Rhetoric:Using the Power of Information

To Persuade or Argue

Warm Up Follow and Ask yourself…

What is the editor’s (author’s) purpose?

Argumentative/Persuasive Text• Argumentative or persuasive text looks just like

the informational text we’ve been reading -– Has all the same text structure possibilities– Has all the same text feature/support possibilities

• The purpose of the piece is where the difference is– Argumentative or persuasive text is not just giving the

reader information. These try to convince you• to believe something or act in a certain way• to agree with a point of view • to buy a certain product

• How do you know:– What is argument and what is persuasion?– How does it differ from propaganda?

readwritethink.org

Argumentative/Persuasive Text• The key to understanding is analysis…looking

beneath the surface…Let’s practice with a little story.

Once when I was six years old I saw a magnificent picture in a book, called True Stories from Nature, about the primeval forest. It was a picture of a boa constrictor in the act of swallowing an animal. Here is a copy of the drawing.

In the book it said: "Boa constrictors swallow their prey whole, without chewing it. After that they are not able to move, and they sleep through the six months that they need for digestion."

I pondered deeply, then, over the adventures of the jungle. And after some work with a colored pencil I succeeded in making my first drawing. My Drawing Number One. It looked something like this:

I showed my masterpiece to the grown-ups, and asked them whether the drawing frightened them.

But they answered: "Frighten? Why should any one be frightened by a hat?"

My drawing was not a picture of a hat…

…It was a picture of a boa constrictor digesting an elephant. But since the grown-ups were not able to understand it, I made another drawing: I drew the inside of a boa constrictor, so that the grown-ups could see it clearly. They always need to have things explained. My Drawing Number Two looked like this:

Knowing what to look for…

• Why couldn’t the adults see the elephant? – They weren’t looking for it.

• If you know what to look for it is much easier to see things!

• In order to understand argumentative reading you must first know what you are looking for.– One thing to look for is what is fact, what is opinion

and what is reasoned judgment.– To see the “elephant” in argumentative reading you

must be able to evaluate what the author says to determine if it is valid and reliable or just someone’s personal belief.

Can you recognize a fact from an opinion? Look over the examples below. Facts are things that are true or proven; and opinions are what someone believes or thinks, not necessarily truth.

Fact• Pilgrims sailed on the

ship "Mayflower• George Washington

was the first U.S. President

• There are other planets in our Solar System

Opinion• Everyone had an

enjoyable voyage• George Washington

didn't smile because of his false teeth

• Earth has the best atmosphere

Look at this one -

Charles Lindbergh was brave to attempt to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

Many people thought Lindbergh’s attempt to fly nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean was foolhardy rather than brave. Although he was successful, calling him brave is a value judgment and more of an opinion rather than a fact.

However, considering the reasons above, this statement could be more accurately be described as reasoned judgment.

Either way, it is not a fact.

Now Let’s Work on it with text…

• Reread “Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus”

– Underline facts– Circle Opinions.

• Is this piece persuasion or argument?– How do you know?

Review:

• Persuasion and argument differ slightly, but both attempt to convince people:

– to buy a certain product– to believe something or act in a certain way– to agree with a point of view

• To do this writers use techniques just like players in a game

• Just like fact/opinion/reasoned judgment these techniques are the elephant in the picture –you will not see them if you do not know what you are looking for.

Aristotle's Three Areas of Persuasion

• Examine/Discuss the Handout

Persuasion is all around us….

• Zaption Tour - http://zapt.io/tfynme7s

View the tour discussing and answering questions as they appear within stopping points in the video.

Looking for Appeal in Popular Ads

• Zaption Tour - http://zapt.io/tgcbgpth

View the tour pausing between each commercial to allow students to identify the appeal they noticed. Then, discuss as a class correct information.

Examine this Ad. Can you see what is fact, or opinion?

Who are they hoping to sell Proactive to?

It is just like the elephant in the picture–if you know what to look for, you’ll see it, and evaluate what the ad says!

Advertisers hope you don’t.

Remember, persuasion relies more on emotion and opinion, so advertisers use several techniques to target specific audiences. Here are a few:

• Slogan• Repetition• Bandwagon• Testimonial • Emotional Appeal• Expert Opinion• Logical Appeal

SloganA catchy phrase or statement often used to

sell a service or a product

Repetition: The name of a product is repeated many times

HEAD ON Apply directly to the

forehead HEAD ON Apply directly to the

forehead HEAD ON Apply directly to the

forehead

BandwagonA statement suggesting that everyone is using a

specific product, so you should too

TestimonialA well-known or knowledgeable person

supports an idea, product or service

Emotional AppealA person is made to have strong feelings

about a situation or product

Expert opinion

Experts approve this product, so you should use it

“Four out of five dentists recommend sugarless gum for their patients who chew gum”

Logical Appeal

“The standard 99cent chickensandwich.”

