PERSUASIVE WRITING [CCSS.ELA.RI.6.1, CCSS.ELA.RI.6.2, CCSS.ELA.RI.6.4, CCSS.ELA.RI.6.5, CCSS.ELA.RI.6.6, CCSS.ELA.RI.6.9, CCSS.ELA.RI.6.

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1 Name: Hour: PERSUASIVE WRITING [CCSS.ELA.RI.6.1, CCSS.ELA.RI.6.2, CCSS.ELA.RI.6.4, CCSS.ELA.RI.6.5, CCSS.ELA.RI.6.6, CCSS.ELA.RI.6.9, CCSS.ELA.RI.6.10 ] The purpose of persuasive writing is to convince the reader that your opinion is the best opinion to have. When creating a persuasive argument, a writer is trying to influence the reader s thoughts or opinions on a topic. There are a variety of techniques that a good persuasive writer can use to influence their reader, although some people argue that all writing contains some degree of persuasion. What makes a good persuasive writer? 1. Make a Claim A claim is an opinion that can be argued. There are three basic types of claims: fact, policy, or value. The claim is the driving force behind any persuasive message, so it should be strong and debatable. 2. Provide Support Using the Three Appeals Back in ancient Greece, Aristotle argued that in order to be persuasive, you must use a combination of appeals to logic (logos), emotion (pathos), and reliability (ethos). All claims must be supported using evidence that falls into each of the three categories in order to persuade your audience. 3. Create a Counter-argument and Defense When you are trying to gain your reader s trust, it is important to acknowledge that each argument has two sides. When creating a counter argument, a good writer identifies the claim of the opposing side and explains why their side is better. The power of persuasion is of extraordinary and critical importance in today's world. Nearly every human encounter includes an attempt to gain influence or to persuade others to our way of thinking. Regardless of age, profession, religion, or philosophical beliefs, people are always trying to persuade each other. 1

2 Are Smartphones Making Us Stupid? Sixty-four percent of Americans own smartphones, according to a recent survey. Among young people, the number is even higher: 85 percent. We carry them everywhere and use them for everything from getting directions to watching videos. But some believe that constant connectivity and easy access to dizzying amounts of information is not without drawbacks. Two technology experts face off on the effect these devices are having on our brains. YES The idea that smartphones are making us stupid might, at first, sound a little absurd. After all, that iphone or Samsung Galaxy in your pocket is actually an incredibly sophisticated networked computer and camera with the power to immediately connect with anyone around the world. You could write a novel, edit a movie, or solve a complex math problem on this magical device. But, of course, you aren t writing novels, editing movies, or solving complex math problems with your smartphone. Instead, you re using your incredibly sophisticated pocket computer to Tweet the details of what you just ate, check updates on Facebook, and post your disappearing Snapchat photos from last night s school dance. Then there s all those WhatsApp instant messages you so need to send each hour to your girlfriend or boyfriend and all those selfies a collective 93 million a day in 2014 that you post daily on Instagram. Our smartphones are making us more and more wrapped up in ourselves. So rather than transforming us into Albert Einstein, Steven Spielberg, or Toni Morrison, our smartphones are actually making us more wrapped up in ourselves. In the end, all we are left with is more and more intimacy with our own lives and less and less knowledge of the wider world around us. And that, I m afraid, is why smartphones are making us stupid. You see, technology doesn t exist in a vacuum, independently of the world; technology is only as good as how we use it. Smartphones could, of course, make us smarter if we use them smartly. But most of us don t, because we are locked in the triviality of our own lives. Our culture lends itself to instant gratification, the trivialization of serious subjects, and, above all, what psychologists call narcissism unhealthily excessive interest in oneself. Smartphones are both a cause and a consequence of our selfie-obsessed culture. Unfortunately, they are, indeed, making us dumber and dumber. ANDREW KEEN, Author, The Internet Is Not the Answer NO Twenty-five years ago, before the Internet was known to everyone, if someone had advertised a universal answers machine that fits in your pocket, it would have been hailed as a miracle. If that machine also let you discover music, navigate any city or town, keep up with the news, read books, and become a virtual reality headset check out Google Cardboard it would have been called a pocket university that s ushering in a new age of intelligence. Now, of course, we take all that and more for granted. But we shouldn t. The fact that we can ask a question and get an answer, wherever we are, means that our discussions can get past disputes over facts so that we can talk about the real issues: what we make of the facts. Because these devices are always with us, we can keep up with real-time events. We can follow news as it s unfolding. It also means that if we want to explore an idea, we can always find the right pages or podcasts. Since our smartphones have GPS built into them, the knowledge they give us can be specific to our location. Getting answers immediately means our discussions can get past disputes over facts. This is convenient if we re looking for a restaurant or an ATM, but it also means our phones can point us to places to explore we otherwise would have missed, such as a little-known nearby museum or historical site. Want to bring 20 books with you on a trip? Go ahead; they won t add an ounce to your bags or your phone. Even if you re not sure you re going to like a book, you might as well bring it along and give it a try. Being able to browse easily gives us more opportunities to become smarter. And while many of us use our phones primarily to keep in touch with our friends, even that can nourish our brains: Social networking is often how people share the links and ideas that matter to them. When we read the articles and watch the videos our friends post, we learn more about the world. More access to more information, ideas, and discussions? Sounds like an opportunity for smartness but only if we choose to take it. DAVID WEINBERGER, Berkman Center for Internet & Society, Harvard University "Are Smartphones Making Us Stupid?" The New York Times Upfront. 7 Sept Web. 05 May

