GROUP 15 ASSINGMENT

 Tanaka L Nyakunika C23156395O  Rouxy T Machona C23156521S

 Blessed M Chinyama C23156232K  Dean Chimhini C23155661H
 Nomsa Makombe C23154790D
 Debra Muchanyama C23157184U
 Millicent Chirimuta C23156451L
 Takunda Mubayiwa C23156951B
 Kudzai Ngwerume C23155773X
 Faith Chimhenga C23153914T  Petronella Besa C23156333Q
 Ruramai Shamhuyarira C23155471F  Enerst Takundwa C23156001X
 Fadzai Marufu C23155411M
 Blessed T Dumbarimwe C23155812L
 Tinotenda Basvi C23157415Q
 Shephard Makurumure C23156212J
 Ashley Chingobe C23156547E
 Anesuishe Kutiva C23154512M
Identifying and Critiquing strategies for
effective persuasive communication
 Definition:
 Persuasive communication is basically
communication that is aimed at creating,
reinforcing, or changing people’s beliefs or
actions .
 Effective persuasive communication
definition:
Effective persuasive communication refers to the ability to convey
a message in a compelling and convincing manner with the aim of
influencing or appealing others to adopt a certain belief, attitude,
or behavior.

Effective persuasive communication addresses the audience needs, values

and desires. (aventislearning.com)
 This is derived from the fact that people are often induced by information
they feel that the speaker is conveying is relatable to their situation be it in
terms of demographic, geographic or economic factors.
 Persuasive effective communication strategies

Establishing Credibility
 Establishing credibility is a key strategy for effective persuasive
communication. When the audience views the communicator as credible,
they are more likely to be engaged, pay attention, and consider the message
being conveyed.
 This can be achieved through providing credible evidence, demonstrating
expertise and knowledge even a person’s appearance for example when sales
dress formally and act friendly as people tend to trust a suit and a smile.
Critique to establishing credibility

 Whilst establishing credibility is important it can

sometimes be seen as manipulative if the speaker is too
focus on self promotion the evidence will seem cherry
picked in order to service the speakers agenda.
 It might not be useful as it takes time and certain
instances like in the case of a travelling salesman it is
hard for them to build credibility as they are in an area
for a short period.
 Understanding the audience
When looking to persuade people you as the
speaker should strive to understand the audience
you are addressing.
By doing this you can tailor your message to
specific needs, values and beliefs of your target
audience which could lead to them comprehending
your message with greater precession, the audience
is therefore more engaged and more likely to agree
with what you are telling them.
 Critique to understanding the audience

 Researching and gathering data about a specific audience in a

specific setting costs time and resources which may be unavailable
for example if a person is selected to do an impromptu speech.

 There is also risk of generalisation as you act on limited

information, an illustration can arise from the stereotypes of our
generation that we are promiscuous, we drink alcohol, smoke
amongst other things if a person bases their research on this and
engage a group from our generation who are intellectuals their
message will not be received well.
 Emotional Appeal

 A speaker can plead to the emotions of their listeners so as to

evoke a desired response.
 This strategy is utilised by lawyers so as to make the jury
sympathetic and understand the defendant or be angry and
shameful towards the defendant depended on the side they are
on.
 Through this strategy speakers can establish a connection
which the audience which sparks their attention and can
persuade them towards the speakers argument.
 Critique to emotional appeal strategy

 can be manipulative as it focuses on

emotions and can sometimes
overshadow rational thinking and factual
reasoning.
 Utilization of Persuasive Language

 When addressing an audience, it is very essential to note study and

understand the target group for the purposes of maximizing the use
of what is known as persuasive language.

 Persuasive language can be defined as a technique used to convince

one to adhere to your own point of view and sway them away from
theirs.

