English 10 Honors March 22 2012 Drill March

English 10 Honors March 22, 2012

Drill: March 22, 2012 Pronoun Agreement • DIRECTIONS: The following sentences show a lack of agreement between the pronoun and its antecedent. Rewrite each sentence to correct the error. 1. Everyone who went on the field trip was supposed to bring their permission form. 2. The principal indicated that every staff member had to submit their self evaluation by Wednesday. 3. A student should see an advisor if you have questions. 4. As the weather got colder everyone wished they had brought a coat. 5. Most of the class pushed in its chairs.

• This sentence may look right, but look again. The pronoun their is plural. But it refers to the pronoun everyone, which is singular. We have a problem. Certain words are ALWAYS singular, even though they may seem plural. Here are some. anybody • each • everybody • someone

Objectives • SWBAT correct errors in pronoun/antecedent agreement in order to increase sentence clarity in writing. • SWBAT explain and use rhetorical elements in order to compose persuasive speeches. • SWBAT review for the 3 rd quarterly assessment.

Writing Winning Speeches: Using Rhetorical Strategies to Persuade Your Reader

What We’ll Discuss Today • Origin of rhetoric and Aristotle’s 3 “available means of persuasion” • Writing Proposals: Considering the Rhetorical Situation • Reader-Centered Writing • Ethical and Unethical Uses of Language

Part 1: Origin of rhetoric A loooooong time ago. . . – When: 384 -322 B. C. – Where: Ancient Greece – Who: Aristotle

The Marketplace • Aristotle – observed interactions between people as they sold items, gave speeches, etc. – wondered why some people were more successful than others in convincing people to • buy their wares (action) or • support their political views (belief).

Taking Notes. . . • Aristotle – noted the different techniques that people used to convince or persuade others. – narrowed down all their techniques down to three methods, which he called the “available means of persuasion. ” • Ethos • Pathos • Logos

About the New Vocabulary. . . • Don’t worry too much about the technical terms; focus on methods that YOU can use as you write grant proposals, fundraising letters, newsletters, give presentations, etc. • SIDE NOTE: OTHERS use these strategies in writing or in speech to persuade, control, or manipulate you.

Aristotle’s Means of Persuasion • Ethos: perceived character or authority of the speaker • Pathos: appealing to emotions • Logos: appealing to logic or facts

Ethos • Using ethos is one way to persuade the listener or reader. If the writer or speaker is perceived by the listener to be authoritative or of good character, he or she will be believed.

• Example: Michael Jordan sells tennis shoes; he says, “Be like Mike and buy my shoes. ” Kids look up to him and believe his shoes are good, so they buy them.

This makes Mike very, very happy!

Good Ethos #2

Example of Poor Ethos • The “other” Michael – World-renowned superstar – Paid BIG MONEY for a 3 -minute Pepsi commercial in 1984

Would you buy Pepsi from this man?

Pathos • Pathos is appealing to the emotions of the listener/reader.

• Example: You are reading a magazine and come across an advertisement for a children’s relief agency. You see a picture of a starving child, and the words, “for the cost of a cup of coffee a day you can feed this child. ”

This makes you feel guilty, so before heading to Starbuck’s for a $4. 00 peppermint mocha latte, you get out your checkbook and send a donation!

Other Pathos Examples Other emotions that can be played on include happiness, love, security, etc.

Love and Happiness

Sense of Well-Being

Safety and Security

Logos • Some people are persuaded neither by the reputation or credentials of the speaker/writer, nor by the appeal to emotions. • These people need facts or logic in order to be convinced.

Criminal Investigators (Ma-am!)

Scientists and Engineers

• Example: Instead of the starving child and cup of coffee argument (pathos—emotional appeal), use a chart or graph with statistics about the poverty level in 3 rd world countries and compare them to levels in the U. S. (logos—appeal to logic, use of facts and figures).

Why is knowledge of rhetoric important? • Whether you are reading a newspaper or watching TV or hearing a sales pitch, knowing about the effective use of ethos, pathos, and logos can help you to avoid falling prey to faulty or deceptive arguments.

Also, when you are writing a speech or giving a presentation, you can be sure to choose the appropriate method of persuasion based on who your audience is, and to be sure your arguments rest on solid ground.

