1. Persuasive Essay

2. Goal: to convince your readers to agree with your opinion on an issue that concerns you What is an issue? A subject about which people disagree Choose an issue that has an impact on your life as well as the lives of others When looking for an issue, ask: Is it debatable? Will people disagree about it? Do I have strong feelings about the issue? Would other people have strong feelings about the issue?

3. Brainstorming! IssueIs this issue debatable? Do I have strong feelings about this issue? Would other people have strong feelings about the issue? Banning students from wearing backpacks to class Yes. Some think banning them would make school safer, but it would cause students to go to class without everything they need. Not really. I always leave my backpack in my locker. Yes. When the principle mentioned banning them, many of my classmates complained.

4. Thesis Statement Tells both the issue and your point of view on it. Example: Issue: starting a paper-recycling program at our school +Point of view: We need to start one Thesis statement: The school should start a paper-recycling program.

5. Identify Your Audience What type of people make up my audience How does this group feel about the issue? What objections might this group have to my opinion?

6. Evaluate and Support Reasons A good persuasive essay is like sturdy house; both rely on strong support to stand. To build a strong persuasive essay, we need to appeal to the reader’s common sense by making a logical appeal.  Reason  Evidence

7. Reasons Answer the question “why?” It is the explanation behind an argument. Use resources!  books  magazines  newspapers  web sites Make sure your reasons appeal to your audience

8. Evidence Writers should use strong evidence to back up each reason. Types of evidence:  Fact – statement that can be proven true  Statistics – a fact in number form  Anecdotes and examples  Expert opinion

9. Example Thesis The school should start a paper-recycling program. ReasonA paper-recycling program can help conserve our forests EvidenceThe school uses about six tons of paper a year.

10. Outline Format I.Introduction (with thesis as last sentence) II.Body (Reason #1) A. Supporting Detail (fact/evidence/expert opinion, etc.) B.Supporting Detail C.Supporting Detail III.Body (Reason #2) A. Supporting Detail (fact/evidence/expert opinion, etc.) B. Supporting Detail IV.Body (Reason #3) A. Supporting Detail (fact/evidence/expert opinion, etc.) B. Supporting Detail V.Conclusion (with concluding statement)

11. Outline I.Introduction A.The school should start a paper recycling program. II.A paper recycling program can help conserve our forests. (reason) A.A ton of paper from recycled material saves about seventeen trees a year (evidence) B.The school uses about six tons of paper a year. (evidence) III.Recycling paper is easy and inexpensive. A.… B.…

12. Plagiarism to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own All of the following are considered plagiarism:* turning in someone else's work as your own copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit Failing to put a quotation in quotation marks giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit or not (see our section on "fair use" rules) *http://www.plagiarism.org/learning_center/what_is_plagiarism.html

13. Plagiarism Two Basic Rules* If you use someone else’s words, data, etc., use quotation marks and give a complete reference. If you borrow someone else’s ideas, give a complete reference. http://www.uottawa.ca/plagiarism.pdf

14. Works Cited (MLA Format) 1.Little, Paul. Know Why You Believe. Boston: Zondervan, 1967. 2.Roberts, Maria. “Steroids in MLB.” Baseball Monthly Mar. 2001: 14+. Last Name, First NameTitle, underlined Publishing location and publisher Book: Magazine: (monthly) Publication date Last Name, First NameArticle title, in quotations Magazine namePublishing DatePage #

15. Works Cited (MLA Format) 1.Roberts, Maria. “Steroids in MLB.” Baseball Weekly 16 Mar. 2001: 14-17. 2.New International Version. Chicago: Zondervan, 1999. Last Name, First NameTitle, italicized Bible: Magazine: (weekly) Bible translation Magazine namePublishing DatePage # Publishing location and publisher Publication date

16. Works Cited (MLA Format) “Abraham Lincoln.” Encarta. 16 th ed. Vol 6 2002. What if the encyclopedia is online? “Abraham Lincoln.” Microsoft Encarta. <http://www.encarta.com/usa/ presidents/lincoln.html>. Article name Encyclopedia: (or dictionary) Encyclopedia nameEdition Publication date

17. Works Cited (MLA Format) 1.NBA.com. 2 April 2008. NBA Media Ventures. 6 April 2008. <http://www.nba.com/playerfile/ tracy_mcgrady/index.html> 2. Waller, Kara. “Race Relations in Florida.” Newsweek. 3 Dec. 2001. 15 Mar. 2008. <http://www.newsweek.com/id/19482>. Website name Website: (professional) Date postedSponsoring organization Website: (periodical) Web addressAuthorTitle, quotations Magazine name Date posted Date accessed Web address