Persuasive Writing Skills for Job Application Letters

SHL1013: Professional English

10/13/2012

PERSUASIVE WRITING

THE MOTIVATION LETTER
CONVINCING ARGUMENTS
INDUCTION
DEDUCTION
CHOOSING YOUR STRATEGY
HOW TO WRITE A PERSUASIVE LETTER

By Jaime Alfredo Cabrera, Lecturer, Albukhary International University

AFTER THIS LESSON
YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THREE QUESTIONS:

1. How can you create a convincing

cover, offer, or application letter?
2.What proof can convince your target
reader?
3.What is the most convincing strategy
of presenting your ideas?

10/13/2012

Why a Motivation Letter?
A well-written motivation letter helps you get
the job.
 The motivation letter is the letter you send
with your CV when you are applying for a
position.
 It is the first thing that a recruiter sees
when opening your application package.
 The letter provides you with the
opportunity to catch their interest.

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1. The Opening Paragraph
The first paragraph of the motivation
letter should be between three and four
sentences.
 Write a clear statement about why you
are applying for the position.
 Inform the recruiter why you are
interested in the position.
 Mention the job position title and the
company by name.

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2. The Body
The body (one to two paragraphs) is where you
persuade the recruiters to hire you.
 Say why you are qualified for the position.
 State your evidence; work experience and
successes, academic achievement, awards
that you received.
 Summarize specific skills that qualify you for
the position. Mention assets and qualities
that you would bring to the company.
 Summarize the main points in one sentence.

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3. The End Paragraph
The end paragraph should be two to four
sentences.
1. Ask politely for an interview.
2. Remind the recruiters about the CV
included with the letter.
3. Thank them for their time and
consideration.
4. Suggest a meeting or interview.

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4. The Signature
• Conclude the letter with "Sincerely" and

your name typed underneath.
• Leave a space for your signature between
"Sincerely" and your name.
• Proofread the letter several times.
• Sign above your name by using dark ink.


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Do you have an educated mind?


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An Educated Mind
A person first takes in information, then uses it.
It doesn’t happen the other way around.
A critical thinker is a person with an educated
and trained mind. Critical thinkers don’t decide
immediately. This is what they do:
 know the information
 ask questions based on reason
 find the answers
 draw conclusions, and then
 use the information.

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Arguments of Persuasion
• In writing, to try and convince a

reader that something is true or not
true, an argument is used.
• Two of the argumentative methods
used in writing are induction and
deduction.

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The Inductive Method
This approach involves three steps:
generating theories and hypotheses
1. Observe the world.
2. Search for a pattern in what is
observed.
3. Make a generalization about what
is occurring.
From http://www.southalabama.edu/coe/bset/johnson/dr_johnson/lectures/lec1.htm

10/13/2012

The Deductive Method
This method involves three steps: testing
theories and hypotheses
1.
State the hypothesis (based on
theory or research literature).
2. Collect data to test the hypothesis.
3. Make decision to accept or reject the
hypothesis.
From http://www.southalabama.edu/coe/bset/johnson/dr_johnson/lectures/lec1.htm

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Which one is better?

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INDUCTION
... a process of reasoning (arguing)
which infers a general conclusion
based on individual cases, examples,
specific bits of evidence, and other
specific types of premises.


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How Induction Works
Induction is based on conclusions:
 An inductive argument requires faith in its
conclusion
 If you use induction, make a strong
conclusion to elicit belief.
Induction creates general proof
 Induction uses specific information to
create a general conclusion regarding
something that is in the future.

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Decision Tree


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DEDUCTION
… a process of reasoning that starts
with a general truth, applies that
truth to a specific case (resulting in
a second piece of evidence), and
from those two pieces of evidence
(premises), draws a specific
conclusion about the specific case.

10/13/2012

How Deduction Works
Deduction is based on premises:
 A deductive argument requires faith in its
premises.
 If you use deduction, present strong
premises to elicit belief.
Deduction creates specific proof
 Deduction uses general information to
create a specific conclusion regarding
something in the past or in the present.

10/13/2012

Example
Deduction is an argument where the conclusion
is necessarily follows from the premise.
• Major premise: Free access to public education
is a key factor in the success of industrialized
nations like the United States.
• Specific case: India is working to become a
successful, industrialized nation.
• Conclusion: Therefore, India should provide
free access to public education for its citizens.


10/13/2012

Don’t be Confused
• Inductive and deductive reasoning

are two basic kinds of reasoning used
in math, science and the humanities.
• It's easy to confuse the two, but not
if you remember that they rely on
different kinds of premises.

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Proving Your Truth
Induction works due to the conclusion
 The conclusion of an inductive argument can
be proven false by finding one false example,
but cannot be proven true unless all
particulars of the premise are true.
Deduction works due to the premises
 The conclusion of a deductive argument can
be proven as true or false by examining all the
premises.
In your opinion, which one is better?

