Persuasion and writing winning proposals

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Persuasion and writing winning proposals

• Logos, ethos, pathos

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Persuasion and proposal writing

• Proposals are persuasive documents
• They seek to move readers to a particular action
• Your proposal should make an argument
• What are the components of argument?
• Logic
• Credibility
• Emotional appeal

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Logic in a proposal

• Logic refers to the internal consistency of your
  message
• You make a series of claims, supported by
  evidence
• Claims develop the main points you want to make
  about your proposed solution
• The evidence supports the claims to convince the
  reader that you can develop and deliver the
  solution you proposal

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How do I create a strong logical appeal?

• Show the need for a solution to the problem you
  identify
• Show how your solution will be superior to other
  proposed solutions
• Explain the benefits of your approach

5
Credibility or trustworthiness

• Refers to the extent to which your readers
  respect you and trust what you say as a writer
• You are selling yourself and your ability to
  implement the solution

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How do I demonstrate trustworthiness?

• By appearing knowledgeable about your subject
  matter
• Provide a thorough and detailed discussion of the
  issues relevant to the topic
• Use appropriate technical language
• Include details about your qualifications and
  resources

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How do I demonstrate trustworthiness?

• By submitting a realistic and detailed work
  schedule
• Work schedule maps out the scope of the project
  and predicts the amount of time each stage of the
  process will take
• Accuracy of your work schedule supports your
  claim that you can complete the project to
  deadline

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Emotional appeal

• Legitimate use of readers emotions and feelings
  to engage their minds
• Include truthful and clear evidence to support
  your claims so readers can understand the
  importance of the situation you describe
• Successful emotional appeal is critical to
  getting readers to act on your logical appeal and
  your appeal to credibility

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How do I create an effective emotional appeal?

• Use concrete examplesspecificity improves
  readers ability to imagine what you are
  describing
• Use examples and illustrationsmake abstract
  ideas concrete and real by adding examples or
  visuals to make your points vivid
• Use suitable word choice, metaphors, and
  analogiesappropriate connotations and
  comparisons can help readers to understand and
  feel the importance of your ideas

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How do I incorporate persuasion into the format
of a winning proposal?

• All three appeals work throughout the proposal,
  but sometimes one or two form the dominant appeal
  in a particular section
• E.g., the problem statement requires a logical
  discussion of the issues, which also supports
  your credibility by showing your sophisticated
  grasp of the problem

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How do I make my problem statement clear and
convincing?

• Use informal logic to help you develop your
  claims and support them properly with evidence
• Use informal logic to identify your assumptions
  and assess whether your readers will share those
  assumptions

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Quick review of informal logic

• Claim a statement
• You should replace your worn-out shingles with
  metal.
• Stated reason
• If you do, you will not need to replace your roof
  again in your lifetime.
• Grounds evidence supporting stated reasonfacts,
  statistics, data, examples
• Galvanized metal will not rust or erode for
  decades, and these roofs are guaranteed for 50
  years.
• Cite engineers tests on durability of galvanized
  metal.

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Unstated Assumptions

• Warrant (the unstated assumption that underlies
  the stated reason)
• Reader values not having to replace the roof a
  second time
• Saving money in the long run is a good thing
• Backing (evidence to support the warrant)
• Testimonials from homeowners with metal roofs
• Statistics about the annual cost of the roof
  averaged over 50 years
• Backing is only needed if you expect disagreement
  with your unstated assumption (warrant)

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Conditions of rebuttal

• Explore the limits of your claim and evidence
• Under what conditions might someone disagree with
  you?
• How can a roof that costs 3 or 4 times what an
  asphalt roof would cost be cheaper?
• Will interest on money borrowed to pay for the
  roof negate the long-term savings?
• If homeowner ends up moving, the purchaser will
  reap the benefits

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Based on rebuttals, qualify your argument

• After assessing the weaknesses of your initial
  claim, revise it to make it less open to
  counter-argument
• E.g., If you have sufficient savings and plan to
  stay in your house for several decades, you
  should replace your asphalt shingles with a
  galvanized metal roof because you will not have
  to replace it again in your lifetime.

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How can you use informal logic in your proposal?

• Develop your claims in the problem statement as
  well as in the qualifications and resources
  section using informal logic
• Assess your underlying assumptions and ensure you
  include evidence to support them
• Evaluate the strength of your claims and evidence
  and revise them to reduce counter-arguments

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Lab Assignment 6.1 or 6.2

• In groups of two or three or individually, spend
  the rest of the class drafting a response to
  either Lab Assignment 6.1 (on emotional appeals
  in proposal writing) or Lab Assignment 6.2 (on
  rhetorical appeals). See pages 171 and 179.
• Hand in a draft of your assignment at the end of
  class.

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In-class Lab Assignment

• Draft a problem statement for a technical
  communication project that you have the knowledge
  and ability to create.
• Enhance the emotional appeal using the strategies
  outlined in your text (pp. 167-70).
• Employ as many of the rhetorical schemes and
  tropes as possible in your statement (see handout)