2. Writing a Persuasive Essay
Everyone has their own opinion on a particular issue.
I love writing a persuasive essay because I feel I am
helping people be more open minded.
However, I found there are three things to know to make
your persuasive essay affective.
Knowing how to approach your audience using
ethos, pathos, and logos.
The difference between affect and effect adapted from
[http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutspelling/affect]
3. Ethos, Pathos, and Logos
Ethos
Gives credibility to the author
While writing, make yourself seem educated and
professional. Share with the reader where you graduated
college from and projects you have completed that help
back your argument.
Language and tone of your paper can also affect ones
view of the author.
For example, if you are referring to an individual or a group
negatively it can make you seem childish and therefore
uneducated.
Adapted from [http://www.public.asu.edu/~macalla/logosethospathos.html]
4. Ethos, Pathos, and Logos cont.
Pathos (one of the most powerful tools)
Deals with ones emotions.
If a writer can pinpoint his/her target audience then
he/she can make emotional points to persuade the
audience.
For example, if the topic was abortion the author could talk
about new born babies or, parents wanting to adopt.
People who you know will be interested in the essay are your target
audience. People who are concerned with babies are parents trying to
adopt and parents who already have them, mothers specifically. In
conclusion, one stab at a mothers heart, like their own child, can help
reel in the support of your audience.
Adapted from [http://www.public.asu.edu/~macalla/logosethospathos.html]
5. Ethos, Pathos, and Logos cont.
Logos
Deals with statistics
Charts
Graphs
Hard facts
One way to affectively persuade an audience is use hard
facts that can not be argued with.
Adapted from [http://www.public.asu.edu/~macalla/logosethospathos.html]
6. Ethos, Pathos, and Logos cont.
While writing I discovered a few tricks of my own.
If you can blend two or more of these three aspects of persuasive
writing you can create a type of hybrid.
For example, You can be a volunteer at an animal shelter and see
first hand on how the animals are treated and, describe it in a
persuasive essay and there you have it.
Think about it:
You volunteer at the shelter which tells the reader that you aren’t
just qualified, ethos, to talk about the topic but, you are also hit
their emotional side because you are volunteering your time. Using
pathos in this example mixed with ethos creates a double whammy.
You explain what happens to the animals which could possibly
make readers eager to help. They then see you volunteering your
time and that could possibly make the reader want to believe what
you have to say because they like you. In addition, the reader doesn’t
feel your essay is attacking them and they don’t feel threatened.
7. Helpful hint
Keep your essay as interesting as possible. The more
interesting your essay is the longer the reader will be
willing to keep those pages turning. In essence, the
longer your audience reads your paper the longer you
have to persuade them to the point you, as the
writer, are trying to make.
9. Commas
Questions I had:
Where do I need a comma?
Where do I place it?
Are there any tricks that help?
10. When do I need a comma?
When you have dates.
When you are adding
additional information
to a sentence to clarify.
When you are listing off
a group of things.
When you insert a quote.
When you combine two
independent clauses in
one sentence.
11. Where do I place a comma?
After each point in a group Example:
of points.
quot;He hit the ball, dropped
the bat, and ran to first
base.“
Example:
Between two independent
ideas, clauses, after a
conjunction. quot;He hit the ball well, but
(and, or, however, but, ect. he ran toward third base.quot;
)
Adapted from [http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm]
12. Where do I place a comma?
Continued:
Before and after additional Example:
information in a sentence.
“My sister, Elizabeth, lives
in Washington.”
Right before a quotation.
Example:
quot;The question is,quot; said
Alice, quot;whether you can
make words mean so many
things.quot;
Adapted from [http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm]
13. Are there any tricks?
There are no real tricks to know when placing
commas.
However, I did find a myth that I thought was true.
Every where you take a breath in a sentence you add
a comma.
And many times this is true but, this doesn’t work
every time.
My best advice is to stick with the rules of where you
place each comma.
15. “Ask the Experts.” Askoxford.com. 28 April 2009
<http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutspelling/affect>
“Ethos, Pathos, and Logos” 28 April 2009
<http://www.public.asu.edu/~macalla/logosethospathos.html>
“Rules For Comma Usage.” 28 April 2009
<http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm>
![Writing a Persuasive Essay
Everyone has their own opinion on a particular issue.
I love writing a persuasive essay because I feel I am
helping people be more open minded.
However, I found there are three things to know to make
your persuasive essay affective.
Knowing how to approach your audience using
ethos, pathos, and logos.
The difference between affect and effect adapted from
[http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutspelling/affect]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)