 The addresser to the audience has the solemn duty to choose words,
phrases and rhetorical devices to create a persuasive impact.
 Critique to Persuasive Language

 However , the use of manipulative

language can be seen as deceptive and in
turn may undermine the credibility of the
speaker.
 Building A Connection

 With an audience, establishing a personal connection

whilst communicating is a major necessity if one wishes
to persuade them or sway them from their point of view

 This process involves anomalies such as stories, humor

and relatable examples. The sole purpose of these is to
deviate the audience from a tense environment whilst
maintaining a realistic point of view.
 Critique To Building a Connection

 Whilst building a connection is a major

necessity, if carried out in excess it may
divert the audience from focusing on the
intended agenda.
 CONCLUSION

 Overall, it is essential to strike a balance

between these strategies and consider the
ethical implications of
persuasive communication.
Evaluating persuasive
communication appeals (pathos,
logos, ethos)
Persuasive communication often relies on 3
key appeals, as identified by the ancient
philosopher Aristotle. These are as follows:
 Logos (logical appeal)

 Latin for logic, logos is where the use of logic,

reasoning and evidence comes in.
 Your audience will question the validity of your
claims; the opinions you share need to be
supported using either science or statistics as well
as any other type of logic.
 Examples of logos are profit margin of an
investment, criminal evidence such as fingerprints
as well as historical facts
o The use of logos has its avails as it gives the audience
clarity giving them a clear understanding of the message
communicated.
o Logos gives the communicator credibility as the use of facts
and logical arguments make your position seem credible
and well-reasoned.
o People are often persuaded by facts and logic, so the use of
logos makes your argument more convincing.

• However relying too heavily on facts can make your argument seem
too dry and may not engage the audience as effectively
• Logos alone lack a strong emotional connection with audience
which is the key to persuasion.
• If your logical explanations are too complex to understand, you
might lose your audience.
 Pathos (Emotional appeal)

 Latin for emotion, pathos is the fastest way to get your

audiences attention.
 It can involve storytelling, vivid language as well as
shared experiences and values
 Another example is that of advertising. Many
advertisements use pathos to appeal to consumers
emotions such as animal adoption shelters sharing images
of abused animals with the aid of sad background music to
evoke sympathy and encourage people to adopt.
o The use of pathos has its benefits as it allows memorability. People
are more likely to remember things that they made an emotional
connection with fro example the black lives matter movement.
o Another benefit of pathos is connection. Emotional appeal can help
you connect with your audience on a personal level thus persuading
them.
o Pathos also allows engagement. People become invested in your
argument as you would have engaged with their emotions.

• However too much use of pathos can make your audience feel
emotionally manipulated as they would also looking for the facts to
support your emotional claims so that they can fully trust you.
• If the audience feels like the speaker is trying too hard to evoke
emotional responses, they will become sceptical of the speaker’s
authenticity and intentions.
 Ethos (Credibility appeal)
 Latin for ethics, ethos is what you do to prove to your audience that
you are trustworthy and knowledgeable.
 It’s also what you do to show that you understand and respect the
audiences ethics and values.
 This is especially important when communicating with an audience
that doesn’t agree with you.
 Some examples are commercials. For instance toothpaste
commercials could say “4 out 5 dentists recommend this toothpaste”
where the credibility of the dentists is used to encourage consumers
to buy it.
o The use of ethos can beneficially establish trust between the speaker and
audience. If the audience believes the speaker they are more likely to be
persuaded by their argument.
o Respect can be earned from the speaker with the use of ethos. Once
respected the audience is easily convinced.

• However ethos can be misused to establish false credibility. For example

the speaker could claim to be an expert in a field that they have no
experience in.
• Ethos may not establish the emotional connection which is key to
persuasion.
These three appeals work together to create a balanced, persuasive message. A good
argument will generally include all three, though the balance between them may vary
depending on the audience and the topic. For example, an argument based on scientific
research might rely more heavily on logos, while a fundraising appeal might use more
pathos. Different members of your audience may respond more strongly to different
types of appeals. By using all three, you can engage a wider range of people.

It is important to be aware of fallacies (errors in reasoning) because they can reduce the impact of
your message on your reader.

Remember, the key to effective persuasion is balance. While it’s important to use all three
appeals, be sure to adjust the balance to suit your topic, audience, and purpose.
Rhetorical triangle showing the relationship between the three appeals according
to Aristotle.