Persuasive Persuasive EssayEssay

Take out a piece of paper and Take out a piece of paper and take notestake notes

What is a persuasive What is a persuasive essay?essay?

The purpose of a persuasive The purpose of a persuasive essay is to convince or persuade essay is to convince or persuade the audience to do something or the audience to do something or think in a certain way. think in a certain way.

A persuasive essay gives reasons, A persuasive essay gives reasons, supported by facts and examples, to supported by facts and examples, to convince an audience to take a convince an audience to take a specific action. specific action.

Guidelines to follow when Guidelines to follow when writing a persuasive essaywriting a persuasive essay

State your stance/goal clearly.State your stance/goal clearly. Include at least three strong reasons that Include at least three strong reasons that

support the goal.support the goal. Support, or elaborate, each reason with facts Support, or elaborate, each reason with facts

and examples.and examples. Anticipate possible objections and answer themAnticipate possible objections and answer them Arrange your reasons in the most persuasive Arrange your reasons in the most persuasive

orderorder Use persuasive but polite languageUse persuasive but polite language End by summarizing your reasons and calling End by summarizing your reasons and calling

your audience to action. your audience to action.

What do we need to think What do we need to think about when writing an about when writing an

effective Persuasive essay?effective Persuasive essay?AudienceAudienceVoiceVoiceIntroductionIntroductionSupporting Supporting ParagraphsParagraphs

ConclusionConclusion

Where do we begin?Where do we begin?

Read the topic Read the topic Take a stanceTake a stance Brainstorm the issueBrainstorm the issue Have facts or supporting details to Have facts or supporting details to

substantiate your stance.substantiate your stance.

The ProblemThe Problem

At the last PTA (Parent Teacher Association) meeting, the following issues were discussed:

Illegal activity around our school at night

Recent shooting near the school Recent vandalism of school property

The SolutionThe Solution One way to solve the problem would be to One way to solve the problem would be to

persuade community leaders and the persuade community leaders and the Superintendent of CPS by writing letters to Superintendent of CPS by writing letters to him asking for money to buy the equipment him asking for money to buy the equipment needed to keep our school campus safe.needed to keep our school campus safe.

What equipment do you think our school What equipment do you think our school needs?needs?

The PromptThe Prompt Recently, there has been an increase in Recently, there has been an increase in

violence and vandalism in and around violence and vandalism in and around our school’s campus. Students have our school’s campus. Students have reported graffiti on school property and reported graffiti on school property and neighbors have reported suspicious neighbors have reported suspicious activity brought about by the lack of activity brought about by the lack of sufficient lighting on the school sufficient lighting on the school campus at night. Write a persuasive campus at night. Write a persuasive essay asking community leaders to essay asking community leaders to provide our schoolprovide our school with the necessary with the necessary tools to prevent violence and vandalism tools to prevent violence and vandalism in and around our schools campus.in and around our schools campus.

Timeline Timeline

Day 1- Go over prompt in class, brainstorm, begin your Day 1- Go over prompt in class, brainstorm, begin your graphic organizer in classgraphic organizer in class

Homework: Complete graphic organizerHomework: Complete graphic organizer Day 2- Look over graphic organizer with a partner and Day 2- Look over graphic organizer with a partner and

conference with Ms. Moon or Mrs. Hagyconference with Ms. Moon or Mrs. Hagy Homework: Write first draft of your essayHomework: Write first draft of your essay Day 3- Peer edit draft oneDay 3- Peer edit draft one Homework: Write second draftHomework: Write second draft Day 4- Conference with Ms. Moon or Mrs. HagyDay 4- Conference with Ms. Moon or Mrs. Hagy Homework: Write final draftHomework: Write final draft Day 5- Conference with Ms. Moon or Mrs. HagyDay 5- Conference with Ms. Moon or Mrs. Hagy Homework: Write final draftHomework: Write final draft Day 6- Turn in:Day 6- Turn in:

Graphic Organizer, draft one, draft two and final draft Graphic Organizer, draft one, draft two and final draft stapled together.stapled together.

Now…Now…

In groups, begin brainstorming, you In groups, begin brainstorming, you have 10 minuteshave 10 minutes

What did your group come up with?What did your group come up with? Begin working on your graphic Begin working on your graphic

organizerorganizer

Do you think people of all Do you think people of all ages should exercise?ages should exercise?