3 Make a Claim [CCSS.ELA.6.W.1A] Behind any good persuasive message is a strong and debatable claim. A writer states a conclusion that he or she has come to and then supports the claim with evidence and reasoning. This is the foundation to convincing your reader to accept your way of thinking or to take action. Directions: Write down the key concepts and ideas in the spaces provided. What is a claim? Definition: It can be either or. Persuasion is about convincing the reader or listener to think or act in a certain way. In both print and media advertisements, advertisers attempt to persuade consumers by making a claim using a variety of techniques including those listed below. Persuasive Technique: Explanations: Example: HUMOR GLITTERING GENERALITIES BANDWAGON LOADED LANGUAGE FEAR AND INSECURITIES CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT SEX APPEAL SOMETHING FOR NOTHING Uses jokes, plays on words, clever pictures or cartoons Makes broad, unsupported statements often using all, every, always, never Suggests everybody is doing it so the reader should too Uses emotionally charged or strong words that evoke feels or reactions Draws on threats and people s concerns and insecurities Uses testimonials from well-known or the official sounding Subtle suggestions that a product will improve one s gender image. Promises special deals, discounts, bargains. Dancing men with blue heads see technology products. Every time you vote for this candidate, you are supporting funding for flag-burning. People in towns all over America subscribe! The unpatriotic hiring of that stupid coach from the other university Who will take care of your children if you die without a will? Call Attorney Jones now. Got Milk (photo with Jennifer Lopez in a mustache) Attractive young woman smoking a Virginia Slim. 100% refund, no questions asked, if not satisfied 3

4 PLAIN FOLKS SCIENCE AND STATISTICS COMPARISONS AND NEGATIVES SNOB APPEAL Appeals to common, average readers making product seem honest and authentic. Uses numbers and scientific jargon to promote mystique of technology. Uses competitor s name/image and put down comparisons. Uses exclusive high class, exotic place, lifestyle appeals. ELA 6 - Rea / Blanco Grandpa sitting on the front porch downing a Coke and rocking Junior. Anti-static micro-filament padlets reduce feedback 95% with optional application. Saran Wrap is better than the Kroger brand product every time. Lexus parked in front of a mansion with youth at wheel. Example: What words and images are used in the advertisement? What persuasive techniques are used in the advertisement? What is the claim in the advertisement? Does the advertisement make you believe the claim? Why or why not? 4

5 Ad # : What words and images are used in the advertisement? ELA 6 - Rea / Blanco What persuasive techniques are used in the advertisement? What is the claim in the advertisement? Does the advertisement make you believe the claim? Why or why not? Ad # : What words and images are used in the advertisement? What persuasive techniques are used in the advertisement? What is the claim in the advertisement? Does the advertisement make you believe the claim? Why or why not? 5

