Persuasive Essay Writing
A persuasive essay is a paper that attempts to convince the reader of the perspective of the author. There are several methods of persuasion, but all can be generally defined under three distinct types: ethos, pathos, and logos.
Based on a model of persuasion advanced by the ancient Greeks, ethos, pathos, and logos are ways of engaging or persuading different aspects of the reader. A persuasive essay based on ethos appeals to a reader by convincing her of the author’s expertise on the topic; pathos appeals to his emotional reasoning; and logos appeals to her rational or logical side. When writing persuasive essays, most accomplished writers will use a combination of these approaches.
To appeal to ethos, the essay writer must establish herself as a voice of wisdom regarding the topic at hand. This can be achieved through many techniques encompassing both the content of the essay and the style of writing. For instance, if the essay writer were writing a persuasive essay about why schools should have uniforms, she might appeal to ethos by pointing to her individual experience attending a school that adopted a uniform. This places the writer in a position of experiential knowledge and makes the reader more likely to listen to her perspective. In terms of style, a writer develops his ethos by writing well-developed, coherent, and sophisticated sentences that make valid and well-defended points. Writers who present polished writing and correct grammar and spelling convey themselves as individuals who are thoughtful, which in turn suggests to the reader the validity of that writer’s stance. A great essay with fifty grammatical errors will not be considered to be as credible as an error-free essay.
One of the most popular methods of persuasion in persuasive essay writing is appealing to pathos, or the emotional side of the reader. This is done by presenting a situation or claim that makes the reader identify with the writer and his stance. For instance, in the above essay about schools adopting uniforms, a successful appeal to pathos may involve explaining why uniforms are a good idea by discussing how lower-income students are ridiculed for their second hand clothes. By describing the injured feelings of a lower-income child whose family cannot afford to by him a well-fitting coat, the writer is working on the reader’s emotions. Beware when writing persuasive essays by appealing to pathos, however, not to exaggerate the emotional appeal being made. An overdose of sentimentality can render the appeal pathetic or unconvincing.
Writing persuasive essays almost always includes some appeal to logos, or logic. This is the reasoning part of the reader. While appeal to ethos and pathos can be personal, appeals to logic must be based on rational and convincing arguments and should be supported with evidence. To appeal to logos for the essay on school uniforms, an author would point to studies revealing that schools that adopted uniforms saw an increase in test scores and a reduction in violence. This way, the reader is presented with facts so that he or she can make a logical and informed decision.
Effective persuasive essay writing typically employs multiple persuasive modes in order to work on the reader in varying ways. No matter what type of persuasive essay writing an author chooses, however, she should always be aware of who her audience is in order to write an essay that best persuades it.
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