LESSON 3:

PERSUASION AND ITS RHETORICAL APPEALS

In the first two lessons, you focused on understanding the nature of informative
communication and the different ways of obtaining reliable information.This time,you will learn one
of the best ways to disseminate information - through persuasion. Though many references clearly
delineate informative from persuasive communication, it is undeniable that persuasion is present in
all forms of communication as you always have he purpose to make your audienceaccept and
believe the information that you share.

The succeeding lessons will emphasize persuasion. The best subjects for persuasion are those that
matter most to us personally-what we strongly believe in,what arouses strong feelings in us, what we would
like to see changed, what enriches our lives. Health is one such topic. To be persuasive, it is imperative that
you must understand the elements of rhetorical appeals.

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. describe the three types of rhetorical appeals;

2. examine a text with rhetorical appeals;

3. determine the rhetorical appeals that apply to diverse target audience; and

4. create a poster applying the appropriate rhetorical appeals.

Activity 1: What I Know

Form groups of four. As a group, do the following:

1. Find any object that you will sell to your classmates (e.g., ballpen, notebook,
cellphone, etc.).

2. The challenge though is for you to sell your chosen object by assigning a different
purpose or function to it (e.g., you can sell your bag as a pillow).

3. Your group will only be given one minute to sell your object.

4. The class will decide who delivers the best pitch. Enjoy!

Activity 2: It Makes Sense

Effective persuasion demands formulating arguments along three types of appeals, also called
Rhetorical Triangle (see image below). Each point on the triangle corresponds to one of three kinds of
persuasive appeals that ancient rhetoricians named logos (logical appeal), pathos (emotional appeal), and
ethos (appeal to credibility of the person conveying the message).
 Message
Information,argument

reasons,evidence,date,structure

Audience
Communicator
beliefs,values
ethos(credibility,authority
knowledge,experiene
correctness,appearance, eloquence

As a communicator and an advocate, you must know how to use these rhetorical
appeals to good use in order to convince or persuade your target audience.How?

Persuasive
Definition Questions to ponder
Appeal

“Appeal to logic or ·What evidence should you

reason”Logos refers provide to convince your

primarily to theinternal
audience that your
consistency and clarityof
argumentsare logical and
LOGOS the message and to the
logicof its reasons and reasonable?·What proof
support. should you present?

“Appeal to emotion” ·What feeling or emotion

Pathos is often associated shouldyou evoke from your
with“empathy,”that is,how audienceto affect their
you canvicariously make beliefs or movethem to
PATHOS action?
your audiencefeeI the way
·What part in your message
you feel.
is best to inject emotional

overtones like happiness,

 sadness,anger,sorrow,

frustration,and so on?

58

Purposive Communication
 “Appeal to credibility"
·Ethos pertains to the way
you establish trust in your
audience-how you portray
yourself as an authority and
expert on the subject matter
and convey your reputation
·How can you win the trust
ofyour audience?
·What in your statements or
arguments will help convey
to your audience that you are
knowledgeable of what you are
saying or advocating?

for honesty and ·How can you convey to

youraudience your educational or
expertise.·Your ethos is
professional experience that
ETHOS
conveyed will validate your expertise
through the tone and style of or capability without giving
the message. the impression that you are

bragging?

Analyze the essay below and identify the types of rhetorical appeals that were used.

What You Need to Know About Sleep Deprivation

Kaye Leah C.Sitchon
If you think you can get away with skimping on sleep to get more work done during the hours
you are awake, think again. Even if the increasing pace of 21st Century Living demands you to
work more, your body may be feeling and saying something else. Sleep is important and is one of
the basic needs that should be given attention to and satisfied.So, even if sleep is becoming more
of a.luxury than a need nowadays,everyone knows that getting some shut-eye is the most utmost
importance.
The lack of sleep leaves you feeling foggy and grumpy the next morning. Fatigue,
exhaustion,and even anxiety are other things that go along with it; and no one likes feeling that.
The truth is, sleep deprivation compromises your performance throughout the day.It affects your
mood and your body's overall health. Psychologists, sleep experts,and health professionals alike
know how inadequate sleep can be a culprit to a person's well-being. To better understand this,
this article lays out what you need to know about what sleep deprivation does to your mind and
body.

59
 “Appeal to credibility" ·How can you win the trust of
·Ethos pertains to the way your audience?

you establish trust in your What in your statements or

audience-how you portray arguments will help convey

yourself as an authority and to your audience that you are

expert on the subject matter knowledgeable of what you are

and convey your reputation saying or advocating?

·How can you convey to your

for honesty and audience your educational or

expertse.·Your ethos is professional experience that

will validate your expertise

ETHOS conveyed
or capability without giving
through the tone and style of
the impression that you are
the message.
bragging?

Analyze the essay below and identify the types of rhetorical appeals that were used.

