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Persuasion

The ways you are convinced!

Disclaimer: the purpose of this lesson is not to convince you of anything. The purpose
is to teach you to merely think critically about items as they are presented to you in
the modern world.
Basic Elements of Persuasion

• Persuasion uses four basic concepts:


repetition, simplicity, imagery and
sentiment.
• There are three major categories of
persuasive techniques:
o Ethos
o Pathos
o Logos
Ethos (Credibility)
• The appeal based on the character of the
speaker
Pathos (Emotional)
• An appeal to the person's emotions through
images or word choice 
Logos (Logical)
• The appeal to a
logical
argument.
Giving reasons
that substantiate
claims and
avoiding
fallacies.
Three-in-One Ad
• What are the ethos,
pathos and logos
appeals of this
advertisement?
Everyday Persuasion
• You use persuasion every day. “Every time we
communicate with someone we are doing so in
an attempt to convey a particular response.”
• You do it when you argue with your parents,
when you write persuasive essays, when you ask
for an extension on your homework or when
you’re trying to get your parents to buy the latest
item you want.
Other places you might find
persuasion:
• Movies
• Literature
• Songs
• Photography
• Advertisements
• Political cartoons
• Commercials
• Anything political
Specific Types (page 914)
• There are many specific types of persuasive
techniques and they all depend on the ethos, pathos
and/or logos appeals to make their point. These
include, but are not limited to:
o Bandwagon - tapping into people's desire to belong
o Testimonial - using celebrities or satisfied customers to persuade
o Transfer - connects a product, a candidate, or a cause with a
positive image or idea
o Appeal to pity - taps into people's emotions
o Appeal to fear - preys upon people's fear for their safety
o Appeal to vanity - uses flattery to win people over 
o Words with positive associations - calls up favorable images,
feelings or experiences
o Words with negative associations - brings to mind unpleasant
images, feelings or experiences; often creates distrust or unease
Review
• Look at the following media and detemine
o What is the claim?
 That is, what is the position or problem
at hand. What are you trying to be
convinced of?
o What form of persuasive techniques are
the following examples using?
 Ethos, pathos or logos? Can you be
any more specific? (p. 914)
Movies

• HOOT!
Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try

Songs
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries


“Imagine!” by John Lennon It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer


But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer


But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
Political Cartoons
Television Commercials

• Marines
Literature: Persuasions in Text
• Look at models 1  and 2 "Break the Addiction" and
"Stranded" on page 915
• Analyze the Text "The Promise" on page 916.
Your Assignment Choices

• Assignment #1: Semantic Word Map


o Create a semantic word map for the words ethos, logos and pathos. For
the examples (at the bottom of the map) you must find three unique
images of print ads that use that type of appeal.
• Assignment #2: Example Chart
o Complete the “Labeling Persuasions” handout. Label each example as
using ethos, logos or/and pathos appeals. Explain your reasoning in two
to three sentences.
Assignment #1 - Semantic Word Map
Directions:
1. The term or concept is placed in a box in the middle of the page.
2. Directly above it is another box where the major classification to which it
belongs is written.  The box should answer, What is it?
3. To the right of the term or concept are a series of boxes that indicate its
essential characteristics.  These boxes answer the questions "What is it like?" or
"What are its distinguishing characteristics?" You should have at least two boxes
for this.
4. Below the term or concepts are a series of boxes that provide examples of the
concept. For this you must print out small images of three unique examples of
print ads that primarily use that type of appeal.
 
Example of Semantic Word Map: 
http://academic.evergreen.edu/f/fordter/contentlit/semanticmath.htm
Assignment #2 – Persuasive Examples
handout
Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, label each image as appealing to
pathos (emotions), logos (logic) or/and ethos (credibility). Write a short
explanation, saying why you labeled it as such, giving specific examples from
the ad to back up your explanation. Each explanation should be approximately
two to three sentences. An example has been done for you
1. Pathos – This print advertisement for
the “Boys and Girls Club” largely relies on
pathos appeals. The text on the hand says
that “In these hands the sound of a guitar
or the sound of a gun…a story of
desperation or one of inspiration...sign
language or gang signs…all depending on
who gives them a hand.” The language
makes you feel sympathetic for the child
in need by appealing to pity.

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