Writing a Persuasive Writing a Persuasive PaperPaper

What is a Persuasive Writing?What is a Persuasive Writing?

Writing used to convince others Writing used to convince others of what you believe or say.of what you believe or say.

Why do it?Why do it?Want others to: Want others to:

– AGREE with usAGREE with us– Share our ValuesShare our Values– Accept our argument or Accept our argument or

conclusionsconclusions

ExamplesExamples Inherit the Wind---Drummond Inherit the Wind---Drummond

trying to persuade the jurytrying to persuade the juryTo get what we wantTo get what we wantTo avoid trouble ???To avoid trouble ???PoliticsPoliticsCan you think of other Can you think of other

examples?examples?

““Mom I want a Mom I want a Dog”Dog”

Pick Me!!! I am too cute to pass up.Look I do tricks!

How will I ever convince her to let me have one?

Parts of a Paper/ArgumentParts of a Paper/Argument IntroductionIntroduction

– HookHook– BackgroundBackground– ThesisThesis

Body Body – Topic SentenceTopic Sentence– High level of SupportHigh level of Support

ConclusionConclusion– Effective EndingEffective Ending– Closure on issues without being repetitive from Closure on issues without being repetitive from

Intro.Intro.– Tie up paper and relate back to hook/thesisTie up paper and relate back to hook/thesis

HookHookAttention GrabberAttention GrabberCan be Quote, Definition, Can be Quote, Definition,

Interesting Fact/Stat, Riddle/Pun, Interesting Fact/Stat, Riddle/Pun, etc…etc…

Must be somehow related to your Must be somehow related to your topic, not random selectiontopic, not random selection

This is NOT your Position!!!! Your This is NOT your Position!!!! Your position on a paper is most likely position on a paper is most likely your thesis statementyour thesis statement..

ExamplesExamples

When people hear “Titanic”, they think When people hear “Titanic”, they think of the tragedy that occurred one of the tragedy that occurred one fateful April night…fateful April night…

Background InformationBackground Information This part of your Introduction should be fairly This part of your Introduction should be fairly

general. general.

Should state the main arguments of your paper in Should state the main arguments of your paper in a general way. (not specific examples yet)a general way. (not specific examples yet)

Avoid just listing the main topics you will discuss.Avoid just listing the main topics you will discuss.

Rather, try to use transition words to connect Rather, try to use transition words to connect those main points.those main points.

Thesis StatementThesis Statement Could be last sentence of your Intro. Could be last sentence of your Intro. Statement of your position---be sure you Statement of your position---be sure you

know which side of the issue you are on.know which side of the issue you are on. Should be clear and concise---use effective Should be clear and concise---use effective

language (avoid being repetitive)language (avoid being repetitive) For persuasive essays, these statements For persuasive essays, these statements

should be debatable. (that is, can should be debatable. (that is, can someone else state the opposite opinion?someone else state the opposite opinion?

You decide: Are these good thesis You decide: Are these good thesis statements for the topics?statements for the topics?

School Uniforms: School uniforms are School Uniforms: School uniforms are stupid and are therefore dumb, so they stupid and are therefore dumb, so they should not be allowed in any school.should not be allowed in any school.

Exit Exams: Schools should require all high Exit Exams: Schools should require all high school students to pass an exit exam school students to pass an exit exam before graduation.before graduation.

Open Campus: Have you ever tried to eat Open Campus: Have you ever tried to eat lunch in just 15 minutes?lunch in just 15 minutes?

Thesis Statements 1 & 3 are NOT Thesis Statements 1 & 3 are NOT STRONG statements.STRONG statements.

1 is repetitive, uses poor language, 1 is repetitive, uses poor language, and not conciseand not concise

3 is a question, so it is not a 3 is a question, so it is not a statementstatement

Thesis Statement 2 would be a Thesis Statement 2 would be a STRONG thesis statement because it STRONG thesis statement because it is clear, states the position, and uses is clear, states the position, and uses effective language without giving all effective language without giving all the specific information away.the specific information away.

ExamplesExamples

School uniforms can benefit the school School uniforms can benefit the school environment by helping students environment by helping students concentrate on their work, decreasing concentrate on their work, decreasing school violence, and eliminating popularity school violence, and eliminating popularity contests. contests.

Multiple factors, ranging from design flaws Multiple factors, ranging from design flaws to overconfidence in the ship’s to overconfidence in the ship’s “unsinkable” status to poor decision-“unsinkable” status to poor decision-making by the crew, led to the greatest of making by the crew, led to the greatest of maritime disasters-the Titanic disaster.maritime disasters-the Titanic disaster.

