Welcome, Lions!

Unit 5: The Power of Influence:

Research, Claims, and Citing Sources

These questions drive your knowledge of the BIG IDEA topic, THE RHETORICAL SITUATION. Use on any/all reading assignments to guide your understanding and assignments, especially Unit 5. There are additional questions in each unit. Most importantly, these KEY QUESTIONS should help you generate ideas about what to say in your commentary and discussion.

Topic: Ethics

Big Ideas: Reasoning and Organization; Style

Skills: 5.A, 5.B, 6.A, 6.B, 7.A, 8.A

The Anxiety of Influence - by Harold Bloom

What is Influence?

Influence as a concept is pervasive, perhaps ubiquitous, and has power in a plethora of fields, from psychology, sociology, motivation, to history, physics, and friendship. The powers are such that those fields often create theory or principles regarding the influence within said field. What are its powers and how do we use them, or how are they used? If someone or thing has influence, then it has power over other things or people. Read and reflect on the power of influence - along with how to get it!

Introduction to Influence Theory (Physics)

How to Win Friends and Influence People (Dale Carnegie - time tested principles for friends, influence, and relationships - especially in the workplace or business world
NOTE: This may be an abridged version, still thorough and also acceptable as a book report)

related: The 7 Spiritual Laws of Success (by Deepak Chopra)

(a short summary)

(shorter summary with applications)

(Mastering the 7 Spiritual Laws - from the Chopra Network)
-This link has activities to follow to put the laws in practice.

The Power of Influence (cookie cutter version, but decent)

Science of Persuasion (Question: How can you apply these to your essays?)

The Six Key Principles of Influence - Robert Cialdini

Social Influence

The Anxiety of Influence (A Theory of Poetry)