Persuasive Nonfiction

The Rhetorical Triangle

A Greek philosopher named Aristotle once proposed that effective persuasion relies on the use of logical appeals (logos), emotional appeals (pathos), and ethical appeals (ethos). The balance of these three components is known as the rhetorical triangle. Although some examples of persuasion may emphasize one appeal over another depending on the purpose and context of the argument, a balance of all three appeals can contribute greatly to establishing an effective persuasive argument. Take a moment to explore the three appeals that make up the rhetorical triangle as well as questions to that you can ask yourself to identify use of persuasive appeals when examining an argument. Click the player button to begin.

View a printable version of the interactivity.

 

Logical Fallacies

How often do you win debates with your friends, teachers, or family members? Is it ever acceptable to trick your way into winning an argument? Have you ever felt that an argument or claim was faulty, but you could not pinpoint exactly why? If so, you may have encountered a logical fallacy, or faulty argument.

Logical fallacies attempt to trick you into thinking a weak argument appears strong by using illegitimate arguments or irrelevant points. Fallacies are easily identified in arguments because they lack real evidence to support their claims. Take a moment to explore some common faulty arguments along with examples. In this interactivity, click each segment of the circle diagram to learn more about logical fallacies. Click the player button to begin.

View a printable version of the interactivity.

 

Fact Versus Opinion

Can you easily distinguish between facts and opinions? Sometimes it is not always obvious, especially when statements are presented as facts when they are really disguised opinions. In this interactivity, you will put on your detective hat and examine the evidence to determine if statements are facts or opinions. Being able to identify established facts from opinions or theses will help you to analyze persuasive texts. Click the player button to begin.

View a printable version of the interactivity.

 

School Newspaper Op-Ed: Two Student Columnists Weigh In on School Uniforms

A local high school publishes a student newspaper called The Student Dispatch. Recently, the school has begun considering whether to implement a school uniform policy, so the issue was taken up on the newspaper's Op-Ed page by two student columnists, Linda and Sara. Access and read Should Our High School Implement School Uniforms? in order to examine two opposing viewpoints about uniforms from student perspectives. Both of these writers are trying to persuade their readers to accept their own viewpoints regarding this issue. As you read their columns, pull out your "magnifying glass" and consider the strengths and weaknesses of each argument with a a critical eye. Feel free to approach their arguments with skepticism. Remember, you do not have to believe what these writers say. Imagine you are the presiding judge of a court and these writers are the lawyers of the prosecution and defense. It is their job to prove their cases to you, and it is your job to judge their arguments as valid or invalid.

As you read the student Op-Ed columns, ask yourself the following questions.

• What are the main ideas and intended purposes of the authors?
• What information does each author provide to support the main idea?
• Do the authors appeal to logos, pathos, and ethos?
• Can you identify logical fallacies or faulty reasoning in the arguments made? Likewise, what are the strengths of each argument?

 

Persuasive Text Analysis

Two students named Linda and Sara have written and published op-ed columns in their high school newspaper regarding the issue of school uniforms. In this interactivity, you will notice that parts of their columns are highlighted. Hover your cursor over the highlighted excerpts to view an example analysis of their arguments. Click the player button to begin.

View a printable version of the interactivity.

 

Persuasive Nonfiction Review

Now that you have explored the characteristics of persuasive nonfiction, it is time to review your knowledge and practice what you have learned. In this non-graded activity, read the questions or statements and select the appropriate answers. Click the player button to get started.