How Do Writers Persuade You?

1. How Do Writers Persuade You? Feature Menu Persuasion Types of Evidence Logical and Emotional Appeals Expository Critique Your Turn

2. Persuasion Persuasion is everywhere. Persuasive people can get you to see things their way: • Believe this! • Change that! • Trust me! Persuasion is the use of language or images to get us to believe or do something.

3. Persuasion For writers, persuasion starts with an opinion—a belief—about a subject. Opinion People should donate food and supplies to the Hebron Humane Society now. The writer then tries to convince, or persuade, you to accept this opinion.

4. Persuasion If A is true . . . . . . then B must be true. To build an argument, a persuasive writer will use logic, or correct reasoning. When you use logic, you put information together to make a reasonable conclusion.

5. Persuasion For logic to work, each point should follow from the other in a clear, sensible way. If A is true . . . . . . then B must be true. The government has cut funding for the Humane Society animal shelter. Therefore, the shelter staff need more help from the community.

6. Persuasion For a persuasive argument to be logical, it must be supported by reasons and evidence. Reasons tell why writers hold particular opinions. People should donate because the Humane Society benefits the entire community. Evidence is support or proof that backs up the reasons. Sheltering homeless animals keeps them off the street.

7. Persuasion Evidence is the foundation of persuasive writing. Writer’s Opinion Reason 1 Reason 2 Reason 3 Evidence for Reason 1 Evidence for Reason 2 Evidence for Reason 3

8. Persuasion The evidence and reasons support the opinion. People should donate food and supplies to the Hebron Humane Society now. Supplies are low. The shelter benefits the community. Humane Society is low on funds. Some of the cats do not have beds or toys. People can adopt a dog or cat for a very small fee. Budget was cut by $50,000 last year.

9. Persuasion Quick Check What reason does the writer give for his opinion? The school board should include money for new buses in next year’s budget. We need new school buses as soon as possible. The old ones are not reliable. Last spring, three different buses broke down, leaving students stranded on their way to school. These students waited an average of two hours for another bus to pick them up. What evidence does the writer give to support this reason? [End of Section]

10. Types of Evidence To get you to believe or do something, writers have to present convincing evidence. Facts Quotations Statistics Examples Anecdotes

11. Types of Evidence Facts • statements that can be proved true • can be confirmed in reliable sources (books, newspapers, encyclopedias) Every pet at the Humane Society shelter is spayed or neutered before being adopted.

12. Types of Evidence Quotations • comments people have made about a topic Adirect quotationis a person’s exact words: “The staff helped us pick out just the right cat for us,” said Mrs. Lucy Fernandez of South Hebron.

13. Types of Evidence Quotations • comments people have made about a topic An expert opinionis a statement by someone who is an expert on the subject: Regional director Gary Stokes commented, “All animal welfare groups rely on help from their communities.”

14. Types of Evidence Statistics • information presented as numbers • may be given in the text or in a chart or graph Text In the past three years, the cost of operating the shelter has increased by $30,000. Chart

15. Types of Evidence Examples • specific illustrations of a general idea For instance, a number of cats went without their regular shots because there was no money left in the budget.

16. Types of Evidence Examples A case studyis a special type of example based on scientific research. In a long-term study, Lynette Winters, D.V.M., showed that pets adopted from shelters where conditions were good made better, healthier pets than those adopted from less desirable shelters.

17. Types of Evidence Anecdotes • brief personal accounts that illustrate a point On several occasions, Jared Epps, an adoption counselor at the shelter, has had to leave his desk, drive to a nearby pet store, and buy food for the animals himself, using his own money.

18. Types of Evidence Quick Check For each item, identify the type of evidence. Choose from the list below. • “If there were a convenient, safe trail, I would ride my bike to work most days,” said Ms. Brenda Gibson of Ridgecrest. • The city has not added any new bike paths since 1998. • A recent survey showed that 1 in every 30 city residents currently uses a bicycle to get to and from work or school. examplequotationstatisticsanecdotefact [End of Section]

19. Logical and Emotional Appeals 1 Logical appeals When you read a persuasive article or essay, look for two different types of arguments: • support the argument with facts and other sound evidence • target the reader’s thinking ability If every household in Hebron would donate one twenty-pound bag of food, the shelter could feed its animals for a full year on those donations alone.

