Learning Target: Students are assigned to write a persuasive writing paper on whether carbon dioxide production from the burning of fossil fuel causes Global Warming or Climate
Change. The author must take a stand and chose to persuade the audience to take action against
climate change or do nothing and continue the path we are taking.
Examples where author is persuading the audience that climate change is not real:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46351940 , https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/27/us/politics/trump-climate-science.html
Examples where author is persuading the audience that climate change is real: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/greenland-antarctica-are-gaining-ice-inland-losing- melting-overall
https://www.mprnews.org/episode/2020/04/30/climate-change-isnt-just-shifting-how-the- world-feels-its-changing-how-it-sounds
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2020/04/30/global-carbon-dioxide- emissions-decline-coronavirus-lockdowns/3055323001/
The following are some questions that might be helpful to discuss in the persuasive writing piece. Questions are often written in the article and the author provides a response with data to back up their conclusion. Will nonrenewable fuels last forever? When will they run out on the Earth? What is the percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere? Does this number stay constant, since most of the carbon dioxide is absorbed into the oceans? While like an expository essay in its presentation of facts, the goal of the persuasive essay is to convince the reader to accept the writer’s point of view or recommendation. The writer must build a case using facts and logic, as well as examples, expert opinion, and sound reasoning. The writer should present all sides of the argument, but must be able to communicate clearly and without equivocation why a certain position is correct. Carbon dioxide is heavier than air, so it will go to the lowest point or sea level.
What are the effects associated with acidification of the oceans? The world's oceans have become 26% more acidic since the start of the Industrial Revolution and continue to acidify at an "unprecedented rate," threatening marine ecosystems, aquaculture and the societies that rely on them, scientists say. https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/co2-and-ocean-acidification
How will the acidification of the oceans affect the audience of the writer? The effect of higher carbon dioxide levels on plant function is an important process that needs greater consideration,” said Donohue. “Even if nothing else in the climate changes as global CO2 levels rise, we will still see significant environmental changes because of the CO2 fertilization effect. Also, the team
found that when glaciers melt, they reduce
the pressure on continents, while sea-level rise increases pressures on the ocean floor crust. In the computer model, the change in pressures on the Earth's crust seem to cause increases in volcanism. In general, the speed of the transition from ice age to melting, rather than the total amount of melting, predicted how intensely the volcanic eruptions increased, she said. http://www.livescience.com/25936- climate-change-causes-volcanism.html Does the author need to convince their audience of the need to be prepared for future volcanic eruptions?
If greenhouse warming causes a substantial increase in hurricane activity, then the century scale increase in global and tropical Atlantic SSTs since the late 1800s should have been accompanied by a long-term rising trend in measures of Atlantic hurricanes
activity. http://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/historical-atlantic-hurricane-and-tropical-storm-records The Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act is being rolled out in stages, with a major part having gone into effect on Oct 1. It removes subsidies that keep federal flood insurance premiums artificially low for more than a million policy holders around the country — a discount that was applied to properties that existed before the drawing of flood insurance rate maps. The new law is designed to move people away from flood prone areas, because of the recent high costs of storms like Katrina and Sandy. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/13/us/cost-of-flood-insurance-rises- along-with-worries.html?_r=0 Is it likely that we will see a similar hike in home insurance for tornados with the intent to build smaller homes or encourage people to live in buildings that are more concrete and steel in structure as found in
cities? http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamestaylor/2013/07/10/global-warming-no-satellites-show- carbon-dioxide-is-causing-global-greening/ The real issue is not global warming, it is the fact that we will eventually run out of fossil fuels. These fuels are non-renewable, which means they take over 100 years to make. The following link provides some future alternatives. The artificial leaf holds the most
promise. http://edition.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/business/2014/04/10/spc-make-create- innovate-artificial-leaf.cnn.html Will people be ready to embrace changes to their lifestyle when fossil fuels are no longer available to heat our homes or provide easy
transportation? http://www.accuweather.com/en/home-garden-articles/earth-you/west-antarcticas- incredible-we/34968587
Most Science is a form of persuasive writing and the following will help you organize your research:
When you read an article, it’s important to clarify the issue being debated. When you’re identifying the issue, phrasing something as a question can often help clearly state what is being argued over.
Should teens have the right to private medical appointments?
Should euthanasia be legalized?