10/13/2012

Induction
When you use inductive reasoning, you move
from the specific to the general. For instance:
 I examined 1,000 dogs in my city.
(specific)
 They all had fleas. (generalization)
 Conclusion: All dogs have fleas. (general)
The conclusion might not be factual.
However, you draw a conclusion based on
information you have.

10/13/2012

Deduction
Deductive logic works from the general to
specific or cause to effect. For example:
 Dogs have fleas. (General)
 My dog doesn't have fleas. (Specific)
 Therefore, not all dogs have fleas.
(Conclusion)

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Direction of the Argument
Inductive Reasoning: specific to general
 Inductive reasoning is based on
observation.
 To use inductive reasoning, find a
pattern in a collection of specific
observations, then create a general
conclusion based on that pattern.

10/13/2012

Direction of the Argument
Deductive Reasoning: general to
specific
Deductive reasoning is based on
laws or general principles.
To use deductive reasoning, apply a
general principle to a specific
example.

10/13/2012

When to Use
How to choose your strategy:
• Use inductive reasoning to form
arguments based on experience.
• Use deductive reasoning to form
arguments based on rules or
previously known facts.

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The Proof
• A deductive argument provides

complete proof of the conclusion, as
long as the premises used are true.
• An inductive argument can
demonstrate only that the conclusion
is probably true.

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Your Turn
ANSWER THESE THREE QUESTIONS

1. How can you create a more convincing

cover, offer, or application letter?
2.What proof can you offer to convince
your target reader?
3. What is the most convincing strategy of
presenting your ideas?

10/13/2012

PERSUASIVE WRITING

THE MOTIVATION LETTER
CONVINCING ARGUMENTS
INDUCTION
DEDUCTION
CHOOSING YOUR STRATEGY
WRITING A PERSUASIVE LETTER

By Jaime Alfredo Cabrera, Lecturer, Albukhary International University

Four Focus Areas
1.
2.
3.

4.

Correct letter format
Two paragraphs
A clearly stated thesis statement
At least one emotional appeal


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Exercise
You

are writing a persuasive letter
to the principal of your school.
Be positive.
Remember to attack the problem,
not the person.


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The Headings
Your Address
City, State, Zip
Principal’s Name
School’s Name
School’s Address
City, State Zip
Date Month Year
Dear _______:

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Paragraph One
This is your thesis statement (what you
are writing about). Write at least three
sentences describing what the
problem(s) is, such as: cleanliness of
restrooms, the dress code. Use at least
one emotional appeal, such as:
 The restrooms are so dirty that they
pose a health hazard for the students.

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Paragraph Two
Write at least three sentences
proposing solutions to the problem,
such as:
The custodial staff and the students
could work together to keep the
restrooms clean.

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Paragraph Three
Write a concluding sentence, such as:
Thank you for your time. I hope
you take my suggestions into
consideration.


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The Closing & Signature
Write the closing phrase, such as:
Yours truly,
Sign above your complete name,
position, and organization:
Ana Banana
Sophomore student, Girvan School

10/13/2012

Suggested Reading List
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What is deduction and induction? http://educ.jmu.edu/~omearawm/deduction.html
Strengths and weaknesses of deduction and induction http://www.ehow.com/info_8608601_deduction-inductionstrengths.html
The Difference Between Deductive & Inductive Methods http://www.ehow.com/info_12005845_difference-betweendeductive-inductive-methods.html
Difference Between Deduction & Induction http://www.ehow.com/facts_4781689_difference-between-deductioninduction.html
Advantages and Disadvantages of Inductive Reasoning http://www.ehow.com/info_8491871_advantagesdisadvantages-inductive-reasoning.html
Explanations and examples at www.triviumpursuit.com/articles/two_methods_of_reasoning.php
More examples at www2.education.ualberta.ca/staff/olenka.Bilash/best%20of%20bilash/inductivedeductive.html
A short definition is at www.reference.com/motif/science/explain-deductive-and-inductive-methods.
Persuasion in the English language at www.teflcertificatecourses.com/tefl-articles/tesol-inductive-deductiveapproaches.php
More details and examples at http://www.msubillings.edu/asc/resources/writing/PDFWritingLab/Induction%20vs%20Deduction.pdf
Deduction & Induction http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/dedind.php
Inductive reasoning http://www.newzofday.com/inductive-reasoning-html
Induction and deduction in education, religion, and politics http://authorityresearch.com/2006-05%20DeductiveInductive%20Reasoning%20Part%20III.htm
Deduction and Induction http://www.thinkingshop.com/Clarion/logic/chap1.htm

Persuasive Writing Skills for Job Application Letters

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