This chapter opens up with the idea of persuasive writing, and how to make ones writing more persuasive to their readers. Overall persuasive writing differs greatly from any sort of academic writing. In academic writing, you are presenting someone with facts to make an argument or explain something. What is different in persuasive writing is that you are trying to change the actions, thoughts, or feelings of the reader. This can be similar to argumentative but it extends beyond just having someone believe what you are saying. There are two methods that the chapter mentions in creating persuasive writing: using ethos (emotions), pathos (authority), and logos (use of facts) or using the AIDA (attention, interest, desire, and action) model. Both of these methods calls on the readers emotions, catches their attention, and ultimately causes them to buy into your writings purpose. These methods can also be referred to as the use of rhetoric. What I found interesting was how the chapter stated that we use rhetoric all the time in our language and actions. One of the examples being convincing and persuading a friend to go to the movies. This is something that I likely have done in my life but never considered how it can connect back to my writing ability. It makes the idea of professional persuasive writing easier than I first imagined.
The other part of this chapter I found most important was how to use these persuasive methods while also being ethical. The principles of ethics one must remember in professional persuasive writing is to be honest, to stay within the law, to give credit where it is due, to be fair, to show respect, and be responsible. In being honest one needs to make sure to include all necessary information in statements despite facts that may not be persuasive or appealing (such as negative side effects). Honesty goes alongside staying within the limitations of the law. Including things such as negative side effects is necessary because it would be illegal to not do so. You cannot promote or allow illegal activities such as exclusion of negative side effects or harmful ingredients. Giving credit can be simply understood as acknowledging someone for their ideas or a company for their contribution. It can be understood as similar to academic honesty and avoiding plagiarism. To be fair, a communicator needs to consider all sides of an argument or perspectives in order to be ethical. Respect is simple in that a writer needs to be respectful of those they are writing for and writing about. Responsibility is one of the most important parts of ethical behavior because it effects how a company is viewed. One must own up to mistakes despite it harming their image or company because it is for the greater good of effective communication.