Should fox poisoning be banned?
Should heroin be decriminalized? IDENTIFYING THE CONTENTION
Contention is simply another word for point-of-view or opinion. Read the piece of persuasive writing carefully. What does the writer believe? Starting a sentence with the word ‘that’ can help you identify the writer’s contention.
That reality television is a waste of time.
That teens should have access to private medical appointments
Tone refers to the overall feeling of a piece of writing. Here are some useful words to help you describe tone.
Logical: rational, reasonable, analytical, cogent. Neutral: impartial, balanced, objective, unbiased. Informed: knowledgeable, well-read.
Passionate: emotional, emotive, ardent, vehement. Witty: humorous, satirical, lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek. PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES
Writers can use a range of techniques to persuade. When you’re reading persuasive writing—or
writing persuasively yourself—you need to think carefully about how techniques like these are used to position the reader to accept a particular point of view.
Adjective. Describing words, often used to make the reader feel a particular way about an issue.
e.g. “Reality shows allow us to feel a bland, artificial version of that incredible thrill you get from having a crack and chasing your ambitions.”
Adverbs. Adverbs are words that modify adjectives or verbs. Like adjectives, they are selected to make a reader think or feel about something in a particular way.
e.g. “In a recent article, I wrote about my dogs, a kelpie and a blue heeler, dying from 1080 fox bait. They had eaten it during a weekend trip to the high country and died horribly.”
Alliteration. The repetition of words starting with the same to create emphasis.
e.g. ”And I can tell you it is distressing beyond words to watch an animal suffer like that and not be able to alleviate its agony.”
Appeals. Writers often appeal to different emotions, such as a reader’s sense of fairness, justice or patriotism.
Anecdotes. Short, personal stories that help to illustrate a point.
e.g. “For my three most recent books, on motherhood, cancer and nursing, I interviewed more than 300 people about the nuts and bolts of what our incredibly short time on this planet is really about – life, death, family and love. If there is one thing I can guarantee, it’s that there will never be a person who lies on their deathbed, shaking with rage, sobbing, ‘Dear God, I wish I’d spent more time watching MasterChef.'”
Everyday language. Writers will often use everyday language, sometimes called colloquial language, to make themselves seem down-to-earth.
e.g. “Fairness is the cornerstone of our constitution and our national identity. But as we head into an election year, I think we need to ask ourselves whether we really believe in a fair go for all.” Cliches. An overused expression. Although they should be avoided, cliches give writers an opportunity to express an idea to their readers quickly.
Here are some examples of cliches:
Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Alls well that ends well.
As light as a feather.
Time will tell.
Connotations. All words have connotations or associations. Some words, for example, may have the same literal meaning but very different connotations. Connotations may be negative or positive. Think about the word ‘thin’. There are lots of words that share this meaning—slender, lithe, slim, skinny, lean, slight, lanky, undernourished, wasted, gangly, rake-like, anorexic, spindly. If someone was describing your body, you would probably prefer to be called ‘slender’ or ‘slim’ rather than ‘lanky’ or ‘anorexic’. When people are writing an argument, they think very carefully about the words that they select and the impact these words will have on their audience. Emotive words. Words that provoke an emotional reaction from the audience.
e.g. “But no, people from the bush were saying it is cruel to kill foxes with a poison that causes a slow, agonising death.”
Exaggeration. Writers often exaggerate or overstate something to help persuade readers of their point of view.
e.g. “Our experts will tell you a million reasons why it can’t or shouldn’t be done here. They have turned excuse-making into an art form.”
Evidence. Writers will often use evidence – which might take the form of facts, figures, quotes or graphs – to help support their argument.
e.g. “According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, males are 400 per cent more likely to commit an offence intended to cause injury than are females.”
Expert opinion. Sometimes writers will use the opinion of experts to give further weight to their argument.
e.g. “A new research report by Victorian doctors illustrates why: because when kids are worried their parents will be told their private medical details, they simply don’t go to the doctor.”
Inclusive language. Inclusive language – using the words ‘we’ or ‘us’ – is often used to get a reader onside.
e.g. “We might not like it, but our kids’ right to confidential medical advice should take precedence over our right to know about it.”
Imagery. Descriptive writing can be a powerful persuasive technique. Describing something vividly can persuade readers.
