LESSON FIVE:   Persuasive Elements

Given a persuasive letter to the editor or an editorial from the local newspaper, students analyze and evaluate the logic, audience appeal, and reasonableness, inferences, detail selection, etc., of the letter and put the information in the graphic organizer given to them.  Students then write a letter in response, applying their own use of logic, reasonableness, detail selection, inferences, accuracy of evidence, audience appeal of argument, etc.  

 

GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATIONS

R3C Identify, analyze, and evaluate logic, reasonableness and audience appeal of arguments in texts; faulty reasoning and unfounded inferences; accuracy and adequacy of evidence; and author’s use of information and logic to express his ideas.

W1A Follow the writing process to create a persuasive letter.

 

LESSON MATERIALS

§         Sources of Literature

o        None

 

§         Supplies

o        Overhead projector or Smart Board

o        Persuasive letter to the editor

 

§         Handouts provided

o        Lesson Five Formative Assessment with Writing Process Scoring Guide

o        Persuasive Elements Graphic Organizer

 

§         Words to know

o        persuasive writing

o        graphic organizer

o        audience

o        letter

 

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Given a persuasive letter to the editor or an editorial from the local newspaper, students analyze and evaluate the logic, audience appeal, and reasonableness, inferences, detail selection, etc., of the letter and put the information in the graphic organizer given to them.  Students then write a letter in response, applying their own use of logic, reasonableness, detail selection, inferences, accuracy of evidence, audience appeal of argument, etc.  (see Formative Assessment prompt and scoring guide with persuasive elements graphic organizer).

 

Suggestion

Students are either given the same letter/editorial or each group is given a different one.

Under this objective, students pre-write and draft a persuasive letter.  Revision/editing  follow in the next lesson.  Retain drafts of the persuasive letters and prewriting for use in the next lesson.  Point out to students that under the persuasion component of the writing process scoring guide they will find use of logic, reasonableness, and audience appeal of arguments.

Do a mini lesson on the components of a formal letter prior to the assessment.   At end of lesson, collect student products for use in lesson six.

 

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

1.        Begin class by asking students a series of questions such as the following:  Have you ever used this reasoning with your parents when you were asking permission?  “Everyone is going.”  “All my friends are doing this.” How do you persuade your parents to give you permission to do what you ask?

2.        With previously prepared prompts/scenarios, model effective use of reasoning, logic, accurate information, word choice, and detail selection.  Place a persuasive paragraph on overhead projector transparencies or on Smart Board. This paragraph has been created using the writing process (prewriting, drafting, revision, editing, publishing) so each step of the paragraph’s creation may be represented on one transparency/slide. In a think-aloud process, discuss the creation of the paragraph, including all of the steps in the writing process (see scoring guide for formative assessment).  In the revision phase of the process, address reasoning, evidence, logic, word choice, detail selection, and organizational pattern used by the author and the effectiveness of each in presenting a proposed solution to the problem discussed.

 

Questions

for

Students

How does the intended audience change the method of argument?

Did any of the arguments work with the intended audience?  Why/why not? 

What techniques did the teacher use to show faulty reasoning, unfounded inferences, or inaccuracy of evidence?

What is faulty reasoning? 

What types of logic are used? 

What makes evidence accurate? 

What makes an inference unfounded?

 

Strategy

Emphasis will not need to be placed on instructing the steps of the writing process as this is a skill students have practiced since elementary grades.  It is more important to take students through the steps of the writing process, working on strengthening revision.

 

Information

Types of faulty reasoning, unfounded inferences, and inaccuracy of evidence are as follows:

1) Hasty generalization fallacy occurs when conclusions are based on incomplete evidence and when initial observations were later proven wrong. 

2) Begging the question/circular reasoning occurs when the warrant and the claim are the same thing.  Arguing that people should support the policy because it is the right thing to do is assuming the policy is good and right in itself.

3) False Cause is attributing causation to an event that is related to or does not produce the effect (the same way superstitions work = black cats blamed for having bad luck).

4) False testimonial appeal to false authority and occurs when argument relies on a person who is not an expert or authority on the issue (advertisers use famous people to plug their products).

5)  False inductive reasoning occurs if not enough circumstances are used to come up with the generalization.

6)  False analogy will prove false if the items being compared have too many characteristics to cause other results (one small basketball team to another similar basketball team = too many variables involved to make a strong case for most arguments).

7) Faulty reasoning is a conclusion not logically justified by sufficient or unbiased evidence. 

 

Suggestion

Previously prepared scenarios may include the following situations: speeder trying to convince policeman of his innocence; child trying to convince parent to avoid punishment for missing curfew; student trying to get teacher to accept late work; girlfriend trying to convince boyfriend she was not cheating.  Play a role so that verbally you can model evaluation and analysis of the argument/proposed solution. 

When composing a persuasive paragraph, choose a topic that proposes a solution for a problem of interest to teens.

Wilhelm, J. and J. Lynch.  (2001). Improving comprehension with think-aloud strategies. New York, NY: Scholastic Professional.

 

3.        Using one of Spencer Kagan’s cooperative grouping strategies, group students.  Give each student group a letter to the editor or an editorial from a newspaper and a persuasive elements graphic organizer and ask them in an informal discussion to analyze and evaluate the letter’s use of logic, reasonableness, audience appeal of arguments, inference, detail selection, organizational pattern, etc., and record the information in the persuasive elements graphic organizer.

 

Suggestion

The guided practice editorial must provide a positive example of the use of logic, inferences, and evidence because previous activities have shown negative examples.  Choose letters/editorials from local newspapers so students have knowledge of the issues discussed.