Persuasive WritingWriting whose Purpose is to CHANGE MINDS

and BRING ABOUT ACTION

What is the Difference

between

Persuasive and

Expository Writing?

What is the Difference between

Persuasive and

Expository Writing?Expository Writing – Only Explains or Informs

Persuasive Writing – Gives information in order to bring about Change

Expository Writing Includes ?????

Expository Writing Includes

Facts, Statistics, Illustrations, Quotes, Examples, Personal

Experiences in order to give the reader information.

“So,” you ask, “what does

Persuasive Writing Include?”

Good Question. Persuasive writing, because its

purpose is to convince someone to think what you

want them to think or do what you want them to do, requires

support for your side.

So what form does that support come in? It comes in the form of

Facts, Statistics, Illustrations, Quotes, Examples, and Personal Experiences.

Sound Familiar?Yes, grasshopper, the Information is the Same as you would use for an expository paper; it is just Used

Differently.

Good Persuasive Writing is made up of

Appeals to Emotion and Appeals

to Logic.

Appeals to Emotion target the reader’s

Feelings and Psychological Needs, such as the need to feel young and attractive, the need to be loved,

the need to fit in.

Appeals to Logic target the reader’s

Ability to Reason.Appeals to logic are more

difficult to express well and take more time to develop.

Like any other type of writing, good

Persuasive Writing takes its Audience

into account.

The Audience you are writing for determines which facts, statistics, illustrations, quotes,

examples, and personal stories you include.

For example, if you are trying to convince your parents to let you attend a concert, you will include certain information about time, place, chaperones, companions, and transportation which would

convince them of the appropriateness and safety of the event.

On the other hand, if you are trying to convince your best buddies to go to the same concert with you would include information about time, place, chaperones (or lack

thereof), companions, and transportation which would

convince them of the fun-factor of the event.

Appeals to Emotion Target a Person’s Feelings and Are

Developed Quickly – Within Seconds – Therefore Most

Advertising is Based on Emotional Appeals.

Emotional Appeals are made through the use of

colors, pictures, and descriptive words with

strong positive or negative connotations.

Advertising Techniques 1Cardstacking – using evidence that will

only prove one side of the storyName Calling – Labeling someone or

something with a generality instead of looking at the individual.

Glittering Generalities – Using words or phrases that sound particularly patriotic

or impressive with nothing to support them.

Advertising Techniques 2Transfer – Showing someone famous or very attractive using a product so your positive feelings about that person will

transfer to the product.Guilt by Association – the opposite of

transfer: using someone very unattractive in an ad against something, so you will

associate the negative feelings about the person to the product.

Advertising Techniques 3Testimonial – Very similar to transfer, but

the famous person lends his/her name and may actually speak in the ad saying

that they use the product and how great it is. The purpose is the same as transfer.

Plain folks – shows ordinary people using ordinary products “just like you.” Usually

used to sell the things everyone needs and uses on a daily basis.

Advertising Techniques 4

Snob Appeal – the opposite of plain folks appeal; it features the rich and beautiful

buying things only they can afford.Bandwagon – the “everybody’s doing it” approach. It suggests that something is good or right because it has widespread

support, and that if you use it, you will be accepted as one of the “in” group.

Advertising AssignmentDivide into groups, pick or invent a

product, choose an advertising technique, and write and perform a commercial for that product. The performance may be

live or videoed, and everyone in the group must participate. Also you must choose a

color scheme, create a mock-up of your product, and include some sort of visual

in your ad.

Appeals to Reason (Logic)

Persuasion through logical reasoning is called

argumentation, and includes both deductive

and inductive reasoning.

Deductive ReasoningBegins with a Generalization, adds a related statement, and ends with a specific conclusion (like an upside

down pyramid).This 3-step process is called a

Syllogism. It is very similar to an If…then statement in Geometry.

Example of a Syllogism

All high school seniors must take 4 years of English (generalization).

Hannah is a high school senior (related statement).

Therefore, Hannah must take 4 years of English (specific conclusion).

For a Deductive Syllogism to work, it

must meet the rules of logic: it must be both

truthful and valid.

To be both truthful and valid the following 3 requirements must be met:1. The first two statements must both be

true.2. The first statement must contain a

universal (all or nothing) group (all seniors).

3. The second statement must establish an individual as a member of the universal group (Hannah is a senior).

4. Therefore, whatever applies to the entire universal group must also apply to each individual within that group.

Inductive Reasoning takes many individual pieces of specific evidence

and from them, draws a general conclusion (like a normal pyramid).

This is the most common type of reasoning that we do on a daily basis.

It is basically same as the scientific method, and like a hypothesis, you

can never be 100% sure you are right.

False Reasoning (aka Logical Fallacies)

Have you ever been arguing with someone and you knew there was something about their argument that wasn’t quite logical, but you couldn’t put your finger on exactly what it was? If so, you have encountered a logical fallacy. Next time you’ll be able to call that

person on it.

Common Logical Fallacies 1Begging the Question – Drawing a conclusion

without providing proof, just assuming it is true.Ignoring the Question – When the conclusion does

not address the main issue; it may address a peripheral issue, but does not address the primary

point being discussed.Ad Hominem Argument – Latin phrase meaning “to the man.” This fallacy is when a personal attack is

made on an individual in order to avoid addressing the real issue. It happens often in political

campaigns and is often called “poisoning the well.”

Common Logical Fallacies 2Oversimplification – When the arguer draws a simple

conclusion about a complex problem. This often happens with cause – effect arguments. Rarely is

there a simple cause or solution for a complex situation.

Either-Or Argument – Where a person draws extreme conclusions or offers extreme solutions and

ignores the possibility of any other variations in between. For example, “Marry me tomorrow or never see me again” is an example of either-or

reasoning.

Common Logical Fallacies 3False Comparison (aka false analogy) – trying to

compare two things to support your point that upon closer examination really cannot be compared.

(See packet for example)