6 Provide Support Using the Three Appeals [CCSS.ELA.6.W.1] Aristotle (Air-uh-STOT-el) was a Greek philosopher who lived in the 4th century BCE. He was an influential thinker and wrote on many subjects. One area in which Aristotle was particularly interested was rhetoric. Rhetoric is the art of persuasive speaking or writing. He believed that a good argument is supported by appeals to three different areas. All claims must be supported using evidence that falls into each of the three categories in order to persuade your audience. In rhetoric (art of persuasion), there are three appeals: #1. Definition: Americans are spending too much time on the internet. According to a Pew Research Center survey, about 21 percent of Americans 18 years and older are now reporting that they're online "almost constantly." This is an extraordinary amount of people admitting to spending the majority of their day online. EXAMPLES: Leniwalla, Mark. "21 Percent Of Americans Are Online Constantly, According To Survey." Tech Times, 08 Dec Web. 10 May Factual data Statistics Definitions Word analogies Is this an effective appeal to logic? YES NO Explain: I need new jeans. Everyone in my class has new jeans. 1. All men and women will die. You are a man. Therefore, you will die one day. 2. Everyone has children. Therefore, everyone needs to think about the schooling of his or her children. 3. Cigarette smoke contains over 4,800 chemicals, 69 of which are known to cause cancer. So why start smoking? This reasoning is not logical and convincing. Firstly, it s highly unlikely that everyone has new jeans (hyperbole). Secondly, just because other people have new jeans, it doesn t logically follow that the speaker needs them. 6

7 #2. Definition: Rhetorical questions Vivid, concrete language Emotional language EXAMPLES: Emotional tone Figurative language Anecdotes (personal stories). "I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed." I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King Jr. August 28th, How is this an appeal to emotion? EXPLAIN: Don t be the last person to get one. You don t want to be the laughing stock of your school! Here the speaker is appealing to the audience s sense of pride by pointing out that they will be laughed at if they don t get the product. This would make the listener/reader feel compelled to get it, in order to maintain their dignity and not hurt their pride. 1. If you don t purchase this life insurance, and something happens to you, how will your family survive? 2. We have been mistreated, abused and oppressed. They have benefited from our suffering and we must act now! 3. Caring for the environment may not change your life, but it will change the lives of your children. #3. Definition: Language appropriate to the audience and subject. Multiple perspectives. EXAMPLES: Quotations from expert sources (ads: celebrities). Using correct grammar and syntax. "I will end this war in Iraq responsibly, and finish the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. I will rebuild our military to meet future conflicts. But I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation; poverty and genocide; climate change and disease. And I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future." Presidential Candidate Acceptance Speech by Barack Obama. August 28th,

8 Is this an appeals to reliability? You should definitely get help with your debt, & I say that as somebody with over 30 years experience of debt counseling. 1. We really should try that recipe. Someone told me that it was good. 2. The research conducted by professors at Harvard University suggests that you should learn a second language. 3. Dentists all over the world are telling their patients the same things. You must floss regularly. Yes EXPLAIN: The speaker is has referred to their extensive experience in this area, in order to give credit to their opinion. Somebody with over 30 years experience would surely know what he or she is talking about. According to the Nielsen company, teenagers spend an average of 6.5 hours watching TV and digital video content every day. Since teens are continually spending more and more time in front of the televisions, computers, and smartphones, it is crucial for them to possess the knowledge and skills necessary to comprehend the tactics corporations and other groups are using to influence their thoughts and behaviors. Directions: Practice labeling the following appeals to logic (logic), emotion (pathos), and reliability (ethos) by writing the correct appeal in the blank. 1. A child is shown covered in bug bites after using an inferior bug spray. 2. Tiger Woods endorses Nike. 3. Sprite Zero is 100% sugar-free. 4. A 32-oz. bottle of Tide holds enough to wash 32 loads. 5. A commercial shows an image of a happy couple riding in a Corvette. 6. Cardiologists recommend Ecotrin more than any other brand of aspirin. 7. Advil Liqui-Gels provide up to 8 hours of continuous pain relief. 8. Miley Cyrus appears in Oreo advertisements. 9. If you donate to this foundation, sick children will have a chance to fulfill their dying wishes. 10. A man acts crabby when he is hungry. 8

9 Advertising Dig - Commercials ELA 6 - Rea / Blanco Directions: As you watch the following commercials, consider the primary method of support being used by the advertiser. 1. What is being advertised? Appeal Used: EXPLAIN:

10 Counter Argument [CCSS.ELA.6.W.1] When writing persuasively, it is important to create a counter argument to make your argument stronger rather than acting like another side of your argument does not exist, you address it and debunk it. This demonstrates your ability as a writer by showing that you have researched and considered your argument from multiple perspectives in order to come to an informed decision. Tips for Making a Counter-argument Effectively: Consider your audience when you make your counter-argument; Remain tactful and respectful, yet firm on your position; Avoid using rude and/or deprecating language that can make your reader angry. There is not one way to include a counter argument, but they should be limited to one paragraph so that the counter arguments do not become your argument. Also, if you cannot make the argument strongly, do not address it all. Directions: Write down the key concepts and ideas in the spaces provided. What is a counter argument? It must be. Why use a counter argument? What destroys your reliability? To create an effective counterargument, complete the following steps: 1.) Consider of the argument. 2.) Address the. 3.) the counter-argument. FORMULA TO CREATE A COUNTER-ARGUMENT Pick one : One might object here that It might seem It is true that It has been argued that Admittedly Of course Some may say that [SOMETHING THE OTHER SIDE ARGUES] Pick one : However But Yet Still Nevertheless In spite of this [WHY YOUR ARGUMENT IS BETTER] 10

