A persuasive essay is one that aims to convince the reader of a particular idea or focus, usually something you believe in. A persuasive essay can be based on anything you have an opinion about. Whether you're arguing about junk food at school or petitioning for a promotion from your boss, persuasive essays are a skill everyone should know.
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Part 1 of 4: Writing Persuasively
Step 1. Choose a strong and defensible stance for your thesis statement
A thesis statement is an argument that is summarized into one sentence. A persuasive essay thesis statement must have a strong and active attitude towards the issues discussed. Don't try to play both sides and be wishy-washy -- that won't convince anyone.
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Well:
"Affirmative action will alienate minorities and make them "powerless", making the best minds unable to occupy the best positions, and therefore must be discarded."
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Bad:
"Affirmative action does help many minority groups, but at the same time it hurts some others."
- You can also convince others to be open-minded. By stating “affirmative action is a biased issue and should be examined carefully, not completely dismissed or pursued,” you will still appear to have a strong and defensible stance.
Step 2. Use a clear and purposeful topic sentence to start each paragraph
Think of the beginning of the paragraph as a small thesis statement so that your argument can flow cohesively. Build your argument gradually so the reader doesn't get confused.
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Well:
"The destruction of the world's tropical rainforests also destroys the enormous potential for discovering medical and scientific breakthroughs in mysterious and diverse ecosystems."
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Well:
"Tropical rainforests are home to a large number of plants and animals that may have medical and scientific benefits -- benefits that will be lost if we continue to destroy forests."
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Bad:
"Destroying tropical rainforests is not a good thing."
Step 3. Gather facts and references to support your claim
The best guide to this is having a backer if your claim or focus doesn't make much sense. But the best way to do this is the other way around. Let the supporting evidence lead to your argument so as to bring the reader to agree with the idea.
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Well:
Recent polls show that 51% of young white millennials believe they experience discrimination as a minority group. They may believe in racial equality, but they also believe they have found it.
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Well:
“Equality and freedom are not only good for individuals, but also for society. Furthermore, the lack of freedom is considered a “source of deviation and moral decay” for all those involved, and prevents “truly important improvements…. of social conditions.” human race. (Mill, 98).
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Bad:
"The prison system has kept criminals and dangerous drugs from roaming the streets, and America really is safer because of that." This claim is meaningless unless you provide supporting facts.
Step 4. Keep your sentences short and to the point
Just convey one idea or argument in each sentence. Your goal is for the reader to be able to build their argument logically, but this is impossible if they get caught up in the complexities of words.
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Well:
Although the founders of the United States of America were intellectuals, the majority of its people cannot be said to be. Education was once the privilege of the wealthy, and was achieved through expensive private schools or tutors. In the early 1800s, Horace Mann of Massachusetts dedicated himself to improving the situation.
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Well:
Public education is no longer a priority in this country. Currently only 2% of the tax is allocated to schools. It is clear that we must find a way to increase the education budget if we are to see real improvements in the education system.
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Bad:
The United States was not an educated nation back then, as education was once considered a privilege of the rich, so in the early 1800's Horace Mann decided to try and fix things.
Step 5. Use a variety of persuasion techniques to attract readers
The art of convincing has been studied since ancient Greece. While mastering it fully may take a lifetime, learning the tricks and tools will help you become a better writer almost instantly. For example, in a paper about allowing Syrian refugees, you could use:
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Repetition:
Keep submitting your thesis. Tell them what you're saying, say it again, then say what's been said. Eventually they will understand it.
Example: Time and again, statistics don't lie -- we have to open our doors to help refugees
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Social Validation:
Your quote will reinforce that you are not the only one who thinks this way. With quotes people will be told that if they want to be considered socially appropriate, they have to take your point of view into account.
Example: "Let us not forget the words engraved on our greatest national monument, the Statue of Liberty, which cry out to us, "Give me the weary, poor, and cramped people who long to breathe the air of freedom.” There is no reason why the Syrians should not be included."
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Problem Agitation:
Before offering a solution, tell the reader how bad the situation is. Give them a reason to care about your opinion.
Example: “More than 100 million refugees have been driven from their homes. President Assad has not only stolen power, he has also attacked his own citizens with gas and bombs. humans, and their people have no other choice but to flee."
Step 6. Communicate with authority and firmness
You have to sound like an expert, and you have to be trustworthy. Eliminate small talk and wishy-washy phrases in order to appear authoritative.
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Well:
"Science has shown time and time again that arctic drilling is dangerous. Not worth the environmental or economic risks."
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Well:
"Without forcing ourselves to be energy independent, both in the arctic and elsewhere, we are opening ourselves up to the dangerous dependence that drastically raised gas prices in the '80s."
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Bad:
"Arctic drilling may not be perfect, but it could help us stop using foreign oil at some point."
Step 7. Challenge your readers
Persuasion is an attempt to overturn generally accepted thinking and force the reader to reevaluate it.
