Persuasive Elements Persuasive Elements and Techniquesand Techniques

Freshmen EnglishFreshmen English

Propaganda TechniquesPropaganda Techniques

What are they?What are they? The methods and approaches used to The methods and approaches used to

further a causefurther a cause ExamplesExamples

PoliticalPolitical CommercialCommercial ReligiousReligious CivilCivil

Propaganda TechniquesPropaganda Techniques

Why are they used?Why are they used? To manipulate reason and emotionTo manipulate reason and emotion To persuade you to To persuade you to

Believe in someoneBelieve in someone Buy an itemBuy an item Vote a certain wayVote a certain way

Most Commonly Used Most Commonly Used Propaganda TechniquesPropaganda Techniques

Name CallingName Calling Used to attack a person, not the topic/ideaUsed to attack a person, not the topic/idea

Glittering GeneralitiesGlittering Generalities General statements that cannot be proved or General statements that cannot be proved or

disproveddisproved

TransferTransfer Attempt to convey the prestige of a positive Attempt to convey the prestige of a positive

symbol to a person or ideasymbol to a person or idea

UnAmerican

Good The Best Candidate

American Flag as backdrop for Candidate

Most Commonly Used Most Commonly Used Propaganda Techniques Propaganda Techniques (cont.)(cont.)

False AnalogyFalse Analogy Two things are portrayed as being similarTwo things are portrayed as being similar

TestimonialTestimonial ““Big Name” personalities are used to endorse a Big Name” personalities are used to endorse a

product or ideaproduct or idea Plain FolksPlain Folks

Ads used to depict people as ordinaryAds used to depict people as ordinary Card StackingCard Stacking

Words may be omitted in an ad or commercial, Words may be omitted in an ad or commercial, leading to a series of half-truthsleading to a series of half-truths

Most Commonly Used Most Commonly Used Propaganda Techniques Propaganda Techniques (cont.)(cont.)

BandwagonBandwagon Encourages you to think that because everyone else Encourages you to think that because everyone else

is doing something, you should do it too.is doing something, you should do it too.

Either/Or FallacyEither/Or Fallacy AKA “Black & White” ThinkingAKA “Black & White” Thinking Only two choices: If you’re not for us, you’re against Only two choices: If you’re not for us, you’re against

usus

Faulty Cause and EffectFaulty Cause and Effect B follows A, so A must cause BB follows A, so A must cause B

Errors of PersuasionErrors of Persuasion

Errors of Faulty LogicErrors of Faulty Logic

Errors of AttackErrors of Attack

Errors of Weak ReferenceErrors of Weak Reference

Errors of Faulty LogicErrors of Faulty Logic

ContradictionContradiction Information presented is in direct opposition to other Information presented is in direct opposition to other

information within the same argumentinformation within the same argument AccidentAccident

Someone fails to recognize that an argument is based on an Someone fails to recognize that an argument is based on an exception to the ruleexception to the rule

False CauseFalse Cause Temporal order of events is confused with causalityTemporal order of events is confused with causality

Begging the QuestionBegging the Question A person makes a claim and then argues for it by using the A person makes a claim and then argues for it by using the

same statements or argumentssame statements or arguments AKA “Circular Reasoning”AKA “Circular Reasoning”

Errors of Faulty Logic Errors of Faulty Logic (cont.)(cont.)

Evading the issueEvading the issue Someone sidesteps an issue by changing the Someone sidesteps an issue by changing the

subjectsubject Arguing from ignoranceArguing from ignorance

Someone argues that a claim is justified because its Someone argues that a claim is justified because its opposite cannot be provenopposite cannot be proven

Composition and DivisionComposition and Division Composition: an assertion about a whole that is true Composition: an assertion about a whole that is true

of its partsof its parts Division: an assertion about all of the parts that is Division: an assertion about all of the parts that is

true about the wholetrue about the whole

Errors of AttackErrors of Attack

Poisoning the WellPoisoning the Well A person is so committed to a position that he/she A person is so committed to a position that he/she

explains away absolutely every other offer in explains away absolutely every other offer in oppositionopposition

Ad HominemAd Hominem A person rejects a claim based on derogatory facts A person rejects a claim based on derogatory facts

about the person making the claimabout the person making the claim

Appealing to ForceAppealing to Force Someone uses threats to establish the validity of the Someone uses threats to establish the validity of the

claimclaim

Errors of Weak ReferenceErrors of Weak Reference

Appeal to AuthorityAppeal to Authority Authority is evoked as the last word on an Authority is evoked as the last word on an

issueissue Appeal to the PeopleAppeal to the People

Someone attempts to justify a claim on the Someone attempts to justify a claim on the basis of popularitybasis of popularity

Appeal to EmotionAppeal to Emotion An emotion-laden “sob” story is used as An emotion-laden “sob” story is used as

proof for a claimproof for a claim

Your job:

Finish taking notes by writing a summary at the end of what you have learned.

Homework:Watch ads on TV (or look for an ad in a newspaper or on the internet.)•Describe what the ad is for and what it looks like.•Explain at least two persuasive elements used.Would you buy/use this product? Explain