The 5 Paragraph Persuasive Essay
Persuasive Essay Persuasive writing is writing that tries to convince a reader to do something or to believe what you believe about a certain topic. It takes a position for or against something.
Persuasive Writing can be used to… Purpose Support a cause Urge people to action Make a change Prove something wrong Persuasive Statement “Please support my football team by buying discount coupons.” “Vote for Sarah!” “The principal should let us wear hats.” “Cell phones don’t cause brain cancer.”
First…Know Your Audience Before you start writing, you should know your audience: Who will read your writing? Who do you need to convince? The audience may be your friends, your teacher, your parents, your principal, the readers of a newspaper, etc.
Second… Pick a side! The writer must clearly state his/her position and stay with that position. Generally, the position is stated in the introduction.
DO’s and DON’Ts of Persuasive Writing: Do: Divide into 5 paragraphs Have a thesis statement in your introduction Come up with 3 main points to support your argument—these will be your 3 body paragraphs Have a conclusion that has a “clincher statement” Come up with a catchy title Don’t : Don’t begin with “Hello my name is___ and I’m going to write about____” Don’t use the word “I “ (Instead of “I think we shouldn’t wear uniforms,” say “Uniforms should not be required.” Don’t be wishy-washy. Pick a side! Don’t forget to support your opinions with facts and examples
Structure 1. An introduction 2.The first body paragraph 3. The second body paragraph 4. The third body paragraph 5. A conclusion
PART ONE: The Five Paragraph Essay Introduction
THE INTRODUCTION The Hook Background information Thesis statement including three supporting ideas, all written in parallel structure
First…. THE HOOK
THE INTRODUCTION THE INTRODUCTION important definitions Hook: An opening sentence or two that grabs the reader’s interest and introduces the general topic of the essay Examples: 1. The Fact 2. The Question 3. The Quote 4. The Scene 5. The Anecdote
1. The Fact There are many ways a statement can surprise a reader. Sometimes the statement is surprising because it is disgusting. Sometimes it is joyful. Sometimes it is shocking. Sometimes it is surprising because of who said it. o Take care to explain how the statement relates to your topic o Make sure that the statement is relevant, not just shocking
The Fact Examples: A typical child needs to eat 2,000 calories for an entire day. Burger King’s Whopper with triple cheese has 1,230 calories. Fifty percent of marriages end in divorce.
2. The Question How many times have you eaten fast food this month? Have you ever considered how many books people would read if it weren’t for television?
3. The Quote A QUOTE: When a writer uses the words of another to help illustrate a point Don’t choose a long quote Your quote should have a meaning you plan to reveal to the reader as the essay progresses Remember to put opening and closing quotation marks around your quote Include who said or wrote your quote
3. The Quote Elbert Hubbard once said, “Truth is stronger than fiction.”
4. The Scene Depending on the length of your essay and your topic, you may decide to lead gradually into your thesis by depicting a scene that will appeal to your audience's senses and set the mood for you essay. Notice how this technique brings life to these introductions.
4. The Scene
5. The Anecdote An anecdote can provide an attention-getting opening if it is short and to the point. The odds of an American dying in a plane crash are about one in 11 million. It just so happened that my father was that one in 11 million because he rode on an airplane piloted by an overworked captain flying beyond the prescribed hours.
Thesis Statement A thesis statement is one sentence at the end of your introduction that states your opinion. It needs to be strong. First, choose 3 main focus points to discuss in your essay. These points will become the focus of three paragraphs in the body of your paper. People should avoid eating at fast food restaurants because fast food rapidly increases weight, causes high blood pressure, and leads to sluggishness.