“Wendy’s new 99cent all-white meatcrispy chickensandwich.”

“Do what tastesright.”

Advertisers try to convince you to make the right decision, smart decision or best choice in purchasing their product

Quick Review of Techniques

• Slogan• Repetition• Bandwagon• Testimonial • Emotional Appeal• Expert Opinion• Logical Appeal

Technique Support

• Emotional/Loaded Words

• Figures and Statistics

• Audience Needs and Bias

Emotional/Loaded WordsWords such as luxury, beautiful, paradise, and

economical are used to evoke positive feelings in the viewer.

Figures & Statistics

• An advertisement might read, “This product kills 99% of your germs.”

• Surveys may be conducted andthe results graphed to show people’s opinions.

Recognizing BIAS

• Bias occurs when someone has an opinion or preference to the object being judged.

• For example: A student’s parents would not be the best judge for the talent show their child is in. They may show bias for their child.

Recognizing Audience

• Consider who the audience is…?– This is very important!– Who needs or wants to hear this?– What do they already know or need to know?

Advertisers know how to • target their audiences• use appropriate persuasive

technique

http://youtube.com/v/O2dEuMFR8kw

Practice

• Can you identify– Whether Ethos, Pathos, or Logos are used and – the intended audience of the following ads and

examples?

Logos

Audience – Middle Aged Women

Audience – Young Adults

Logos

Young people – interested in fashion/class

Pathos

Teens

Pathos & Logos

Did you know? Ads are often hidden…find the ad in this game

• Taco Bell made a "promotional partnership" deal with X-Box video games. That means that you see Taco Bell ads in X-Box games, and X-Box promotions in Taco Bell stores

Why hide ads in video games? Who are the ads targeting?

Can you find the ad in this picture?

• SAFECO, an insurance and investment company, is paying $40 million over 20 years to get the Seattle Mariners' baseball stadium named SAFECO Field. Buying the name of a sports arena is one way for companies to make their name known.

Again, why put an ad here? Can you see that ads really are all around us?

As you have seen with Ads, there are many reasons people try to persuade others:• Companies use advertisements to persuade

consumers to purchase their products.• However, people often want to convince

others to share their ideas when they feel strongly about something and they want others to agree. This is when we turn to argument

–For example, Editorials, Letters & Speeches– These involve more writing/reasoning than ads

which = argument

Argument in Text Other than Ads

Argument in paragraph form is harder to detect. As you read you have to focus on the author's purpose and point of view to see it.Remember Argument uses more fact and hard evidence than persuasion -think like a lawyer!

– Facts & statistics– Quotes– Reasons– Examples– Explanation of benefits, advantages, and

consequences– Personal experience/story

To Provide Support in Argument Writers Use Evidence:

Relevant information that supports your position

“Our animal shelter needs to reduce its number by 75% to make room for more animals. If these animals are not adopted, they will be put to sleep. Can you help?”

Facts & statistics

An explanation of what others have said or thought that supports your position

The director stated “I am sure if the public understands how serious overpopulation at our shelter is, they will come to our rescue.” So if you are looking for a dog or a cat, have you thought about going to the animal shelter?

Quotes

A statement of reasons and explanation of why they should be accepted

Adopting a pet from the animal shelter is so much better than buying one from a pet store because adopting means saving an animal’s life. Also adopting does not cost as much.

Reasons

Important examples that help your audience “see” your point of view

For example, you can expect to pay around $400 for a normal cross-breed, from $550 to $700 for a pure breed and around $800 for a ‘designer’ breed. In contrast, it only costs about $50 for an adoption fee.

Examples

An explanation of what others stand to gain from agreeing with you and the consequences if they don’t

Even if you are not able to adopt an animal, you could help by volunteering at our local animal shelter. And if you are not able to do that, please spread the word that our animal shelter needs help. By taking action, you will feel good yourself. If you do nothing, many animals will suffer.

Explanation of benefits, advantages, and consequences

An explanation of a relevant personal experience that helps support your opinion

When I visited the animal shelter, looking into the eyes of those poor dogs made me feel very sad, but I was excited to think that I could make the difference in the life of one of them. I hope you can make a difference too.

Personal experience/story

Your Turn...

As you the read “Are You a Loser” debate use text coding to look for and label any examples of:

– Facts & statistics– Quotes– Reasons– Examples– Explanation of benefits, advantages, and

consequences– Personal experience/story

Resources

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Jennifer Bernhard, Literacy Specialist Clark County Schools, Jennifer.bernhard@clark.kyschools.us