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You are shocked (persuasive letter)

Questions 1-8 are designed to help you understand the audience for your letter and the positions of the candidates on your issue. The assumption is that, by directing your letter to a large university in a swing state, you could influence which candidate got the electoral votes for that state.

You do it.

You write that persuasive letter telling them what you know, anticipating questions and objections.  Your goal is to persuade them to see your solution using reasoned arguments and compelling data organized into a persuasive, intelligent letter.  You supply proof of your research sources in the form of a bibliography, so they'll know you've done your homework---after all, these ARE college students! 

Send your persuasive letter (snail-mail please) and supporting bibliography to a specific student union or another organization at a specific college or university.  Submit a copy of all the material you send, plus a description of the search strategies you used to get each answer to the numbered boldfaced questions above, to Debbie Abilock.

Key Qualities of a Persuasive Letter

• Explain the issue
• Focus on the audience by referring to their views, beliefs, and behaviors.
• Create a tone appropriate to the audience and purpose.
• Argue logically and anticipate the reader's objections or questions.
• Show your knowledge by supporting your position with data or evidence.  Statistics, quotes and references to authoritative sources are examples of compelling evidence.  
• Additional advice about writing persuasively is available at http://iss.stthomas.edu/studyguides/wrtstr4.htm
• Use a letter format.  There is no single style for such a letter but a search on "letter format" at Google gives several examples:

• Style Guide: Letter Format http://www.colorado.edu/Publications/styleguide/letter.html
• Business Letter Format http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/BusinessLetter.html

Action Ideas

• Urge a particular group of college students to vote.
• Urge members of a group to "get out the vote" of sympathetic students.
• Put up posters, take out advertisements, submit articles to campus or local papers.
• Hold meetings, hearings in person or on college radio or TV stations to foster discussion and focus on the issue.
• Urge organizations to form voluntary self-regulatory groups.
• Urge government officials to make recommendations
• Publish information about organizations or companies to pressure them.
• Pressure companies through economic actions such as subsidies or incentives.
• Urge threats of regulation to scare organizations or companies.
• Urge congressional representatives to broaden or adapt existing laws.
• Urge congressional representatives to pass laws which prohibit or mandate certain behavior.