What You Need to Know About Sleep Deprivation

Kaye Leah C.Sitchon
If you think you can get away with skimping on sleep to get more work done during the hours
you are awake, think again. Even if the icreasing pace of 21st Century Living demands you to work
more, your body may be feeling and saying something else. Sleep is important and is one of the
basic needs that should be given attention to and satisfied. So, even if sleep is becoming more of
a.luxury than a need nowadays, everyone knows that getting some shut-eye is the most utmost
importance.
The lack of sleep leaves you feeling foggy and grumpy the next morning. Fatigue, exhaustion,
and even anxiety are other things that go along with it; and no one likes feeling that. The truth is,
sleep deprivation compromises your performance throughout the day.It affects your mood and your
body's overall health. Psychologists,sleep experts,and health professionals alike know how
inadequate sleep can be a culprit to a person's well-being. To better understand this, this article
lays out what you need to know about what sleep deprivation does to your mind and body.
number of studies on sleep prove that people who have problems falling or staying
asleep you more vulnerable to getting the flu or other infectious illnesses.Your appetite
can also go and high-fat foods which lead to unwanted weight gain. Of course, if you
are skimping on sleep consistently, you look haggard. You will most likely have
premature wrinkling and sagging in your skin. This is because when you lack good
sleep, the stress hormone called cortisol is released. This hormone breaks down
collagen, which is responsible for keeping your skin smooth. An excess of that leaves
your skin dry and unhealthy.Another thing is,the lack of sleep can make you feel colder
than usual because sleep is essential to regulate your body temperature.
So, if you find yourself often tossing and turning at night, expect that you will not be at your
best when you wake up. You may be as cranky as The Grinch on Christmas day and out of sorts
that way. On a more serious note, the long-term effects ofsleep deprivation are real. You have to
make absolutely sure you do not miss out on getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep
every night. Never neglect that single most important single piece of advice, "take a good rest.” You
owe it to yourself to do so. You know you need it.

Sources:

https://www.livescience.com/60875-sleep-deprivation-sluggish-brain-cells.html

https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/sleep-and-mental-health

https://www.sleep.org/articles/how-losing-sleep-affects-your-body-mind/

Permission was given to publish this material.

1.
What evidence were presented to convince the reader of the truthfulness of the message? Are
the evidence reliable? What are their sources?
2. Does the essay come to you as convincing? Or is it flawed with inconsistencies and

contradictions or inconsistencies?

3. How was the essay written? Is it clear and easy to understand? Are the ideas organized?

Did the writer use words that are difficult to understand?

4. How does the writer present him/herself as credible about the topic?

5. What details in the essay evoked some emotions in you that tended to make you agree

with the writer?

Activity 3: We'll Figure It Out

In this activity,you will work in groups of three. This time you will deal with one of the emerging
problems among young adults nowadays-social media addiction. How will you convince, and actuate, your
friends, classmates and schoolmates, colleagues and workmates, as well as relatives, to regulate their use
of social media? What rhetorical appeal-logos, pathos,ethos-will work best with each type? Accomplish the
table below for this purpose.
 Rhetorical
Group Type Description
Appeal

Unconvinced
(Does not believe
anddoes not act)
Do not recognize that social media
addictionis a rising problem.Unconvinced
for a varietyof reasons. Some lack
information. Others
are informed, but they have come to
differentconclusions. Still others have
misconceptions.

Unmotivated Already convinced; they may know a lot

andunfocused
about the issue. However,they do not act
(Believes but does on their beliefs.Attitudes vary. Those who
notact)
are unmotivated are inactive due to apathy

(indifference). Those who are unfocused

areconvinced they should act, but they
simply donot know how.
Inconsistent People act in ways that differ from their
(Does not believe beliefs.They question or change their
butwill act) beliefsbut continue to behave as if they
were still
convinced. Either reinforce or strengthen

wavering beliefs or persuade them to

modifytheir actions to match their changed
beliefs.
Consistent They believe that there is serious concern
(Believes and acts) aboutthe use of social media.They act in ways
thatare consistent with their beliefs. They
generallyneed encouragement to “keep going.”

Activity 4: We'll Figure it Out

To further strengthen your advocacy on regulating the use of social media among your
friends,classmates and schoolmates, colleagues and workmates, and relatives, come up with a creative

63
poster presenting the details and information about the addiction of Filipinos to social media and the
negative effects of the overuse, and wrong or unethical use, of it has on individuals,communities, and the
society.

Seek permission from your school administrators to post your poster in the campus. Make sure that
your poster is appealing and useful to the kind of readers you have and, more importantly, encourage
support for your advocacy.

63
LESSON 4:
LOGIC AND REASONING
All throughout our lifetime,you will find yourself reasoning your way through everyday matters and
experiences to put meaning in our lives as we make life-changing decisions that will ultimately affect our
lives and others.
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. differentiate inductive reasoning from deductive reasoning;

determine the appropriate thought process to use towards effective persuasion and
argumentation;and

3.avoid the use of fallacies in one's writing and in everyday experiences during interaction
with people.

Activity 1: What I Know

With your seatmate, discuss the cartoons below.

What is wrong with the statements in the two cartoons?

compared to last year, therefore, global

warming is accelerating.

Activity 2: It Makes Sense

A common way to convince and persuade others is to reason with them, and our reasoning must be sound
and logical. Logical reasoning is a thought process of drawing a conclusion from a fact or a set of facts. This is

63
borne out of our experience that there is a constancy in the events of our life day in and day out-that night follows
day, that the seas will never run dry, and that at the end of the rainbow is a pot of gold.

63
 In this activity, you will read an essay about beauty pageants. Answer the questions tha

follow.
The Evolution of Pageants and Beauty Queens

Maria Cristina Inserto

When I was young. I remember watching beauty pageants and playing with blankets, as if they
were elegant gowns. After parading around the house,I would face my invisible crowd to give them a
dainty wave and attempt to give ananswer to the final pageant question. That was as far as I had
experienced joining a beauty pageant.
For some who may not know, the world's first modern beauty pageant took place in the small
Belgian town of Spa during the summer of 1888. According to the History Chanel, newspaper
advertisements in Spa that time put out an announcement saying that “the most beautiful girl on the
planet” will be selected in what was then called a “Concours de Beauté”where girls would submit
photographs of themselves along with a short description which they each would write. The jury, who
were mostly male, would shortlist 21 out of 350 applications to be included in the actual pageant. On
September 19,1888, Marthe Soucaret, an eighteen-year-old Creole girl from Guadalupe, was hailed as
“the most beautiful girl on the planet."She won 5,000 francs and an appearance at the cover of the
French magazine, "L"Illustration".However,today, little is known about Soucaret. This should make us
reconsider if all the pageantry was worth it.

