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Introduction to Writing Basics

English

Persuasive Essay

1.8

TASK OVERVIEW

Don't you just love it when you can argue with someone and get them

to come around to your way of thinking? That's what a persuasive

essay is all about!

INSTRUCTIONS

Lesson One/Part One:

Why write to persuade?

The goal of "argument" is to win acceptance of your ideas when others, for whatever reason, don't agree with you.

(Even good people don't always agree on what is right or fair.) Would there ever be true progress in our society if everyone always

agreed? The point of a persuasive paper is not to show how mad we are. The argument itself makes us take a closer look at our own and

others' ideas more carefully. Writing a persuasive paper helps us to look at evidence, state ideas more clearly, to consider the claims

of the opposition fairly, and to justify our own position.

What is the goal of your paper?

Spend some time thinking about the topic for your persuasive paper. A persuasive paper works best when there is a disagreement of

some sort; a wrong that needs "righting". If there is no disagreement, then there is no point to writing the argument!

Pre-Writing Assignment- Part One

Create a situation statement :

Purpose: I want to argue in favour of :_______________.(What do I hope to accomplish? Why is it important? What benefits would be

realized? What problems would be eliminated? What questions would be answered? How would other people be affected? What obstacles

must be overcome?)

About you: Why do you want to argue in favour of ________________? What makes your opinion important? How would the decision

affect you?

About your reader: I need to convince __________________________. (Who is the person that has the power to change the situation?

Why would they not want to listen to your idea?)

Just writing a situation statement helps you focus on your writing.

Here are some ideas to start with:

I want to argue for better lunches at school

I want to argue for longer recess.

I want to argue for less homework.

I want to argue to sit wherever I want in class.

I think we should be able to wear hats to school.

Lesson One/Part Two:

You have to convince your opposition!

In order to write an effective persuasive paper, you must anticipate and overcome objections that the opposition might raise.

In thinking about your opposition, ask yourself questions like the following:

* What will they say against my idea?

* How can I defend my idea against their arguments?

* Are there any of my points that they can easily attack?

* Can I see any weak links in the opposition's thinking?

Making a Pro/Con chart will help you identify areas that you can address in your paper. Here is a sample one for "I think the school

should serve better lunches"

For (Pro):

* Students will eat all of their lunches instead of throwing them away.

* Students learn better when they aren't hungry.

* Students will want to come to school for the good lunches.

Against (Con):

* Lunches would cost more money.

* If more people bought lunches, more people would need to be hired.

* Students only want junk food.

Pre-Writing Assignment- Part Two

Plotting your argument like this provides a balanced view of the issues. It allows you to see whether you have a chance of making your

case and helps you to anticipate crucial points that may determine your success or failure.

Don't try to look good by mentioning only weaker opposition arguments. When you work on the con side of the chart, try to see the

issue through the eyes of the opposition, and draw out the best arguments they could use against you. Then, when you've completed

your Pro and Con Chart, look back at your proposition to see if it needs revision. You might also begin thinking about how to refute the

opposition's arguments.

First Term Language Program