Introduction to Persuasion
Elements and Techniques
Are you persuaded?
1. What techniques are used to persuade an audience?
2. Who is trying to persuade you?
3. What are they trying to persuade you to do?
4. What is the role persuasion plays in politics? In media?
5. What is the advantage of being aware of persuasive techniques?
6. Do you believe you are always aware of the persuasive techniques that target
you?
7. When you recognize that a person or organization is trying to persuade you, what is
your reaction?
Why is being knowledgeable about persuasion important to
you?
What is Persuasion?
 Persuasive text - text written with the intent to persuade or convince the reader of
something
 Purpose - the intended goal of a piece of writing; the reason a person writes
 Audience - the intended target group for a message, regardless of the medium
Purpose and Audience?
Flu.gov
Style, Tone, and Diction
 Diction - choice of words in speaking or writing for clear and
effective expression
 Style - the way something is written, in contrast to its content
 Tone - the author’s particular attitude, either stated or implied in the
writing
Appeals of Persuasion
 Logical Appeal (Logos) – Appeals to logic (common sense)
 Uses numbers, facts, statistics
 Emotional Appeal (Pathos) - Appeals to peoples’ emotions
 Anger, sadness, happiness, fear, humor, vanity (how you look)
 Ethical Appeal (Ethos) – Appeals to morals and ethics (right and
wrong). Also uses experts’ opinion.
 Appeal to character – expert testimony, trustworthy or credible
speaker
Common Persuasive Techniques
 Testimonial – Relies on endorsements from
famous people or satisfied customers
 Bandwagon – Appeals to people’s want
to be part of the group.
 Everybody else loves Justin Beiber’s music,
and you don’t want to be left out, so you
do too!
 Plain Folks Appeal – Implies that ordinary
people are on “our side.” They are like a
regular person so they are more credible.
 Political candidates
 Snob Appeal – Appeals to desire to
achieve status or wealth, or to feel
superior
 Slogan – Memorable phrase used in a
campaign. Remember and associate
 “I’m lovin’ it”
 Taste the Rainbow
 Comparison – Comparison between
competition
 AT&T vs. Verizon Maps
 Repetition
 Glittering Generality – Using words that have
only positive connotations attached to them.
 Loaded words - Using words with strong
connotations -whether negative or positive.
Rhetorical Devices – used to enhance argument
 Rhetorical Question – does not require an answer because the answer is obvious.
 Antithesis – contrasting ideas are presented. “I call not one, but all to take action.”
 Repetition – Use of same word or phrase more than once for emphasis.
 Parallelism – Repetition where grammatical pattern is repeated.
 “That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights;
that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
 Overstatement – An exaggeration to make a point
 A matter of life and death, the most generous person in the world
 Understatement – Making something seem less important than it is.
 I had to have a minor surgery. Just a quadruple bypass.
Logical Fallacies
 Fallacy – Error in logic that causing faulty reasoning and argument
 Circular Reasoning – Repeating a statement by using different words
 Liberty is essential to humankind. People must have it.
 Hasty Generalization – Conclusion drawn from too little evidence or from biased evidence
 Senator Smith voted against the bill. He is an enemy of freedom
 Non Sequitur – Conclusion based on illogical “proof” offered to support it.
 The candidate is hugely popular. He must be the best candidate.
 Slippery Slope – Based on idea of chain reaction with illogical evidence.
 If we put more regulations on agriculture, our food supply will disappear and we will all starve and
die.
 Name Calling (ad hominem)- Attacking the person rather than their opinion or view.
"Logical Fallacies." Purdue Online Writing Lab. Ed. Ryan Weber and Allen Brizee.
Purdue University, 11 Mar. 2013. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.
Allen, Janet. Holt McDougal Literature: Texas American Literature. Evanston, IL:
Holt McDougal, a Division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010. Print.
Basics of an Argument
 An effective argument should include:
 A claim – statement of position on an issue
Support for the claim – reasons and evidence
Counterarguments – statements that anticipate or refute any opposing views
Sound Logic and effective language
 A Conclusion that sums up reasons or the call for action