Writing Argument and Persuasion

English II 2012.13

What is an argument? An argument can be any text – written, spoken, or

visual – that expresses a point of view.

Sometimes arguments can be blunt and aggressive and are composed deliberately to change what people believe, think, or do.

At other times, arguments may be subtle, designed to convince yourself or others that specific facts are reliable or that certain views should be considered, or at least tolerated.

So, is everything an argument?

Many would argue that – YES – all language is inherently persuasive.

In today’s world, you are faced with choices every day, from which brand of toothpaste to buy to which politician deserves your support.

Along with every choice you have to make, comes a flood of persuasive messages, all aimed at influencing your beliefs and actions.

What are the Elements of Persuasive Writing?

1. The CLAIM

2. The SUPPORT/EVIDENCE

3. The CONCESSION

4. The COUNTER-ARGUMENT

5. The APPEALS

What is a Claim? A claim is the writer’s position on a

problem or issue.

A claim should be a debatable assertion that you aim to prove.

Note! In a writing prompt, a claim may also be referred to as a position or thesis.

What is the Support?

The support includes the reasons and evidence that help to justify and prove the claim.

What is a Concession? A concession is an acknowledgement of part of your

opponent's argument as being valid.

Remember that a concession is not a form of weakness. In fact a concession is a strength as it shows that you are a reasonable person willing to listen and acknowledge that there are more sides to an issue than yours.

You can’t ignore compelling opposing evidence. You must address strong arguments on the other side; if you don’t, it looks like you are not well prepared and have not looked at the issue you are writing about from all perspectives.

What is a Counter-Argument?

A counter-argument is a brief argument that objects the claim “the other side” is likely to make.

Your counter-argument should always follow your concession. After you acknowledge the opposing side, you immediately develop the strengths of your view and the weaknesses of theirs.

What are Persuasive Appeals?

There are 3 key ways writers can appeal to their audience:

ETHOS – Ethical Appeals – This refers to the writer’s character and presentation of “self”. It’s how the writer establishes trust, respect, and credibility with his/her audience.

LOGOS – Logical Appeals – The use of facts, statistics, expert testimony, witnesses, scientific data, etc.

PATHOS – Emotional Appeals – The use of words and

images to evoke emotions such as fear, anger, empathy, jealousy, pity, love, etc.

Ethos, Logos, or Pathos?

Pathos – Who could argue with this?

Images of a lonely polar bear suffering as his arctic home melts away

He makes a long journey just to thank someone for buying a Nissan.

YOU are saving the planet and the soon-to-be homeless polar bears if you buy a Nissan!

Ethos, Logos, or Pathos?

Ethos – Building our trust and admiration

The slogan: “One for One”

The Toms Company is promising us that for every pair of shoes we purchase, a pair is given to a child in need.

Here the company is establishing trust, respect, and integrity.

We admire what they are doing; ethos is a powerful tool.

Ethos, Logos, or Pathos?

Logos – Facts and Statistics

The viewer is overwhelmed with facts and statistics.

Numbers don’t lie.

What else makes an argument powerful?

To really support an argument, you must consider the larger picture, the global picture.

We’ll refer to this type of support as GLOBAL EVIDENCE.

What is Global Evidence?

Global evidence is when you use support for your argument by discussing global impact.

The types of GLOBAL EVIDENCE are:1. Personal 2. Political3. Environmental4. Moral5. Social6. Educational7. Religious8. Appearance9. Economical 10. Civil Rights11. Freedom12. Health

Let’s go through an example Persuasive Essay.

Prompt:o Write an essay stating your position on

which animal is the better pet: dogs or cats.

Claim: o Dogs make better pets than cats because

they have superior intelligence, they are highly trainable, and they can offer protection and safety in and out of the home.

Dogs make better pets than cats because they have superior intelligence, they are highly trainable, and they can offer protection and safety in and out of the home.

Evidence to support our REASONS:

1. A dog’s superior intelligence allows him to serve valuable roles, such as search and rescue, visual guide, and bomb or drug detection.

2. Dogs have a higher social IQ and can be trained to perform tasks on command, tasks such as sit, come, stay, speak, shake, roll over, “high 5” and fetch.

3. A dog can protect the home by barking when strangers approach the home or knock on the door. A dog may also offer a sense of security when walking and jogging with their owners.

Dogs make better pets than cats because they have superior intelligence, they are highly trainable, and they can offer protection and safety in and out of the home.

Our concession:

Cat lovers will argue that cats are loving and loyal pets that offer their owners more personal freedom because of a cat’s independent nature and low-maintenance lifestyle.

Our Counter-argument: What the cat lovers fail to point out is no one really

“owns” a cat. Cats, by nature, are only affectionate on their terms; they are temperamental, they do not adjust well to change, they typically hate to ride in the car, and when cat “owners” are away from home, enjoying their carefree lifestyle, their precious feline will offer no security whatsoever should an intruder come calling because she will be hiding under the bed.

Dogs make better pets than cats because they have superior intelligence, they are highly trainable, and they can offer protection and safety in and out of the home.

What GLOBAL EVIDENCE can we use to support our personal opinion that dogs make better pets than cats?

1. Personal 2. Political3. Environmental4. Moral5. Social6. Educational7. Religious8. Appearance9. Economical 10. Civil Rights11. Freedom

12. Health

Now You Practice! Read: Many schools require all students to

perform some type of community service such as working in nursing homes, hospitals, food banks, or animal shelters.

Think: Think about how you would feel if you were required to perform a community service.

Write: Write an essay stating your position on whether students should or should not be required to perform community service. Defend your claim with several reasons. Develop those reasons with detailed supporting evidence.

Write: Write an essay stating your position on whether students should or should not be required to perform community service. Defend

your claim with several reasons. Develop those reasons with detailed supporting evidence.

T Chart Your claim: Your examples, evidence, support

Your concession Your counter-argument Your global evidence