Identify common persuasion techniques used in advertising and explain how each one is designed to work on a reader, separate from any actual evidence about the product.
Advertisements almost never rely on evidence alone -- they lean on a handful of well-worn persuasion techniques instead. Bandwagon appeal suggests everyone else is already doing something, so you should too. Testimonial borrows the trust people have in a well-known or trusted person and attaches it to a product. Emotional appeal aims straight at a feeling instead of a fact. Loaded language piles on impressive-sounding words that carry excitement but no actual information.
None of these techniques are automatically dishonest, but none of them are evidence either. A confident, well-designed ad can use every technique in this list and still never once tell you anything true and specific about how the product actually performs.
Mastery looks like: They can name each persuasion technique in an ad and explain specifically what actual evidence, if any, is missing.
Common stumbles: Assuming a technique that feels convincing must also be true, without checking whether any specific, checkable fact backs it up.
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