How Do Writers Persuade Us?
Feature Menu
Persuasion
Types of Evidence
Logical and Emotional Appeals
Your Turn
Persuasion
Persuasion is everywhere.
Skillful persuaders want you to see
things their way:
• Believe this!
• Change that!
• Trust me!
Persuasion is the use of language or images to
get us to believe or do something.
Persuasion
For writers, persuasion starts with an opinion—a
belief or attitude.
Opinion
People should donate food and supplies
to the Hebron Humane Society now.
The writer then tries to convince, or persuade,
you to accept this opinion.
Persuasion
To build an argument, a persuasive writer will use
logic, or correct reasoning.
When you use logic, you put information together
to make a reasonable conclusion.
If A is true . . .
. . . then B must
be true.
Persuasion
For logic to work, each point should follow from
the other in a clear, sensible way.
If A is true . . .
The government has cut
funding for the Humane
Society animal shelter.
. . . then B must be true.
Therefore, the shelter
staff need more help
from the community.
Persuasion
For a persuasive argument to be logical, it must
be supported by reasons and evidence.
Reasons tell why writers hold particular opinions.
(People should donate because) the Humane Society
benefits the entire community.
Evidence is support or proof that backs up the
reasons.
Sheltering homeless animals keeps them off the street.
Persuasion
Evidence is the foundation of persuasive writing.
Writer’s Opinion
Reason 1
Reason 2
Reason 3
Evidence for
Reason 1
Evidence for
Reason 2
Evidence for
Reason 3
Persuasion
The evidence and reasons support the opinion.
People should donate food and supplies
to the Hebron Humane Society now.
Supplies are low.
Shelter benefits
the community.
Humane Society
is low on funds.
Some of the
cats do not have
beds or toys.
People can adopt
a dog or cat for a
very small fee.
Budget was cut
by $50,000
last year.
Persuasion
Quick Check
The school board should include
money for new buses in next
year’s budget. We need new school
buses as soon as possible. The old
ones are not reliable. Last spring,
three different buses broke down,
leaving students stranded on their
way to school. These students
waited an average of two hours for
another bus to pick them up.
What reason
does the writer
give for his
opinion?
What evidence
does the writer
give to support
this reason?
[End of Section]
Types of Evidence
To get you to believe or do something, writers
have to present convincing evidence.
Facts
Quotations
Statistics
Examples
Anecdotes
Types of Evidence
Facts
• statements that can be proved true
• can be confirmed in reliable sources (books,
newspapers, and so on)
Every pet at the Humane Society
shelter is spayed or neutered before
being adopted out.
Types of Evidence
Quotations
• comments people have made about a topic
A direct quotation is a person’s exact words:
“The staff helped us pick out just
the right cat for us,” said Mrs. Lucy
Fernandez of South Hebron.
Types of Evidence
Quotations
• comments people have made about a topic
An expert opinion is a statement by someone
who is an expert on the subject:
Regional director Gary Stokes commented,
“All animal welfare groups rely on help from
their communities.”
Types of Evidence
Statistics
• information presented as numbers
• may be given in the text or in a chart
Text
Chart
In the past three years, the cost of
operating the shelter has increased by
$30,000.
Cost to Operate Shelter
2007
2008
2009
$200,000
$220,000
$230,000
Types of Evidence
Examples
• specific illustrations of a general idea
For instance, a number of cats
went without their regular
shots because there was no
money left in the budget.
Types of Evidence
Examples
A case study is a special type of example based
on scientific research.
In a long-term study, Lynette Winters, D.V.M., showed
that pets adopted from shelters where conditions were
good made better, healthier pets than those adopted
from less desirable shelters.
Types of Evidence
Anecdotes
• brief personal accounts that illustrate a point
On several occasions, Jared Epps, an
adoption counselor at the shelter, has had
to leave his desk, drive to a nearby pet
store, and buy food for the animals himself,
using his own money.
Types of Evidence
Quick Check
1. “If there were a convenient,
safe trail, I would ride my bike
to work most days,” said Ms.
Brenda Gibson of Ridgecrest.
2. The city has not added any
new bike paths since 1998.
3. A recent survey showed that
1 in every 30 city residents
currently uses a bicycle to get
to and from work or school.
For each item,
identify the type
of evidence.
Choose from the
list below.
example
quotation
statistics
anecdote
fact
[End of Section]
Logical and Emotional Appeals
When you read a persuasive article or essay, look
for two different types of arguments:
1
Logical appeals
• support the argument with facts
and other sound evidence
• target the reader’s thinking ability
If every household in Hebron would donate one
twenty-pound bag of food, the shelter could feed its
animals for a full year on those donations alone.
Logical and Emotional Appeals
When you read a persuasive article or essay, look
for two different types of arguments:
2
Emotional appeals
• use evidence that affects feelings
• often appeal to emotions such as
fear, pity, and jealousy
Think of the poor homeless pups
and kitties. Do you really want them to suffer any
more than they already have?
Logical and Emotional Appeals
Effective persuasive writing often uses a
combination of logical and emotional appeals.
Opinion: People should donate food and
supplies to the Hebron Humane Society now.
Logical Appeal
Emotional Appeal
The shelter cares for
more than two thousand
homeless pets every
year and finds them
loving homes.
What will happen to
these animals if the
Humane Society runs
out of food, supplies,
and money?
+
Logical and Emotional Appeals
Be careful when reading a persuasive article or
essay.
• Don’t be swayed by emotional
appeals alone.
• Make sure the writer’s position
is also supported by solid
evidence.
Logical and Emotional Appeals
Quick Check
1. Volunteering helps young people
learn about work and think
about careers they might like.
2. Many senior citizens would go
hungry if it weren’t for the
volunteers who bring them
meals.
3. Students who volunteer in their
communities grow up to be
more successful than those who
do not.
Identify each
statement as
either a logical
appeal or an
emotional
appeal.
[End of Section]
Analyze Persuasion
Your Turn
1. Give an example of a statistic you’ve heard of or
read. What conclusion might the statistic support?
2. Describe a television commercial you’ve seen that
included an emotional appeal. To which emotion
did it appeal?
The End