Metrics for assessing the persuasiveness of a paper?

Question

Are there any known variables to measure, or questions to ask in survey, in order to asses the persuasiveness of a paper? For example, I'm not sure if omitting a section from my paper might actually improve it. It's good writing and a good point. So I'm wondering how to take the subjectivity out of the decision so I know I'm making the right choice.I was thinking I could do an A/B test - I could prepare both versions of the paper, and randomly give one to readers who volunteer to participate in a survey after reading. What kinds of questions could I ask, which would allow me to compare the answers and identify the most persuasive form the of paper? I think a survey would be easiest for me to execute, but if it's not a good way to decide this, is there something I could look for as the reader is reading? Maybe, track eye movement and see what percent they skimmed? Anything along those lines? How can I tell which of 2 versions of a paper is most persuasive? I could ask "On a scale of 1-5 how persuasive was this paper?"And then compare the average rating from each group.

Answer 1

Hi, Cecilia. If you are wondering whether or not your paper is persuasive enough, then think about your use of rhetoric. Effective persuasive writing involves appealing to your reader's trust in your authority on the subject (Ethos), appealing to their emotions (Pathos), and appealing to their sense of logic (Logos). For example, support your claims with evidence that is properly cited from trustworthy sources. It also helps to have a well-written thesis statement with body paragraphs that serve as pillars of support to the thesis.

It's always a good idea to get peer review to help evaluate your paper, but it's not necessary to "track eye movement." Just ask them for their honest feedback and delete unnecessary parts. Writing is a reflective process that requires constant editing and revising to get it "just right" before your are ready to submit. Hope that helps. Best of luck!