Beauty pageants have been the center of debates among women for decades. Those who support the
pageantry perceive these competitions as a celebration of womanhood or a way to promote community service
and provide scholarships. In an interview with Cosmopolitan,Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach says that beauty
pageants give women a platform "to speak up and raise awareness on certain issues” because a lot of people, she
said, watch beauty pageants. Feminists, on the other hand, would oppose this and say that the obsession with
beauty pageants harms women more because pageants measure women's worth by physical attributes. This
damages self-esteem and can be a cause of insecurities and anxiety.Whether you agree or not, there are common
things people say about beauty pageants which reflect various perspectives that we can learn from.

#1:“All girls who join beauty pageants are stupid and self-centered.”
As we have seen ourselves,ladies who compete at pageants are exceptionally beautiful. These
pageants are reserved for a certain breed of women-the perfectly sculpted type of human being with
flawless features and a captivating presence. They are quite easy to spot in a crowd because they stand
out, but they are often limited to this image-beauty without brains who are severely self-obsessed and
are good for nothing, stupid and self-centered. A number of people say this after they hear contestants
answer the stage questions. What

66

Purposive Communication

63
themselves and are not to be taken seriously at all because they seem to be self-entitled,

feeling that the world revolves around them.

#2: “Pageant girls are objects of fancy”

The issue most feminists have about pageants is that this display of the flesh celebrates women as
an object. Men treat them as objects, and you'll find wealthy old men (and dirty old men) buying them off
with jewelry, clothes, and other luxuries. Some pageant organizers, in fact, have also been accused as
using the “pageant platform as sex vehicle for the contestants” and “to pimp beauty queens for money”.

#3:"A great divide”

Women, on the one hand, treat them as lesser versions of their own species.For a while this
destroyed the image of pageants and beauty queens, altogether. It put a definitive divide between
women-the ugly on one side and the pretty on the other. Pretty girls are dumb, and smart girls are ugly.
#4: “You should join beauty pageants so you can be rich,famous and successful.”
Jo Lamble, a clinical psychologist and member of The Australia Psychological Society in Sydney,
said that the allure to enter beauty contests is seen as a right of passage to fame and success. “I think
some of these girls and young women see it as a stepping stone: 'I'll go and do a pageant because'then I
might get a TV career,'” Dr. Lamble says. All these girls see are the successful people, so their self-
worth is wrapped in such success.
For many pageant contestants, joining the beauty pageant was their stepping stone into fame and
glamor. In these pageants, these girls meet all the right people, making them feel good about being "in
the right place and at the right time."They find this spectacle-of-sorts as a great opportunity to meet
wonderful peole to get favors like jobs, material possessions, fun, fame.

Feminists vs.Advocates
Despite all that,however,there has been an ongoing debate on whether beauty pageants are
indeed a celebration of femininity or purely sexist. Feminists argue that pageants force women to
measure themselves on their physicality; but advocates retort that being a beauty queen is not easy,and
pageants give women a platform to pursue a cause or advocacy. They see dignity in becoming a beauty
queen, as we have seen it in the lives of many queens that have come and gone. Rejecting the
stereotype and refusing to be viewed as anything less, pageant queens are showing everyone that they
are not mere objects that satisfy dirty.men's perversion. Many of them are lawyers,
doctors,dentists,teachers-with vast dreams beyond the title they are coveting.

67
 Of course there are other means and venues for women to fulfill their purpose. Why do they have
to do it in a swim suit? Women have come a long way through the years. From having no real position in
society, we are now doctors, lawyers,world leaders and so forth. This outdated objectification shouldn't
have a place in this modern world-or should it? Should women allow themselves to be measured
according to their looks?
The common things people say about beauty pageants invite conversations about womanhood,
the sense of community and success. In these discussions, what matters most is that common ground of
respect amidst varying viewpoints. In the words of pschologist Meredith Fuller, “we really have to
appreciate that beauty pageants will be a different experience for different individuals, so we can't just
make a blanket statement.”

Sources:

https://www.historychannel.com.au/this-day-in-history/worlds-first-modern-beauty-pageant/

https://www.cosmo.ph/lifestyle/beauty-pageants-empowering-degrading-debate-a00011-
20170122
https://www.ranker.com/list/most-awkward-beauty-pageant-answers/dani-porter?page=3
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/misconceptions-beauty-pageants

https://www.womensweekly.com.sg/health/beauty/6-myths-mrs-singapore-world/?slide=0
http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/beauty/5316139/The-psychology-of-beauty-pageants

https://beautypageants.indiatimes.com/others/beauties-without-brains-consider-themselves-as-
sex-objects/articleshow/65290319.cms

Permission was given to publish this material.

1. What is the overall message of the text?

2. What were the arguments? How were the arguments supported? List each argument
and its corresponding support?

3. How sound and valid are the arguments? Focus on the acceptability of the support
provided to back up the arguments being forwarded.

4. What is your stand about beauty pageants? Are pageants not a means as well of
promoting wellness? What do you think? Create your own arguments to support this claim.
Prepare to share your answer to the class.

68

67
Purposive
Communication

67
 Of course, there are other means and venues for women to fulfill their purpose. Why do they
have to do it in a swim suit? Women have come a long way through the years. From having no real
position in society, we are now doctors, lawyers, world leaders and so forth. This outdated
objectification shouldn't have a place in this modern world-or should it? Should women allow
themselves to be measured according to their looks?
The common things people say about beauty pageants invite conversations about
womanhood, the sense of community and success. In these discussions, what matters most is that
common ground of respect amidst varying viewpoints. In the words of psychologist Meredith Fuller,
“we really have to appreciate that beauty pageants will be a different experience for different
individuals, so we can't just make a blanket statement.”

