Persuasive Essay Main Objectives: –Choose a position on an issue –Persuade reader to agree with you –Express a strong opinion –Support your opinion with reasons and examples

Recognizing Prompts for Persuasive Essays: Active verbs: choose, agree or disagree; phrases: propose a solution.., give/support your opinion questions: why or why not? –Examples: Do you agree that funding the arts is the government’s responsibility? Why or why not? Do you think that the colonization of the moon is worthwhile? Explain why or why not. In your opinion, is money the key to happiness? Support your answer with examples and details. Do you agree that schools should require daily exercise? Explain why or why not.

Step 1: Brainstorming Use the same brainstorming techniques: –Listing Clustering »Freewriting In addition, set up a “balance sheet” and list each idea on one side or the other. Consider both sides of the issue carefully

Make a “Balance Sheet” Side A: FOR home-schooling Side B: against home-schooling Negative atmosphere in public schools Impractical (working parents) Expense of private schoolsCriticism from others Can teach to the individual child’s interests Parents might not be good teachers Can teach to the individual child’s learning style Flexible scheduling for family trips, etc. positive social environment

Choose your position Choose the point of view that is easiest for you to defend with the info you have available. Might not be the position you personally favor! There’s no right or wrong position! It’s all about how well you present and defend your position.

Write your Thesis Statement You can’t begin to organize (outline) until you know exactly what your position is. Remember: your ThSt must clearly and strongly express your position on the issue. The ThSt must be arguable. The ThSt should include or be followed by a Map of your essay.

Step 2: Outlining Like other essays, persuasive essay should have: –an Introduction Paragraph –at least two Body Paragraphs (three is better) –a Conclusion Paragraph. Persuasive essays must also: –Clearly express writer’s opinion –Clarify the issue for the reader –Identify and support strongest arguments for opinion –Consider any strong opposing arguments

Sample Persuasive Essay Outline I.Introductory paragraph A. Hook: a device for capturing reader’s attention B. Background information: to help reader understand topic C. Thesis statement: clear statement of writer’s position D. Map II.First supporting argument A. Topic sentence: general factual sentence introducing paragraph B. Facts, examples, arguments to support, prove position III.Second supporting argument (as in II) IV.Third supporting argument (as in II and III) V.Strongest opposing argument (as in II, III, and IV) VI.Conclusion

Step 3: Write! Writing the Body Paragraphs Two parts: –Topic sentence: tells the controlling idea of paragraph. –Supporting details: develop the controlling idea in Topic Sentence : Describe Define Argue Exemplify Include only your strongest 2 or 3 arguments Build from weakest  strongest.