6 Essential Rules for Persuasive Writing # 3 – Be rational, not emotional 發揮寫作說服力的六大準則之三：保持理性，拒絕感性
不管是自己選擇或教授指定，若要寫作論說式學術文章，必須先做好心理準備。你必須說明個人意見，選定觀點也很重要，結構與表達尤其攸關文章成敗。本專欄介紹六大關鍵準則，讓你寫作時發揮說服力，每項準則都會刊登在 TPS 粉絲專頁，並在最後集結於 TPS 學術電子報。
Whether by choice or assignment, when an argumentative academic paper is the task at hand, the writer must approach it with an appropriate mindset. Subjective values come into play. Point of view becomes important. Organization and presentation become even more critical to success. The elements of successful persuasive writing are explained in this series, “6 Essential Rules for Persuasive Writing.” Each of the rules will be presented on the TPS Fan page before being compiled.
Rule # 3 – Be rational, not emotional
準則三：保持理性，拒絕感性
Persuasive writing is neither art nor science, but it is a step beyond simple argument. Arguments typically are loud affairs with more heat than light generated on both sides. Persuasive writing eschews all that in favor of reason, logic, and concentrated communication. Nowhere in the formula is there resort to emotion. Fervor is acceptable, even passion, but the strong feelings are dispassionately structured in a way that culminates in, it is hoped, an indisputable conclusion.
撰寫論說文既不是一門藝術，也不是一門科學，這種寫作超越一般爭論。爭論通常很激烈，並且雙方最後往往難有定論。論說文的撰寫則避開這類激辯，代之以理性、邏輯，討論緊扣主旨，寫作模式也不訴諸情感。雖然可以接受熱情、甚至是激情，但會冷靜地組織、表達強烈的感受，以期歸結出不容置疑的結論。
The persuasive writer is first of all a thinker. All academic writers draw upon intellect, of course, but to really persuade, a writer calls both upon raw knowledge and informed opinion. This comes together in something called reason. To be rational—that is, to ground an argument in reason—is to assert truths while defending against untruths. A persuasive academic paper introduces a premise with sound reasoning at the same time it anticipates and rebuts counterarguments.
寫作論說文前，應當要懂得思考。當然，所有的學術作家在寫作時都需要運用自己的才識，但要真正具備說服力，就得同時利用原始知識以及基於可靠資料來源所作出的見解。綜合此兩項因素即為理性。論證要合理，亦即以理性為基礎來提出論點，作者就得擁護真理，同時抵禦不實之言。學術文章要有說服力，必須根據合理的推論提出假設，同時也能預料到反對意見並作出反駁。
Before the writing, then, comes the thinking. There can be no holes in it. Writers who lightly survey an issue or perform slipshod research are guilty of hubris. Compelling words will not persuade unless grounded in rational evidence. Without such evidence, a paper lacks intellectual standing. It is a mere popular pamphlet, rather than a treatise. Persuasive writers challenge convention. If they want others to support them, they must rationally support themselves.
因此寫作前必須先思索文章可能的漏洞，若作者對議題調查不足或研究草率，就犯了傲慢的毛病。只有以合理的證據為基礎，文字敘述才具有說服力。缺乏證據的文章在理智上會站不住腳，這樣的文章僅僅是市井小冊，而非專業論述。論說文的作者挑戰常規，如果希望獲得他人支持，自己的論點得先有理性支持。
Whether by choice or assignment, when an argumentative academic paper is the task at hand, the writer must approach it with an appropriate mindset. Subjective values come into play. Point of view becomes important. Organization and presentation become even more critical to success. The elements of successful persuasive writing are explained in this series, “6 Essential Rules for Persuasive Writing.” Each of the rules will be presented on the TPS Fan page before being compiled.
Rule # 3 – Be rational, not emotional
準則三：保持理性，拒絕感性
Persuasive writing is neither art nor science, but it is a step beyond simple argument. Arguments typically are loud affairs with more heat than light generated on both sides. Persuasive writing eschews all that in favor of reason, logic, and concentrated communication. Nowhere in the formula is there resort to emotion. Fervor is acceptable, even passion, but the strong feelings are dispassionately structured in a way that culminates in, it is hoped, an indisputable conclusion.
撰寫論說文既不是一門藝術，也不是一門科學，這種寫作超越一般爭論。爭論通常很激烈，並且雙方最後往往難有定論。論說文的撰寫則避開這類激辯，代之以理性、邏輯，討論緊扣主旨，寫作模式也不訴諸情感。雖然可以接受熱情、甚至是激情，但會冷靜地組織、表達強烈的感受，以期歸結出不容置疑的結論。
The persuasive writer is first of all a thinker. All academic writers draw upon intellect, of course, but to really persuade, a writer calls both upon raw knowledge and informed opinion. This comes together in something called reason. To be rational—that is, to ground an argument in reason—is to assert truths while defending against untruths. A persuasive academic paper introduces a premise with sound reasoning at the same time it anticipates and rebuts counterarguments.
寫作論說文前，應當要懂得思考。當然，所有的學術作家在寫作時都需要運用自己的才識，但要真正具備說服力，就得同時利用原始知識以及基於可靠資料來源所作出的見解。綜合此兩項因素即為理性。論證要合理，亦即以理性為基礎來提出論點，作者就得擁護真理，同時抵禦不實之言。學術文章要有說服力，必須根據合理的推論提出假設，同時也能預料到反對意見並作出反駁。
Before the writing, then, comes the thinking. There can be no holes in it. Writers who lightly survey an issue or perform slipshod research are guilty of hubris. Compelling words will not persuade unless grounded in rational evidence. Without such evidence, a paper lacks intellectual standing. It is a mere popular pamphlet, rather than a treatise. Persuasive writers challenge convention. If they want others to support them, they must rationally support themselves.
因此寫作前必須先思索文章可能的漏洞，若作者對議題調查不足或研究草率，就犯了傲慢的毛病。只有以合理的證據為基礎，文字敘述才具有說服力。缺乏證據的文章在理智上會站不住腳，這樣的文章僅僅是市井小冊，而非專業論述。論說文的作者挑戰常規，如果希望獲得他人支持，自己的論點得先有理性支持。
Posted at 2012-11-23 14:02:18
最新回應