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Well:
Does anyone think that ruining a person's grades in one semester, or at least his chance to go abroad, is a victimless crime? Is it fair that we actively promote drinking as a trusted alternative and have no impact through outreach activities on campus? How long can we argue that “just because it's safer than alcohol doesn't mean we should legalize it,” ignoring the fact that the worst effects of drugs are not physical or chemical, but institutional?
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Well:
We all want less crime, stronger families, and fewer drug-related confrontations. We have to ask ourselves if we are willing to challenge the status quo to get these results.
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Bad:
This policy makes us look stupid. This is a policy that is not based on facts, and those who believe in it are at best delusional, and at worst, criminals.
Step 8. Accept, and deny, the arguments against you
While most essays should contain your own arguments, you can strengthen your arguments by emphasizing and refuting the arguments against yours.
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Well:
It is true that firearms can be used to protect yourself from various threats. But it's been proven time and time again that the chances of you hurting yourself with the weapon outweigh its potential to protect.
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Well:
Although accidents at home due to firearms do happen, the government is not responsible for keeping everyone from themselves. If they really want to hurt him, that's their right.
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Bad:
The only obvious solution is to ban firearms. All other opinions are not worth considering.
Part 2 of 4: Laying the Grounds
Step 1. Read the instructions carefully
In many cases, you will get a special assignment for your persuasive essay. It is important that you read the instructions carefully and thoroughly.
- Look for words that will give you a clue as to whether what you are going to write is purely a persuasive essay or an argumentative essay. For example, if the instructions use words like “personal experience” or “personal observation,” you'll know they can be used to support your argument.
- On the other hand, words like “stand by” or “speak your opinion” indicate that you should write an argumentative essay, which may require more formal and less personal evidence.
- If you're not sure what to write, ask your instructor.
Step 2. Give yourself time
If you can, take the time to craft an argument that you'll enjoy writing about. A rushed essay probably won't convince anyone.
If possible, start early. This way, even in the event of an emergency such as a computer crash, you'll have enough time to finish writing your essay
Step 3. Examine the rhetorical situation
Every piece of writing has five basic elements, namely the text (here, the essay), the author (you), the reader, the purpose of the communication, and the setting.
- The text should be clear and supported by evidence (and a considerate opinion, if allowed).
- You should always add rhetorical questions to your persuasive text, for example, how would you feel if someone polluted your house with garbage?, Would you like it if someone polluted your house and so on. Rhetorical questions are the kind of questions that don't need to be answered.
- Opinions are a good way to convince someone, and examples of opinions include “I believe dogs are better than cats” or “Village life is better than city life,” and so on.
- As a writer you must maintain credibility by conducting the necessary research, asserting claims, and providing reasonable arguments that do not distort facts or situations.
- The purpose of this essay communication is to convince the reader that your views on a particular topic are the most correct.
- There are various background circumstances. In many ways, the background is the classwork you submit to get grades.
Step 4. Understand the terms of a persuasive essay
Unless the instructions or assignments state otherwise, you should follow some basic rules of writing a persuasive essay.
- Persuasive essays, like argumentative essays, use “rhetorical devices” to persuade their readers. In a persuasive essay, you are usually more free to make emotional touches (pathos), in addition to logic and data (logos) and credibility (ethos).
- You should use different types of evidence carefully when writing a persuasive essay. Logical approaches such as presenting data, facts, and various types of “hard” evidence are often very convincing to the reader.
- Usually a persuasive essay has a very clear thesis statement so that your opinion or “side” can be known up front. This will help the reader to be clear about your argument.
Step 5. Consider your audience
What can convince one person may not convince another. For this reason, it's important to consider who your essay is targeting. Obviously, your instructor is the main reader of the essay, but also consider who else you might be able to convince with your argument.
For example, if you are arguing against unhealthy school lunches, you may take a very different approach depending on who you want to convince. Perhaps the target audience is school administrators, which in this context you can display about student productivity and healthy food. If you are targeting parents, you may be talking about their children's health and the potential health costs of treating health problems caused by unhealthy eating. If you are considering the “grassroots” movement among your fellow students, you may be touching on aspects of their personal preferences
Step 6. Consider the topic
There may be a specific topic assigned to you. But if you choose your own topic, there are a few things to consider:
Step 7. Emotional language will make people regret something or feel guilty
For example, “Think of the miserable and helpless animals that have to suffer from our waste.”
- Pick up something that interests you. Because persuasive essays often rely heavily on emotional approaches, you should choose to write something that you really have an opinion about. Choose a subject that you have strong feelings for and can argue convincingly about.
- Look for topics that have depth or complexity. You may feel like you really love pizza, but it can be hard to come up with a compelling essay about it. Subjects that interest you but have depth-such as animal abuse or government-related ones-are a better choice of material.
- Begin to consider opposing points of view when thinking about your essay. If you're having trouble coming up with arguments against your topic, it could be that your opinion isn't controversial enough to make a persuasive essay. On the other hand, if there are so many arguments against your opinion that they are difficult to refute, you may want to choose a topic that is easier to prove.
