Overall Description: The purpose of this assignment is for you to apply what you have learned to the construction of a persuasive message.  In this assignment You will design a message for a persuasive attempt. My topic is to persuade people to adopt rescue dogs instead of buying from a breeder.

Task Analysis: Choose a situation or incident for which you would like to design a persuasive message.  First, choose your persuasive goal, then define and describe your audience.  Choose the persuasive strategies (e.g., theories, variables) you would like to implement.  Apply your strategies to your persuasive goal and your particular audience.  Keep in mind that you are the source of the message. My topic is to persuade people to adopt rescue dogs instead of buying from a breeder.

Writing the Paper: There should be four sections in this paper, an introduction, the message, the application, and the conclusion.  1) Introduction:  Describe your persuasive goal and the context in which this persuasion will take place.  Describe your audience including all relevant characteristics of your audience that affect how you will attempt to influence them.  Describe the persuasive strategies you plan to implement and briefly explain why you chose those strategies.  2) Message:  Write the message for your persuasion attempt.  If your message involves graphics, objects, etc., describe these (feel free to include graphics, props, etc. in your paper).  3) Application:  Explain how you used the strategies in your message and how they would work.  This section is where you will earn a majority of your points, so be sure to be clear and complete in your discussion and explanation of how you used the persuasion theory and strategies to achieve your persuasive goal.  4) Conclusion:  Provide your final thoughts and summary of your application.

Evaluation:  Evaluation will be based on the following criteria.

Writing – clarity of description, grammar, organization, use of APA style in citing sources.  Clear & useful introduction and conclusion.

Persuasive message development of a persuasive message appropriate for the intended audience and context

            Application – appropriate choice of strategies and complete, logical explanation of how the strategies were used and why they would work.