Persuasive writing

Persuasive writing is used to convince the reader of the writer’s argument. This may involve persuading the reader to perform an action, or simply consist of an argument convincing the reader of the writer’s point of view. Persuasive writers employ many techniques to improve their argument and show support for their claim.

Ethos, Logos and Pathos in Persuasive Writing

By appealing to their credibility, writers can make their claims more believable. This is called an appeal to ethos, as defined by Aristotle. The writer builds on his or her ethos by writing with clarity (an important element of style) and eliminating contradictions within the text itself. The writer will be more credible to the target audience if there are no internal errors in syntax and mechanics as well as no factual errors in the subject matter.

The writer will also appeal to logic when writing to persuade. This appeal is known as logos. This appeal is manifested in the supporting statements for the writer’s claim. In most cases, a successful appeal to logos requires tangible evidence, e.g. a quote from acknowledged written material. The writer will appeal to the rationality of the audience.

Finally, and possibly most importantly for persuasive writers, is the appeal to emotions or pathos. “A successful pathetic appeal will put the audience in a suitable mood by addressing their knowledge of or feelings about the subject” (Mendelson). This can be a very effective way to win over an audience.

Most persuasive writing techniques use an effective combination of all three appeals.

Traditional Structure in Persuasive Writing

Here is a list of the traditional parts that can be used to strengthen an argument presented in persuasive writing. While these do not have to be followed exactly or in this order, they are helpful in forming the structure in persuasive writing.

Exordium, or introduction
Narration, or background statement of the facts
Partition, or forecast of the topics to be presented
Conformation, or the confirmation of the piece. In contemporary English classes, this would be called the body of the text.
Refutation, or discussion of alternatives
Peroration, or a conclusion. It’s often helpful to tie the conclusion back to the introduction in order to strengthen your claim.

Common Techniques

Personal Appeal: Human beings are emotional, so establish common ground that your audience can relate to. Also known as empathy.

Tone: The tone of the piece can alienate a reader if too harsh or sarcastic. The writer wants the reader to like them and to approve of their idea.

Precision: Avoid lazy language, cliches, trends and jargon.

Concession: Acknowledge opposing points of view and offer your rebuttal.

Logic: If A equals B, and B equals C, then A must equal C. If the statements in your equation are true, then your conclusion must be true as well. A great example of logic is the United States Declaration of Independence

Authority: Speak from personal experience, or if you have none, then provide facts, figures, and quotes from authorities to support your opinion

Rhetorical Questioning: A rhetorical question can be phrased so that the only answer is in favor of your opinion. Ex: Dog is man's best friend. Who doesn't want a loyal best friend?

Organizational Patterns

Pro and Con Organization: Present the reasons against your opinion, then give reasons in favor of your opinion. Explain why your reasoning is superior.
Cause and Effect Organization: Connect ideas logically by showing their cause and effect relationship. For example, if you wanted to persuade people to get a dental checkup every six months, present effects of frequent dental checkups.
Comparison and Contrast Organization: Show similarities and differences between your opinion and others. Present factual evidence that shows why your opinion is best.
Main Idea and Detail Organization: Provide key point or main ideas and factual details to support it.
Order of Importance Organization: Present your argument so you progress from the least important detail to the most important or vice versa.

Visual Appeals

Visual appeals can add to the effectiveness of the written word alone. Using complementing visuals can help strengthen arguments. This improves the visual rhetoric by making the page more appealing and allowing the reader more access to the page.

Visual appeals also refer to advertising

Examples of Persuasive Writing

Advertisementsare designed as a promotion or motivation to purchase goods, services or even and idea. The advertisements may be in the form of a television commercial, billboard, spam mail, pop-up add and many other versions of mass communications. Here is an example of the possible steps in creating a persuasive ad. # Unnamed link: [1]
Political Speeches
Essays
Letters to the Editor
Public Service Announcements

Early Rhetoric and Persuasive Writing

Early rhetoricians dealt with this type of writing and oration. Cicero most notably defined this kind of writing as the grand style in his work Orator. Cicero states, “This eloquence has power to sway man’s mind and move them in every possible way” (Cicero). He also states, however, that the most effective orator, or in this case, writer, uses a combination of the plain, middle and this grand style to suit the context.

References

Baird, Rod. "A Bare-Bones Guide to Persuasive Writing". Writing 29:3 (2006):16-17. Mendelson, Michael. "A Glossary of Rhetorical Terms."