Persuasion/Argument

There HAS to be opposing sides

Key Importance

Making and supporting a claim

SUPPORTING

What is it?

Express opinions and ideas for others to take seriously

Gain knowledge, lead to consensus

Not to state right or wrong but PLAUSIBLE

Explore new topics. Open discussion

Why?

MORE THAN ONE SIDE TO A CLAIM

MUST BE DEBATABLE

Remember, just because a matter of fact can be contested, it cannot be debated

You’re not arguing the facts, you’re arguing something significant about the facts.

Composing persuasionHair

You appeal to the audience best when tailored to their needs and interests

What are your readers’ views?Textbooks

Tobias “Fire Sale!”

Purpose and Audience

Ask WHY?Why should we accept your claim?

What evidence can you use?Most effective:

Facts, statistics, examples, personal examples, expert testimony

George’s argument against Oscar

Generating Ideas

Begin with claim and evidenceIf you don’t know where you are going, then

you can’t start

ClaimDirectly at the beginningNARROW

No more than you can prove

Organizing/Drafting

Moving from the specific to the generalSherlock HolmesGas prices

Based on probability of a limited number of cases

Arguing likelihood, NOT certainty

Never 100% certainDoctors

Logical Reasoning: Induction

General Particular conclusionCar stops running

SyllogismsMajor premise (Sweeping Generalization)Minor premise (Example)Conclusion (Proof)

All scary movies are lameScream 3 is a scary movieScream 3 is lame

Logical certainty

Logical Reasoning: Deduction

Mistakes = repeating the trait in the minor premise

Major: All Scary movies are lameMinor: My brother is lameConclusion: My brother is a scary movie

Remember: just because the argument is logically valid doesn’t mean that all the information is trueOne of the premises can be false

Major: All houses are yellowMinor: I live in a houseConclusion: My house is yellow

A reader is less likely to argue you if your argument is valid, but be ready to defend your premises

Later….

Fallacies

Even when your argument is logical and can’t be refuted, still need to tap into emotionsDiction

Be careful to avoid sensationalism and alarmismWill undermine your argumentMichael MooreTabloids

Appealing to your readers’ emotions

Be apart of the movementAl Gore

Be objectiveDiscuss the other side fairly and accurately

Experience or special expertise

Tone

Moral, ethical

Establishing your own credibility

Consider other viewpoints helps build credibilityMakes you more trustworthy

State fairly and accurately, and then refute itShow poor reasoning or insufficient evidence

Anticipating other arguments

Purpose and AudienceThe ClaimEvidenceLogical reasoningEmotional appealsCredibilityAnticipating other argumentsOther methods

Reading with a critical eye

Punctuation for subordinating conjunctionsIf Therefore Thus However Nevertheless Because

Therefore, the minimum legal drinking age should not be lowered to age 18.

Because guest workers will be legally registered, stronger immigration laws will be unnecessary.

Many of the best surgeons have the highest rates of malpractice; thus, the three-strikes-and-you’re-out rule for taking away a doctor’s license may do more harm than good.

A physician who removes the wrong leg, however, clearly deserves a much harsher penalty than one who forgets to remove a sponge.

Editing for common errors

However Acknowledge other side but want to minimize

consequenceWhat he did was wrong; however, he has been working

hard to make things right.

NeverthelessAcknowledge different argument but increase

consequenceHe has been trying to earn back his respect;

nevertheless, he needs to do much more than be nice.

ImplyTo state indirectly

InferTo draw a conclusion

Start brainstorming ideas for something to change at AAHSMake a list of all the things you would like to

change (either for better or for worse)For each item, come up with as many reasons

why that change should happenCome up with evidence for each reasonChoose one and outline a draft

Your task…