Persuasive Writing - Notes
Purpose: influence or change a reader's thoughts or opinions on a particular topic. Choose an Issue: The first step for writing a persuasive essay is to decide what you are trying to persuade someone to believe. Is there a compelling social issue you'd like to correct, a situation within your school that you'd like to change, or maybe even a political condition you'd like to explore? Here's a list of possible topics: Education School Uniforms School Choice Bilingual Education Locker Searches Homework Social and Political Issues The Death Penalty Cruelty to Animals Gun Control Cloning
Research It! Good research is critical to a successful persuasive essay. You must have content to back up your claims. Your claims must in turn be well documented and elaborated. Be careful to take detailed notes as you record information that documents both sides of your issue. You can find facts from a variety of different resources: encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, textbooks, online interviews, public documents, and face-to-face interviews. List the Arguments: It's impossible to persuade someone to believe your viewpoint without also considering the viewpoint of those who may disagree with you. Review your research and create a list of arguments for and arguments against your issue. Brainstorm as many examples as possible. You will be choosing the three best arguments to include in the writing. Plan Your Structure Your paper will need to contain the following elements.
Opening/Introduction: In this area you will introduce your readers to the topic and give a
little background information. Be sure to state your position on the issue within the last sentence of the paragraph. Pull the reader in and give them a reason to keep reading. Body: The body of your essay should contain at least three paragraphs. Each paragraph must state a different viewpoint on your topic, examine the opposition to that viewpoint and provide a defense of that viewpoint. Don't forget the reason for examining an opposing viewpoint—you're trying to prove, through the use of factual information, why your opinion is better. Within each paragraph you need to be sure to use powerful transitional words and phrases as you compare each point. Closing/Conclusion: The conclusion should always restate the issue and then quickly tie in the three viewpoints examined in the body paragraphs. You should never introduce new information in the closing. Simply summarize the arguments and then close with a powerful statement relating to your originally stated issue.
Student name: _____________________________
Date: _________________
Planning an Argument for a Persuasive Essay
Use this space to plan your arguments. Review your research and create a list of arguments for and arguments against your issue. Brainstorm as many examples as possible. You will be choosing the three best arguments to include in your writing. Arguments that Support Your Position Arguments that Oppose Your Position
Student name: _____________________________ Date: _________________
Planning the Structure of your Persuasive Essay
Use this space to plan the structure of your paper. Opening Introduce your readers to the topic and give a little background information. State your position on the issue within the last sentence of the paragraph. Body The body of your essay should contain at least three paragraphs. Each paragraph must state a different viewpoint on your topic, examine the opposition to that viewpoint and provide a defense of that viewpoint. Paragraph 1 — Viewpoint 1 Opposing viewpoint: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Your viewpoint: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Discussion and defense of your viewpoint: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Paragraph 2 — Viewpoint 2 Opposing viewpoint: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
Your viewpoint: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Discussion and defense of your viewpoint: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Paragraph 3 — Viewpoint 3 Opposing viewpoint: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Your viewpoint: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Discussion and defense of your viewpoint: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Closing/Conclusion Summarize the arguments and then close with a powerful statement relating to your originally stated issue. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
Student name: _____________________________ Date: _________________
Draft Outline
Possible Titles: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Important Points to Include: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Great Quotes I Plan to Use: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Possible Beginning "Hooks" ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Possible Endings: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
(First Main Idea) I. _______________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ (Supporting Details) A. ______________________________________________________________________ B. ______________________________________________________________________ C. ______________________________________________________________________
(Second Main Idea) II. ______________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ (Supporting Details) A. ______________________________________________________________________ B. ______________________________________________________________________ C. ______________________________________________________________________
(Final Idea) III. ______________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ (Supporting Details) A. ______________________________________________________________________ B. ______________________________________________________________________ C. ______________________________________________________________________
Persuasive Writing
Worksheet 1: Using Transitions to Connect Sentences
Transitional words are used to show how ideas are connected. Transitions take your reader from one thought to another. More importantly, if you don't make connections between your ideas, the reader will probably insert their own thoughts—not always a good idea. In persuasive writing, it's important that you lead the reader in the direction you want them to go—don't allow them to make their own connections. Here's a list of commonly used transitional words and phrases:
and but or while although unlike
however in other words to sum up because consequently
first next sometimes surely on the other hand
Transitional words are very useful in persuasive writing because they help you show both sides of the arguments.
Directions: Select the most appropriate transition word or phrase for each sentence.
1. In an effort to cut down on discipline problems, our school has decided to require students to wear uniforms; most students are opposed to the idea. a. of course b. but 2. Many scholars believe that Amelia Earhardt was one of the most influential people in women's history; others feel that Susan B. Anthony played a more important role. a. unless b. however 3. The principal added additional detention time for students caught littering the school grounds; the campus became much cleaner almost overnight. a. consequently b. but 4. The Iditarod can be a grueling race; the dogs sometimes run for hours at a time without a break. a. while b. for instance 5. Jacob can't seem to get enough sugar, he loves cookies and cupcakes. a. in particular b. similarly 6. The new highway is scheduled to go through our backyard; we've decided to move. a. therefore b. next
Student name: _____________________________
Date: _________________
IT’S A FACT: Using supporting examples
Creating a successful persuasive essay requires that you argue facts, not opinions. In order to write a convincing paper you must first establish your facts and then provide statements to support those facts. 1. Random locker searches create a safer school environment. a. b. c. Many knives, guns, and drugs have been confiscated lockers are much neater now principals often laugh at what they see
2. Girls who play sports are more successful later in life. a. b. c. out of 1,000 women polled, 85% of those who ranked themselves as happy and successful in their chosen professions also noted that they participated in sports during their childhood soccer is a favorite sport drinking lots of water during physical activity is important
3. School lunches are among the least nutritious meals served in town. a. b. c. my favorite lunch is pizza, salad, and brownies I never buy my lunch at school nutritionists analyzed an average week's lunches and found them to be lacking in many essential vitamins and minerals while at the same time loaded with fat and sugar.
4. Banning a book is not always the most favorable solution to a problem. a. b. c. often, banned books become the most well-read books in school—banning them only causes more students to want to read them. Book burning is wrong
The Wizard of Oz is not like the movie
5. Children watch too much television. a. b. c. cartoons are often very funny studies show that the average child watches three hours of TV per day our family owns four televisions
6. Computer and video game rating systems do very little to actually protect under-aged children from violent material. a. b. I love to play racing games on my game system the "T" and "M" ratings on games seem to be the most frequently purchased and rented by children
or by parents for their children. c. sound systems on most game consoles are poor