Avoid Fallaciouis Reasoning
Fallacious reasoning is a mistake in logical thinking which leads to false conclusions. While these types of reasons are widely used in advertising, they do not make for an effective public service announcement. These are the most common types of fallacious reasoning you will find in advertising and other types of persuasive writing:
bandwagon: Appealing to everyone's desire to be part of a group. For example: "everyone else is doing it" and "come on and join the fun".
either/or: This is when you try to convince your audience that there are only two choices or ways when there are really more. For example: "either you're with us or you're against us" and "if you don't go to the noon dance you have no school spirit".
inaccurate generalizations: Making a broad statement about a number of people or things. For example: "no one likes going to school" and "everyone who lives in Huntington Park likes Mexican food".
snob appeal: When you appeal to your audience's need to feel superior to other people: For example: "you deserve the best, so buy an iPhone" and "only the best athletes wear Nike".
stereotyping: When you make all members of a group alike. Stereotyping is based on common misconceptions about race, religion, how much money you make, gender, age, etc. For example: "old movies are boring" and "only rich people live in Beverly Hills".
testimonial: A personal success story used to persuade others. The idea is that if something works for one person, it will work for you. For example: "Hooked on Phonics worked for me!" and "Karakol Kream made me look twenty years younger!". Download the Recognizing Persuasive Techniques worksheet from the bottom of this page.
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Evaluate the Persuasive Effects of a Public Service Announcement
Before you choose the subject of your public service announcement, we will evaluate some PSAs to determine how effective they are for their intended audience. It is important to understand what PSAs do and how they work. Download the worksheet at the bottom of this page, complete it and email it to Mr. Billett if the Google Doc isn't available. |
