ELA 9: Persuasion

​Introduction to Argumentative Writing

Two Ways to Analyze Texts

How does an author compose the message they want to be perceived? (Analyzing the existence of rhetorical appeals, understanding the audience and purpose, using appropriate resources)

Rhetorical Analysis

How do literary elements work together to develop a theme or message in a fiction text? (Analyzing the development of character, conflict, symbolism, POV, etc etc.)

Literary Analysis

Stemming from the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, a strong argument uses a combination of pathos, ethos, and logos.

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Rhetorical Appeals

This comes from the word passion and appeals to an audience's emotions.

Pathos

This comes from the word ethics and appeals to an audience's sense of credibility.

Ethos

This comes from the word logic and appeals to an audience's logical reasoning skills. Typically, logos present themselves as facts and statistics. There are two primary types of logical reasoning: deductive and inductive

Logos

Multiple Choice

An appeal to logic that includes the use of number, facts and statistics.

• Logos

• Pathos

• Ethos

• Migos

Multiple Choice

An appeal to emotions and feeling.

• Logos

• Pathos

• Ethos

• Kratos

Multiple Choice

An appeal to authority or credibility using an expert.

• Logos

• Ethos

• Pathos

• Cheetos

What do you see happening in this ad?

• What do the words suggest?

• What is the image portraying?

• What product or idea is being advertised?

Multiple Choice

Which rhetorical appeal is this ad using?

• Pathos

• Ethos

• Logos

What do you see happening in this ad?

• What do the words suggest?

• What is the image portraying?

• What product or idea is being advertised?

Multiple Choice

Which rhetorical appeal is this ad using?

• Pathos

• Ethos

• Logos

America’s Schoolchildren

by President Barack Obama Wakefield High School, Arlington, Virginia, September 8, 2009

Maybe you could be a great writer—maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper—but you might not know it until you write that English paper—that English class paper that’s assigned to you. Maybe you could be an innovator
or an inventor—maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or the new medicine or vaccine—but you might not know it until you do your project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a senator or a Supreme Court justice—but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.

Multiple Choice

What rhetorical appeal is former President Obama using in this excerpt of his speech?

• Pathos

• Ethos

• Logos

Practice Time

Multiple Choice

Which rhetorical appeal is mainly used in this ad?

• Ethos - ethical appeal

• Pathos- emotional appeal

• Logos- logical appeal

Multiple Choice

Which rhetorical appeal is mainly used in this ad?

• Ethos - ethical appeal

• Pathos- emotional appeal

• Logos- logical appeal

Multiple Choice

Identify the persuasive appeal in the following example:

Students shouldn't read Shakespeare in high school because the homework is so hard, students cry every night.

• Pathos

• Ethos

• Logos

Multiple Select

Identify the rhetorical appeal(s) in the example:

Shakespeare should remain in public schools, because his works are commonly taught. Shakespearean scholars report that 92% of European public schools study Shakespeares' works.

• Pathos

• Ethos

• Logos

Multiple Choice

Identify the rhetorical appeal in the example:

73% of high school students claim to be unable to decipher Shakespearean English.

• Pathos

• Ethos

• Logos

Logical Fallacies

An introduction to fallacious reasoning

Essentially, fallacies are typically arguments that may sound 'sound,' but contain a fatal flaw in logic. Fallacies are not supported by evidence, and/or considered germane to the argument.

the use of invalid or otherwise faulty reasoning in the construction of an argument that may appear to be well-reasoned if unnoticed

Definition by WIKI

What is it?

Let's look at some examples

One fallacy you may be familiar with is the 'bandwagon', or ad populum. Even if the bandwagon claim is true, it is not technically supporting evidence to a given argument.

Bandwagon

Drawing an extreme conclusion based on the argument at hand (if we limit x then x will cease to exist entirely).

Slippery Slope

Drawing a conclusion without having all the evidence.

Hasty Generalization

Multiple Choice

Identify the fallacy:

  “We must stop kids from playing video games. You buy them a game system and it’s only a matter of time before they’ll be fat and lazy, never leaving your basement. Parents all over this country agree that video games have no value whatsoever. We must either ban video games entirely for kids under the age of 16 or prepare for a generation of high school dropouts. The makers of these gaming systems are clearly greedy, manipulative predators out to keep our children addicted to their screens.!”

• Bandwagon

• Slippery Slope

• Hasty Generalization

​Also known as, correlation does not always equal causation. Just because B occurred after A, does not necessarily mean A caused B.

'Post hoc ergo propter hoc'

​Attack on a person's character, rather than the actual argument.

Ad Hominem

​Avoiding an argument (usually by making an extreme claim) rather than actually adding to it.

Red Herring

Multiple Choice

Identify the fallacy in this image.

• Red herring

• Post hoc ergo propter hoc

• Ad Hominem

• Hasty Generalization

Oversimplification and attack of an argument.

Straw Man

​Comparing a minor misdeed to a major atrocity; suggests both are equal.

​​Moral Equivalence

Fallacies: in sum

You can probably think of many arguments you've been in, or seen on the news/internet, that are filled with logical fallacies. This list isn't even all logical fallacies! Be aware of how people argue, or persuade, you!

Now, let's complete some independent practice. Open the 'Argument BOOST' assignment in Schoology.



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