Persuasive ParagraphPersuasive Paragraph

1.1. Working with groups of no more than Working with groups of no more than four write a persuasive paragraph about four write a persuasive paragraph about why exercise is or is not important.why exercise is or is not important.

2.2. Generate a general statement Generate a general statement expressing your point of view.expressing your point of view.

3.3. Include two to three strong reasons to Include two to three strong reasons to support your stance. support your stance.

4.4. Wrap it up and share with the class. Wrap it up and share with the class.

The beginning….The beginning….

True or False – people who use graphic True or False – people who use graphic organizers create a better paper. Let’s talk organizers create a better paper. Let’s talk about graphic organizers. about graphic organizers.

True or False – people should do additional True or False – people should do additional research to further solidify their stanceresearch to further solidify their stance

True or False – students should write a True or False – students should write a draft, come back to it, revise the draft, draft, come back to it, revise the draft, repeat steps until complete. repeat steps until complete.

Next few slides deal withNext few slides deal with

Transition WordsTransition WordsIntroductionIntroductionConclusionConclusion

Transitional Transitional Words/PhrasesWords/Phrases

As you proceed through your text you As you proceed through your text you need to use transitions and links for need to use transitions and links for coherence. coherence.

Readers expect to move with ease from Readers expect to move with ease from one sentence to the other and from one sentence to the other and from one paragraph to the next…… one paragraph to the next……

Your document must “FLOW”.Your document must “FLOW”.

What is this? What is this?

Why reference a grasshopper? Why reference a grasshopper?

Do not force readers to grapple Do not force readers to grapple with “grasshopper prose,” with “grasshopper prose,” which jumps suddenly from which jumps suddenly from one idea to another without one idea to another without

obvious connections. obvious connections.

Your paper needs to flow. Your paper needs to flow.

Make your writing Make your writing coherent, with all the coherent, with all the

parts connecting clearly parts connecting clearly to one another with to one another with

transitional expressions, transitional expressions, context links, and word context links, and word

links. links.

Use connecting words Use connecting words like like thisthis, , thatthat, , thesethese,, and and thosethose to refer to to refer to something mentioned something mentioned

at the end of the at the end of the previous sentence or previous sentence or

paragraph.paragraph.

Transitional ExpressionsTransitional Expressions

Adding an ideaAdding an idea::

also, in addition, also, in addition, further , furthermore, further , furthermore, moreovermoreover

Contrasting:Contrasting:

however, nevertheless, however, nevertheless, nonetheless, on the nonetheless, on the other hand, in other hand, in contrast, still, rather, contrast, still, rather, converselyconversely

Showing time order:Showing time order:

later, subsequently, later, subsequently, meanwhile, meanwhile, previously, finallypreviously, finally

Showing result:Showing result:

consequently, consequently, therefore, thus, therefore, thus, hence, accordingly, hence, accordingly, for this reason, as a for this reason, as a resultresult

More of the same…More of the same…

AffirmingAffirming::

of course, in fact, of course, in fact, certainly, obviously, to certainly, obviously, to be sure, undoubtedly, be sure, undoubtedly, indeedindeed

Giving ExamplesGiving Examples::

for example, for instancefor example, for instance

((Google: 323,000 hitsGoogle: 323,000 hits))

Adding an asideAdding an aside::

Incidentally, by the Incidentally, by the way, besidesway, besides

Summarizing:Summarizing:

In short, generally, In short, generally, overall, all in all, in overall, all in all, in conclusionconclusion

Last year we mentionedLast year we mentioned

Transitional Transitional Phrases:Phrases:

Page 501Page 501

Qualifiers –Qualifiers – Almost, often, Almost, often,

usually, some, usually, some, maybe, most, maybe, most, probably in most probably in most casescases

Concessions: Concessions: even though, while it even though, while it

is true that, I agree is true that, I agree that, admittedly, I that, admittedly, I cannot argue with, cannot argue with, grantedgranted

Transitional wordsTransitional words::therefore, thus, therefore, thus,

another, besides, another, besides, better ,best, better ,best, strongest strongest

Do not overkill the use of Do not overkill the use of transitions. transitions.

