Persuasion getting what you want through words

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Persuasiongetting what you want through words

• Engl 3365

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Points were going to discuss

• Aristotelian Rhetoric
• Appealing to Readers Values
• Benefits, Not Features
• Calls To Action
• What a bargain !

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Aristotles rhetoric classifications

• Three ways to win an audience
• Pathos -- emotional appeal
• Ethos -- ethical/personal appeal
• Logos -- logical appeal
• You see these in action ALL THE TIME !

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Pathos?
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Ethos?
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Logos?
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Using Aristotelian Rhetoric

• Know how your audience thinks
• Engineers typically dont like pathos arguments
• Artists and actors are typically impatient with
  logos arguments
• Recognize you can argue a point several ways
• Perhaps your proposal includes two or three
  different rhetorical arguments
• Think about organizing proposal sections by
  rhetoric

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Appealing to Reader Values

• Your values might not be the same as your
  readers.
• In this case, your values do not belong in the
  proposal.
• You must appeal to THE READERs values.

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Youre requesting support for grad school. How
do you appeal to THESE folks?

• The professor who will write you a rec letter
• The grad school admissions committee
• Your girlfriend or boyfriend who will move across
  the country with you

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Youre requesting support for grad school. How
do you appeal to THESE folks?

• The professor
• She wants you to be rewarded for your previous
  good academic work (value hard work should be
  rewarded)
• The admissions committee
• They want to know that you will succeed in their
  program (value talent should be given
  opportunity)
• Your girlfriend or boyfriend
• They want to know that you will be happier in a
  new career (value loved ones should be happy)

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Emphasize BENEFITS, not just features

• Recognize that a feature is only persuasive to
  your audience only if they CLEARLY perceive that
  it benefits them
• Like values, benefits are READER SPECIFIC
• Know what your audience can use and argue your
  points on THEIR terms