to bring a note signed by a parent or guardian that says why a student brought his or her work in late. An alternative solution is that homework can only be accepted a select number of days after it was due.

17. Persuasive Strategies: Statistics
Using facts & statistics to support your position
Sixty-three percent of teachers surveyed on late homework say they would truthfully rather give kids zeros than go through the hassle of grading late homework. Teachers don’t want to waste their time with procrastinators. The No Late Homework Rule will further support this belief.

18. Persuasive Strategies: Rhetorical Questions
Questions that have obvious answers; often used to involve the audience, create interest, and to introduce your position or argument
“I’m sorry. I left my work at home. My mom just had a baby, so I was taking care of her, and I just ran out the door without it.” Your teacher smiles at you. “It’s okay, I understand. Just bring it in tomorrow.” Isn’t that a better situation than, “Oh, too bad! You don’t get any credit for it”?

19. Organizational Structures
Concession & counter argument (rebuttal)
Acknowledging or recognizing the opposing viewpoint, conceding something that has some merit, and then countering it with another argument
Causal Chain
A chain or cause/effect events
Can be used for an entire essay or for a portion of an essay
If you give us more time for a break, we will get more homework done, so our grades will be better, and our parents will be proud.
Compromising or Problem Solving
Proposing a compromise or suggesting a solution to a problem
Order of importance
Ordering arguments from least to most important (or vise versa) to persuade an audience