Too many of them, used too often, Too many of them, used too often, give writing a heavy and give writing a heavy and mechanical flavor. mechanical flavor.

It is all about the flow, organization, It is all about the flow, organization, and integration of your paper. and integration of your paper.

The IntroductionThe Introduction Imagine you are at a party and a Imagine you are at a party and a

random person walks up to you and random person walks up to you and says, says, “Capital punishment (death “Capital punishment (death penalty) should be abolished penalty) should be abolished immediately.”immediately.” You are surprised. You are surprised. You wonder where this position You wonder where this position came from and why you are being came from and why you are being challenged with it. Maybe you think challenged with it. Maybe you think the person is strange, pushy, and the person is strange, pushy, and why in the world did he target you. why in the world did he target you.

Now imagine a reader picking Now imagine a reader picking up a piece of your writing. up a piece of your writing.

Just like people at a party, Just like people at a party, readers need to know about readers need to know about the issue. the issue.

Here are a few key points……Here are a few key points……

How to Write a Good How to Write a Good Introduction Introduction

1.1. Do not assume your reader knows Do not assume your reader knows your assigned your assigned prompt/topic/question. prompt/topic/question.

2.2. Provide context and background Provide context and background information to set up your topic. information to set up your topic. Lead readers to expect a statement Lead readers to expect a statement of your point of view.of your point of view.

4.4. Establish the tone from the Establish the tone from the onset of the paper: informative, onset of the paper: informative, persuasivepersuasive, serious, personal, , serious, personal, informal.informal.

5.5. Engage the readers’ interest; Engage the readers’ interest; provide a hook (attention provide a hook (attention grabber) that will make the grabber) that will make the readers want to continue readers want to continue reading. reading.

What to AvoidWhat to Avoid

1.1. Avoid becoming overly general and telling Avoid becoming overly general and telling readers the obvious, such as “Crime is a readers the obvious, such as “Crime is a big problem” or “In this fast-paced world, big problem” or “In this fast-paced world, TV is a popular form of entertainment”.TV is a popular form of entertainment”.

2.2. Do not refer to your writing intentions – Do not refer to your writing intentions – “In this essay, I will….” Do not make “In this essay, I will….” Do not make extravagant claims, such as “This essay extravagant claims, such as “This essay will prove that bilingual education works will prove that bilingual education works for every student.” for every student.”

3.3. Do not restate the assigned essay Do not restate the assigned essay question. question.

What is the Hook?What is the Hook?

Surprising Surprising statisticsstatistics

A pithy quotationA pithy quotation

An unusual factAn unusual fact

A relevant A relevant anecdoteanecdote

A challenging A challenging questionquestion

Interesting Interesting background detailsbackground details

An intriguing An intriguing opinion statement. opinion statement.

ConclusionConclusionThink of your conclusion as Think of your conclusion as

completing a circle. completing a circle.

You have taken your readers on a You have taken your readers on a journey from the presentation of the journey from the presentation of the topic in your introduction, to your topic in your introduction, to your thesis, to supporting evidence and thesis, to supporting evidence and discussion including specific discussion including specific examples. examples.

Remind readers the purpose of your Remind readers the purpose of your journey. Recall the main idea of the journey. Recall the main idea of the paper and make a strong statement paper and make a strong statement about it. Leave the readers feeling about it. Leave the readers feeling complete with a full understanding complete with a full understanding of the topic. of the topic.

Key Points for a Key Points for a ConclusionConclusion

1.1. Include a summary of the points Include a summary of the points you have made, but keep it short you have made, but keep it short and use fresh wording.and use fresh wording.

2.2. Frame your essay by reminding the Frame your essay by reminding the reader of something you referred reader of something you referred to in your introduction and by to in your introduction and by reminding the reader of your reminding the reader of your “topic”. “topic”.

3.3. End on a strong note: a End on a strong note: a quotation, a question, a quotation, a question, a suggestion, a reference to an suggestion, a reference to an anecdote in the introduction, anecdote in the introduction, a humorous and insightful a humorous and insightful comment, a call to action, or comment, a call to action, or a look to the future. a look to the future.