Persuasive Writing Identify Issue/ State the Issue Audience What type of people make up your audience? How does this group feel about the issue? What objections might this group have to my opinion?

Thesis Statement Should include both the issue and your point of view. Thesis must be well-defined, coherent, and clear. Thesis must present a focused and consistent opinion. Formula: Issue + Point of View = Thesis Statement

Formula: Issue + Point of View = Thesis Statement Example: Issue: Starting a paper- recycling program at our school. + Point of view: We need to start one. = We should start a paper-recycling program at our school.

Evaluate and Support Reasons Support – logical appeal (mind) or emotional appeal (heart); both may be necessary in persuasive writing Reasons – support your thesis/opinion * tells why a writer has a particular point of view * strong reasons with explanations show the writer has made a knowledgeable judgment about the issue * A writer who fails to provide good reasons fails to convince the reader

* To be convincing, each reason must appeal to your audience Reasons cont. * To be convincing, each reason must appeal to your audience Evidence – helps the audience make a decision Forms of Evidence Facts Statistics Examples Anecdotes Analogies Comparisons Expert Opinion

Thesis Reason Evidence Elaboration Elaboration – explains how the evidence supports the reason Acronym: TREE Thesis Reason Evidence Elaboration

Organizing Your Support Controlling Impressions Must organize reasons and evidence effectively Often, each paragraph presents, supports, and elaborates on one reason One effective way to organize is by Order of Importance

Counterarguments Must address counterarguments and work them into your reasons effectively Begin a paragraph in which you discuss a reason with a statement of counterargument. Example: “Although some people believe paper recycling is too much trouble and too expensive, it is actually easy and inexpensive.”

Evaluate and Support Reasons

Organizing Your Support

Persuasive Essay Introduction Body Attention grabbing statement Thesis Statement Body Reason #1 Evidence & Elaboration Reason #2 And so on

Conclusion Restatement of opinion Summary of reasons Call to action or closing statement