P ERSUASIVE W RITING Elaboration Techniques: Persuasive Word Choice Expert Testimony

PERSUASIVE WRITING

Elaboration Techniques:

Persuasive Word ChoiceExpert Testimony

EXPOSITORY VS. PERSUASIVE WRITING

Expository Writing Writing to Explain

Uses specific words and phrases that help the reader understand ideas.

Shows care about the topic with voice and language appropriate for the audience.

Is elaborated using reasons, well-chosen and specific details, examples, and/or anecdotes to support ideas.

Persuasive Writing Writing to Convince

Uses specific words, phrases, and persuasive strategies that urge or encourage to support a position.

Shows commitment to position with voice and language appropriate for the audience.

Is elaborated by using reasons, well-chosen and specific details, examples, anecdotes, facts, and/or statistics as evidence to support arguments.

Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved. Modified 10/16/08

EXPOSITORY WRITING EXAMPLE

Expository writing is explaining.

In my time capsule I also think that I would want toinclude my I-Pod. When my great-grandchildrenopened the box and found it, they might think it

wasreally old-fashioned (like a record player!), but

they’dlike to hear my favorite music. I bet that they

wouldlaugh at some of the songs, but I can also picture

themlistening to the “old music” over and over again

becauseit would be so different from their own.

PERSUASIVE WRITING EXAMPLE

Persuasive writing is convincing.

Some late work counts as 70% credit, giving kids a C-

which is passing. Some kids are happy because they think

a C- is a good grade. How can we allow students to turn in

all of their work late but still have a passing grade? The

kids that have C-’s don’t care about their work because

even if they turn it in late, they can still get a passing

grade. These kids have sort of twisted the grading system

to benefit themselves. This can no longer be allowed.

Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved

PERSUASION IS USED FOR MANY REASONS…

To Support a Cause

Urge People to Action

Make a Change

Prove Something Wrong

Stir Up Sympathy

With your support and donations

we can save our dance program.

Take a few hours out of your time and support your candidate by waving signs on the local corner.

The students at Nisqually should have a wider variety of lunch

options.

Despite what many people believe, giving students access to vending machines at lunch is not a bad thing.

Without the support of people in our community, many kids will go without lunch during the break.

AND ALSO…

Create Interest

Get People to Agree with You

If enough students participate in the

fund raiser we will be able to sponsor

the best Friday Activity Nights ever.

My idea to stock better choices of food

in the vending machines at lunch will

help students become more healthy.

SO…HOW DO I BEGIN?

PERSUASIVE WORD CHOICE

PERSUASIVE LANGUAGE

Using persuasive language means choosing just

the right words and phrases to urge or compelthe reader to support the position of the writer.

Precise words trigger strong feelings. Seizes vs. takes Snarls vs. says Bewildered vs. confused

Repeated words or phrases for emphasis I have a dream…(Martin Luther King, Jr.)

Different connotations Mean or strict Died or passed away Used or pre-owned

Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved. Modified 10/08.

THE POWER OF WORDS

Look at the word following word groupings and discuss the differences in the feeling, or connotation, that comes from each word.

Which words have positive, neutral, or negative connotations. Group, crowd, mob Insinuate, suggest, imply Thin, skinny, scrawny Gentle, benign, harmless Finicky, selective, picky

As a class, create your own groupings of words with similar meanings, but varying connotations.

Word choice is very important when writing a persuasive piece. The stronger the word you choose, the more power you have to change someone’s opinions or ideas.


POWERFUL WORDS:

approvedauthenticauthoritycriticaldiscoverguaranteememorablemustnew

Take a moment to look over the following list of persuasive words.

prohibitedprovenqualityqualifiedresultssignificanttruthunquestionableworthwhile

What words would you add to this list?

INEFFECTIVE LANGUAGE

Teachers should let students turn in late work

at XYZ School. Students are busy and some may not have time to get work done every night. Students know that getting work finished is important, but everyone knows they need a break sometimes. Students who have sports and music practice really need extra time because they are gone a lot doing those things.

Note the highlighted words in this section. How could you replace them and make each more powerful?

POWERFUL WORDS

It is absolutely critical that teachers

reconsider the “No Late Work” policy at XYZ School. Life can become very hectic and difficult for a significant number of middle school students, which can result in them not getting homework completed on time. Students understand that completing work is critical in order to learn new skills, yet studies have proven that allowing students flexibility in due dates is necessary. Students who are involved in sports and music simply must have more time in order to complete quality work after long practices.

PERSUASIVE WORD CHOICEPRACTICE

Read Letter to Principal Scaddilybob. Take out a highlighter pen & mark the

persuasive words and phrases found in the letter.

Compare what you highlighted with a person sitting near you.

What is the purpose of this writing? Who is the audience? What does the writer want (position)?

YOUR TURN!PERSUASIVE WORD CHOICE APPLICATION

As a promotional activity, a local foundation is giving away an all-expense paid trip to a class of students to spend two days and one night at the Great Wolf Lodge, near Chehalis. Write a letter persuading this foundation that your class deserves the gift.

Select and use the precise language that would be the most persuasive for this audience.

Underline specific words or phrases that you think are the most persuasive for your audience.

THINK, PARTNER, SHARE

What activities have you used in the classroom in the past to teach this strategy?

How might you apply this strategy in your own classroom in the next two weeks?

Do you have any new ideas or activities that you are thinking of using with this strategy?

EXPERTTESTIMONY

EXPERT TESTIMONY

Expert Testimony – is evidence in support of a fact or statement given by a person thought to have specialized skill or knowledge.

According to recent reports from the Surgeon General…

Football great Warren Moon suggested …

As Mr. Baginski explained last week in class, …


EXPERT TESTIMONYGUIDELINES

Quote the “voice of authority” – who would be an expert on this topic?

a scientist or doctor? a political figure? your teacher? another student? (you are an expert on student or

teenage issues!) In a regular classroom essay or paper, the person or study you use as an authority must be real, and you need to use citations!

For on-demand writes, you may make up a source (doctor, scientist, etc.) and your own fictional quote to support your ideas

EXPERT TESTIMONY EXAMPLES

I would then threaten the rest of the disruptive students with the same punishment if they did not stay in line. As a great philosopher once said, “The threat of force often produces greater result than it’s application”.

One of my teachers, Mr. Brown, says late work is “a problem that needs to be fixed”. The extra time given to kids is getting ridiculous.

“The effort put in reflects the outcome,” says Professor Plum from the University of Washington. I must say that I have to agree with this powerful message.


EXPERT TESTIMONYPRACTICE

Take out Letter to Principal Scaddilybob again.

Use a highlighter pen to mark any example of Expert Testimony found in the letter.

Compare what you highlighted with a person sitting near you.

Are there any other places in the paper where you could effectively add other examples of Expert Testimony?

YOUR TURN!EXPERT TESTIMONY APPLICATION

Look back at the paper you wrote on winning the trip to the Great Wolf Lodge.

Consider how an expert could support your position.

Who would that expert be and what might he/she say?

Decide where to add that expert testimony, then go back and do so.

Make sure that your “testimony” contains powerful word choice.

Share your changes with a partner. Discuss how these strengthened your argument.

Documents

P ERSUASIVE W RITING Elaboration Techniques: Persuasive Word Choice Expert Testimony