Sources:

https://www.historychannel.com.au/this-day-in-history/worlds-first-modern-beauty-pageant/

https://www.cosmo.ph/lifestyle/beauty-pageants-empowering-degrading-debate-a00011-
20170122
https://www.ranker.com/list/most-awkward-beauty-pageant-answers/dani-porter?page=3
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/misconceptions-beauty-pageants

https://www.womensweekly.com.sg/health/beauty/6-myths-mrs-singapore-world/?slide=0

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/beauty/5316139/The-psychology-of-beauty-pageants

https://beautypageants.indiatimes.com/others/beauties-without-brains-consider-themselves-as-
sex-objects/articleshow/65290319.cms
Permission was given to publish this material.
1. What is the overall message of the text?

2. What were the arguments? How were the arguments supported? List each argument and
its corresponding support?

3. How sound and valid are the arguments? Focus on the acceptability of the support
provided to back up the arguments being forwarded.

4. What is your stand about beauty pageants? Are págeants not a means as well of
promoting wellness? What do you think? Create your own arguments to support this claim.

Prepare to share your answer to the class.

68

67
Purposive
Communication

67
 Activity 3: We'Il Figure It Out
As human beings, we have brains that enable us to reason in a logical manner and create valid
reasons, differentiating us from the lower forms of animals. It happens though that sometimes we err in
our reasoning. This may be due to a host of reasons like our emotional state, ignorance, biases, and
others. When this happens, we become vulnerable and commit flawed reasoning. In the realm of logic
and reasoning, we commit fallacies.

What are fallacies? In general terms, a fallacy is an error in reasoning. We all have committed
using fallacies that are “deceptive or wrong arguments" (Espiritu 2014). How do we avoid using
fallacies? The answer: “Learning good reasoning includes understanding bad reasoning” (Espiritu
2014).
Let us now take a look at some fallacies that are commonly committed.
Fallacy Explanation

Argumentum Against the Instead of finding fault on the claim, proposal, or argument,
Person the arguer directs his attack on the character, personality, or

belief of his opponent.

Argument that Goes in The arguer evades the real conclusion by restating the same

Circle conclusion in new words, making the reasoning circular.

Non sequitor or “It Does The arguer draws a conclusion not supported by the premises

not Follow” or fails to include assumptions that establish connections

between ideas.

Argument that Uses In this argument, instead of presenting evidence or good

Flattery or Praise reasons, we use praise to get what we want, to make others

agree with us, or to seek approval of our arguments.

Argument that Appeals One uses force or threat instead of reason. The threat may be

to Force or Threat physical or psychological.

Hasty Generalization The arguer makes a conclusion based on a few instances or

even from one single instance only.From one sample,the

arguer makes a claim about the whole population.

Argument from This is arguing that because an arguer cannot prove the

Ignorance argument to be false; therefore, it is true.

67
Bandwagon Argument The argument appeals to the beliefs or prejudices of the
crowd or masses. It justifies that “might is right” and
“many people cannot be wrong”. This is widely used in
advertisements and political campaigns.

67
Appeal to Pity Instead of presenting relevant and strong evidence or reasons
to support out claim, we resort to evoking pity or sympathy by
pointing of referring to an unfortunate circumstance that has
befallen us.

Appeal to Unqualified(or This fallacy is committed when we cite the opinion or

Inappropriate)
judgment of someone who commands
Authority
is not a recognized authority
prejudiced in some way. We use
status, even though out of place,
respect and reverence but who
on the subject or who is
that person's reputation or
to get support for our claim.

We argue that what is true of a whole or class is true to every

Fallacy of Division
member.

Red Herring In this argument, instead of addressing the matter under

consideration, the arguer introduces an unrelated or irrelevant

matter to draw the argument away from the real issue.

The arguer contends or makes a case on the belief that what is

What is New is Good
new is good.

The challenge in this activity is to identify the fallacies in the text that you have read in
Activity 2.With a partner,identify at least three (3) fallaces that were committed in the text. Write
your answers in the table below.
Textual Evidence(Write
here the exact line/s Why do you say that this
What is the fallacy?
that is/are considered is fallacious?
fallacious)

Purposive Commnirt.
 Activity 4:I Can Do It
In groups of five, plan and create a two-minute video for a social media post.Your video should
persuade adults to make changes in their lifestyle. Be sure not to commit any fallacies in developing
the storyline. Determine what thought process is better to use: induction or deduction.The theme of
your message could range from among the following:

quitting smoking;
limiting alcoholic beverage consumption;
watching their diet;
doing regular physical activity; and
consulting their doctor
Prepare to show your video to the class.

RUBRIC IN GRADING THE VIDEO

Criterion Description Point Score

Appeal to Feelings The video's content appeals to the 10

feelingsof the audience, making them
feel that theywould want to make that
choice towardshaving a healthy
lifestyle.

Credibility The video presents a credible or .5

authoritative source of information by

presenting relevant facts and evidences

regarding the subject matter:

pursuing ahealthy lifestyle.
Craft The video was done with obvious care 10

and time. Ideas in the video are

effectivein persuading viewers to
choose a healthylifestyle in a clear
and interesting way.
Creativity and The overall feel of the video is fresh and exciting. 10
originality The idea behind the video is out-of-the-box.

The message and idea of the yideo can be 5

Applicability
executed or implemented today.

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TOTAL 40

71
ESSON 5:
ETHICAL PERSUASION AND PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES
Persuasive writing or speaking is not solely a matter of logic; it is also a matter of language. The
suggestion carried by words has much to do with their power to persuade. There re techniques that you
can use to achieve the effect you want to make persuasion work for you.

t the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. analyze the use of persuasive techniques in a multi-modal text; and

2. generate the desired persuasive effect through the use of persuasive techniques in
different platforms of persuasive communication.

