They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing (6th ed.)
by Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein · W. W. Norton
A guide built on templates for the core moves of written argument: summarizing what others say, responding with your own claim, planting and answering objections, and explaining why the claim matters. The sixth edition (2024) is used in most US composition courses.
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More resources on Persuasive Writing
copyblogger.com
Copyblogger is a leading resource for copywriting and content marketing, offering practical guides and strategies to write persuasive copy, craft effective headlines, and build content-based audiences. The site features blog posts on copywriting fundamentals, email and web copy, SEO-friendly writing, conversions, and downloadable templates and resources.
The Power of Persuasion - Cialdini
Short animated video narrated by Robert Cialdini and Steve Martin explaining six evidence-based principles of influence: reciprocity, scarcity, authority, consistency, liking and consensus. Viewers learn how each principle works and see research examples of applying them ethically in persuasive messages.
Rhetoric (Aristotle, trans. W. Rhys Roberts)
The free full text of Aristotle's treatise on persuasion in W. Rhys Roberts's translation. Book I covers the means of persuasion and logical proof, Book II covers emotions and character, and Book III covers style and arrangement. The primary source for the topic's rhetorical appeals, for learners who want the original rather than a summary. It is dense, so it is rated advanced.
Logic in Argumentative Writing
A Purdue OWL section on logical structure in written argument: syllogisms, the difference between logical, non-logical and illogical claims, a catalogue of common fallacies, and how to use logic in an essay along with its limits.
LEADERSHIP LAB: The Craft of Writing Effectively
Reframes persuasion around the reader's problem rather than the writer's thesis; this one idea fixes more persuasive writing than any checklist. An 80-minute University of Chicago lecture by Larry McEnerney arguing that professional writing exists to change what readers think, not to convey the writer's ideas. Covers value to the reader, framing problems as instability, and words that signal an argument.
The Art of Persuasion
The Art of Persuasion - A book resource