Methods of Persuasion Guide to Persuasive Writing

What is it? Persuasive writing states the writer’s opinion in a tastefully clear way and explains why the reader should agree. Example: “Justin Bieber sucks” could turn into “A world without Justin Bieber is one that would prosper beyond its current condition.”

Objectives of Persuasive Writing  To state the writer’s opinion  To give reasons why the reader should agree  To convince the reader to take action You must take a stance but should still acknowledge that a counter-argument exists.

Thesis Statement Road Map for your Essay

Thesis Statements  Your thesis should:  present your central argument  outline your main points  It should be 1 to 2 sentences long  Think of it as a movie trailer: give us a preview, but don’t give too much detail away  Example:  “Justin Bieber’s success is a detriment to the world because of its impact on him, the music industry, and teenage culture.”

Introduction Create a hook

Hook – grab the reader’s attention  Quote  A wise teacher Miss Ondrof once said, “Bieber fever has gotten out of control.”  Facts  Teenage girls spend about $1000 on Bieber gear, tickets, etc. per year. (*statistic is entirely made up.)  Definition  Bieber fever is defined as the overwhelming obsession fans have with the teenage pop singer Justin Bieber.  Example  Tears began to roll down the cheeks of teenage girls who had been standing for hours. Justin Bieber was about the take the stage.

The Introduction Imagine a world where a 16 year old has as much influence as the appointed leader of your own country’s government. Imagine a child’s reach extending so far that he/she single-handedly has the power to control the most volatile group of people within a community. Justin Bieber needs to be stopped, and fast. His sudden reign over the hearts and minds of teenagers across the world causes a direct threat to the well-being of future societies. Justin Bieber’s success is a detriment to the world because of its impact on him, the music industry, and teenage culture.

Body Paragraphs Support your argument with logic

Body Paragraphs  Your body paragraphs should present the points in support of your main idea.  Each body paragraph should focus on one point.  P1: Justin hinders free thought by brainwashing fans.  P2: The money invested in the Bieber estate could be used for other things.  P3: The music industry continues to thrive on the mass production of inferior music.  P4: A 16 year old shouldn’t have to deal with that much pressure.

Ordering Body Paragraphs  Move from least important to most important  Flow is the most important element  Do your ideas mesh well from paragraph to paragraph?  How to measure level of importance?  All reasons should be solid; leave weak ones out.  “Justin Bieber sucks because I don’t like his music” is weak.  Which reason is considered widely accepted?  Which do you have the strongest feelings about?

Body Paragraphs  Provide evidence or examples for each point.  Find others that agree with you: case studies, expert analysis, or scholarly articles Example: refer to other examples (case studies) of celebrity pressure messing up children  The many faults of Lindsay Lohan  Miley Cyrus  Vanessa Hudgens’s racy pictures  Anything related to the Olsen Twins

Topic Sentences  Umbrella for your paragraph  Present an argument, not a plot point  NOT: George and Lennie were best friends.  INSTEAD: George’s relationship with Lennie proves that he had the victim’s best interests in mind.  Avoid being too broad  Sometimes in literature, characters have relationships.  Or too specific  George is justified in his killing of Lennie because they were best friends who always travelled around together and George helped him, for example in Weed, so why would he do this now?

Opposing Viewpoint Address and Respond

Opposing Viewpoint  Integrate counterarguments into your persuasive essay as a compositional risk.  Introduction?  Body paragraphs  An “opposing view” paragraph of its own  Conclusion  Accurately explain and refute the most significant opposing view.  Try to put yourself in the shoes of your opposition: what will their main point against you be?

Crafting the Counterargument  First Sentence signals a SWITCH in position:  Despite the evidence presented thus far, some might argue...  Although this essay has provided evidence that suggests A, some might contend B.  Even though it seems clear that A, some might suggest B. Example: “However, not everyone thinks that Justin Bieber is a menace to society. Some critics suggest that he serves as a role model to his fans but I beg the question, how can that be so? First, he…Secondly, he…”

The Conclusion Wrap up and finish strong

Conclusion  Shouldn’t be extremely long  No new information (all of your points should be made within the body of your essay)  Restate your points  Reiterate what you have written in the thesis statement.  Offer a clear solution?  Include a call to action: what do you want your readers to do?

The Conclusion Justin Bieber’s popularity is a hindrance to our society’s development. Not only does he negatively impact the music industry, but he also diminishes free thought by brainwashing fans. The money Bieber’s success has earned could be used for more meaningful purposes, and it may in fact damage his psychological development by adding unnecessary pressure on the teen. For both Justin’s well-being and society’s as a whole, Bieber’s reign over popular culture needs to end. We need to eliminate Bieber Fever while we still can.