Persuasive Strategies

Hi Grade 5s,

Today we talked about strategies that are used in persuasive writing and speaking.  They are:

Claim - States the argument or your main point
Example: Chocolate is an unhealthy snack.

Big Names - Experts and important people that support your side of the argument
Example: Avril Lavigne advertising for Canon cameras.

Logos - Using logic, numbers, facts, and data to support your argument
Example: A Snickers bar has 280 calories and 30 grams of sugar.  That's not very healthy.

Pathos - Appealing to your audience's emotions
Example: Your donation might just get this puppy off the street and into a good home.

Ethos - Making yourself seem trustworthy and believable
Example: I'm not just the president of the Hair Club For Men, I'm also a client!  I know how embarassing it is to be bald, because I used to be bald, too.

Kairos - Building a sense of urgency for your cause
Example: If you call in the next 5 minutes, we'll include a second ShamWOW for FREE!  You must call within the next 5 minutes to receive this amazing offer.

Research - Using studies and information to make your argument seem more convincing.  You can use words, graphs, tables, and illustrations.
Example: In a recent study, 9 out of 10 dentists found Sensodyne effective in the treatment and prevention of tooth sensitivity.

Your homework tonight is to use the example of a persuasive argument you found last night, and analyze it.  Which persuasive strategies did your example use?  Make a list of all the arguments, and put a check or an X depending on which strategies your example used.  For each strategy used, describe how it was used.

For example:

My example of a persuasive argument was the Koodo print ad I saw on the subway.  Here is my analysis of the ad:

Claim: The Koodo ad's claim or main point is that I should make them my cell phone service provider.

Big Names: X

Logos: The Koodo ad used logos to support their argument by showing unlimited texting costs only $5.  The ad uses numbers and facts.

Pathos: X

Ethos: X

Kairos: X

Research: X

You may post your homework assignments on the blog as a comment, if you like.

See you tomorrow!  Stay warm tonight :)

-Ms. Lewis.