Part 2: Writing a Persuasive Speech: Considering the Rhetorical Situation

Interpretation • Use rhetorical strategies to – Ask the right questions – Impose mental structures on evolving, uncertain, or chaotic situations – Assess and interpret the situation • Do research, separate the important vs. nonessential facts, then create a plan to solve the problem or manage the change • Impose order on the situation

Expression • Expression is the performance side of rhetoric. • First interpret the situation, then develop a rhetorical strategy to express your ideas and persuade others. • Invent the content of the speech – Describe the current situation – Set some goals – Promote the plan

The Rhetorical Situation • • Subject Purpose Audience Objectives

Subject • What is the speech about? – What is it not about? (scope) • What is “inside” the box? • What is “outside” the box? • Decide what will stay in the box, and what you’ll need to put in the box (or leave out of it) in order for your readers to make an informed decision.

Subject • To determine subject, ask the three stasis questions: – Is there a problem? – What exactly is the problem? – What type of problem is it? • Boundaries (scope) – What do my readers need to know? – What don’t they need to know? – Don’t frustrate the reader with non-relevant info!

Purpose • What outcome am I expecting? • What do I want to achieve?

Purpose • After reading your speech, what do you want the reader to: – Do? – Believe? • To make this more clear in your mind (and eventually the reader’s mind) write out your purpose in ONE sentence. – Write it on a a sticky note and stick it on your computer screen!

Intended Audience (Reader or Listener) • To whom will I address the speech? • Who will actually read it?

Audience • Analyze your intended/potential audience/readers: – Primary readers • Person or people to whom the proposal is addressed

Audience • Analyze your intended audience – Generate ideas and use facts effectively to persuade your audience to accept your ideas – Use facts, logic, emotion, and authority/credibility to persuade the reader (logos, pathos, and ethos)

Objectives • What are some other goals, besides the obvious purpose, that the speech should achieve?

Think about your readers’ • Motives – Profit – Public perception – “the right thing” • Values • Attitudes • Emotions

Objectives • What else would you like your speech to achieve? – Achieve long term goals – Change public’s perception of your organization, an issue, or a cause – Affect greater community – Aid society in some way

Part 3: Reader-Centered Writing • A means of delivering an easy to read document that clearly states its message

How to Create a Reader-Centered Document • Avoid “I” • Focus on the reader’s needs, wants, and desires, not yours

Choose Correct Words • Use the correct word in the right place – Use words in their proper context – Understand the meaning of the word – Consider your readers and write to their level

Use Plain English • Avoid: – Jargon/Industry-specific language – Technical terms – Slang • AGAIN: – Know your readers and write to their level of understanding

Sentence Structure • Select words carefully • Write clearly and concisely • Avoid passive construction; use active voice – NOT “the chocolate bar was eaten, ” – But, “My wife ate the chocolate. ” – This tells the reader not only – WHAT was done, but WHO did it.

Sentence Length • Reduce wordiness • Use 12 words instead of 20 to say the same thing • Vary sentence length

Avoid Errors—Proofread Carefully!! • Multiple errors make you or your organization look unprofessional, or worse, incompetent – Print a draft—errors can be missed on screen – Ask someone else to look it over—two (or three or four) heads are better than one! – Ask for feedback • Grammar, spelling, punctuation • Clarity • Does it send the right message?

Part 4: Ethics in Persuasive Writing • Ethical considerations of persuasion – Logic fallacies • Cause and effect (post hoc ergo propter hoc) – Infers that because one thing follows another, it is a result of the first » Drop in crime » Longer life expectancy

• Personal attack (ad hominem) – Kill the messenger » You are a bad person, so your point is invalid

Logical Fallacies (cont. ) – Bandwagon (ad populum) • Appeal to popularity – Everybody’s doing it, so you should, too! » 90% of dentists recommend Crest » 4 out of 5 would rather fight than switch

– Inference by association • Guilt by association – If a company makes one good (or bad) product, all their products are good (or bad) – If some employees are bad or practice criminal behavior (Enron) the entire company is bad

Other Persuasive Tactics – Plain Folks • I’m a regular Joe, so I wouldn’t lie to you – Jimmy Dean sausage – Old guy selling life insurance

• Testimonials – Implies that the person supports the cause or uses the product » Celebrity endorsements – “Normal people” giving testimonies ( I lost 50 pounds!)

• Particularly effective for non-profit fundraising

– Transfer • Uses positive symbols to transfer meaning to something else – American flag – Cross, Icthus (Christian fish symbol)

Unethical Language Use: Language fallacies • Equivocation – Using one or both meanings of a word, then deliberately confusing the two in the audience’s mind • Jar of spaghetti sauce (4 oz. “FREE”)

Review • Remember Aristotle’s three means of persuasion – Ethos – Pathos – Logos • Consider and analyze the rhetorical situation in which you are writing your proposal • Do your best to use language persuasively, but ETHICALLY

Now go write your WINNING Speech and get the A!