Persuasion

What Is It?

•Persuade – To convince someone to change their stance or opinion of something

Elements of an Argument

Every argument is made up of the following elements:

1. Thesis - A statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved.

ex. Abortion should be made illegal.

Elements of an Argument

• 2. Claims – A reason given to support a thesis

• - Solid arguments include 2-4 claims.

• ex: Abortion should be illegal because some aborted fetuses are living things.

Evidence

• Evidence - the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid.

• - Every claim should be supported by at least two pieces of evidence.

ex: Some aborted fetuses have a heart beat. Therefore, the fetuses are living things.

What’s the Thesis?

• Every day, lives are taken by lung cancer. A large majority of these cancer patients are long time cigarette smokers. Because cigarette smoke is so harmful, cigarettes should be banned in America.

What is the claim?

• Cigarettes should be banned because not only are they harmful to the smoker, but the second hand smoke from cigarettes are also harmful to those around the smoker. In 2013, over 42,000 people were diagnosed with lung cancer who never smoked but had family members who smoked in the home. Innocent people everywhere are seeing the negative side effects of cigarette smoking, despite never touching a cigarette themselves.

What is the Evidence?• Cigarettes should be banned because not only are they

harmful to the smoker, but the second hand smoke from cigarettes are also harmful to those around the smoker. In 2013, over 40,000 Americans were diagnosed with lung cancer who never smoked but had family members who smoked in the home. Innocent people everywhere are seeing the negative side effects of cigarette smoking, despite never touching a cigarette themselves.