Activity 1:What I Know

You will watch local TV commercials. For each commercial, answer these questions with our
seatmate.

ommercial No.1

What is the message of the advertisement?

What do you think is wrong with the advertisement?

ommercial No.2

What is the message of the advertisement?.

What do you think is wrong with the advertisement?

73
 From the commercial, you saw the use of persuasive techniques in an unethical manner, which
techniques abound in advertisements as well as in marketing and political campaigns. The persuasive
techniques you will however learn in this lesson are those that will be appropriate for you, as students, to
use in your academic work.

Activity 2: It Makes Sense

Persuasive techniques are strategies communicators use, whether in writing or speaking, to
influence or convince their target audience to think, believe, or act in the way they (communicators)
want their audience to believe, think, or act. These techniques are very helpful in driving a point home
and getting the desired effect.

In this activity, read the essay, "The perils we inflict on ourselves."The essay is espousing
you,other young adults, as well as adolescents to live a healthy lifestyle.

“The perils we inflict on ourselves”

Dan Jimenez

'It is said that to give oneself toothers,to render service to those in need, is life's
raison d'etre.2Our reason for existing.
3It is a tragedy though, if not a mockery, if one will give a sick dilapidated oneself to others or that
one cannot render any service because one is too sick or incapacitated. 'Which brings us to the
importance of taking care of oneself, of living a healthy life style.

sYouth defies time and logic. 'The young living life at breakneck speed seems to be the norm.'All
caution is thrown to the wind, and prudence is replaced by flooring the gas. 8It is almost a competition.
'The riskier one lives, the more he is idolized.

1°It is very common to see the young engage in vices the sick and the dead have engaged in.
"Alcohol abuse, cigarette smoking and worst, doing drugs.

12Alcohol abuse perhaps is one vice the young thinks is part of growing up. 13A rite of passage
into adulthood.14So I thought.

15Right after graduating from the Academy, my classmates and I would gather at Shakey's
Cubao for a night out and start with a pitcher of beer each. "That was the minimum alcohol
consumption. 1'When we were all assigned to different areas, get-togethers always meant reminiscing
and drinking. 18We went from beer to gin to rum to whisky. 1Getting drunk meant we had a great time.
2°My alcohol consumption got worst when I started drinking on my own to give “feelings” to what I was
writing and even just to be able to go to sleep. 21For 5 long years,my body took te abuse without
complaint.22I could play pelota

73
 From the commercial,you saw the use of persuasive lechniques in an uncthical manner,
persuasive techniques you will however learn in this lesson are those that will be appropriate for you,as
students, to use in your academic work.

Activity 2: It Makes Sense

to influence or convince their target audience to think, believe, or act in the way they (communiators)
want their audience to believe,think,or act. These techniques are very helpful in driving a point home and
getting the desired effect.

In this activity,read the essay,“The perils we inflict on ourselves."The essay is espousing you, other
young adults, as well as adolescents to live a healthy lifestyle.

“The perils we inflict on ourselves”

Dan Jimenez
'It is said that to give oneself to others, to render service to those in need, is life's raison d'etre.2Our
reason for existing.

3It is a tragedy though, if not a mockery, if one will give a sick dilapidated oneself to others or that one
cannot render any service because one is too sick or incapacitated.+Which brings us to the importance of taking
care of oneself, of living a healthy life style.

sYouth defies time and logic. "The young living life at breakneck speed seems to be the norm.'All
caution is thrown to the wind, and prudence is replaced by flooring the gas.8It is almost a competition.
'The riskier one lives, the more he is idolized.

''It is very common to see the young engage in vices the sick and the dead have engaged in.
"Alcohol abuse, cigarette smoking and worst, doing drugs.

12Alcohol abuse perhaps is one vice the young thinks is part of growing up. 1A rite of passage into
adulthood.ISo I thought.

"Right after graduating from the Academy, my classmates and I would gather at Shakey's Cubao
for a night out and start with a pitcher of beer each. "That was the minimum alcohol consumption."When
we were all assigned to different areas,get-togethers always meant reminiscing and drinking. 18We went
from beer to gin to rum to whisky.1'Getting drunk meant we had a great time. 2'My alcohol consumption
got worst when I started drinking on my own to give "feelings" to what I was writing and even just to be
able to go to sleep.21For 5 long years, my body took the abuse without complaint.22I could play pelota

73
 From the commercial, you saw the use of persuasive techniques in an unethical manner,
persuasive techniques you will however learn in this lesson are those that will be appropriate for
you, as students, to use in your academic work.

Activity 2:It Makes Sense

Persuasive techniques are strategies communicators use, whether in writing or speaking, to
influence or convince their target audience to think, believe, or act in the way they (communicators)
want their audience to believe,think, or act. These techniques are very helpful in driving a point
home and getting the desired effect.
In this activity, read the essay, "The perils we inflict on ourselves."The essay is espousing
you, other young adults, as well as adolescents to live a healthy lifestyle.

“The perils we inflict on ourselves”

Dan Jimenez

'It is said that to give oneself to others, to render service to those in need, is life's raison
d'etre. Our reason for existing.
3It is a tragedy though, if not a mockery, if one will give a sick dilapidated oneself to others or that
one cannot render any service because one is too sick or incapacitated.+Which brings us to the
importance of taking care of oneself, of living a healthy life style.

Youth defies time and logic.'The young living life at breakneck speed seems to be the
norm.'All caution is thrown to the wind, and prudence is replaced by flooring the gas. It is almost a
competition. 'The riskier one lives, the more he is idolized.
1°It is very common to see the young engage in vices the sick and the dead have engaged in.
"Alcohol abuse, cigarette smoking and worst, doing drugs.

