Persuasive Writing

Do You Want to Argue and Win?

You Can Win!!

1. What are some arguments that you have wanted to win? List them and the opponents.

arguments opponents

Opponents

1. Who are they:

Friends?

Parents?

Teachers?

Authority?

2. What is important to them?

3. Put yourself in their shoes!

Do you realize…

If you use certain strategies, you can be convincing?

In this writing exercise, you will sharpen your skills.

Believe it or not:

There are strategies to winning an argument.

Writing a Persuasive Piece

1. Choose a point of view to establish your position on an issue.

2. Consider the purpose of your essay.3. Try to understand the audience and influence that

audience. 4. Use convincing arguments to prove your position.5. Support each argument.6. Provide logical order with good transitional words.7. Open and close the piece effectively.

1. Choose a point of view.

• Make a t-chart

• Place the 2 opposing points of view on each side

• List 3 arguments for each

• Ask yourself, “Which argument can I defend best?”

• Select that one as your point of view.

2. Consider the purpose of the piece.

• What is your goal?

• What do you hope the reader to believe or to do after they read your piece?

3. Audience

Try to understand the audience and influence that audience. (You need to know what makes them tick, so you can conquer them with your views).

Who is your audience?

What is important to them in this issue?

4. Arguments

Use convincing arguments.

You must be persuasive!

Remember: you want to win!

5. Support

• Present argument with support.• Come up with facts, details, and examples

to back up your argument.

• Be specific.

.Use strong vocabulary in your arguments.

Opposition Argument• Disprove the opposing argument. Understand the

opposite viewpoint of your position and then counter it by providing contrasting evidence or by finding mistakes and inconsistencies in the logic of the opposing argument.

• The word opposition means there is another side to the argument. You need to guess what the opposite side might argue, and give reasons against that side.

The following are different ways to support your argument:

Facts - A powerful means of convincing, facts can come from your reading, observation, or personal experience.

◦ Note: Do not confuse facts with truths. A "truth" is an idea believed by many people, but it cannot be proven.

Statistics - These can provide excellent support. Be

sure your statistics come from responsible sources.

Always cite your sources.

Quotes - Direct quotes from leading experts that support your position are invaluable.

Examples - Examples enhance your meaning and make your ideas concrete. They are the proof.

6. Provide logical order.

As you write and reread your writing:• Do you make sense?• Are you clear?• Did you use transitional words to connect

your ideas? See examples at:http://departments.weber.edu/writingcenter/Grammar%20and%20Punctuation%20Handouts/Transitions1.htm

7. Open and close the piece effectively.

• Review your notes on good introductions and closings.

• Grab the reader’s attention.

• Satisfy the reader’s need to know that you have finished your points.

Remember:

Neatness is essential for the audience to understand your ideas. Do not forget you want to convince him or her that you are right! Do not leave them guessing.

Writing Situation:

• Think of a product that you use on a regular basis. What would have happened if the inventor didn’t market his or her product well? I imagine you wouldn’t be using that product, and the inventor wouldn’t be the rich person he or she is today. When a person advertises, he or she is trying to persuade the general public to buy into a product or an idea by appealing to an emotion or desire. Don’t believe me? Think of a commercial. I bet that the commercial you thought of first is one that evokes some sort of an emotional response. At the very least, it has a catchy tune, right???

• I am sure you have guessed by now that you are going to create an ad for something, so here is your task. You and your partner are entrepreneurs. You have created a new product or service together and need to figure out the best, most effective way to market and sell your product or service. By the end of this unit, you are going to have a brochure, a commercial (radio or television), and a magazine or billboard.

Pre-write

Make sure you understand the situation and your task. Read and re-read.

1. Choose a product or service.

2. Make a t-chart, and list 3 arguments for it. For Product Against Product

Pre-write cont’d

3. What is your purpose? Be clear about this. Take a minute to think this through clearly.

4. Who is your audience? What is their point of view? What do they care about? Put yourself in their shoes.

5. Once you have chosen a product, use an outline to brainstorm support for your product.

Plan your brochure, then write!

6 Parts to your Brochure:

1. Cover

2. Explanation of product

3-4. Persuasive paragraphs

that appeal to emotions, etc.

5. Diagram, picture

6. Company information (address, email, phone #)

2 6 1

3 54

Outside

Inside

Extra Tips ;-)

• Include similes and/or other figures of speech.

• Be descriptive; appeal to the senses.

• Include a semicolon.

• Use multi-syllabic words.

• Use sensory details; appeal to your audience’s senses.

Proofread

Check:

• Spelling

• Punctuation

• Capitalization

• Run-ons/Fragments

The End