1. Standards for persuasive nonfiction
writing



ELACC9-10RI8 – Delineate and evaluate the
argument and specific claims in a text, assessing
whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is
relevant and sufficient; identify false statements
and fallacious reasoning.
ELACC9-10W1: Write arguments to support
claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts,
using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient
evidence.
ELACC9-10W4: Produce clear and coherent
writing in which the development, organization,
and style are appropriate to task purpose and

2. Essential Question
How do persuasive messages
shape behaviors, values,
and/or beliefs?
 As you think about this
question, consider persuasive
messages that have affected
you personally.


3. Persuasive
Rhetoric
Changing the minds of others.

4. The Four Elements of
Communication
Purpose
•Audience
•Subject
•Medium
•

5. What is Persuasive
Rhetoric?
Persuade: to get others to believe or
act in a certain way; To win over; To
convince
 Rhetoric: the art of written or spoken
language

PERSUASIVE RHETORIC:
the art of persuasion through


6. There are many reasons people try to
persuade others:



Companies use advertisements to persuade
consumers to purchase their products.
Peers sometimes use persuasion to get others
to join them in an activity.
People use persuasion to share their ideas
when they feel strongly about something and
they want others to agree.

7. •What TO DO in
persuasive writinG
*Be aware of your purpose,
audience, subject, and medium
*Use persuasive appeals
*Use persuasive techniques
How you strengthen your argument

8. Plato and Aristotle



Plato had a student named
Aristotle.
They were both influential
Greek philosophers in the
300 BCs.
Aristotle identifies three
PERSUASIVE APPEALS.

9. Persuasive Appeals

Ethos (Ethical Appeal)

Pathos (Emotional Appeal)

Logos (Logical Appeal)

10. Ethical Appeal (Ethos)



GOAL: Make the audience trust the speaker
Based on shared moral values, such as the
audience’s sense of justice, right, and virtue
Example: Buy Sparkledent! We are the
company America has trusted for 98 years!

11. Who does the advertisement want you to trust?

12. Emotional Appeal (Pathos)






GOAL: Tug at the heart strings of the
audience.
Words or pictures that appeal to the your
emotions.
They appeal to positive emotions like your
desire for success.
They can also appeal to negative emotions
like fear.
They often use emotional words, such as
luxury, beautiful, paradise, economical.
Example: Save the Children. Feed the
Children.

13. Ads with
emotional
appeal
Emotional appeal
– injury to healthy
images; language

14. Logical Appeal (Logos)



GOAL: Convince the audience by presenting
reasonable ideas
Advertisers try to convince you to make the right
decision, smart decision or best choice in
purchasing their product
Examples: It makes sense to buy this
 Smart moms choose JIF
 Save time and money with this
 Shop smart, buy here

15. This ad
provides
a list of
logical ,
wise
reasons
why you
should
never
start
smoking.

16. STOP
HERE!!!!!!

17. Persuasive Techniques

18. Persuasive Techniques
Bandwagon
•Hard Evidence
•Compare/Contrast
•Repetition
•
Anecdote
•Rhetorical Questions
•Language Devices
•Slogan
•

19. BANDWAGON

In this technique, people
persuade others to join them by
convincing others that everyone
else is doing it, too.

20. For Example:

A friend convinces another friend to go to a
party by saying, “Everyone is going to be
there! You’ll be laughed at if you don’t go,
too!”

21. Example:

Be where the action is. Shop at
Hang-out Mall.

22. Hard Evidence–
Facts, Figures, and Statistics

In this persuasive technique,
numbers, tables, and graphs are
used to show statistics of both sides.

23. Hard Evidence Example

An advertisement might read, “This product
kills 99% of your germs.”
Surveys may be conducted and
the results graphed to show people’s opinions.


24. Hard Evidence Example

This medical
company uses
statistical
evidence to get
its point across.
…more than 80% of
people who get heart
attacks have high
cholesterol…for 2 out
of 3 people…Lipitor
lowers bad cholesterol
39-60%...

25. Compare and Contrast
Two items are compared to
convince that one is better
than the other.


26. Compare and
Contrast Example

Many companies
compare other
brands to prove
theirs is better.
They may use
testimonials,
facts and figures,
or compare and
contrast to get
their point across.

