Persuasive Writing

About this course:

Persuasive writing is all around us: in editorials, in advertising, social media and even in the emails we write to friends and coworkers. Persuasive messages can take the form of logical arguments, emotionally charged rhetoric or short narratives (e.g., a TV ad). Designed for writers of all experience levels, this course introduces you to major persuasion theories from social and media psychology and to some ideas from cognitive neuroscience relevant to persuasion in a manner that is both accessible and fun. You complete exercises that help you practice persuasive writing, participate in discussions and get feedback from peers. By the end of the course, you know how to choose the best route to persuasion, considering your audiences’ motivation and readiness to change and how to format and craft a message to make it more persuasive.