1. Prewrite The purpose of writing a persuasive essay is to influence or change a reader's thoughts or opinions on a particular topic. The most successful persuasive writing is always well planned. This planning should include choosing a topic, researching the topic thoroughly, and finally, mapping out the structure of the writing. Choose an Issue The first step for writing a persuasive essay is to decide what you are trying to persuade someone to believe. Is there a compelling social issue you'd like to correct, a situation within your school that you'd like to change, an issue from history that you'd like to address, or maybe even a political condition you'd like to explore—the possibilities are endless! Here's a list of possible topics on social issues: Education Bilingual Education Locker Searches Sports in school (positives or negatives) Cell phones in school History Women's Rights Civil Rights Death Penalty Social and Political Issues Cruelty to Animals Gun Control Recycling Texting and driving Drinking and driving Cell phone (positives or negatives) Pollution issues Marijuana for medicinal purposes Bullying / Cyberbullying

2. Prewrite Research It! Good research is critical to a successful persuasive essay. You must have content to back up your claims. Your claims must in turn be well documented and elaborated. Be careful to take detailed notes as you record information that documents both sides of your issue. You will be referring to these notes as you begin to draft your paper. You can find facts from a variety of different resources: encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, textbooks, online interviews, public documents, and face-to-face interviews. Once your research is complete, you'll want to begin thinking through your process of persuasion.

3. Prewrite Make your case You've gathered all the facts, now it's time to list the arguments both for and against your issue and begin planning the structure of your writing. List the Arguments It's impossible to persuade someone to believe your viewpoint without also considering the viewpoint of those who may disagree with you. Review your research and create a list of arguments for and arguments against your issue. Brainstorm as many examples as possible. Ultimately you will be choosing the three best arguments to include in the writing. Plan Your Structure Your paper will need to contain the following elements. Opening/Introduction: In this area you will introduce your readers to the topic and give a little background information. It works well to state your topic in the form of a question. Be sure to state your position on the issue within the last sentence of the paragraph. In the opening, you want to pull the reader in and give them a reason to keep reading. Body: The body of your essay should contain at least three paragraphs. Each paragraph must state a different viewpoint on your topic, examine the opposition to that viewpoint and provide a defense of that viewpoint. Many of the best examples of persuasive writing save the most compelling viewpoint for third body paragraph leaving the reader with the strongest point before closing. The defense must be supported with evidence documented through your research. Don't forget the reason for examining an opposing viewpoint—you're trying to prove, through the use of factual information, why your opinion is better. Within each paragraph you need to be sure to use powerful transitional words and phrases as you compare each point. Closing/Conclusion: The conclusion should always restate the issue and then quickly tie in the three viewpoints examined in the body paragraphs. You should never introduce new information in the closing. Simply summarize the arguments and then close with a powerful statement relating to your originally stated issue

4. Draft A draft helps you organize your work and get your thoughts down on paper. Before you start writing: Using the plans created in the last step, decide on a good beginning or "hook" that will grab the reader's attention. State your topic and give a little background information. Make a list of specific points you want to be sure and include in your final product. These points will serve as the main ideas for each of your three paragraphs within the body of your paper. Highlight quotes and content that support the ideas you choose. Decide on an effective ending for your report. Ask yourself what thought you want to leave the reader with or a thought that summarizes the overall viewpoint. As you write: Focus on information and allow your ideas to flow freely A good persuasive essay draft includes: all your thoughts as many details as possible complete thoughts and ideas facts to support your argument

5. Edit While editing probably isn't your favorite step in the writing process, it is an important one—especially when it comes to persuasive writing. You're not likely to win many supporters for your arguments if your work is filled with misspelled words, grammatical errors, or punctuation problems. Capitalization Each sentence starts with a capital letter All names of people and places begin with a capital letter Titles in a person's name begin with a capital letter Each important word in a title (that doesn't refer to people) begins with a capital letter Organization Handwriting is neat or the paper is printed from a computer Story starts at the beginning, or with the most exciting event Beginning and ending make sense Punctuation Quotation marks surround all words that are part of a direct quote Commas separate items in a list, appear within sentences that have direct quotes All sentences end with a period or other appropriate ending punctuation Spelling and Sentences Words are spelled correctly (If you are using a computer, remember to use the spell check function.) All sentences are complete and include a subject and a verb All subjects and verbs agree

6. Revise Next, you'll want to revise your work. Revision is especially important in persuasive writing—you want to be certain that you've presented the most compelling argument possible. This is the time to make sure that what you've written is easy to read, factual and above all, convincing. Remember, revising your work doesn't involve making changes to spelling, grammar, or punctuation (we'll get to that in the next step). Instead, the revision process concentrates on the content alone. Use the revision process to accomplish the following tasks: Add additional information that may be needed to better explain or describe elements of the story. Rearrange existing information in a more logical order that flows well and makes your history easy to comprehend. Remove unneeded information that may detract from the overall message of your interview. Replace existing text with better wording or description that gives additional insight into the life and history of the person you interviewed. As you revise your work, ask yourself the following questions Is my position on an issue is clearly stated and evident throughout the work? Are my opinions clear and do my facts support my opinions? Does my information flow easily from one paragraph to another? Did I stay focused on my point of view throughout the writing? Did I save the most compelling or strongest point for the end of the paper? Does my writing make sense? Am I convinced? Will my readers be convinced? Did I repeat any words or phrases too often?

7. Review Use this step to make sure you've done all you can to get it right. You've drafted, revised, and edited your work. Now let's give it one more look. Check your work Read through your work from start to finish Make any last minute changes you feel are necessary Go to a quiet place and read the entire paper out loud

8. andto sum up butbecause orto sum up whileconsequently althoughfirst unlikenext whilesometimes howeversurely in other wordson the other hand Transitional words are used to show how ideas are connected. Transitions take your reader from one thought to another. More importantly, if you don't make connections between your ideas, the reader will probably insert their own thoughts—not always a good idea. In persuasive writing, it's important that you lead the reader in the direction you want them to go—don't allow them to make their own connections. Transitional words are very useful in persuasive writing because they help you show both sides of the arguments. Here's a list of commonly used transitional words and phrases:

9. 1.In an effort to cut down on discipline problems, our school has decided to require students to wear uniforms; most students are opposed to the idea. a. of course b. but 2.Many scholars believe that Amelia Earhardt was one of the most influential people in women's history; others feel that Susan B. Anthony played a more important role. a. unless b. however 3. The principal added additional detention time for students caught littering the school grounds; the campus became much cleaner almost overnight. a. consequently b. but 4. The Iditarod ( an annual long-distance sled dog race run in early March from Anchorage to Nome) can be a grueling race; the dogs sometimes run for hours at a time without a break. a. while b. for instance 5. Jacob can't seem to get enough sugar, he loves cookies and cupcakes. a. in particular b. similarly 6. The new highway is scheduled to go through our backyard; we've decided to move. a. therefore b. next Select the most appropriate transition word or phrase for each sentence.