Do Now Work on your current vocabulary list for 10 minutes: www.vocab.com/lists/1250123

Steps for Writing a Persuasive Essay

Review: How to Debate State your resolution (position). Give two reasons why your position is correct. Give examples. Research the facts to support your points. The news News articles Professional journals Stories from your life/personal experience Movies Books Television History Websites (such as CNN) Be prepared to have a counterargument. Acknowledge the other side of the argument and prove why they are wrong. One could argue that _________________. However, here is the weakness, ____________________.

Remember This? Strategies of Persuasion

STEP #1 READ the prompt. Circle the most important word in the prompt (the subject). Should school librarians ban inappropriate books from the school library?

Brainstorm a list of reasons for and against the issue or position. STEP #2 Brainstorm a list of reasons for and against the issue or position. Against banning books: --the Constitution allows us the freedom of speech, freedom of press --students need to learn to make responsible choices about what they read --students should not be sheltered from controversial world news --students can find inappropriate material on the Internet --the question of appropriate reading is debatable, it cannot be determined by one individual For banning books: --students are too young to make decisions about what they read --librarians don’t want parents mad at them --students should only read about pleasant and non-controversial topics

Choose the position you want to argue. STEP #3 Choose the position you want to argue. Either “Yes, school libraries should censor books” OR “No, school libraries should not censor books.”

Choose the two “reasons” for which you can write the best argument. STEP #4 Choose the two “reasons” for which you can write the best argument. --One “reason” for each body paragraph

STEP #5 Before you write anything else, focus on answering the prompt by writing a position statement, also known as a thesis statement. Rearrange words from the prompt into a statement, then follow it with “because” and then add two reasons. (THIS IS THE ROAD MAP FOR THE REST OF YOUR ESSAY!) School librarians should not ban books from the school library because students need to learn to choose for themselves and it goes against the American Constitution.

A Thesis Statement… is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper. directly answers the question asked of you. makes a claim that others might dispute. is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader to believe your side of the argument.

How Do I Know If My Thesis Is Strong? Ask Yourself: Did I answer the question? You must choose a side and answer the question based on what you are going to argue. Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.

How Do I Know If My Thesis Is Strong? Ask Yourself: Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”? Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to  be “So what?” then you need to clarify or to connect to a larger issue.

How Do I Know If My Thesis Is Strong? Ask Yourself: Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. Does my thesis pass the “what, how, and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

STEP #6 Now go back and create the introductory paragraph and plug the thesis statement into the end. The first sentence is the “hook.” Re-read the information before the prompt to find the general subject. Think general and broad. How does this topic affect “the world” or “life”? Question what would happen “without”… --What would the world be like without books? The second sentence, the “bridge”, must “draw a line” from the hook to the thesis. Think of what the two have in common, which is usually the end of the hook. --While books are very important, it can be easy to overlook the value of books that have disagreeable or inappropriate subjects. Put the three sentences together to make the Intro Paragraph.

THIS IS THE FORMULA FOR THE PERFECT INTRODUCTION!!!!! Introductory Paragraph THIS IS THE FORMULA FOR THE PERFECT INTRODUCTION!!!!! Hook: What would the world be like without…. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Line (Bridge): ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Sinker (Position/Thesis Statement): State your position on the argument *because* <<reason 1>> and <<reason 2>>.

Include these phrases to ensure the persuasive nature of your essay: Persuasive Phrases Include these phrases to ensure the persuasive nature of your essay: It is certain that… The logical conclusion is… The fact is… The truth is… The correct perspective is… Common sense reveals that… The bottom line is… In reality,… The essential idea is… With certainty, a person can say that… In the majority of cases…

STEP #7 Write your body paragraphs. <<Reason 1>> Topic Sentence Example and Explanation <<Reason 2>>

Body Paragraph 1 (TOPIC SENTENCE)The truth is, students need to learn to think independently and make decisions for themselves and if libraries ban objectionable books, students will not be able to do so. (EXAMPLE AND EXPLANATION) Books are among our best teachers and can often make a positive impact on individuals, therefore changing the world for the better. Imagine that a young girl reads The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and is outraged at the treatment of slaves in the novel. Because of reading this objectionable material, she decides to become a human rights activist and influences society in a profound way. If a librarian had taken away this option, the young girl might not have made that important decision about her life’s work.

Body Paragraph 2 (TOPIC SENTENCE) Furthermore, an essential idea is that limiting students’ access to controversial writing is a breach of their freedom under the Constitution. (EXAMPLE AND EXPLANATION) For example, the Constitution of the United States of America proclaims certain “inalienable rights” for its citizens that include freedom of speech and freedom of press. If a student (who is, in fact, a citizen) is not allowed to pursue certain information banned by a library, that is limiting his or her freedom. It is also suppressing the freedom that authors have to distribute their ideas, beliefs, and philosophies.

STEP #8 Write your conclusion. Restate your position/thesis statement in a different way.

Counterargument: A Counterargument states what the other side would argue in response to your thesis. Other side responds with reasons that your argument is not persuasive. Example: Your argument: Banning books from school libraries for any reason does not allow students to think independently and violates a student’s rights under The United States Constitution. Those in favor of banning books might say that children are not yet old enough to understand their rights under the Constitution, and therefore do not have the capacity to claim them. However, age and capacity do not determine citizenship. Therefore, regardless of a student’s age or capacity, that student is entitled to all freedoms afforded them by The Constitution.

Call to Action: Word or phrase which calls a reader to take immediate action to do/act in the way the writer is trying to persuade them to Should be located in your conclusion paragraph after your restatement of your thesis. Example: Therefore, it is imperative that students rise up against the establishment and rebel against anyone who attempts to censor literature in public schools.

Your Prompt: Is it better to travel by car or by bus? Brainstorming Activity Your Prompt: Is it better to travel by car or by bus? It is better to travel by __________ because ________________________________________and ___________________________________.