P ERSUASIVE W RITING English III

P ERSUASIVE W RITING Think about the persuasive media we have studied so far. How common do you think persuasion is in everyday life? Even people who “don’t write” often in their jobs use either persuasive writing or persuasive speaking almost every day! Persuasion is the best way to get what you want. Don’t try to force people; persuade them! Don’t worry; you’ve written persuasively before! A position statement is basically a persuasive paper. The only difference is that persuasion focuses on your audience.

P ERSUASIVE W RITING : T HE I SSUE Think again about the persuasive media we have studied. What was the purpose of each piece? Persuasion focuses on an issue, a topic about which people have opposing opinions. what type of product you should buy what candidate you should vote for whether colonists should enter the war whether the colonies should continue fighting whether the school should build a bigger parking lot Brainstorm: Choose a specific issue for your essay, not something too broad for one essay or an opinion generally accepted as “right.”

T HE I SSUE : T HINGS TO K EEP IN M IND When choosing your issue, be careful to avoid things that are not really issues. These are things that most people (or at least most of your audience) accept to be true, such as these: Everyone should wear a seatbelt. Teenage pregnancy is bad. Small children should ride in car seats. If you’re stuck or unsure, keep thinking! Refer to the list of possible issues to see the type that will work best for this assignment, but you may choose any issue as long as I approve it first! Remember, the first to sign up gets a topic, so bring me your topic early !

P OSITION / O PINION S TATEMENT Now that you have chosen your issue, begin with a position statement or opinion statement. States what you will be trying to persuade your audience to believe or do – your position on the issue. Makes a statement about what should or must be done. The government should ban cigarette smoking in public. The government must withdraw troops from Afganistan. Remember, this is a working thesis ; it need not be perfect right now but must state where you’re going! Santa should come twice a year!

A UDIENCE Again, remember the persuasive media we have studied. How did the pieces appeal to their audiences? Do pieces for different audiences use the same appeals? Your audience is always important, but in persuasive writing, it should be your focus. Think about the audience for your topic. Whom are you convincing, and what could you use to convince them? Make a double-column brainstorm sheet now. On one side, describe your audience. On the other, write arguments that might convince your audience to agree with you.

P ERSUASIVE WRITING : T HE INTRODUCTION Remember, a persuasive introduction needs to do two things to lead into the thesis: grab the audience’s attention (may use a quotation, an anecdote, etc.) define the issue (an overview that shows your reader why he or she should care) At the end of the introduction, present the position statement. Remember, it is your thesis in persuasive writing.

P ERSUASIVE W RITING : T HE B ODY Present evidence to support the thesis statement. Go back to your double-column brainstorming to get ideas. Remember the 3 types of appeals you may use in your essay: logical appeals emotional appeals ethical appeals You must use at least three main points of appeal, and these (together) must include logical appeals and either emotional or ethical appeals (or all 3).

O RGANIZE YOUR IDEAS ! Be careful to organize your points clearly. You may use the following: order of importance (considering the importance to the audience ) chronological order (may include a series of events as evidence, such as the series of something’s effects) logical order (comparing and contrasting one’s views with those of the opposition – all of one and then all of the other or each one followed by a rebuttal)

P ERSUASIVE W RITING : T HE C ONCLUSION Restate your position. Your goal is to make your readers remember what you have written. If they don’t, you haven’t convinced them! Here are some ways you can do this: Give a call to action, encouraging the audience to do something about the issue. Use a memorable quotation or a cleverly- worded statement about your topic.

R HETORICAL D EVICES To enhance your argument, you may use (sparingly!) some of the rhetorical devices we have seen in persuasive pieces, such as these: repetition restatement (repetition with different words) parallelism (parallel repetition of words, phrases, or ideas)

AVOID BIAS! Think about the bias we have seen in persuasive media. Why is it important not to show bias? You should have a definite point of view, but be very careful not to be biased! Your arguments should be fair, balanced, and reasonable. Avoid things such as attacking a person or group instead of an issue stating a point without explaining / proving it exaggerating