12Alcohol abuse perhaps is one vice the young thinks is part of growing up. 1A rite of
passage into adulthood. 14So I thought.

15Right after graduating from the Academy, my classmates and I would gather at Shakey's Cubao for
a night out and start with a pitcher of beer each. "That was the minimum alcohol consumption. "When we
were all assigned to different areas,get-togethers always meant reminiscing and drinking. '*We went from
beer to gin to rum to whisky.19Getting drunk meant we had a great time. 2°My alcohol consumption got
worst when I started drinking on my own to give “feelings” to what I was writing and even just to be able to
go to sleep. 21For 5 long years, my body took the abuse without complaint.221 could play pelota
from morning until night; I could run the 10-K in 30 minutes or so. 2I was solid, I was strong. 24When I
got married in 1982, I stopped drinking completely, 25We immigrated to the US in 1986 and had a full
physical. 2My doctor said at that point that I had clevated liver enzymes and a fatty liver due to alcohol
abuse,2It took another five years,or 10 years total, of completely not drinking before my liver was back
to normal! 2And I thought then: I was strong, I was healthy, I was superman. 2'No I was not. 3I was 31
and,even though my outward appearance did not show, I was very sick.

"I have never been a smoker, and I was an exercise fiend.32Plus, I did not overeat. "Those three
perhaps saved the rest of my body and helped me deal with my excessive drinking."Thinking of what
could have happened because of alcohol abuse makes me shiver now. 35With three kids and two
grand kids, being a sick man would surely be no fun.

36The Greeks have learned from the Roman's excesses which caused the fall of their empire.
37In daily life, they inscribed: “nothing overmuch”, 38Always in moderation.3'An abused body will
capitulate sooner than later. 4°A young body may recover in time."'The question of course to intelligent
minds is:does one really need to abuse oneself to afford the chance for recovery?

42There are wages fr everything we do. 43Those wages, we pay, in one way or another. Are they
worth it?

Reprinted with permission

With a partner, answer the following questions:

1. What is the message of the essay?
2. What is the purpose of the essay?

3. Do you think the writer achieved his purpose? What makes you say so?
4.Were you convinced of his point? Justify your answer?
Prepare for a class discussion.

Activity 3: We'll Figure It Out

The essay used 21 persuasive techniques. Your task is to identify them to appreciate the impact
of these techniques.

Look for at least one (1) specific statement from the essay that exemplifies the persuasive
techniques below. That statement may be a word, a phrase, a clause,or a sentence. For those
techniques that were used many times in the essay, you may give at least two.

75
from morning until night; I could run the 10-K in 30 minutes or so. 2I was solid,I was strong. 24When I
got married in 1982, I stoped drinking completely. 25We immigrated to the US in 1986 and had a full
physical.2My doctor said at that point that I had clevated liver enzymes and a fatty liver due to alcohol
abuse.2It took anotherfive years,or 10 years total, of completely not drinking before my liver was back
to normal! 2And I thought then: I was strong, I was healthy, I was supeman.2'No I was not. 3°I was 31
and,even though my outward appearance did not show, I was very sick.

3'I have never been a smoker, and I was an exercise fiend. 32Plus, I did not overeat. 3Those
three perhaps saved the rest of my body and helped me deal with my excessive drinking. Thinking of
what could have happened because of alcohol abuse makes me shiver now. 35With three kids and two
grand kids, being a sick man would surely be no fun.

36The Greeks have learned from the Roman's excesses which caused the fall of their
empire.37In daily life,they inscribed:“nothing overmuch”. 38Always in moderation.3'An abused body will
capitulate sooner than later. 4A young body may recover in time.“The question of course to intelligent
minds is: does one really need to abuse oneself to afford the chance for recovery?

42There are wages for everything we do.43Those wages,we pay,in one way or another. Are they
worth it?

Reprinted with permission

With a partner, answer the following questions:

1. What is the message of the essay?

2. What is the purpose of the essay?

3. Do you think the writer achieved his purpose? What makes you say so?
4. Were you convinced of his point? Justify your answer?

Prepre for a class discussion.

Activity 3: We'll Figure It Out

The essay used 21 persuasive techniques. Your task is to identify them to appreciate the impact
of these techniques.

Look for at least one (1) specific statement from the essay that exemplifies the persuasive
techniques below. That statement may be a word, a phrase, a clause, or a sentence.For those
techniques that were used many times in the essay,you may give at least two.

75
 1. Emotive words: Words that stir up emotions

Rhetorical questions: Questions that the reader answers in his mind

3. Contradictory statement: A statement that contradicts or overturns a previous statement

4. Power of 3:They come in threes used in sequence-nouns, adjectives,adverbs, and the

like.

5. Personal pronouns: Using first-person and second-person pronouns like“we,""us." and

"you" to make the writing more engaging

6. Humor: Witty and amusing expression of a viewpoint

7.Evoke sympathies:Make the reader feel sorry for something or someone

8. Hyperbole:Intentional exaggeration for emphasis

76

75
Purposive
Communicati
on

75
1. Emotive words: Words that stir up emotions

2. Rhetorical questions: Questions that the reader answers in his mind

3. Contradictory statement: A statement that contradicts or overturns a previous

statement

4. Power of 3: They come in threes used in sequence-nouns, adjectives, adverbs,and the

like.

