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Applying Your Skills: Persuasive Techniques

Activity: Identify Persuasive Techniques

Objective:

The goal of this exercise is to help students recognize and analyze different persuasive techniques used in a speech. By identifying examples of logical appeals, emotional appeals, and audience adaptation, students will develop a deeper understanding of how persuasion works in communication.

Instructions:
  1. Watch the video and pay close attention to how the speaker tries to persuade the audience.
  2. Find three examples of persuasion from the video.
  3. Fill out the form with three examples of persuasion from the video.
  4. Answer the reflection question.
  5. Use the rubric to check your work and ensure you meet all the criteria for a strong response.

Examples of Persuasion from “Why Parents should Listen to Kids”

1. Logical Appeal (Facts & Evidence)

  • Quote from the video: “This information is from the American College Health Association… 84.3% of students felt overwhelmed, 60.5% felt very sad…”
  • How it persuades: The speaker uses numbers and facts to make their argument stronger. This helps the audience trust what they are saying.

2. Emotional Appeal (Feelings & Stories)

  • Quote from the video: “After all of that, I feel like all my ideas will be rejected… my day was ruined by my parents.”
  • How it persuades: The speaker tells a personal story to make the audience feel sympathy. This makes people connect with their message.

3. Speaking to the Audience

  • Quote from the video: “Parents, we need you when we’re feeling down… we want your encouragement to help us conquer difficulties by ourselves.”
  • How it persuades: The speaker talks directly to parents, making them feel important. This makes them more likely to listen.
Now it’s your turn…
Find Your Own Examples

Find three more examples of persuasion in the video and complete the form:

This rubric evaluates students' ability to identify and explain persuasive techniques. It consists of four criteria: Found three examples of persuasion Accomplished (2 Points): All three examples are relevant and well-explained. Competent (1 Point): Some examples are relevant but need more detail. Developing (0 Points): Few or no examples provided. Wrote clear quotes from the video Accomplished (2 Points): All quotes are accurate and clearly presented. Competent (1 Point): Some quotes are missing or unclear. Developing (0 Points): Few or no quotes provided. Explained how each example persuades the audience Accomplished (2 Points): Explanations are detailed and connect clearly to persuasion. Competent (1 Point): Some explanations need more clarity or detail. Developing (0 Points): Explanations are missing or unclear. Answered reflection questions with thought Accomplished (2 Points): Responses are detailed and show critical thinking. Competent (1 Point): Responses are somewhat detailed but could be stronger. Developing (0 Points): Responses are vague or missing. Scoring Requirement: To receive a passing score, students must score at least Competent (1 point or higher) in all four criteria. If any category is marked as Developing (0 points), revisions are required before final approval.

Persuasive Social Media Post: Sell the Unsellable

Objective:

Create a persuasive social media post promoting a product, idea, or cause to an unlikely audience. You will need to craft a compelling message that uses persuasive techniques such as logical reasoning, emotional appeals, and audience adaptation. Refer to the rubric for scoring criteria.

Instructions:

  1. Pick a Challenge: Choose from one of the following “hard-to-sell” scenarios:
    • Selling bubble gum to the teachers’ association
    • Selling lawn chairs to airlines
    • Selling flip-flops to Antarctic researchers
    • Selling a pet goldfish to a busy CEO
    • Selling a lifetime supply of pickles to a dessert shop
    • Selling a luxury yacht membership to college students on a budget
  2. Create a Social Media Post: Design an engaging post for your product on a social media platform of your choice. Consider the following:
    • Platform & Format: Will you use Instagram (image + caption), Microblogging Platform like X (short, persuasive thread), Video Creation Platform like TikTok (video script), or Facebook (detailed post)?
    • Visual Elements: What images, colors, or fonts will make your post eye-catching?
    • Persuasive Techniques: Will you appeal to logic (data and facts), emotion (storytelling and humor), or credibility (testimonials and authority figures), etc.?
    • Tone & Language: How will you adapt your message to fit their audience?
  3. Justify Your Choices: Please explain:
    • Why you chose the platform and format.
    • The persuasive techniques used and why they are effective.
    • How you adapted your approach to the specific audience.
Example:

Scenario: Selling Snowplows to Hawaiians

Instagram Post: A vibrant beach scene with a snowplow clearing sand off a road, accompanied by the caption:
“Think snowplows are just for winter? Think again! 🌴🏖️ Our all-terrain snowplows double as the ultimate sand removers—keeping Hawaiian roads, driveways, and resort paths clear all year long! Say goodbye to clogged beach roads and hello to smooth driving! #SnowplowForSand #IslandReady #ClearTheWay”

Persuasive Techniques Used: Humor, problem-solution framing, and repurposing the product for a unique use case to make it appealing.

Reflection Justification:
“I chose Instagram because it allows for a visual representation of an unexpected yet practical use of snowplows in Hawaii. The humor makes the post engaging, and I adapted the language to emphasize how the product can solve a real problem—sand buildup on roads. The hashtags also help make it more shareable for a broader audience.”

Now it’s your turn…

Complete the form:

This rubric evaluates students' ability to create a persuasive social media post for an unlikely product and audience. It includes eight criteria, each with three levels of achievement: Accomplished (2 Points), Competent (1 Point), and Developing (0 Points). Rubric Criteria: Selected a Hard-to-Sell Scenario Accomplished (2 Points): Selected one of the given scenarios and clearly defined the audience. Competent (1 Point): Selected a scenario but did not clearly define the audience. Developing (0 Points): Did not select a scenario or define the audience. Created a Social Media Post Accomplished: Post is creative, engaging, and well-structured with appropriate tone and language. Competent: Post is somewhat engaging but lacks structure or clarity in tone and language. Developing: Post is unclear, lacks engagement, or does not match the audience. Described Visual Elements Accomplished: Clearly described images, colors, and fonts that enhance the persuasiveness of the post. Competent: Some description of visual elements, but lacks explanation of their impact. Developing: Little to no description of visuals or how they enhance persuasion. Used Persuasive Techniques Effectively Accomplished: Strong use of logical, emotional, or credibility-based persuasion with clear examples. Competent: Some use of persuasive techniques, but lacks strong examples or consistency. Developing: Little to no evidence of persuasive techniques. Justified Choice of Platform & Format Accomplished: Clearly explains why the chosen platform and format are effective for the audience. Competent: Some explanation of platform choice, but lacks strong reasoning. Developing: No explanation or unclear reasoning for platform choice. Justified Persuasive Techniques Accomplished: Provides detailed justification for why the chosen persuasive techniques are effective. Competent: Provides some justification, but lacks depth or clarity. Developing: No justification or unclear reasoning for persuasive techniques. Justified Audience Adaptation Accomplished: Clearly explains how the message was adapted for the audience with strong reasoning. Competent: Some explanation of audience adaptation, but lacks depth or specificity. Developing: No explanation or unclear adaptation for the audience. Grammar, Clarity, and Organization Accomplished: Writing is clear, well-organized, and free of grammatical errors. Competent: Writing is understandable but may have minor errors or lack organization. Developing: Writing is unclear, disorganized, or contains frequent errors. Scoring Requirement: To receive a passing score, students must score at least Competent (1 point or higher) in all criteria. If any category is marked as Developing (0 points), revisions are required before final approval.

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Proactive Thinker - Volume 1: Communication Copyright © 2025 by Christine Crefton; Shawn Sanders; and Tracey Smith-Bryant is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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