Final answer:
Emotional appeal and persuasive techniques do not help discern the truth in political ads or articles.
Step-by-step explanation:
When analyzing a political ad or article, emotional appeal and persuasive techniques do not help one discern the truth. While historical context and background information, credible sources and references, and logical reasoning and critical thinking are all important factors in determining the truth, emotional appeal and persuasive techniques are often used to manipulate emotions and opinions without providing factual evidence or logical reasoning.