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Updated June 2012

Persuasive Essay StructureWhen you’re trying to convince your audience of an idea or argument

Introduction• Hook – interesting first sentence• Background information – give context to your argument/subject; familiarize the reader with the content• Definitions – define any terms that the reader might find usual/unfamiliar• Thesis – a clear, concise statement of your main argument; the overall idea you’ll be arguing. Your thesis

will also serve as a roadmap for the rest of your essay, giving the reader a general idea of the path your argument will follow.

Each Body Paragraph• Only one point to support your thesis per paragraph• Topic sentence

• reflects the main idea of the paragraph• links back to support the thesis

• Evidence – information from a reliable outside source (not your own opinion) that supports the main idea of the paragraph

• Analysis – show how your evidence supports your argument; build your argument

Conclusion• Tie up the essay – briefly sum up the main point• Establish significance (see “So What?” handout)• Bonus: give the reader food for thought

THESIS (Main Idea/ argument)

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