Nonfiction Persuasion
Nonfiction persuasive literature can tell us
the right time to purchase a home
Having the ability to sift through information to find the truth is very important. Analyzing and deciphering the many messages that you are exposed to within the media, online, as well as in print will help you in understanding their true purpose. Knowing the purpose, goals, and objectives as well as checking the evidence provided by the author or speaker are skills needed to effectively evaluate nonfiction persuasive sources of information.
Nonfiction persuasive pieces tend to have major influence on our lives. Whether it is choosing the next president, buying a house, or purchasing a car, these decisions are monumental and change our lives. Because of the profound effects of a major decision, you must have the knowledge and understanding of the messages that are being conveyed in these nonfiction pieces.
Persuasive Techniques
Before you investigate nonfiction pieces, take some time to review the elements of rhetoric: ethos, pathos, and logos. In addition to these terms, there are a few more persuasive techniques that must be addressed prior to interacting with the nonfiction texts. In this interactivity, you will learn about the different persuasive techniques the author or speaker utilizes. Use the previous and next buttons or click on each of the segments to explore the different persuasive techniques in greater detail. Click the player button to get started.
View a printable version of this interactivity.
Now that you have had a chance to review the elements of rhetoric as well as persuasive techniques, you are going to analyze a work of nonfiction persuasion.
For one of the two speeches, please complete the following tasks:
- Read the text at least two times before you begin to analyze.
- Identify the purpose, audience, and specific words or images that support the purpose.
- Complete the Persuasive Techniques Chart.
- Ask yourself the following questions:
- Was the speaker effective in persuading his or her audience? Why or why not?
- How did you react to the speaker or writer’s message?
Before you begin, read a brief synopsis of both speeches to help you decide which speech you would like to analyze. Access and complete the Persuasive Techniques Chart to help with your analysis of the persuasive speeches.
Women in the World Summit
In the first option, Hillary Clinton is speaking at the fourth annual Women in the World Summit. Clinton uses persuasive techniques as she motivates women to support and take a stand on “advancing opportunities for women and girls.” She provides evidence regarding challenges women and girls are facing globally. Clinton personalizes this speech by including pieces of her life and her challenges as a woman. In addition, she consistently uses the first person pronoun “we.” The use of “we” reiterates the point that she is in the trenches continuing the fight in advancing women and girls’ rights.
Access this speech by visiting Hillary Clinton’s website. Click on REMARKS. Then, click "April 5, 2013: Remarks at Women in the World summit" to read the entire speech.
Gun Violence in the United States
The second speech takes place in the wake of the Newtown school shooting. On December 14, 2012, horrible tragedy struck the town of Newtown, Connecticut. A single shooter took the lives of twenty children and six staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School before taking his own life. On April 8, 2013, President Barack Obama responded to the issue of gun violence in Hartford, Connecticut. Among the audience were educators, family members, and politicians from Newtown. In his speech, Obama uses persuasive techniques and the elements of rhetoric to call his audience to action.
Access and read President Barack Obama’s speech "April 8, 2013: Remarks by the President on Reducing Gun Violence—Hartford, CT."
Persuasive Techniques Review
Using your knowledge of persuasive techniques and rhetorical strategies, identify the techniques and strategies used in each of the following examples. In this non-graded interactivity, read each quote, then use your mouse to select the persuasive technique listed in Word Bank. To check your answer click SUBMIT. Click the player button to get started.