Building common ground

A-65

Try to seek out one or two assumptions that you might share with your readers. If you can show that you share your readers’ concerns and acknowledge their merit, your readers will be more likely to accept that your argument is valid.

The following are ways that some writers established common ground with their readers:

People believe that intelligence and decency support their side of an argument. To be persuaded, they must see these qualities in your argument. Otherwise, they will persist in their opposition.