Persuasive: Midterm Preparation

Week 10, Part 1

Today

1. Persuasion Continued: Midterm Preparation

Word-of-the-day

Surreptitious: Done by secret/stealth

His surreptitious theft of the cookie scared her.

Grammar-rama

Review: Semi-colons (two independent clauses on

either side) Colons (one independent and on

dependent) Colons: replaces the expression “and here

it is”

Persuasive Writing

Persuasive Focus:

1.make them see your point of view

2.change readers’ minds

3.move them to action on behalf of your cause

Persuasion

- logos- pathos- ethos

Syllogism

1. Premise 12. Premise 23. Conclusion

1) Lawyers work long hours.2) Nima is a lawyer.3) Nima works long hours.

Bad Example of Persuasion

It is obvious to anyone thinking logically that minimum wage should be increased. The current minimum wage is an insult and is unfair to the people who receive it. The fact that the last proposed minimum wage increase was denied is proof that the government of this state is crooked and corrupt. The only way for them to prove otherwise is to raise minimum wage immediately.

Syllogism

Premise 1: Minimum wage should match the cost of living in society.

Premise 2: The current minimum wage does not match the cost of living in society.

Conclusion: Therefore, minimum wage should be increased.

Premise 1

The purpose of minimum wage is to ensure that workers can provide basic amenities to themselves and their families. A report in the Journal of Economic Studies indicated that workers cannot live above the poverty line when minimum wage is not proportionate with the cost of living. It is beneficial to society and individuals for a minimum wage to match living costs.

Premise 2

Unfortunately, our state's minimum wage no longer reflects an increasing cost of living. When the minimum wage was last set at $5.85, the yearly salary of $12,168 guaranteed by this wage was already below the poverty line. Years later, after inflation has consistently raised the cost of living, workers earning minimum wage must struggle to support a family, often taking 2 or 3 jobs just to make ends meet. 35% of our state's poor population is made up of people with full time minimum wage jobs.

Conclusion

In order to remedy this problem and support the workers of this state, minimum wage must be increased. A modest increase could help alleviate the burden placed on the many residents who work too hard for too little just to make ends meet.

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence Moves people from awareness to action1. Arouse attention2. Demonstrate a need3. Satisfy the need4. Visualize the results5. Call for action

Agitprop Theatre

Rogerian Conciliation

Less concerned with winning and losing Explores common ground, building bridges,

resolving differences, and negotiating and achieving reconciliation

Concession-Refutation

Recognizing arguments on the other side

Concession Example

Story of Stuff http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLBE5QAYXp8

Concession-Refutation

Assures your reader you are aware of the other side/you have explored the ongoing critical conversation.

Concession-Refutation Model1. My opponent says A is true (allude to

reasons)2. A is not true; B is true for these reasons

(thesis)3. Elaborate on the reasons for believing A

is not true4. Elaborate on the reasons for believing B

is true5. State final implications and reflections,

perhaps even a call to action

Structuring the Persuasive Essay

1. introduction 1. catchy opening2. counter-argument/refutation3. thesis statement

2. main supporting ideas3. conclusion

Paragraph 1 – IntroductionTopic Sentence Acknowledgement of the opposition Points of support for the thesis Thesis Statement

Paragraph 2 – Body paragraph (Con)Topic sentenceSummary of oppositionReasons why opposition is misguidedConcluding Sentence

Paragraph 3 – Body paragraph (Pro)Topic SentencePoint 1 of support for the thesisExamples and DiscussionConcluding Sentence

 Paragraph 4 – Body paragraph (Pro)

Topic SentencePoint 2 of support for thesisExamples and DiscussionConcluding Sentence

 Paragraph 5 – Conclusion

Restate thesis/argumentSummarize opposition and its problemsSummarize strengthsConcluding sentence

Practice

1. Choose a problem that springs from the picture

2. Fill in the blanks on page 2833. Add these blanks to the outline handout

8 Tips to Nail Your Midterm

BONUS TIP BEFORE WE START*****BIGGEST SECRET EVER*************

1. Introduction: Follow the Recipe1) Catchy Opening2) Background/Context 3) Concession/refutation thesis4) Thesis

1. Samples

At the end of a hard day there is nothing better than slipping on pajamas, grabbing a bag of chips, and clicking on the television. For over eighty years, television has played many important roles in society since its inception from the Beatles appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show to the Survivor finale. However, some people say that television is a colossal waste of time. Even at it’s most mundane, television serves as an important and inexpensive form of escapism because people can relax, eat, and talk while the TV is on.

OpeningDetail and ContextRefutationThesis Statement

1. Sample

Childhood is a stage that we all pass through. It’s an important time where children develop their social skills. Children interact with parents, siblings, and other children. Some of these children are at their preschool. Although some television shows may allow children to see other children interacting, this is not the same as real interaction. It’s totally different. Television should not be watched by children during these important early years.

OpeningDetail and ContextRefutationThesis Statement

2. Thesis: Concession-Refutation

Recognizing arguments on the other side Assures your reader you are aware of the

other side/you have explored the ongoing critical conversation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLBE5QAYXp8

3. Thesis: Persuasive

Strong other side Not just an opinion Not a fact Non-polarizing Original/fresh

4. No Logical Fallacies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PikszBkfTHM

5. MLA Format

Top Left CornerDouble-spacedTabbed paragraphs

6. Level of Persuasion

1. Understand point of view2. Change habits3. Change actions

LogosPathosEthos

7. Tone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qfgf4j1M-o

8. Ideas and Details

Informative Sample

Midterm

Take entire class (next class) Read the broad prompt Think of a problem Write an essay based on the concession-

refutation model No logical fallacies Edit for grammar/punctuation No low-content spots (especially

introduction/conclusion)

In-class Essay

Create an outline Do not create multiple drafts Paper dictionaries only Read chapter 13 Grammar matters Structure and argument are most

important Ideas and details