writing the persuasive essay. objective your purpose in writing an argumentative or persuasive essay...

Writing the Persuasive Writing the Persuasive EssayEssay

ObjectiveObjective

Your purpose in writing an argumentative or Your purpose in writing an argumentative or persuasive essay is to convince your readers to persuasive essay is to convince your readers to share your viewpoint on a particular topic.share your viewpoint on a particular topic.

AudienceAudience

Be especially mindful of your audience when Be especially mindful of your audience when writing a persuasive essay.writing a persuasive essay.

Your audience’s beliefs and values will Your audience’s beliefs and values will influence your ability to persuade them and influence your ability to persuade them and influence the types of evidence you will influence the types of evidence you will choose to support your argument.choose to support your argument.

Choice of TopicChoice of Topic

Within the parameters of the assignment, Within the parameters of the assignment, choose a topic you feel strongly about. choose a topic you feel strongly about.

In addition to persuading your audience, your In addition to persuading your audience, your goal is also to provide a clear and intelligent goal is also to provide a clear and intelligent explanation of your position. Therefore, explanation of your position. Therefore, choose a topic you already have some choose a topic you already have some knowledge about.knowledge about.

Structure of the Persuasive EssayStructure of the Persuasive Essay

You may structure your persuasive essay in You may structure your persuasive essay in one of two ways: You may begin with your one of two ways: You may begin with your position and then provide your support for position and then provide your support for your position, or you may present your your position, or you may present your evidence and conclude with your positionevidence and conclude with your position

Logical ErrorsLogical Errors

When providing evidence or support for your When providing evidence or support for your position, avoid the following errors in logic:position, avoid the following errors in logic:

Ad hominem (to the person): criticizing a person’s Ad hominem (to the person): criticizing a person’s position by criticizing that person’s character.position by criticizing that person’s character.

Ad populum argument (to the people): appealing to Ad populum argument (to the people): appealing to the bias of your audience instead of using facts.the bias of your audience instead of using facts.

Utilizing the testimony of an unqualified authority to Utilizing the testimony of an unqualified authority to support your argument.support your argument.

Oversimplification: suggesting a simple solution to a Oversimplification: suggesting a simple solution to a complex problem.complex problem.

Concluding Your EssayConcluding Your Essay

In order for a persuasive essay to be effective, the In order for a persuasive essay to be effective, the writer must end his or her paper decisively.writer must end his or her paper decisively.

One possible way to conclude the essay is a call for One possible way to conclude the essay is a call for action to resolve the issue being addressed in your action to resolve the issue being addressed in your essay.essay.

Another conclusion is a thought-provoking question.Another conclusion is a thought-provoking question. On the other hand, you might choose to end your On the other hand, you might choose to end your

essay by suggesting the necessary steps to resolve the essay by suggesting the necessary steps to resolve the issue you have identified.issue you have identified.

ReferenceReference

Miller, George, ed. Miller, George, ed. The Prentice Hall ReaderThe Prentice Hall Reader,, 55thth ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1998.1998.