Methods of Proof and Techniques PDF

# Methods of Proof (Appeals to the Intellect) - **Literary References:** Include relevant quotes from either fiction or non-fiction literature. This method can illustrate and reinforce your statements. - **Appeals to Figures of Authority:** Include the opinions and verdicts of experts and other pro...

# Methods of Proof (Appeals to the Intellect) - **Literary References:** Include relevant quotes from either fiction or non-fiction literature. This method can illustrate and reinforce your statements. - **Appeals to Figures of Authority:** Include the opinions and verdicts of experts and other professionals. This method suggests that your opinion is shared by respected figures and therefore deserves the reader's serious consideration. - **Attempt to Draw In Reader:** Hook the reader and grab their attention by posing rhetorical questions. Example: Ask the reader: What should be done about the condition of the environment? - **Verifiable Facts:** Include facts and statistics from reputable sources (e.g.: Statistics Canada) that can easily be checked by the reader. This method adds credibility to your arguments. - **Illustrations That Use Contrast:** Compare (state similarities) and contrast (point out differences). - **Statements of Author's Opinion:** Present views on a topic and pass them as statements that should be believed, or at least considered by readers. Caution: overuse affects credibility as bias is evident. - **Historical References:** Include relevant historical events along with dates and locations. This method makes your statements seem both more realistic and objective. # Persuasive Techniques (Appeals to the Emotions) - **Diction:** A good writer is aware of both the meanings of his/her words. Which word would you use to describe a bride and groom: happy, content, joyful, pleased, jubilant, or ecstatic? Depending on your purpose and audience, you would select the word which would 'strike the right note. - **Arrangement of Arguments:** The order in which arguments are presented usually has an important effect on how they are received. It depends on the particular audience or issue but it is usually best to end with the strongest argument and arrange the others accordingly. - **Rhetorical Devices and Questions:** There are several devices available to you and they are all worth learning to use because they help you to present your arguments more appealingly and convincingly. If used appropriately, rhetorical devices and questions can get the reader more committed to the issue being discussed and keep him/her more involved. - **Tone:** Should a persuasive writer be serious or light? Generally speaking, a writer with a serious tone tends to be taken more seriously. Humour, used with the right topic, can be extremely effective. But it's definitely riskier; your audience may not get it. Use with caution. - **Sensory Imagery:** Appealing to a reader's five senses almost always makes an argument more effective. For example, a good writer knows that most people are quite visual so he/she works hard to plant memorable images in their minds.