27. Repetition



Words or phrases in an
advertisement are repeated
several times for effect.
Repetition gets your attention and stresses a
slogan or product
Repeating something helps you remember the
product or ad

28. Repetitio
n
 What is repeated
in this ad?

29. Example

“Head on, apply directly to
the forehead. Head-on,
apply directly to the
forehead. Head-on, apply
directly to the forehead.
Head-on, apply directly to
the forehead.”

30. Slogan

A catchy phrase

31. Anecdote – a short personal
story
Example

Proactive or weight loss commercials where real
people tell about their struggles

32. Rhetorical Question


A question meant to provoke thought
The question is not meant to be answered.

34. Language Devices

Similes, Metaphors, Personification, Etc.
simile

35. Language Device: Simile
(comparing two unlike
things using the words like
or as)

36. More Persuasive Techniques
Sound Devices (alliteration,
consonance, assonance)
Triadic structure (3 words,
sentences, or clauses
organized into groups of three
to create a memorable impact)
Incentives


37. 

EXAMPLES
TRIADIC (THREE) STRUCTURE:
YOUR goals, YOUR dreams, YOUR future: We’ll help you get there.
For all your mortgage needs: Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc.

INCENTIVES

Sabine’s Enchanted Grooming




New clients: 10% off any service with coupon. Cannot combine with
any other discount.
Sound devices - ASSONANCE: A Real Deep Clean -- The e and a
sounds are repeated for a pleasing and memorable sound quality.
CONSONANCE - (Willie’s Carpet Care Commercial and Residential
Cleaning)– repetition of c sound are repeated for memorable sound.
Sound devices – ALLITERATION: Slide on down to Silly Sam’s
Steakhouse

38. Are you an ad
detective?
 Play this ad detective game!
 Look at the following pictures
and find the advertisement
technique or
appeal being
used.

39. Bandwagon
This persuasive technique tries to
persuade everyone to join in and do the
same thing.

40. Bandwagon
This technique tries to persuade
everyone to join in and do the same
thing. ANSWER: BANDWAGON

41. Emotional Words
Which
appeals?

42. Emotional Words
Which
appeals?
ANSWER:
PATHOS
(EMOTIONAL
APPEAL)
ANSWER: LOGOS
(LOGICAL APPEAL)

43. Name-calling
Which persuasive technique is being used? Negative
words are used to create an unfavorable opinion of the
competition in the viewer's mind.

44. Name-calling
Negative words are used to create an unfavorable
opinion of the competition in the viewer's mind.
ANSWER: COMPARE AND
CONTRAST; IT ALSO USES
ETHOS TO BRING OUT
NEGATIVE EMOTIONS.

45. Compare & contrast
Another example of compare and contrast: The viewer is led to
believe one product is better than another, although no real
proof is offered.

46. A QUESTION IS ASKED TO PROVOKE
THOUGHT; IT IS NOT MEANT TO BE
ANSWERED
Need your check
cashed?
 Colony Bank now
provides check
cashing services.


47. A QUESTION IS ASKED TO PROVOKE THOUGHT;
IT IS NOT MEANT TO BE ANSWERED Answer:
Rhetorical Question
Need your check
cashed?
 Colony Bank now
provides check
cashing services.


48. Which language device is being used?

49. Which language device is being used?
ANSWER: SIMILE

50. Sample
Letter in
Block
Format
Dear Dr.
Yoyvitch and
CDC Selection
Committee:
123 Winner's Road
New Employee Town, PA 12345
March 16, 2001
Ernie English
1234 Writing Lab Lane
Write City, IN 12345
Dear Mr. English:
The first paragraph of a typical business letter is
used to state the main point of the letter. Begin
with a friendly opening; then quickly transition
into the purpose of your letter. Use a couple of
sentences to explain the purpose, but do not go
in to detail until the next paragraph.
Sincerely,
Lucy Letter

51. Sample
Letter
Format
Dear Dr.
Yoyvitch and
CDC
Selection
Committee:
SS
DDRE
.’S A
DR. Y
YO
SS
DDRE
UR A