Persuasive Techniques Used in Writing

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Persuasive Techniques Used in Writing

• Orhow to get what
  you want!

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What are PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES?

• Persuasive techniques are the strategies authors
  use to make their writing more convincing.
• Persuasive techniques
• Get a readers attention
• Emphasize a point
• Polish the writing

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Why are we learning about Persuasive Techniques
in English class?

• You might be asked to identify one or more of
  them on the AIMS Reading Test.
• You will be asked to identify one or more of them
  on the District Benchmark Exam.
• Identifying the techniques can help you judge the
  effectiveness of persuasive essays, editorials,
  and arguments.
• You can use these techniques in your own writing!

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ANALOGY

• DEFINITION a comparison of similar ideas, often
  used to explain a complex situation by showing
  how it is like a simple one
• EXAMPLE Boot camp is like one long piano lesson
  grueling, but ultimately rewarding.

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CAUSE AND EFFECT

• DEFINITION This technique demonstrates that two
  or more things are connected by stating that one
  causes another.
• EXAMPLE Many studies show that eating 200
  carrots a day causes a person to become smarter.

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OVERSTATEMENT (hyperbole)

• DEFINITION a deliberate exaggeration for
  emphasis or effect
• EXAMPLE With a Herculean effort, straining every
  muscle in her young form, Jane answered the phone.

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REPETITION

• DEFINITION occurs when words are repeated in
  order to make a stronger impact on the reader
• EXAMPLE The people of this city deserve a mayor
  they can trust, a mayor they can respect, a mayor
  they can count on.

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RHETORICAL QUESTION

• DEFINITION a question that prompts the reader to
  think, but which the writer does not answer
  because the answer is usually obvious to the
  reader
• EXAMPLE Who among us has not dreamed of the day
  when we can soar among the clouds using only the
  power of our minds?

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SENTENCE VARIETY

• DEFINITION occurs when the length and structure
  of sentences is varied in order to make certain
  statements stand out more
• EXAMPLE In high schools all over the country,
  students are being fed lunches that are neither
  tasty nor nutritious. This MUST stop!

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UNDERSTATEMENT

• DEFINITION the deliberate expression of an ideas
  as less important than it actually is
• EXAMPLE One passenger described the plane crash
  as rather upsetting.

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LogicalAppeal (a.k.a. rational appeal)

• DEFINITION This is persuasive writing that
  appeals to the part of humans that likes to
  think. It tries to persuade us by giving what
  appear to be good, solid reasons to share the
  authors point of view. It uses facts,
  definitions, cause and effect, etc.
• EXAMPLE Many studies show that the most
  successful way for a student to improve his
  reading level is to READ!

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EMOTIONAL APPEAL

• DEFINITION This is when the writer appeals to
  powerful emotions, such as our love of country,
  family, peace, and justice, as well as to our
  fear and hatred of the things that threaten us.
• EXAMPLE Students, if you truly care about your
  grades and your futures, you will earn your AR
  points!

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APPEAL TO AUTHORITY

• DEFINITION This is when writers rely on their
  authority, credibility, or general character.
  They present themselves as trustworthy. They may
  have education or personal experience that makes
  them an authority, or they may get their
  information from others who do, mentioning
  experts as sources to lend credibility.
• EXAMPLE The English 10 teachers know from
  experience that the most successful students are
  those who come to school every day, pay attention
  in class, and complete all class assignments like
  AR and Study Island.

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Ethical Appeal
Definition making by linking it to a persons,
groups, societies, or accepted idea of what is
right and wrong. The idea to provide a moral
reason for action on the part of the audience.
Example Cutting funding to PBS and the arts will
deprive many young people of an outlet to the
arts which is essential to the development of any
society. Pointing out that it would be wrong
because it affects the society with an adverse
and possibly imoral action.
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Sense of Altruism
Definition this appealing to a persons sense of
duty and motivation to serve others.
Example- We have to act now on the subject of
global warming not for ourselves but for our
children and our childrens children. Appealing
to a persons sense of duty to their children or
posterity.
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Getting on a Bandwagon
Definition Creating a sense of group or being a
part of a group in motivating the audience to
action.
Example Over 40,000,000 Americans support
global warming legislation and so must all of us
that are interested in making a future for the
children of tomorrow. Group of 40,000,000 group
of parents group Americans all create
affiliation identification.
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Follow the Rule of Three
Definition people tend to remember and operate
in groups of three. In persuasion it is
presenting things of tremendous importance in
groups of three.
Example Global warming is going to affect the
young, the old and even the weak the most
therefore, action is imperative. Groups young old
weak all groups that may not be able to help
themselves.
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Slippery Slope
Definition-- states that a relatively small first
step leads to a chain of related events
culminating in some significant effect, much like
an object given a small push over the edge of a
slope sliding all the way to the bottom
Example If every person in the US would not
drive 1 mile a day that they are now driving
global warming could become non-existent. Slope
not driving the mile leads to no more global
warming
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Now you try!

• Write down the 10 persuasive techniques on your
  whiteboard.
• Make a box next to each technique.
• Read the examples on the following slides.
• Make a check in the box that identifies the
  technique used for each example.

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Name that technique!

• Studies show that watching the History Channel
  will positively impact a students grade in World
  Studies.

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Cause and Effect!

• Why? What are your clues?
• You have a cause Watching the History Channel.
• You have an effect Positive impact on grades.

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Can you figure out this one?

• Havent you ever wanted to just kick back, relax,
  and watch some really bad TV?

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Rhetorical Question!

• What was your context clue?
• The question mark?
• No real answer expected!

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How about this one?

• We can learn from TV in the morning we can learn
  from TV in the afternoon we learn from TV in the
  evening.

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Repetition!

• Why?
• Repeated words!

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Heres another one!

• Watching too much TV will fry every cell in your
  brain.

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Overstatement! (hyperbole)

• What were your context clues?
• Watching TV cant literally fry your brain.
• This is an exaggeration!

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This one?

• Watching TV all the time is like becoming a
  vegetable, namely a potato.

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Analogy!

• What was your clue?
• The word like is often used in analogies!

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And this one?

• Americans view too much television 50 watch at
  least three hours every day.

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Appeal to Reason!

• Your clue?
• The numbers and !

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Whats this one?

• Watching your very favorite TV show with all of
  your friends can be mildly entertaining.

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Understatement!

• The clue?
• The word mildly is the biggest clue in this
  statement.

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And this one?

• Many parents use childrens TV as a babysitter,
  or worse, as a substitute mother or father.
  Instead of reading to their children, they plop
  them in front of the television. If we want to
  raise childrens reading levels, the TV must be
  turned off. Parents, dont abdicate your job!

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Sentence Variety!

• What was your tip-off?
• Three long sentences.
• One short sentence.

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How about this one?

• Every elementary school principal in the state of
  Arizona agrees that watching too much television
  is detrimental to their students.

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Appeal to Authority!

• How did you know?
• The principal! (Hes an authority!)

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Whats this technique?

• Parents, if you truly love your children and care
  about their futures, you will turn off the TV and
  take them for a walk.

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Emotional Appeal!

• Your clues?
• Love.
• Care.

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One more

• Completing the practice homework will be the most
  fun you have had this entire year in English 10!
• What persuasive technique have I just used?
• You are correct!
• It is OVERSTATEMENT!!

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What ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE did this POWER
POINT use?