5. Personal pronouns: Using first-person and second-person pronouns like“we,”"us," and

“you” to make the writing more engaging

6. Humor: Witty and amusing expression of a viewpoint

7. Evoke sympathies:Make the reader feel sorry for something or someone

8. Hyperbole: Intentional exaggeration for emphasis

9. Repetition of key words and phrases: Deliberate use of the same word or phrase more
than once for emphasis

10. Catchy phrase: Distinctive or eccentric word or phrase to attract attention and easy
recall

11. Figures of speech: Figurative language like similes and metaphors to add color to the
writing and awaken the imagination

12. Anecdote: Short story to illustrate a point

13. Play on the reader's guilt: Make the reader feel bad about something

14. Imagery:Vivid words to create a picture in the mind

15. Quotation: Inspirationa and wise sayings to support a point

1.6. Parallel structure: Expressing ideas in the same grammatical structure

17.Statistics:Factal data like numbers used in a persuasive way

18. Short sentences: Intended to create punch, grabattention, signal completion

19.Shock tactics: Words and phrases that have powerful associations or connotations

20. Local color: Historical or geographical reference to cause the writer to identify with
the reader
21. s: Deliberate use of incomplete sentences for style and impact (used by seasoned
Frag writers)
ment

Activity 4: We'll Figure it Out

Assume that you are the representative of your schoo1 in an inter-collegiate public speaking
contest on the theme:"Take the Fitness Challenge”. As a health ambassador for healthy living, deliver a
five-minute speech on one of the following topics: Smoking, Alcoholic drinks, Drugs, Social
media,Electronic gadgets,Cell phones,Exercise,Sports, Physical activity,Diet, and Stress.
Your speech should encourage your listeners to develop and maintain their own healthy
behaviors. Integrate five to seven appropriate persuasive techniques.

For a superb speech delivery, view online speaking events like Toastmaster speech
contests.
 GRADING CRITERIA FOR SPEECH
Criterion Description Point Score

Advocacy Presents position in a clear, compelling, and 5

thoughtful way

Support Advances advocacy with precise and relevant

5
information

Persuasive 5
Uses five to seven appropriate persuasive techniques
techniques

Call to action Provides a meaningful call to action responsive to the

5
advocacy

Tone and Focus Has a clear sense of audience and purpose 5

Language and Few errors in rules of grammar; uses appropriate 5

Conventions language

TOTAL 30

Digital Portfolio: Upload your written speech in your Digital Portfolio.

Print Portfolio: Insert your written speech in your Print Portfolio.

SELF-REFLECTION
Having learned quite a few persuasive techniques in this lesson, you should learn to use these
whenever the situation to persuade presents itself. Where in your academic experience can you
make the most,and best, use of these techniques?
LESSON 6:
ARGUMENTATION AND ARGUMENT BUILDING
In the ordinary events of daily life, your persuasive skills will be frequently needed at school, at
work, and in the community. People from all walks of life and in all kinds of work-teachers, engineers,
medical practitioners, salesmen, lawyers,journalists, politicians, businessmen-know the importance of
being able to persuade and argue convincingly.

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. familiarize with the basic parts or elements of an argument;

2. build effective arguments through logical reasoning and convincing evidence; and

3. present arguments in a formal debate.

Activity 1:What I Know

1. Have you ever found yourself in this situation before? Who were you aruing with?What
were you arguing about?
2. Who won in the argument? You? What made you win? Or if you lost, why did you lose?

3. From your experience,what are the challenges that confrontone in argumentation?

Share your answers with your seatmate.

Activity 2: It Makes Sense

One cannot just argue without possessing the skills in persuasion and argumentation. First, you must
know what you are arguing about. Second, you must have sound and logical arguments and
counterarguments. Third, your arguments must be backed up by evidence. Finally,you must present your
arguments in effective language and style.

This brings us to what argumentation is about: assertions, reasonng and proof. Read the short text below
about smoking. Highlight the assertion, the reasoning,and the proof.Use different colors to highlight the three
parts.

Why Smoking Should Be Banned

Kaye Leah C.Sitchon

Smoking is one of the major caues of preventable disease and premature death worldwide. Tobacco use
significantly affects people and the environment negatively which is why smoking should be banned. Although
some people feel that it is “cool" to smoke or smoke to calm the nerves and relieve stress, this addictive and
expensive habit brings harmful effects.
 The first reason why smoking ought to be banned is due to the poison content in tobacco.Because of
this, one in two smokers will most likely die from disease related to smoking. Cigarettes have carbon monoxide
that is the same thing found in car exhaust fumes. Large doses of this are fatal. It depletes the oxygen level in
the organs,preventing them from functioning properly. The other deadly poison is tar, a sticky and brown
substance that coats the lungs causing shortness of breath.
Another reason to ban smoking is that tobacco is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths.
The nicotine in cigarettes makes smoking highly addictive, so more and more people fall to lung
disease like chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and emphysema.
These diseases are expensive to treat. Smoking also heightens the risk of stroke,osteoporosis, and
plaque build-up in the blood that reduces blood flow.Bad breath, stained teeth, and gum disease are
common things chronic smokers suffer from.
Women who smoke might also find getting pregnant more difficult. And if they do get pregnant, and
keep smoking, this exposes the child to a number of risks like miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, low birth
weight, sudden infant death syndrome, and other infant illnesses. In men, on the other hand,smoking can
cause impotence because smoking damages blood vessels in the penis. Further, children exposed to
secondhand smoke are found to have increased risks in middle ear infection, pneumonia, asthma, and
bronchitis.
The fourth reason to ban smoking is that it causes environmental pollution by releasing toxic air
into the atmosphere. Huge amounts of toxic waste are generated in the process of cultivating,
producing, and transporting tobacco. Harmful pesticides and fertilizers leave the soil intoxicated for
long periods of time.Since manufacturing cigarettes involves planting tobacco in rainforest
areas,deforestation happens as well.
Even if governments put a high tax on tobacco products, production of cigarettes and the
addiction to it puts a financial burden on the society from smoking-related health care costs to costs
related to environmental sustainability. It is because of these reasons why smoking is bad for
everyone and should be banned.

