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Writers Prompt:

Write a paragraph persuading theTroy High School administration to

allow the use of cell phones oncampus.

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Exemplification: WritingPersuasive Essays With VividExamples and Illustrations

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Why We Use Examples

To persuade skeptical readers who arereluctant to accept your viewpoint

To show a causal relationship

To be more interesting and take the readerbeyond a telling statement

Help to explain or clarify an abstraction

To avoid unintended ambiguity

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Forms of Examples

Specific names (people, places, products)

Anecdotes

Personal observationsExpert opinions (from outside sources, interviews)

Facts

Statistics

Case studies via research

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Example Types

Personal-case examples

Typical-case examples

Hypothetical examples

Generalized examples

Extended examples

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1. Personal-experienceExamples

From your own life

Lend personal authority

Create drama

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2. Typical-case Examples

Objective in nature: can beespecially convincing

About an actual event/situation,but you didnt directly experienceit.

Source could be newspapers,magazines, television

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3. Hypothetical Examples

Speculative, but be sure itsconceivable

Might ask the reader to imagine ascenario

Be sure to acknowledge that your

example is invented Ex: suppose that or lets for a

momentassume that

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4. Generalized Examples

Composite of the typical and usual Ex: all of us, at one time or another,

have been driven to distraction by atrivial annoyance like the buzzing of afly or the sting of a paper cut.

Ex: when most people get a

compliment, they perk up, preen, andthink the praise-giver is blessed withastute power of observation.

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5. Extended Examples

Employ many details and specifics

Last an entire paragraph

Sometimes can encompass theentire essay, but must besignificant to stand alone as the

only example

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Effective ExamplesShould:

Be relevant; Have direct bearing onthe subject

Be dramaticBe accurate (esp. When using facts,figures, statistics)

Be non-contradictory

Avoid sweeping generalizations at allcosts, for they do not convincereaders

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Effective ExamplesShould:

Be representative: avoid oddball orone-in-a-million types of examples;

They distort and are not honest Ex: if writing a paper on the difficultiesof getting through college and you usethe example of a student who works35 hours a week and still gets straightAs, thats not typical orrepresentative. It does not exemplifywhat MOST students experience.

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Effective ExamplesShould:

Use an organizational approach: Chronological

Spatial Simple to complex

Emphatic sequence

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Recognize & Use KeyWords

For example,

For instance,

First, second, third

Next, in addition

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Using Exemplification inYour Persuasive Writing

For exampleFor example

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Practice Writing Topic:

Are you an optimistic or pessimistic

person?Answer this question, and supportyour answer with a few sentences that

uses examples to explain or

Uses for ExemplificationUse Examples to Explain and Clarify

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Practice Writing Topic continued:

Are you an optimistic or pessimisticperson?

Add another example to what youveAdd another example to what youve

written towritten to add interestadd interest to yourto yourexplanation.explanation.

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Practice Writing Topic

continued:Are you an optimistic orpessimistic person?

Add another example toAdd another example towhat youve written towhat youve written to

persuadepersuade the readerthe readerthat he or she should bethat he or she should be

optimistic or pessimisticoptimistic or pessimistic

P ann ng an E emp cat on

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P ann ng an Exemp cat onEssay

Provide enough examples

Choose representative examples

Use transitions

Good transitions forexemplification include: For example, for instance, in fact,

namely, specifically, that is, thus

Structur ng an Exemp cat on

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Structur ng an Exemp cat onEssay

Your Introduction includes a thesis statement

Each body paragraph may Develop a separate example, OR

Explore one aspect of a single, extended example.

Arrange your examples chronologically, in order ofincreasing complexity, or in order of importance.

Your conclusion reinforces the main idea and may re-

state the thesis.

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In Class Writing Exercise

Look at theFourTattoos

(Photos) onpage 205 ofPatterns forCollege

Writing.

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How would youdescribe each of the

four tattoospictured?Brainstorm with theclass on theprominent featuresof each, and thenwrite a sentence ortwo that describeseach of them.

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Write a one sentence general statementthat sums up your ideas about tattoos.

Why do you think people get tattoos?

Do you see tattoos as a way for people toexpress themselves?

Do people use tattoos to expressindividuality?

Are tattoos are a form of rebellion?

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Do you have enoughexamples to support yourgeneral statement abouttattoos?Would you ever get atattoo?Now write a paragraph inyour writing journal inresponse to this question.Use your answers to thequestions above to supportyour topic sentence (If youhave a tattoo, explain whyyou decided to get it.)

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Possible Persuasive Topics

The right to smoke in public

Lose the weight

Why school uniforms work

Curfews are not needed

School should be year round