Notes on Documented Persuasive Writing Leading to an Argument Form

Writing to Persuade and Argue a Position

A Persuasive
essay uses the Classic Appeals / Basic Appeals and can be presented as an Op-Ed-- which is, briefly, an energetic, personal persuasive appeal (c.750-900wds) on any topic.Then it can "change" to an Argumentative essay (more below) based on the persuasive foundation.
For writing an Op-Ed, (which is not a letter to editor...) check these links:  How to Write an Op-Ed  | OpEds-w/evidence: Op-Ed--w/843wds | Sentencing by the Numbers | Skip the Annual Physical | Climate Change... | Immigration  | list of Op-Eds from USA Today |

Notes on Persuasion: OWL defines persuasive writing as "...to convince its readers to embrace the point-of-view presented by appealing to the audience’s reason and understanding through argument and/or entreaty." Dictionary.com defines to persuade as, "to induce to believe by appealing to reason or understanding; convince...." In many senses all writing is persuasive, and when readers finish a piece, it proves the writing was, indeed, successfully persuasive, at least, in keeping the reader engaged. Most every decision we make, large or small, involves persuasive elements as we choose what to do. Growing up, we likely wove elaborate appeals to stay up to watch some special TV show, get the keys to the car, etc., much like we hear from kids now. But maybe the most powerful and subtle persuasion that we contact everyday is advertising. In many varieties of print, on radio, TV, and more and more on websites, we are invited, kidded and intimidated in to buying what the seller is selling. Advertising, whether we admire it or not, has much to teach us about what moves us to act. The Classic Appeals show how we can present an issue using one (or all) to gain a reader's  agreement.

An emotional appeal (Pathos) might show how an issue tugs at our feelings, and is supported by evidence (logos) and reflects what we value (ethos) by using an expert/spokesperson to agree with us.  One of the appeals is usually the most obvious or powerful, but often all three are present. 
Threat and Rescue: Advertising (also in politics, media, interrogation, everyday discussion,etc.) uses a "threat and rescue" model to present a situation and "solution" to it that usually benefits, primarily, the advertiser (or questioner). Any print, internet or TV commercial shows these features. Because there is an element of manipulation in any writing, the appeals writers use to persuade readers of a problem and solution should be based in the writer's genuine thought, values and perspective of the topic.  Using Fear (threat) to Persuade (rescue)


Links to more specifics and Classical Appeals: Persuasive Writing and Audience, Effective Persuasive Strategies and Basic Appeals.

 

Most persuasive writing includes elements of all three Classic Appeals, but one is usually more prominent than others. Logos (evidence and reason) can support both Ethos and Pathos approaches to the topic, depending on the writer's intention and the audience.  

 

The Thesis Sentence still contains the topic+opinion/position (+reason(s), but for a persuasive writing it may also include "should," "must," or other wording that strongly implies what the reader should do or think, etc. as a result of the information you present. An example might be: Americans must vote to protect our democracy because the people are the ones who choose leaders and policies.

Crediting Sources in the wording of sentences--(with or without parenthetical cites: USING Signal phrases to credit sources:  a signal phrase lets the reader know, right at the beginning of the sentence, that the information they are about to read comes from another source.

Example:  Your Op-Ed might include something like... According to John Smith, author of Pocahontas Is My Love, "Native American women value a deep spiritual connection to the environment."

Notice that since the word-for-word quote is from John Smith's book, those words are in quotation marks. Because the author and the name of book it comes from is stated IN the sentence, the reader is easily able to find the source on their own to check the facts. The reader is also more likely to believe the thesis because they know that the information comes from a credible source.

For Web sources, use the particular website name instead of John Smith's book. The signal phrase would look exactly the same, but use wording like, "According to Pocahontasrules.com..." to identify material from that source. Page/paragraph locations are not required, but may be even more convincing.    

OpEds do not generally use a formal list of sources but, should refer, by signal phrase, to credible evidence and sources to back-up facts and other information.

Counterargument is an opposite opinion that further proves yours is stronger: Predict counterarguments. For example:
e.g..--The Argument: Organic produce from local Farmers’ Markets is better than store-bought produce because it is more nutritious.
            The Counterargument/Opposition: Organic produce is too expensive.

Combining both in a thesis sentence might be: Although organic produce from local Farmers’ Markets is better than store-bought produce because it is more nutritious, it is too expensive.


Argument Basics:  A more formal academic position essay, makes an argument: a decarative thesis/claim that provides reasoning and evidence, which suggests why the thesis is true. The counter-arguement considers a possible argument against the thesis or some aspect of the reasoning. This is a good way to test the ideas while drafting. And in the finished essay, it can be a very persuasive as it allows the writer to anticipate doubts and pre-empt objections that a skeptical reader might have.  It presents the writer as the kind of person who weighs alternatives before arguing for one, who confronts difficulties instead of sweeping them under the rug and someone more interested in discovering the truth than winning a point.

Both thesis and brief counterargument need evidence (documentation) to support each "side" of the issue. For practice in citing, each reference to supporting evidence needs signal/intro phrases worded as part of a sentence with enough specifics that a reader could find it easily.
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