Persuasive Text
How do writers
persuade their
audience?
What are various methods writers use to
persuade their audience?
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•
•
•
•
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Cause / effect
Fact / opinion
Main idea
Argument
Evidence
Opposition
Let’s look at a few …
When might
each of these
methods
prove to be
the most
persuasive?
Cause / effect
Effective cause / effect
Clearly states claim or position on
an issue
Supports it with good evidence /
logical reasoning
Present the cause and present the effect
Argument
An effective argument
Clearly states claim or position on
an issue
Supports it with good evidence /
logical reasoning
Presents opposing views /
explains their weaknesses
What are various forms of media
that people use to persuade the
public?
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•
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Advertisements
Personal letters
Speeches
Editorials
Political cartoons
Let’s take
a look …
How do these ads
persuade people to
buy Coke?
Considered to be the first political
cartoon in America, what was the
author, Benjamin Franklin, trying to
persuade the readers?
Strategies for reading
persuasive writing
Look for statement of main issue
or problem & author’s position
Evaluate the evidence – facts,
statistics, opinions – do they
support the author’s position?
 Evaluate the evidence that
opposes the author’s position
Evaluating Reasoning
•In a persuasive argument, the author uses evidence
and reasoning to support his/her position.
•A good reader evaluates the evidence and reasoning
to ensure the statements are true.
•There are four types of faulty reasoning to watch out
for:
~ overgeneralization
~ either-or fallacy
~ cause-and-effect fallacy
~ circular reasoning
Overgeneralization
Broad statement
that says something
is true for every
case with no
exceptions.
All princesses are
beautiful, tiny blondehaired, blue-eyed girls
that have to be rescued
by Prince Charming!
Excuse me?!
Either – or fallacy
Author states that there are only two
possible ways to view a situation or only
two options to choose from.
People either like
Mickey Mouse or
the strongly dislike
him!
Cause – effect fallacy
Author makes the assumption that because one
event follows another, the second event was
caused by the first.
President Theodore Roosevelt took
office in September 1901 after
President McKinley was
assassinated. Therefore, San
Francisco suffered a major
earthquake in 1906.
Circular reasoning
An attempt to support a statement by simply
repeating it in other words.
Killer whales are magnificent animals
because they are so awesome!
Evaluating Evidence
You need to carefully examine the
evidence the author presents.
•Ask the following questions about the
evidence …
~Is it a fact or an opinion?
~Is it adequate?
~Is it accurate?
~Is it appropriate?
Fact or opinion?
Ask … is the author’s statement a
fact or an opinion?
Pandas are the cutest of all animals!
Adequate?
There needs to be enough evidence presented
to support the author’s statement.
Chimpanzees are very smart animals because they use
tools, they exhibit emotions, and they solve problems.
Accurate?
To increase accuracy, the evidence needs to
come from a reliable source.
Green eggs are much better with ham per Dr. Seuss.
Appropriate?
The evidence needs to apply to the topic
AND be free of stereotyping, bias,
emotional appeal, and propaganda.
Some African tree
frogs are very
poisonous.
When evaluating evidence,
beware of alluring tactics!
•Emotional appeal
•Stereotyping
•Propaganda
•Bandwagon
•Scapegoat
•Bias
Emotional appeal
Please send money for the poor, starving sea
monkeys! Just a mere $.79 a day will feed a
family of three for a week! Don’t wait! Send
money today!
Stereotyping
All ogres are mean, evil,
and can’t be trusted!
Propaganda
All sharks are mean, lean, eating
machines and must be destroyed!
Bandwagon
Seeing the fun all the other boys were having,
Pinocchio jumped on the bandwagon and joined
in! Then, he realized the danger he was facing!
Scapegoat
It’s Pete and his dragon that caused all the
trouble! Let’s kick them out of town!
Bias
Disney’s Tarzan was the best Disney movie!
None of the others are worth seeing!
Card Stacking and Name Calling
• Distort the
truth, use lies
and associate
people with
negative
labels .
Famous People influence Us!
Testimonials and
Transfer
Snob Appeal
Plain Folks and Band Wagon
•
Plain Folks
Everyone loves “Coke!’
Shopping at Target is
terrific!
•
Band Wagon
Everyone has an IPod, even
cartoon characters….
Let’s summarize
How do writers persuade their audience?
•Cause / effect
•Argument
•Presenting evidence
Let’s summarize
What various forms of media do people
use to persuade their audience?
•Political cartoons
•Advertisements
•Personal letters
•Editorials
•Speeches
Let’s summarize
What do good readers do when reading
persuasive text?
•Read critically
•Question
•Evaluate evidence
Let’s summarize
What strategies can a good reader use to
help make sense of persuasive writing?
•Look for main issue / problem
•Author’s purpose
•Evaluate evidence
Let’s summarize
What should a reader look for when
evaluating the evidence an author presents?
•Accuracy
•Adequacy
•Appropriateness
•Fact or opinion
Let’s summarize
What alluring tactics should a reader be
aware of when reading persuasive text?
•Emotional appeal
•Stereotyping
•Propaganda
•Bandwagon
•Scapegoat
•Bias
Ticket out the door
3 – List 3 alluring tactics to be aware of
2 – List 2 ways to evaluate evidence
1 – List 1 way people stereotype teenagers
Homework:
Locate two ads that
contain examples of
propaganda, attach them
to paper and write an
explanation of what
types of propaganda are
used and how.
.
Bandwagon
• A movement or cause that by its mass
appeal or strength attracts followers.
• Example … some say bottled water is better
for you, so everyone started drinking bottled
water.
Stereotype
• An oversimplified or generalized opinion
or prejudice … a broad statement about a
group of people that does not take into
account individual differences.
• Example … all teenagers are troublemakers!
Bias
• Favoritism toward or against something
• Example – Dogs are the best pets and cats are
useless.
Emotional appeal
• Emotional appeals are statements that
create strong feelings rather than using fact
and evidence to make a point.
Scapegoat
• A person or group made to bear the blame
for others or suffer in their place.
• Example – The Jews became the scapegoat
for the suffering of the German people after
WWI.
Propaganda
• The deliberate spread of rumors with the
intention of harming another person or
group of people.
• Speech, writing, or other attempts to
influence ideas or opinions, often through
the use of stereotypes, faulty
generalizations, or emotional language.
• Example – Hitler’s propaganda that Jews
were responsible for the poor condition of
Germany after WWI.
Generalize
• To infer or form an opinion or conclusion
about someone or something based on only
a few facts, examples, or the like.
• Example – Everyone eats chocolate!
Plain Folks
•
The users of this product or proponents
of this course of action are simple, downto-earth people like you and me.
• Example: Everyone loves Coke!
Card Stacking and Name Calling
• Distorting or omitting facts; telling halftruths.
• Stereotyping ideas or people with a bad
label.
Glittering Generalities
• Glittering Generalities - Using
"good" labels, such as democratic,
patriotic, amazing, beautiful and
exciting, that are unsupported by
facts.
Testimonials
•
Seeking support for an idea or product
by having it endorsed by a famous
person, such as a sports figure or movie
star.
Snob Appeal and Transfer
1. Only the richest, most important, or
most discerning people like this idea or
product.
2. Associating a respected person or idea
with whatever is being promoted, such
as picturing a well-known athlete in a
breakfast cereal advertisement.