Chapter 1
Fundamentals of Critical Thinking and Essay Preparation
Course: Gre
Subject: Gre Analytical Writing
Chapter: Fundamentals Of Critical Thinking And Essay Preparation
Understanding Persuasive Appeals
Persuasive writing aims to influence readers' beliefs, attitudes, or actions. To achieve this goal, writers employ various strategies known as appeals—techniques that connect with readers on different levels and make arguments more compelling.
Consider these three statements, each attempting to convince someone to watch an instructional video:
"You should watch this video because it will help you prepare for written essay exams that you want to do well on."
"You should watch this video because I'm an experienced English instructor, so I have good ideas about what you need to do to prepare for essay exams."
"You should watch this video because doing well on exams can mean doing well in college, and succeeding in college can help you achieve all of your personal goals."