by Steve Spongberg

Created on: January 23, 2009

Most people find a need, on a fairly regular basis, to persuade another person to a particular point of view. A parent often wishes to convince a child that a particular action is desirable, or maybe detestable. An employer, if presented with the possibility of union infiltration, would want to persuade his employees that a union would be undesirable. The union organizer would persuade otherwise. Special interest groups wish to persuade Congressmen; Congressmen wish to persuade voters. When this activity is face to face and verbal, the persuader can readily see when a mis-statement has cost him points or credibility with the persuadee. Clever, and quick, backtracking will sometimes save the persuader's case. When this activity is performed in writings only, this immediate and visual feedback is lost.

The argumentative, essay, when properly thought out and presented, is an effective means of written persuasion. As with any essay, the goal of the paper (the thesis) must be clearly stated. Persuasion is achieved be having the body paragraphs of your piece each make a specific point , or cover a specific topic, in support of the idea, opinion, or view you are presenting. And a summary, either in the beginning as a statement of what will be discussed, or at the end as a review, helps to emphasize the major points.

Additionally, for persuasion to work, it is important to avoid: general or unsupported statements; illogical connections between cause and effect; and, emotionalism. To avoid these persuasion destroyers (called logic fallacies) is simple, once you can identify them.

General or unsupported statements can sometimes be identified by the actual or implied use of terms like "all" or "every"; "never" or "always". It is rare to find a statement that can be made with absolutely no qualifications; a condition implied by use of these absolute terms. A writer must also keep in mind the need for his audience to believe, to trust, in his presented facts. Unless an un-biased viewpoint would accept an author as an expert, based on credentials or degrees or published prior works, he should not attempt to sound like one. Quotations from a known expert can help here.

To avoid illogical connections between cause and effect is more difficult. If generalities and unsupported statements have already been culled from the essay, the writer can begin his search for a pile-up of points that are not pertinent to the conclusions the essay draws from them. Knowledge of the subject is

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>