Improving Arguments/ Persuasive Language Techniques

Tips from class, Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th December

Taking it further

We need to work on a tight and smart paragraph/essay structure. Each paragraph must start with a viewpoint (that one hopes others will share) and the argument base/appeals (“big picture” concepts)
Then choose 3 words/phrases and analyse them insightfully:
- what type of language is it?
- what is its purpose?
- how does it position specific audience segments?
We are working on a chunk of text. Key argument techniques are: the problem (the evidence/fear/anger); significant comparisons; pointed attacks; solutions and call to action (hope/reassurance/logic).
Why? In order to improve your analysis of “purpose”, you can’t go much further with the normal props: ie. statistics, expert opinion, inclusive language and rhetorical questions.
Also, if you don’t get your structure right, you can’t improve “purpose” and you can’t dig deeper.
If you don’t have a nice neat structure , you can’t provide a deeper analysis of positioning strategies, and impact on audience segments.
Such a structure will help you be more precise; it will help you avoid a generic-style summary.
The final part of the jigsaw is to tweak your sentences and ensure that most of them have an analytical focus (not a summarising focus). They need to constantly skirt around a call to action/purpose/position etc.