Иностранный язык ИФ (11 гр. МИст. ОЗО)

WRITING SUPPORTING DETAILS IN A RESEARCH REPORT: USING

STRATEGIES TO PERSUADE

 

Task 1 Study the persuasive text creating methods. Find the other examples of

persuasive writing in the form of publishing or in the electronic form.

                                                           Persuasion

When you write persuasion, you try to convince others that they should share your

opinion or take a certain course of action. A persuasive text states an opinion and uses

facts, examples, reasons, and the testimony of experts to convince readers.

In contrast to an expository paragraph, the topic sentence of a persuasive paragraph

states an opinion, not a fact. Propositions that can be argued make good subjects for

persuasive paragraphs; simple preferences do not. The test of an appropriate opinion for a

persuasive topic sentence is the availability of reliable facts, examples, and expert

judgments to back it up.

Order of importance is probably the most effective way to organize your arguments.

Usually you will build from least important to most important, although sometimes the

reverse order is more effective. Then make sure you use transitions to show how ideas are

related.

The persuasiveness of your writing will depend in large part on how well you use the

tools of persuasion.

Tools of Persuasion

1 Use logical arguments that are free of fallacies.

2 Use reliable facts, examples, and statistics that support instead of using more

opinions.

3 Use the testimony of experts in the field.

4 Use polite and reasonable language. Avoid charged, emotional words.

5 Anticipate arguments on the other side of the issue. Concede the opposition’s valid

points but show why they do not change your position. Use the transitions when

conceding a point: while it is true that, notwithstanding, nevertheless, granted that,

however, although, despite.

 

Task 2 Study the strategies of persuasion and use them as the means of writing

persuasive texts.

                                                        Writing Persuasion

Strategies for writing a persuasive paragraph

1 The topic sentence states an opinion.

2 The supporting sentences use facts, examples, reasons, and the tools of persuasion

to convince readers.

3 The ideas in the supporting sentences are usually organized in order of importance,

from least important to most important. Transitions show how the ideas are related.

4 The concluding sentence reinforces the main idea or summarizes your arguments.

 

Task 3 Consider the example of writing persuasion and write the persuasive text on

your research topic.

Here is the example of the use of the tools of persuasion.

                                                         The Fall of Rome

Historians have long been fascinated by the fall of the Roman Empire and the causes

of that fall.

Topic sentence

Although at one time most historians blamed Rome’s collapse on the invasion of

barbarians, a more careful study shows that Rome contained the seeds of its own

destruction.

Supporting sentences: facts, examples, testimony of experts

For one thing, the economy of Rome was in serious disorder. The historian Max

Weber argues that the decline of slavery and cities, coupled with the development of selfsufficient

manors, left the city-based governments in poverty. At the same time, wealthy

Romans indulged in lavish luxuries, widening the gap between social classes. Another

historian, Michael Rostovtzeff, adds intellectual crises to the causes of Rome’s collapse. He

claims that the influx of conquered nationalities “barbarized” Rome, sapping it off its

intellectual vigour. Perhaps most important, Rome’s political structure was in disarray.

Uncertainty over who held the ruling power, the people or the Senate nobles, led to

revolutions and massacres.

Concluding sentence: conceding a point

Although no single one of these forces would have been sufficient to topple the great

empire, the combination of internal weakness ultimately left it unable to defend itself

against the barbarian invaders.

 

Task 4 Read the dialogue and act it out (adviser and postgraduate student). What is

your dialogue variant?

                                           Process of Writing Persuasion

− Margaret, you have to write persuasion. Try to convince others that they should

share your opinion or take a certain course of action. A persuasive text states an

opinion and uses facts, examples, reasons, and the testimony of experts to convince

readers.

− What is the difference between expository and persuasive paragraph?

− In fact, the topic sentence of a persuasive paragraph states an opinion, not a fact.

Propositions that can be argued make good subjects for persuasive paragraphs. The

test of an appropriate opinion for a persuasive topic sentence is the availability of

reliable facts, examples, and expert judgments to back it up.

− What is the most effective way of writing persuasion?

− Order of importance, I believe. Usually you will build from least to most important,

although sometimes the reverse order is more effective. Then make sure you use

transitions to show how ideas are related.

− Are there any tools of persuasion?

− Yes, there are some. You have to use logical arguments that are free of fallacies.

Use reliable facts, examples, and statistics that support the tools of persuasion

instead of using more opinions. Use the testimony of experts in the field. Avoid

charged, emotional words. Anticipate arguments on the other side of the issue.

Concede the opposition’s valid points but show why they do not change your

position. Use the transitions when conceding a point: while it is true that,

notwithstanding, nevertheless, granted that, however, although, despite.

− Thanks a lot. It was a very informative and useful consultation.