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other side's argument. Also, the use of quotes can be a very effective way to support your claim. I was once making a persuasive speech on the implications of the declining bee population. While it was my intention to inform the audience as well as prove that this was an issue that deserved the government's attention, I needed to gain credibility right from the jump, so I led with a quote from Albert Einstein. Einstein is extremely credible plus the quote was compelling and grabbed the audience's attention. The quote used was: "If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years left to live." I paused, and observed the entire audience lean up in their seats. I got instant credibility.

The next element of being a persuasive writer is the use of Logos. Logos refers to the logic or reasoning behind a position. It also includes the logical order in which the argument is presented. A general rule of thumb: put your strongest arguments first and last. Grab the reader's attention early and end with a bang.

This is where your debate skills must come alive. You must make sure your argument is logical and free from contradiction. Relevant examples can hammer a point and dressed up syllogisms can flash convincing logic.

There must be order and organization to the argument, as well. Your introduction should establish some credibility and forecast the topics to be presented. The body should be compiled of the main points. Make each point individually, defend it, show the opposition's rebuttal argument, then refute it. This is an excellent method to follow when writing persuasively. You don't leave your audience the opportunity to make their own refutations. You study the other side of the issue just as you would study your own, and then you lay out the opponent's arguments and counter each one. This is effectively covering your bases and mastering the use of Logos.

It is often effective to end the piece with emotion, or as Aristotle referred to it, Pathos. The use of Pathos is powerful and often used in the form of compelling quotes. For example, a Martin Luther King Jr. quote is sure to inject emotion into any issue.

The use of rhetorical questions is another form of Pathos. For example, when debating civil disobedience on the affirmative, asking the rhetorical question, "Could anything be more righteous in the face of injustice than civil disobedience?" really hammers the point home. After selling the reader with a convincing statistic,

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