20. Logical and Emotional Appeals 2 Emotional appeals When you read a persuasive article or essay, look for two different types of arguments: • use evidence that affects feelings • often appeal to emotions such as fear, pity, and love Think of the poor homeless pups and kitties. Do you really want them to suffer any more than they already have?

21. Logical and Emotional Appeals Effective persuasive writing often uses a combination of logical and emotional appeals. Opinion: People should donate food and supplies to the Hebron Humane Society now. Logical Appeal Emotional Appeal The shelter cares for more than two thousand homeless pets every year and finds them loving homes. What will happen to these animals if the Humane Society runs out of food, supplies, and money? +

22. Logical and Emotional Appeals Be careful when reading a persuasive article or essay. • Don’t be swayed by emotional appeals alone. • Make sure the writer’s position is also supported by solid evidence.

23. Logical and Emotional Appeals Quick Check Identify each statement as either a logical appeal or an emotional appeal. • Volunteering helps young people learn about work and think about careers they might like. • Many senior citizens would go hungry if it weren’t for the volunteers who bring them meals. • Students who volunteer in their communities grow up to be more successful than those who do not. [End of Section]

24. Expository Critique Critique, or evaluate, all forms of persuasion carefully to judge if the opinion is valid. Express your evaluation by • making assertions about the opinion and the argument • supporting your assertions with citations

25. Expository Critique An assertion is a statement or a claim. A citation is evidence from a text that backs up or supports an assertion. ASSERTION ASSERTION Citation Citation Citation ASSERTION When you make an assertion about a text, you need to support your statement with evidence.

26. Expository Critique Follow these steps to make an assertion about a text: Identify the author’s opinion. Identify the author’s evidence and decide whether it is convincing. Evaluate your assertion. Is it reasonable? Is it supported by accurate evidence from the text? Make your own assertion about the argument. Support your statement with citations.

27. Expository Critique What assertion can you make about the article “The Global Classroom” based on the text below? In the time it takes the social studies teacher to spin the globe, her students can connect with classrooms on the other side of the country—or the other side of the world. Many schools use e-mail and online exchanges that link students throughout the world. The International Education and Resource Network (iLEARN) is a network of schools teaching students aged 5 to 19 in more than 115 countries. Students and teachers interact in more than 30 languages to carry out online projects with peers worldwide.

28. Expository Critique Assertion: The Internet is a valuable tool for a global education. In the time it takes the social studies teacher to spin the globe, her students can connect with classrooms on the other side of the country—or the other side of the world. Many schools use e-mail and online exchanges that link students throughout the world. The International Education and Resource Network (iLEARN) is a network of schools teaching students aged 5 to 19 in more than 115 countries. Students and teachers interact in more than 30 languages to carry out online projects with peers worldwide.

29. Expository Critique What evidence backs up the assertion that the Internet is a valuable tool for a global education? In the time it takes the social studies teacher to spin the globe, her students can connect with classrooms on the other side of the country—or the other side of the world. Many schools use e-mail and online exchanges that link students throughout the world. The International Education and Resource Network (iLEARN) is a network of schools teaching students aged 5 to 19 in more than 115 countries. Students and teachers interact in more than 30 languages to carry out online projects with peers worldwide.

30. Expository Critique Evidence: These pieces of text are citations that support the assertion. In the time it takes the social studies teacher to spin the globe, her students can connect with classrooms on the other side of the country—or the other side of the world. Many schools use e-mail and online exchanges that link students throughout the world. The International Education and Resource Network (iLEARN) is a network of schools teaching students aged 5 to 19 in more than 115 countries. Students and teachers interact in more than 30 languages to carry out online projects with peers worldwide.

31. Expository Critique You can use a chart like this one to keep track of your assertions and citations.

32. Expository Critique Quick Check In the twenty-first century, however, Arabic is increasingly being seen as a language that’s helpful to know in a changing world. At several high schools in Seattle, students are learning to read, write, and speak Arabic in after-school programs. Students at Annandale High School in Virginia are already in their third and fourth years of the language. from “The Global Classroom,” by Barbara Bakowski Based on the underlined facts, what assertion might you make about Arabic and U.S. schools? [End of Section]

33. Analyze Persuasion Your Turn • Give an example of a statistic you’ve heard or read. What opinion might it support? • Describe a television commercial you’ve seen that included an emotional appeal. To which emotion did it appeal? What assertion can you make about the commercial?

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