· Logos
o Appeal of logic
§ Is your argument logical
o The logic used to support a claim
§ Induction and deduction
o Can also be the facts and statistical used to help support the argument
· Ethos
o Appeal of self
§ Does your audience like you due to how you act, speak or write
o The source’s credibility
o The speaker/author’s authority
· Pathos
o Emotional appeal
§ Why should your audience care
§ What is in it for them
o The emotional or motivational appeals
§ Vivid language
§ Emotional language
§ Numerous sensory detail
· Self Interest
o Things that make a good persuasive argument
o Self connection
o Self interest
§ What is your connection to your subject or argument
§ If you are not passionate or invested, your audience won’t be
o The writer’s credentials to hold an opinion on the subject is vital. Why did you choose this topic? Your passion should come out. If an audience feels that the writer is competent, qualified or passionate about an issue they are more likely to believe the writer’s position.
o Self Interest = Ethos
§ The writer should state why they have a right to talk about a subject. Often this comes out through a short narration or personal story. The story can act as an example and proof of the writer’s knowledge and expertise in the subject
· Expert Testimony
o Interviews, quotes, documentation with experts that back up your opinion
o Make sure you state how the quote backs up your ideas
o If the writer is not an expert on the subject, or even is she/he is an expert, evidence in the field is valuable to the credibility of the writer’s arguments
o Think Logos and Ethos
· What is an expert
o Someone:
§ With a PhD
§ Who has published a book on the subject
§ Who works for in a special or specific field
§ Recognized by others
· Quality of reasoning
o Can you offer facts, statistics or supporting details
o This is research driven
o If an argument is sound and is backed up by facts, figures and supporting details, it is more likely to be accepted
o Research is often required for facts and statistics
o Logos
· Facts:
o Things that can’t be refuted
· Statistics:
o Surveys, collected data
· Flaws in opposing arguments
o Point out the flaws of your opposition
o If you can present the reader with the opposing side’s view and discuss the faults or flaws I their view, you are more apt to persuade a reader
§ Do it in a nice, ethical way
§ DON’T call them stupid
o It’s just as important to acknowledge and secede an argument that you can’t refute. It shows your audience that you’ve thought about the other side
· Opposing arguments
o Know both sides
o If you can relate to your opponents argument while backing up your own, people will believe you more
o In order to understand a topic, you must understand both sides
o Think logos and ethos here
· What about your audience?
o PATHOS
o Appeal to audience’s self-interest
§ What’s in it for me?
o The audience is more likely to believe an argument if there is something in it for them
o People want to know WHY they should support your opinion
§ If we do this than… (Benefits)
§ If we don’t do this than… (Harms)
o Benefits
§ The rewards, the good things that happen if the audience adopts your arguments or plan
o Harms
§ The bad things that will happen is the audience doesn’t accept your argument position or plan.
· Make it New!
o Choose a topic that is:
o Original
o New
o Radically different
o A new twist on an old topic
o Think ETHOS and PATHOS
· DON’T!!!
o THINGS TO AVOID
§ Irrational evidence
§ Generalities
§ Arguments that make little sense
§ Data that doesn’t back up your position
§ Mud Slinging
· Do not persuade your audience by attacking your opponent’s character this is considered unethical. It discredits you to intelligent audiences
§ Emotional persuasion
§ An appeal to feelings, passions and prejudices rather than logic
§ Most commercials appeal to emotions
§ Propaganda
· The weighted words to arouse feelings against a person, an idea, a political party, a class, a nation
§ Hitler used emotional persuasion
§ Transfer of emotions or ideas from sources that have little, if anything, to do with your topic
§ Use of quotation from men or women who are not experts in the field of your argument
§ Do not quote famous people just because they are famous
§ Oversimplification
EX- abortion is wrong because life is life.
· DO!!!
o Have self Interest
o have expert testimony
o Use data, statistics, and logic
o Refute your opponent’s arguments
o Think about audience self interest
o Make it new!
· Hook
o First thing the reader reads and supposed to draw the readers attention
§ Jokes
§ Questions
§ Hypothetical situations
§ Stories
§ Anything interesting
o What makes a good hook is something that ties to the thesis statement
· Thesis Statement
o A statement
o NOT question
o Needs to be obvious
o Usually one sentence
· Order of development
o Main points
· Thesis Statement
o A declarative sentence
§ The more specific the better
· Order of Development
o 1st paragraph
§ hook
§ thesis
§ order
o 2nd paragraph
§ defines the problem
o 3rd paragraph
§ Shows why the problems needs to be addressed
o 4th paragraphs
§ Offers solutions
o Conclusion
§ Wraps everything up
