Persuasion Essay Choose a debatable topic and take a stand or position.

Examples of Topics Abortion Death Penalty Gun Control Children Tried as Adults

Components Five paragraph Essay(0300) Six+ paragraph Essay (0310) Persuasion controlled three idea thesis statement Formal Tone (0310 only) Written in class only Final Essay written in Blue Exam Book

There are certain types of examples to keep in mind when developing the Persuasion Essay Think of these appeals to organize your examples

The Logical Appeal Logical Reasoning includes factual information, statistics, expert testimony, data, and logical explanations

Logical Appeal Most of your Essay will be based on the logical appeal. The goal is to base the Essay on your logic, not your emotions. Use the logical appeal to convince the reader based on logical reasoning. You will be using your logical explanations (examples) to support your stand.

The Moral Appeal Convince the reader based on their sense of values, beliefs, and morals.

Classic topics for moral appeal based topics would be: Abortion Death Penalty Gun Control Use the moral appeal sometimes to consolidate your audience.

Emotional Appeal Use to convince the reader based on their sympathy, feelings, or emotions. Use this appeal very sparingly. 1-2 examples are the limit for this. (Remember you want to convince your reader based on your intellect, not your emotions about a topic.)

Organizing your Essay Create a Pros/Cons list Create a three idea thesis statement that includes your stand or position. Develop examples that are based mostly in logic. Use the world around you for examples.

Gun Control Pros (For) (For controlling guns.) Children are killed with unsupervised guns. Domestic violence People with disorders/mental illnesses People should be educated about guns Cons (Against) (Against controlling guns) People want to protect themselves. Right to bear arms Low crime rate because of guns Criminals will always get guns illegally

Pros Low crime rate Cons Recreation (hunting, target shooting)

Gun Control Pros (continued) Cons (continued)

Sample Thesis Statement Society should be __for____ gun control because children should be protected, domestic violence would decrease, and people with mental illness could not kill others. [Include your stand as well as the thesis ideas.]

Thesis Statement (Against) (Make your stand) Society should be against gun control because (1)people should be able to protect themselves, (2) the crime rate would decrease, and (3)Americans have the right to bear arms.

OR Society should be for gun control because People should be able to protect themselves, citizens have the right to bear arms, and the right to use guns recreationally.

English 0300 I. Introduction II. 1st thesis idea III. 2 nd thesis idea IV. 3 rd thesis idea V. Conclusion

English 0310 I.Introduction  Three idea thesis statement II. Background Statement Paragraph III. 1 st thesis idea IV. 2 nd thesis idea (C/R) V. 3 rd thesis idea (C/R) VI. Conclusion (stick to your stand)

Conceding and Rebutting Sometimes when it becomes difficult to stick to your stand, use the opposing view to help you. You are creating a kind of debate.  Concede means to agree with a certain aspect of the opposing view. Use your Pros/ Cons list to help choose a thesis idea that coincides with your thesis idea.

Conceding and Rebutting Rebutting  Rebuttal means to create a stronger argument that responds to the opponents point of view

Conceding Example “It is true that some people may feel that a gun will make them feel safer in their homes from intruders.”

Rebutting Example “However, if there are less guns on the street then there may be less crimes committed.”

Conceding and Rebutting This will be optional for English 0300 This is required for English 0310

Topic Suggestions: These could be topics given as the Final Exam: Gun Control Prayer in public schools Stronger penalties for drunk driving Should students be required to wear uniforms in public schools? Should race classifications be banned? Should violent video games be censored? Should America have universal healthcare

Topic Suggestions Con’t Should there be clearer/tougher laws on virtual bullying? (Using the Internet to bully or degrade someone?) Should there be a cap on College Tuition? Should prisoners have rights? Should scientist have the right to clone a human (if it is possible)? Should there be stiffer penalties for rapists and pedophiles?