11 EXAMPLE: Your Position: High school should last five years. Some may say that a fifth year of high school is unnecessary. However, this fifth year can be used to make up lost credit or even take elective courses that students would otherwise not have time to take. How would you address and refute each of the opinions below? Come up with a strong counter-argument to contradict each statement. 1. Your Position: High school should begin at 9 a.m., rather than 7:30 a.m. 2. Your Position: Teachers should be allowed to carry guns into schools. 3. Your Position: The city government should not impose curfews for teenagers. 4. Your Position: Homework is unnecessary, and does more harm than good to a student's GPA. 11

12 Impromptu Debate [CCSS.ELA.W.6.1] An impromptu speech is a persuasive speech that is delivered with very little preparation. In an impromptu debate, the speaker is unaware of which side of an issue he or she is presenting until immediately before presenting the speech. Upon facing off, two students will randomly present either the pro or the con side of their assigned topic. Directions: Create a timed persuasive speech in which you prepare both the affirmative and the negative response to a question. Your purpose is to influence the audience s way of thinking or course of action in regards to your topic. You will focus on the following: Research your topic Create an outline of your arguments Present either the PRO/CON side of your topic for 1 ½ - 2 minutes While presenting your speech, include the following: An engaging lead/hook Background information on your topic A clear claim/statement of your position Evidence and reasons to support your position An explanation of why your side is better than your opponent s (counter-argument) A summary of your position in the conclusion GRADING CRITERIA: Organization The speech has a clear focus and structure (Intro, Body, Conclusion) and uses transitions to connect ideas. Clear focus on topic. Speech effectively organized to include all three : Introduction, Body Conclusion Effectively uses transitions to connect ideas. Mostly clear focus on topic. Speech organized to include all three : Introduction, Body Conclusion Mostly uses transitions to connect ideas. Somewhat clear focus on topic. Speech may be somewhat organized to include: Introduction, Body Conclusion Sometimes uses transitions to connect ideas. Little focus on topic. Speech may be slightly organized to include: Introduction, Body Conclusion Rarely uses transitions to connect ideas. Development The speaker develops points clearly and addresses counter argument. Develops all points clearly. Effectively addresses counter argument. Develops most points sufficiently. Addresses counter argument fairly. Develops some points clearly. Somewhat addresses counter argument. Develops few clear points. Unclearly addresses counter argument or lacks one. Delivery The speaker uses his/her voice and movement to enhance the presentation of his/her ideas. Uses a clear voice; speaking not too quickly or slowly, loudly and coherently. Keeps eye contact with audience all of the time. Looks poised and confident. Mostly uses a clear voice; speaking not too quickly or slowly, loudly and coherently. Keeps eye contact with audience most of the time. Mostly looks poised and confident. Sometimes uses a clear voice; speaking too quickly or slowly, sometimes quiet or incoherent. Keeps eye contact with audience sometimes. Shows some poise and confidence. Rarely uses a clear voice; speaking too quickly or slowly, quiet or incoherent. Keeps eye contact with audience rarely. Lacks poise and confidence. 12

13 Impromptu PRO-CON Brainstorm [CCSS.ELA.W.6.1] Directions: Create a list of questions on persuasive topics that you would enjoy debating. Remember, you must be able to debate BOTH the positive and the negative side of the question. EXAMPLES: Could a zombie apocalypse really happen? Is Tupac really alive? Should parents / teachers stay off of social media? Do people need to stop taking selfies? Would Donald Trump be a good president? Is better than? Is Michigan State better than U-M? Is ketchup better than mustard? Is T-Swift better than Kanye? Create three main points for each side of the answer to the question. Question: YES: NO:

14 Impromptu Debate Outline [CCSS.ELA.W , CCSS.ELA.SL.4] Directions: Complete the graphic organizer below to help you organize your speech. Then cut out the note cards and use them to organize your impromptu speech. Question: YES: NO: I. Introduction II. Body III. Conclusion 14