Sources:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/10566.php

https://www.livestrong.com/article/207919-three-reasons-why-smoking-should-be-banned/

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/serious-effects-cigarette-smoking-environment-and-
human-health.php

Permission was given to publish this material.

 Activity 3: We'll FigureIt Out
Let us see if you can figure out the elements of an argument. Illustated below is an
argument about smoking.Read closely and observe how the argument was constructed.
ARGUMENT

Assertion Reasoning Evidence

Whatis What proof do you have?

Why do youtake
yourposition? thisposition?

Example:Smokingis Example:(Because)Ten Example:

a Filipinosdie Across the globe, there are 1.1 billion

deadlyhabit. everyhour due smokers, and if current trendscontinue,
tosmoking. the number of smokers wil reach 1.6
billion by year2025.In the Philippines,
28 percent,or 17.3 million Filipino
adultsaged 15 years and older, are
current tobacco smokers,accordingto
2009 data by the Global Adult Tobacco
Survey(GATS).On theother hand, the 2011
Global Youth Tobacco Survey report said
that13% of youth aged 13 to 15 years
old use tobacco products, 18.8%of which
are males, while the remaining 9.3% are
females.

Source: "Go smoke-free" [Fact Sheet] (2015). (Reproduced by DOH-CAR office 2015)

Now, it is your time to develop at least two arguments for or against smoking. Write your
answer in the grid below.
ARGUMENT 1

Assertion Reasoning Evidence

(Claim) ("Because") (Proof)

 ARGUMENT 2

Assertion Reasoning Evidence

(Claim) ("Because") (Proof)

Activity 4: We'll Figure it Out

As an exercise on building arguments, you will be engaged in a debate on the issue:

Resolved, that e-cigarettes in public spaces be banned.

To argue effectively, first,you must know what the issue is about. Is the issue (or claim) a fact,value,
or policy? Second, you must formulate your arguments well. Follow the formula for argument: ARE
(Assertion-Reasoning-Evidence). Third, you must state your arguments using effective language and style.

Inasmuch as you knew about the topic (proposition) of the debate way ahead of time,this debate will
adopt the Orgon-Oxford Debate, a research-based type of debate. Research on the topic for an interesting
and dynamic debate. Also read about this debate format to know how it works: teams, speaker roles,
sequence of speakers, timing, interpellation, grading criteria, rules and procedures.
 DEBATE RUBRIC
Advanced Beginning
Proficient Developing

5 2
4 3

Quality of Arguments Advances coherent, Advances

logically substantive Provides arguments
developed. that are
arguments that Arguments are
substantive adequately
poorly
arguments that supports the substantiated but
team stance substantiated and
clearly and does not
however, developed: does not
demonstrate much
strongly supports directly support
coherence and strength in
the team's stance the team's stance
clarity can supporting the
still be team's stance
improved

Quality of Provides a clear Provides a Counterarguments

Refutation/CLASH and appropriate clear and quite unclear; Counterarguments
appropriate demonstrates. confusing.
counterargument;
counterargument
demonstrates a superficial
does not present
; demonstrates.
logical, mature, development of any evidence.
adequate
points, many which
and thorough of development of
do not support the
development of development of points that
counter argument
points that points that
support the
support the support the
counter counterargument
counter argument
argument

Adherence to the Responds Responds Attempts to Fails to

Technical Aspects appropriately to adequately to respondto the respondto the
of the the dynamics dynamics of dynamicsof the
the dynamics of
Debate/Method of the thedebate;observe debate;failsto
the debate; debate; s therules of the adhere to
strictly observes generally debate thetechnicalaspec
the rules ofthe observes the butcommitted a ts ofthe
debate; rules ofthe majortechnical debate;speakerrol
 debate with blunder;speaker e was not
oneto two role was fulfilled
speakerrole was minor notsatisfactorily
faultlesslyfulfill faults;speake fulfilled
ed r role
wasadequately
fulfilled

PresentationStyl Usually uses Sometimes uses Presentation

e Consistently gestures,eye gestures,eye styledoes not keep
usesgestures,eye contact,tone of contact,tone of theattention of
contact,tone of voice and voice and alevel theaudience
voice and alevel alevel of of enthusiasmin a
of enthusiasmin a enthusiasmin a way that keptthe
way that keptthe way that attention of
attention of keptthe theaudience
theaudience attention of
theaudience
 Digital Pertfolio: Upload your debate notes in your Digital Portfolio.

Print Portfolie:Insert your debate notes in your Print Portfolio.

SELF-REFLECTION
How relevant is argumentation to you now as a student and as a professional in the future?

Where can you also use your persuasive skills as a responsible private citizen, especially in promoting
awareness of a healthy lifestyle?

UNIT SUMMARY
Congratulations! The journey was certainly a challenging one, but you made it. You are now a
certified ambassador of health and wellness! The journey though does not end here. You have to keep
going and bring with you the knowledge, attitudes, and values you have gained from the multi-tiered
lessons that were meant to make you an effective purveyor of information and catalyst of change. For as
long as you did your utmost best, a job well done is its own reward.
Another exciting chapter awaits you that will prove to have very practical returns on invest meat in
your academic experience-a chance to work, have a career, and conquer the world. Keep going...the
workplace beckons.

Work on your reflection for this unit. Do not forget to upload your reflection.

REFERENCES
CRAAP Analysis. Retrieved March 31,2019 through https://courses.lumenlearning.com
engcompl-wmopen/chapter/video-evaluating-sources/

Espiritu, D.L. (2014). 40 Arguments to Avoid.Quezon City:New Day Publishers.

"Go smoke-free"[Fact Sheet] (2015). (Reproduced by DOH-CAR office 2015)

86
Purposive Communication