Download Persuasion Cheat Sheet

Persuasion Cheat Sheet
Type of Persuasion
Definition
Example
Ethos
An appeal to a person’s sense of ethics/morals.
To murder is to break one of the ten
Ethical proof/ethos appeals to the heart and mind.
commandments. Do the morally right thing,
It is providing your audience with what is right
abolish the death penalty.
ethically and morally.
Pathos
An appeal to your audience’s emotions. Emotional
Narrative: This little girl no longer has a home
needs are based on three areas: physical needs
due to the tragic effects of hurricane Katrina.
(need for food, no physical pain) psychological
Please send money!
needs (love, self-respect) and social needs (freedom,
acceptance from others.
Logos
An appeal to your audience’s sense of logic.
Recent research shows that high school
Logical proof/logos include: facts, illustrations,
students that receive less than ten hours of
statistics, specific instances, and testimonies.
sleep a night have lower grade point averages.
These will provide concrete evidence necessary for
convincing your audience through reason.
Propaganda Technique
Definition
Example
Name Calling
The name-calling technique links a person, or idea, to
Communist, terrorist, bum, radical
a negative symbol. The propagandist who uses this
technique hopes that the audience will reject the
person or the idea on the basis of the negative
symbol, instead of looking at the available evidence.
Bandwagon
The basic theme of the Band Wagon appeal is that
(From Pepsi) Be part of the new generation.
"everyone else is doing it, and so should you."
Glittering Generalities
Testimonials
The Glittering Generality device seeks to make us
Using words such as Justice, and Democracy,
approve and accept without examining the evidence
good, right, proper.
Using a well know person to promote a product
Tiger Woods is on the cereal box, promoting
Wheaties as part of a balanced breakfast. Cher
is endorsing a new line of cosmetics
Plain Folks
Speakers attempt to convince their audience that
Presidents presenting themselves as common
they, and their ideas, are "of the people."
ordinary citizens. (Clinton eating at
McDonalds)
Fear
A propagandist warns members of his/ her audience
“We need law and order! Without it our country
that disaster will result if they do not follow a
can’t survive.” Adolph Hitler
particular course of action.
Euphemism
The propagandist attempts to pacify the audience in
Military action=War
order to make an unpleasant reality more palatable.
Collateral damage=people who have been
This is accomplished by using words that are bland
murdered
and euphemistic.