Persuasive Argument Paper 70 Points We often use persuasion in our everyday

Persuasive Argument Paper

70 Points

We often use persuasion in our everyday lives, but sometimes we are not consciously aware of the tactics that we are using to try and persuade someone, or what tactics are readily available to us! When we engage in persuasion, we are trying to change people’s attitudes or behaviors about that particular thing. For this paper, I want you to think of someone in your life who you would like to persuade to do something or change their attitude about a particular subject. It could be a family member, friend, colleague, etc. It should be someone that you know relatively well, and it should be a real-life situation. Some examples could be: you want to change a family members mind when it comes to their political party affiliation, you’d like to persuade your aunt to co-sign a car for you, you’d like to convince your parents to allow you to stay out later, etc.

The format of this paper should be 3-4 pages, times new roman font, 12 point font, one inch margins. You should also have a title for your paper. Finally, you should use stock issues format to complete this paper. An explanation of stock issues is further down in this handout. You should write this paper as if you were addressing the intended person directly. You will also need to cite four sources throughout your paper that back up your argument. You should include an introduction, body (about two paragraphs per each component of stock issues), and a conclusion. You should also incorporate persuasive strategies such as Cognitive Dissonance and the Elaboration Likelihood Model, and you should appeal to all three rhetorical proofs (ethos, pathos, & logos).

Stock Issues

Introduction

Attention Getter

Reason to Listen

Speaker Credibility

Thesis Statement

Preview your Main Points

Body

Establish the problem, the harms, or the significance to change.

Here you should identify the problem for your target audience. This is also where you should identify what you want your audience to do/ think. Here are some prompts to guide you to accomplish this:

Make the topic personal or relevant to the audience.

Please Listen to me!

Why is there a need to listen to you? Why is there a need to change?

What is the issue? Describe the problem with details, examples, citations.

Why is this issue significant? Something must be done!

TRANSITION

Main Point 2: Causes or Barriers

Here you should address what you believe your audiences counter arguments might be to your proposal, or why they might not want to do what you are asking them. You should address these reasons in advance and have counter arguments for them. Here are some prompts to help you accomplish this:

Explain the reasons we are dealing with your topic.

Why is this still a problem? Why hasn’t it been solved already?

Who is responsible for this problem?

TRANSITION

Main Point 3: Solution

Propose a plan of action for your audience

Explain: “this is what should be done.”

Be sure that your solution has an action step that the class can do on their own.

Provide the class with detailed info so we can actually help in solving your problem. Make it easy for us to want to get involved or educated.

What exactly do you want us to do, think, be, or say to resolve your problem?

What are the details of your proposed solution?

What are the potential costs to your solution?

Paint a very clear and vivid picture for us.

Conclusion

Restate your thesis statement

Review your main points

Remind audience what you are asking them to do and why they should do it