Persuasive Writing Learning Intentions To understand what structure

Persuasive Writing

Learning Intentions • To understand what structure is expected in a piece of persuasive writing. • To understand which techniques are used to persuade. • To consider potential topics for a persuasive piece of writing.

Lesson 1 Intro to Persuasive Writing

Introduction ▪ When you write a Persuasive essay, you form arguments and present them for or against an issue. ▪ You have a strong personal stance and aim to persuade the reader that your view on the issue can be fully supported. ▪ It is important, however, to be clear about the difference in writing a Persuasive essay and in writing an Argumentative essay.

What is the difference between argumentative and persuasive? ▪ In writing an argumentative essay the writer examines both sides of an issue in a balanced way, without a clear personal stance and in a formal, neutral tone. ▪ In a Persuasive essay the emphasis is on a more personal, more emotional way of writing. ▪ This is why in a Persuasive essay you are encouraged to use techniques. Techniques help convey emotion. ▪ Think of your essay as 50% argument and 50% emotion. This should help you write an effective essay.

Step 1 - Choose a topic • You must be interested in the topic to be able to write passionately about it. • It must be something that is worth persuading people of (i. e. it can’t be something that people already know the definite answer to or already clearly support). • You can write about anything but must make sure you can make at least 3 points in favour of your point of view.

Task 1 In groups: • Brainstorm possible persuasive topics/arguments. • Try to come up with at least 5 or 6 good ideas. 10 minutes

• • • Private vs Public School • • Our involvement in foreign affairs • Do we need the Royal Family? • The effect of Twilight on relationships • Immigration Zoos Positives of gaming Age limit for drinking • Pop-stars as role models • More women in Marvel films • American Gun Laws Social Networks Reality TV shows Too much media pressure to look beautiful? Foreign languages/religion in schools Women’s sports should have wider coverage Censorship in the arts - films, music, games Gender equality Is football about money? Over-sexualisation in the media

Step 2 - Create points that support your view ▪ In most cases, to present a convincing argument for your point of view, you must select three persuasive points. ▪ You then have to decide the order in which the points will be used in the essay. It is suggested you decide from your list what your most convincing point is and number it 1. ▪ In the essay, this should come first, followed by your other points and, finally, by a refute of an opposing point. 10 minutes

Step 3 - Show you are aware of opposing arguments You will impress the marker by showing that you understand both sides of the issue and that you can argue against objections to your point of view. This will strengthen your persuasive essay. ▪ Make a list of one or two points which oppose yours and make notes explaining why you do not find them convincing. 10 minutes

Task 2 • Choose a few of the topics and try to come up with 3 points in favour of your argument.

Lesson 2 Researching your topic

Step 4 - Research evidence to back up your points ▪ Researching your issue is very important because you use the information from it to help you to prepare convincing evidence for your argument. ▪ When researching, carefully fit your evidence to each point. ▪ My advice: ▪ 1. Set out each point (For and Against) on a separate sheet of paper. ▪ 2. Find trusted sources with information about your topic and the points. NO WIKIPEDIA. ▪ 3. Write down the facts relevant to each point in note form on each separate piece of paper.

Types of Evidence • Facts - A fact is a piece of information that has been proved true. If you use facts, try to use more than one. A series of facts supports a point far better than just one fact. • Anecdotes - 'story' evidence. A story is told and the facts of the story are the evidence. It is important that the evidence is true. • Quotes - things said in interviews with experts on your topic. • Statistics - use of data, such as percentages.

Bibliography ▪ A bibliography is important as it shows you have researched your material and proves you have the skills to find appropriate evidence. ▪ It allows any person interested in the arguments and evidence provided to discover more by referring to your bibliography. ▪ Different sources are presented in different ways in a bibliography: ▪ If you do not include one, you will fail and could be accused of plagiarism.

For Example: ▪ A book ▪ Schlosser, E, Fast Food Nation: What The All-American Meal is Doing to the World, Penguin (2002) ▪ A magazine or newspaper ▪ Klein, J, Outsiders vs. Insiders: The Struggle for the GOP's Soul, Time Magazine (June 2011) ▪ An encyclopedia ▪ Encyclopaedia Britannica, Obesity, Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc (1991) ▪ A website ▪ NHS, Obesity: Brendon and Debbie's Story, http: //www. nhs. uk/conditions/obesity/pages/realstories. aspx (Accessed on 31/5/2010) ▪ A documentary ▪ Spurlock, M, Supersize Me (documentary), Independent Film (2004)

Lesson 3 Structuring your essay

Creating a Catchy Title ▪ The title will be the first words the reader sees and needs to send a strong signal to them about the quality and content of your essay. ▪ A title can: ▪ create immediate impact • show your intelligence • give information ▪ make the reader think • provoke emotion - anger, shock, disgust ▪ be humorous • convey your opinion • make your issue clear or provide a combination of these. ▪ Common language techniques which gain the reader's attention are: ▪ • alliteration • questions • rhyme • repetition • emotive language • command • creative punctuation • unusual use of words • quote

Title Technique Effect alliteration view on nuclear power clear, emotive language KO is not OK pun view against boxing clear, unusual use of words, humour Bent Business of the Banana Trade alliteration, pun The Nuclear Nightmare Abortion - The Silent Holocaust? Universities should be Universal Attack of the Clones There lies Sense in Defence humour, issue made clear, view made clear Question provokes shock/anger, issue made clear Pun issue made clear, view made clear rhyme issue made clear, view made clear

Task 1 • Come up with 3 possible titles for your piece of writing. • Try one question, one alliteration and one cleverly worded title. 5 minutes

Writing your Introduction ▪ After the title, the words you write in your introduction will be the first that the marker reads. ▪ ▪ ▪ Your Introduction should: • capture the reader's attention • show you can write with style • make your issue clear • make clear what you are arguing for ▪ ▪ ▪ Different types of intro: Statistical Emotive Quotation Questions ▪ Choose the type that you think works best for your essay.

