Persuasive Writing for Public Relations and Advertising (PRAD301)
The primary goal of this course will be to enable the student understand what persuasion (or rhetoric) is, understand its various forms, and be able to appreciate the important role persuasion plays in written messages in public relations and advertising. While doing so, the course will seek to impart to the student foundational knowledge on the art of persuasive writing through a study of the traditional techniques of classical rhetoric as they may be applied to modern English usage. The course is highly practical and eschews excessive historical background for a concentration on technique. Students will examine examples of successful persuasive writing from the areas of politics, religion, social reform, advertising, and public relations, and analyze them for their use of persuasive techniques and then engage in the creation of their own written pieces modeled on these examples. At the end of this course the student should be capable of performing the following persuasion-related activities: Identify opportunities and potential for persuasion in both public relations and advertising situations; understanding and developing viable, and targeted persuasive messages in public relations and/or advertising; understanding the theoretical concepts underlying construction and delivery of persuasive messages; construct and deliver effective persuasive messages using a variety of media.