Freshman English and AP English--Persuasive Techniques

The Death of Socrates, Jacques-Louis David (1787)

Persuasive Techniques (President Obama, Martin Luther King, Patrick Henry, Jonathan Edwards, and other great orators)

The following persuasive techniques are some ways, among many, that writers and speakers effectively persuade their audiences.  Of course, not every technique is used by each speaker; and there are also additional techniques that you will learn about as we read more literature.

1. complimenting those with dissenting (different) viewpoints

2. metaphors

3. extended metaphors

4. allusions

5. words with religious connotations; or religious imagery

6. ethical appeals (ethos)

7. logical appeals (logos)

8. emotional appeals (pathos)

9. rhetorical questions

10. loaded language

11. parallelism

12. cadence

13. anticipation of counter-arguments

14. repetition of diction and syntax

15. variety in sentence structure (long/short) and punctuation;
      rhythm

16. an offered solution or plan

17. building to a climactic moment (or several) in the writing

18. strong conclusion

19. strong lead that grabs the attention of the audience

20. variety in diction (using formal as well as informal words to

      appeal to different audiences)
21. vivid imagery and description
22. figurative language (metaphors, simile, personification)
23. finding common ground
24. establishing context for present occasion/providing
      background and history
25. clearly defining purpose/objectives/reasoning (logos)
26. awareness of multiple audiences or groups (constituencies)
      within the larger audience being addressed
27. concession to the opposition: a speaker or writer
      acknowledges the validity of an opponent's point
28. repetition of imagery, metaphors, themes/motifs