Body ParagraphsBody Paragraphs First Sentence of EACH body paragraph First Sentence of EACH body paragraph

should be a TOPIC SENTENCEshould be a TOPIC SENTENCE– This again should be clear and should This again should be clear and should

inform the reader about the issue to be inform the reader about the issue to be discussed in that paragraph.discussed in that paragraph.

The rest of the paragraph should contain The rest of the paragraph should contain SUPPORTSUPPORT– These are examples and the explanation These are examples and the explanation

of how the example relates to your pointof how the example relates to your point

Sample Topic SentencesSample Topic Sentences

School uniforms help students School uniforms help students concentrate on their work, rather concentrate on their work, rather than what other people are wearing.than what other people are wearing.

Uniforms can decrease school violence Uniforms can decrease school violence because they prevent students from because they prevent students from hiding any weapons in their clothing.hiding any weapons in their clothing.

AVOID listing several examples with NO AVOID listing several examples with NO explanationexplanation

Vary your Sentence Structure---try to start Vary your Sentence Structure---try to start sentences and paragraphs in different ways.sentences and paragraphs in different ways.

It is far better to pick a couple of examples It is far better to pick a couple of examples and explain them in detail, rather than list and explain them in detail, rather than list lots of exampleslots of examples

Be familiar with your topic. Your opinion Be familiar with your topic. Your opinion matters, but it is a good idea to include matters, but it is a good idea to include evidence that supports what you believe.evidence that supports what you believe.

Most ImportantMost Important USE Transition WordsUSE Transition Words

These are words that connect These are words that connect examples with the explanation AND examples with the explanation AND connect one paragraph to the nextconnect one paragraph to the next

Using these will help you write more Using these will help you write more complex and varied sentences.complex and varied sentences.

See Handout for ExamplesSee Handout for Examples

Transition WordsTransition Words

AVOID---First, second, third, etc…AVOID---First, second, third, etc… Some examples for persuasive are:Some examples for persuasive are:

– During, eventually, mainly, strongest, During, eventually, mainly, strongest, greater, better, least, greatest, best, greater, better, least, greatest, best, most, worse, similarly, either…or, most, worse, similarly, either…or, neither…not, not only…but also, neither…not, not only…but also, likewise, also, nevertheless, although, likewise, also, nevertheless, although, but, instead, yet, however, opposed to, but, instead, yet, however, opposed to, unlike, since, because, as a result, so, unlike, since, because, as a result, so, due to, thus, therefore, if…then, due to, thus, therefore, if…then, consequentlyconsequently

ConclusionConclusionConclusion should build in an orderly Conclusion should build in an orderly

way---This is your last HURRAH!!!!way---This is your last HURRAH!!!! It should not be repetitive of the It should not be repetitive of the

Intro, but should be related to the Intro, but should be related to the Intro.Intro.

Should be developed (min. 5 Should be developed (min. 5 sentences).sentences).

Can restate your points, but again, Can restate your points, but again, try not to be redundant or repetitivetry not to be redundant or repetitive

Effective Ending StatementsEffective Ending Statements

““final thoughts”final thoughts” Project into the futureProject into the future Lesson learnedLesson learned Call to actionCall to action Offer a broader perspective (one that Offer a broader perspective (one that

could apply to all people)could apply to all people) Give thoughts to think aboutGive thoughts to think about As and Answer a rhetorical questionAs and Answer a rhetorical question

Tips for Timed WritingTips for Timed Writing

Don’t PanicDon’t PanicRead all the topics FIRSTRead all the topics FIRSTPick the topic you are most familiar Pick the topic you are most familiar

with, NOT the one you have the with, NOT the one you have the strongest reaction to.strongest reaction to.

PLAN your ideas---take a few minutes to PLAN your ideas---take a few minutes to map out your argumentsmap out your arguments– Webs, flow charts, venn diagrams, Webs, flow charts, venn diagrams,

bubble charts, outline, etc…bubble charts, outline, etc…

Tips (cont.)Tips (cont.)

When you begin writing, don’t forget When you begin writing, don’t forget to have a solid INTRODUCTION with all to have a solid INTRODUCTION with all the parts (hook, background, thesis)the parts (hook, background, thesis)

If you finish early, PROOFREAD what If you finish early, PROOFREAD what you wrote.you wrote.– Sometimes we omit a word accidentally Sometimes we omit a word accidentally

because our minds think faster than we because our minds think faster than we can write.can write.