Logic. A logical, well-structured argument can be very persuasive.
Metaphor. Metaphors, when one thing is described as another, help to persuade by describing.
e.g. “I’ve been dying of it all week and can hardly type this column because of the Niagra of snot pouring down my face and the painful fires of a thousand suns burning in my joints and muscles, which being manly muscles are able to carry a much heavier load of pain than lady muscles.”
Pun. A play on words often relying on homophones, homonyms or rhymes.
e.g. “It’s been a trying year for rugby league, what with betting scandals, controversies over players’ alleged off-field behaviour and an unseemly on-field brawl that marred the sport’s reputation on approach to the finals.”
e.g. “Racism is no black and white issue”.
Repetition. The repetition of words, phrases and ideas can be used to reinforce an argument and drive home the message to a reader.
e.g “It has been well established here and overseas that if teenagers think they can see a doctor in confidence, they are more likely to do so, more likely to go back for repeat visits, and more likely to disclose sensitive information.”
Rhetorical question. A question where the answer is obvious, can help lead readers to a particular conclusion.
e.g. “It has been well established here and overseas that if teenagers think they can see a doctor in confidence, they are more likely to do so, more likely to go back for repeat visits, and more likely to disclose sensitive information. And isn’t this the outcome we want? “
Sarcasm. A mocking tone.
e.g. “Not all of us can write Max Walker’s How to Hypnotise Chooks, you know – for many years the biggest-selling title in Australian literary history.”
Simile. Similes, when one thing is compared to another, can help to persuade by describing.
e.g. “…as dumb as a sack of hammers…”
Tone. The tone of an article or speech refers to its overall feeling. Is it passionate? Logical? Reasonable? Mocking? Humorous?
THINKING ABOUT PERSUASIVE LANGUAGE
The best way to understand how persuasive language can be used to convey a point of view is by reading examples of persuasive writing. Read the newspaper on a daily basis, particularly the editorials and opinion pages. This will not only help you keep abreast of current events, it will also help you develop the language skills necessary to do persuasive writing yourself.
Before you get started, you need read the text carefully and annotate it, identify:
issue
contention
tone
audience
arguments
language
persuasive devices
Taking time to think about the prompt and to plan your writing will improve the quality of your final essay. Planning can help you compose a more organized, polished response. Use this guide to plan your composition.
Read the prompt carefully and restate it in your own words. Think specifically about what the prompt is asking you to do (for example, make an argument, tell a story, or explain a
process).
After you have thought about the prompt and it is clear what you’re being asked to do, write one or two sentences describing your initial reaction to the prompt. This may be the basis for your thesis statement, or the main idea of your essay.
Read the reminder list (questions to ask about the prompt) that follows the prompt. (If you are still unclear about the prompt, the list may help you better understand it.) Think about those items that you have particular trouble with and write them down. Explain how to avoid those mistakes in your writing.
Brainstorm ideas, details, or information to support your response to the prompt. You may use a brainstorming technique such as free writing, making a list, or creating a web. Record anything that comes to
mind.
Review the things you wrote as you brainstormed. What ideas support your thesis statement?
What details add information to those supporting ideas? Underline or highlight the ideas and details you plan to use in your composition.
There are many ways to organize your ideas. You may wish to use a visual representation such as a web, an outline, or a chart. The graphic organizers that follow are some examples of ways to structure your ideas.
This organizer is useful for many types of writing, including expository and persuasive essays. Use the thesis statement from the Respond exercise and the ideas from the Record and Review exercises to complete the graphic organizer. You may add additional Supporting Ideas and Details as necessary.
Detail:
Detail:
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Detail:
Concluding Paragraph/Restatement of Thesis: submit to https://turnitin.com/t_home.asp?lang=en_us#
The subject matter I chose is appropriate for the prompt.
The details I include are clearly related to the subject matter. Picture of student
associated with the topic.
I include enough details to support my main idea. Picture of topic. Use pixlr.com to alter the picture 30%.
My composition has a strong beginning, a well-developed middle, and an effective ending.
My essay follows a clear, logical progression.
I establish relationships between ideas in my composition.
I use transitional words and phrases, parallel structure, and other techniques to connect
sentences and paragraphs.
I use effective sentence structure and word choice. Write in complete sentences.
Write coherent and well-developed paragraphs.
Use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.