Transcript Persuasive Appeals

Persuasive Appeals

Techniques for Persuading An Audience
What is a Persuasive Appeal?
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An argument that a
speaker/writer directs
toward a certain
belief/feeling/attitude that
his/her audience holds
Allows speaker/writer to
tailor his/her argument in
the best possible way
according to his/her
audience’s needs/desires
Three Types of Persuasive
Appeals:
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Appeal to ETHOS
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Appeal to PATHOS
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Appeal to LOGOS
Appeals to ETHOS:
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-Based on the
authority/credibility of the
writer
-Writer must convince the
audience of his/her good
character, good sense, and
good motives
-Created through known
experience, expertise,
credentials/certificiation,
polished presentation of
material
Appeals to Pathos:
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-use emotions to persuade
-attempt to persuade by making reader/listener feel guilt,
love, security, greed, pity, humor, etc.
-shown through vivid, emotional language, and sensory
details
-are sometimes dangerous—when used as the main support
for an argument, they may be masking weak arguments
Appeals to Logos:
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-normally considered most
effective appeal
-based on the logic, facts,
and evidence, which is
usually considered to be
most important to
readers/listeners
-shown through details,
statistics, expert testimony
of a credible source, facts,
definitions, witness
statements
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Persuasive Appeals Gone Bad=
Logical Fallacies/Propaganda
Techniques
Sometimes writers use
propaganda techniques to
intentionally mislead their
audience, OR logical
fallacies because they use
faulty reasoning when
forming their argument.
Either way, these are
NOT effective ways to
support an argument.
8 Types of propaganda
Techniques/Logical Fallacies
Name Calling
Bandwagon/Appeal to numbers
Red-herring
Strictly emotional appeal
Testimonial
Repetition
Sweeping Generalization (stereotyping)
Circular Argument
Logical Fallacy/propaganda
Technique #1= Name Calling
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Name calling=
attacking a person
instead of an issue
 Used frequently in
political campaigns
Logical Fallacy/propaganda
Technique #2= Bandwagon
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A bandwagon appeal
tries to persuade the
reader to think, do, or
buy something
because it is popular
or because “everyone”
is doing it.
Logical Fallacy/propaganda
Technique #3= Red Herring
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A red herring is an
attempt to distract the
reader with details not
relevant to the argument.
Example:The lawyer of a
young man accused of
assaulting his girlfriend
described the case as a
"very minor matter". The
lawyer stated that “ninety
people died in Iraq today,
most of them kids,"
making his client’s
actions “a very minor
matter."
Logical Fallacy/propaganda
Technique #4= Emotional Appeal
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An emotional appeal tries
to persuade the reader by
using words that appeal
only to the reader’s
emotions instead of to
logic or reason.
As previously mentioned,
emotional appeals are not
always bad, they just
should not be the SOLE
basis of an argument
Logical Fallacy/propaganda
Technique #5= Testimonial
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A testimonial
attempts to persuade
the reader by using a
famous person to
endorse a product or
idea
Logical Fallacy/propaganda
Technique #6= Repetition
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Repetition attempts to
persuade the reader by
repeating a message over
and over again.
Repetition CAN be an
effective persuasive
technique when combined
with other elements of a
solid argument, but
relying ONLY on
repeating an idea is never
very convincing
Logical Fallacy/propaganda Technique
#7= Sweeping Generalization
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A sweeping
generalization
(stereotyping) makes
an oversimplified
statement about a
group based on limited
information.
Logical Fallacy/propaganda Technique
#8= Circular Argument
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A circular argument
states a conclusion as
part of the proof of the
argument
 Also sometimes called
“begging the question”
Let’s Review!!!!
What type of PERSUASIVE APPEAL is
used in the example below?
All parents should consider
taking their children
fishing because:
 # Fishing is an activity at
which all kids can
succeed at some level.
 # Fishing encourages
problem-solving and
decision-making.
 # Fishing links kids and
the natural world in a
way that can generate
caring, responsibility and
action.
What type of PERSUASIVE APPEAL is
used in the example below?
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Celebrating
Halloween is a
barbaric practice.
Anyone who has seen
a child after a post
Trick-or-Treating
candy binge would
attest to the
horrifying, damaging
effects that this
holiday has on young
ones.