Chapter 3: Persuading Your Audience

Chapter 3
Persuading Your Audience
Technical Communication,
13th Edition
John M. Lannon
Laura J. Gurak

Copyright © 2014, 2011, 2008 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Learning Objectives
 Appreciate the role of persuasion in technical

communication
 Identify a specific persuasive goal for your
document
 Anticipate how audiences may react to your
argument
 Respect any limitations such as company
rules or legal constraints
 Support your argument using evidence and
reason

Learning Objectives (continued)
 Understand that cultural differences may

influence audience reactions
 Prepare a convincing argument


Persuasion
Persuasion means trying to influence
someone’s actions, opinions, or decisions. In
the workplace, we rely on persuasion daily.


Implicit and Explicit Persuasion
Almost all workplace documents have an
implicit or explicit persuasive goal:
Implicit persuasion assures readers that the

information provided is accurate, the facts are correct,
and the writer is fluent, competent, and knowledgeable.
Explicit persuasion seeks to win readers over to a
particular point of view about an issue that is in some
way controversial.


Identify Your Specific
Persuasive Goal
Before you undertake writing a persuasive
document, first consider what you want it to
accomplish, and realize that goals may overlap.
Do you want to:
 Influence people’s opinions?
 Enlist people’s support?
 Submit a proposal?
 Change people’s behavior?


Try to Predict Audience Reaction
and Expect Resistance
 Also consider how your audience might react

to your argument. Reaction depends on how
controversial the argument is or if it conveys
bad news. The audience will accept or resist.
 Audiences will accept an argument for any of
three reasons: compliance (acceptance
under pressure), identification (acceptance
for personal reasons), or internalization
(acceptance because the argument makes
good sense). Aim for internalization.

Try to Predict Audience Reaction
and Expect Resistance (continued)
This graphic illustrates the three types of
audience acceptance:


Know How to Connect
with the Audience
Three ways of connecting with an audience are
the power connection, the relationship
connection, and the rational connection.


Allow for Give and Take
Make a balanced argument, with both sides of
the issue considered evenly and fairly:
explain the reasoning and evidence behind your

stance
invite people to find weak spots in your case, and to
improve on it
invite people to challenge your ideas


Ask for a Specific Response but
Don’t Ask for too Much
 Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want when

making an argument. Let people know what
you want them to do or think.
 However, remember that any request that
exceeds its audience’s “latitude of
acceptance” is doomed.


Recognize All Constraints
Constraints are limits or restrictions imposed
by the situation when you make an argument:
Organizational constraints: Constraints based on

company rules.
Legal constraints: Constraints based on the law.
Ethical constraints: Constraints based on honesty
and fair play.
Time constraints: Constraints based on the right
timing.
Social and psychological constraints: Constraints
based on audience.

Support Your Claims Convincingly
The most persuasive argument will be the one
that presents the strongest case—from the
audience’s perspective. You must:
Offer convincing evidence: The evidence must have

quality, use credible sources, and be reasonable. Types
of evidence are factual statements, statistics, examples,
and expert testimony.
Appeal to common goals and values: Consider what
the audience also wants to accomplish and how they
feel.


Consider the Cultural Context
Reaction to persuasive appeals can be
influenced by a culture’s customs and values.
Be aware of the following considerations:
Recognize that cultures differ
Understand the importance of face saving in all

cultures
Learn all you can about various business cultures


Review Questions
1. What is the definition of persuasion?
2. What is the difference between implicit
persuasion and explicit persuasion?
3. What is identifying your persuasive goal
important and what are three types of
persuasive goals?
4. Why is it important to predict your
audience’s reaction?
5. What are the three types of audience
acceptance and how do they work?

Review Questions (continued)
6. What are the three types of audience
connection and how do they work?
7. Why is it important to allow for give and take?
8. What are the five types of constraints on an
argument and what do they each mean?
9. In what two ways can you support your claims
convincingly?
10. What three things can you do to ensure you
consider the cultural context in an argument?

Chapter 3: Persuading Your Audience

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Chapter 3: Persuading Your Audience

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