Emotive Introduction ▪ ▪ ▪ Used to: make the reader feel angry/shocked/sympathetic etc. make clear what the issue is show that your view is sincerely held provide a link to your argument ‘Think about this. You have a cough most of the time. You are always short of breath. You cough up phlegm with signs of blood in it. It is sore when you breathe or cough. You have lost your appetite. You feel permanently tired. You are losing weight. You would hate this to be you but, unfortunately, this is what sufferers of lung cancer have to face on a daily basis. Not all lung cancer is caused by smoking but there is no doubt that in many cases smoking tobacco has been the main factor. Raising revenues by increasing taxes on tobacco will reduce demand is an act of humanity. ’

Task 1 • Write an emotive introduction about one of the following topics: • Raising drinking age. • Britain’s being more involved with ISIS crisis. • Getting rid of child beauty pageants. • Banning arranged/child marriages. 10 minutes

Recommended Main Paragraph Structure ▪ This is the recommended paragraphing structure to make your argument convincing: ▪ statement of your viewpoint ▪ explanation of your viewpoint ▪ evidence for your viewpoint

Paragraph Example: ▪ So, making the argument that there would be less demand on the NHS if the tax on tobacco was increased, would be written, using the above structure, like this: ▪ ‘Increasing taxation on tobacco would mean that NHS resources were in less demand. [P] Higher taxes on tobacco would mean less people smoking. In turn, there would be fewer patients needing to use the NHS for help with smoking related diseases. [Ex] In one way or another, smoking costs the NHS 2. 7 billion pounds a year for treating these diseases. These costs include the hospital admissions, doctors' consultations, prescriptions and care. Betty Mc. Bride from the British Heart Foundation claims, based on a BHF study conducted by doctors, that the cost is £ 5 billion a year. She says, 'This is money being drained out of the NHS as a direct result of something we have the power to prevent'. [I] Clearly, billions of pounds could be saved if the numbers of people with smoking related diseases could be reduced. ’

Using Techniques ▪ Your arguments will be more convincing if they are presented with knowledge, sincerity and style. ▪ Features of writing which help you to present your arguments in this way are explained in the slides which follow.

Use words that persuade ▪ Phrases such as ‘It goes without saying’, ‘surely’, ‘clearly’ make you sound sure in your position. ▪ Such words and phrases also make the reader more likely to agree with you as it sounds as if this is the only option available to them. ▪ Using too many, however, will make you sound over confident and pompous.

Use rhetorical questions ▪ These questions focus the reader to think about where they stand hopefully agree with the point you are making. ▪ Use these questions sparingly and at a place where it is likely that they will agree. ▪ For example, when writing about the proposed mosque close by Ground Zero in New York someone may write: ▪ Surely displaying respect to all faiths in ‘The Land of the Free’ is the perfect retort to the intolerance, violence and limited world view of the jihadists?

Using Exaggeration ▪ Whilst too much exaggeration will make your argument sound silly, overstating can be effective in creating humour while illustrating flaws in the opposing argument. ▪ For example, in a piece about funding large-scale defence projects while other areas are under-funded, one might write: ▪ While having a fleet of new and shiny massive aircraft carriers to sail around the world’s island or coastal hotspots is all well and good, we cannot have this at the expense of soldiers in Afghanistan making so with old tin trays in their Land Rovers as protection against roadside bombs.

Figurative Language ▪ A technique to use sparingly, imagery can be helpful when persuading. ▪ Similes, metaphors or personification can be tied in with your topic. ▪ E. g. If we are all soldiers in the war against drugs we can force the army of drug pushers into retreat.

Repetition ▪ Repetition of phrases is a particularly forceful way of persuading. Use it sparingly or your writing will sound like someone lecturing a naughty child. ▪ For example, if someone were writing in favour of a ban on the sale of fireworks they might write: ▪ It’s that time of year when dogs are forced to cower in their kennels. It’s that time of year when children ‘experimenting’ with rockets fill accident and emergency departments. It’s that time of year when Fire and Rescue deal with firework parties that get a ‘little’ out of hand.

Use of Triples ▪ Your points will sound more powerful when things are explained in threes! ▪ E. g. “An increase in the numbers of poilcemen will lead to safer streets, safer cities and a safer society. ”

Task 1 In pairs: • Using the topic of banning cigarettes, give one example of each technique. Write each one as it’s own sentence. 15 minutes

Lesson 4 Picking apart examples

Task 1 1. What is the main idea the writer is arguing about? 2. Each paragraph has a topic sentence which contributes to the essay’s main topic - what is each paragraph about? Highlight the TS in one colour. 3. What evidence does the writer offer to support the arguments? Highlight the evidence in a different colour. 4. Which persuasive techniques have been used? 30 minutes Underline any you find.

Writing your Conclusion ▪ The words you write in your conclusion will be the last thing in the essay that the marker reads. ▪ Carefully consider how you can create a positive lasting impression. ▪ The conclusion should: ▪ ▪ • • summarise your line of argument emphasise the point you are arguing for provide an opportunity to show style allow for further evaluation

Example: ▪ ‘What have we learned, then, about the cost of smoking? We have learned that exposure to other people's tobacco smoke is a cause of ill health including respiratory illnesses, increased severity of asthma symptoms and, tragically, terminal illnesses in adult non-smokers. We have learned, too, that smoking can cause lung cancer and cancers in other parts of the body, and death from emphysema, bronchitis and heart conditions. We have learned about the costs to the NHS and to society in general. Given all the disease, suffering and death that smoking causes is it now right to make tobacco more expensive? It it time to raise taxes on tobacco. ’