- Make sure you can stay balanced. A good persuasive essay will weigh the counter arguments and find a way to convince the reader that the opinion presented in the essay is the better one. Be sure to choose a topic that you are fully prepared for and can weigh the magic arguments fairly. (For this reason, the topic of religion is usually not a good idea to write a persuasive essay because you can hardly convince people to go against their own religious beliefs.)
- Keep your focus manageable. Your essay should be fairly short, between 5 paragraphs to a few pages, but you should keep your focus narrow so you can adequately explore the topic. For example, an essay trying to convince the reader that war is wrong is unlikely to work, because the topic is too big. Picking a smaller topic -- say the drone strike was wrong -- will give you more time to dig deeper into the evidence.
Step 8. Submit a thesis statement
The thesis statement expresses your opinion or argument in clear language. This statement is usually placed at the end of the introductory paragraph. For persuasive essays in particular, it is important to present your argument in clear language so that readers know exactly what they are expecting.
- The thesis statement should also show the organization of your essay. Don't list your points in one order and discuss them in a different order.
- For example, a thesis statement would look like this, “Even though food that has been prepared and processed before being sold is cheap, such food is not healthy for students. It is important for schools to provide students with fresh and healthy food, even if it costs more.”
- Keep in mind that this thesis statement is not a three-pronged thesis. You are not required to submit all of the subpoints in your thesis (unless your instructions or assignments state so). You "really" have to explain your point of view exactly.
Step 9. Brainstorm your evidence
Once the topic is selected, prepare as much as possible before you write your essay. This means that you should investigate why you have that opinion and the evidence that you find most interesting.
- A mind map might help. Start with the main topic and draw a box around it. Then, stack other ideas with little bubbles around them. Connect the bubbles to reveal patterns and identify how the ideas relate to one another.
- Don't worry if your idea is completely clear. Generating ideas is the most important step here.
Step 10. Do some research if needed
If the idea is complete, you may find that some ideas require research to back them up. Doing research before you start “writing” the essay will make the writing process go smoothly.
- For example, if you think about healthier lunches at school, you can point out that fresh, natural foods taste better. This is a personal opinion that requires no research to back it up. However, if you want to argue that fresh food has more vitamins and nutrients than processed food, you need reliable sources to back up that claim.
- If a librarian can help, consult him! Librarians are a great resource to help you do credible research.
Part 3 of 4: Drafting an Essay
Step 1. Outline the essay
Usually persuasive essays have a very clear format, which helps you present your argument in a clear and interesting way. Here are the elements of a persuasive essay:
- Introduction. You have to present a “hook” that will grab the reader's attention. You should also provide a thesis statement, which is a clear statement of your opinion or an attempt to convince the reader.
- Body paragraph. In an essay containing 5 paragraphs, there are 3 body paragraphs. In other essays you can create as many paragraphs as needed to convey your argument. Regardless of the number, each body paragraph should focus on one main idea and provide supporting evidence. These paragraphs also serve to refute any opposing opinions you may find.
- Conclusion. The conclusion is to tie everything together. It may include an emotional touch, a rehash of the most compelling evidence, or an extension of the relevance of your original idea to a wider context. Since your goal is to “convince” the reader to do/think something, end with a call to action.
Step 2. Make a hook
The hook is the first sentence that draws the reader into the reading. Hooks can be questions or quotes, facts or anecdotes, definitions or humorous sketches. As long as it makes the reader want to continue reading, or prepares them to read, you've made a good hook.
- For example, you could start an essay on the importance of finding alternative energy sources by writing, "Imagine a world without polar bears." It's a sharp sentence, which draws on something that many readers (polar bears) are familiar with and enjoy. The sentence also encourages readers to keep reading in order to find out "why" they have to imagine such a world.
- When compiling an essay, you may not find this "hook" right away. However, don't get stuck at this step! You can come back and add them later after you've written your draft essay.
Step 3. Write the opening
Many believe that the opening is the most important part of an essay, because it will make the reader interested or not interested in reading it anymore. A good opening will tell enough about your essay that the reader is interested and wants to continue reading it.
- Put the hook at the beginning. Then, continue to move from general ideas to specific ideas until you have finished creating a thesis statement.
- Don't neglect the thesis statement. The thesis statement is a brief summary of your opinion. It usually consists of one sentence and is located at the end of the introductory paragraph. Make your thesis the most convincing combination of arguments, or one strong argument, for the best impact.
Step 4. Arrange the body paragraph structure
Write at least three paragraphs as the body of the essay. Each paragraph should include one main idea that relates to one part of your argument. The body paragraph is to justify your opinion and explain the evidence. Keep in mind that if you don't present evidence, your argument may not be very convincing.
- Start with a clear topic sentence to introduce the main idea of your paragraph.
- Make your evidence clear and precise. For example, don't simply state, “Dolphins are very intelligent animals. This animal is widely known as an extraordinarily intelligent creature." But say, “Dolphins are very intelligent animals. Various studies have shown that dolphins can work together with humans to catch prey. If anything, very few species have developed a mutualistic symbiotic relationship with humans.”
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Agreed facts and come from reliable sources make people see them as something that can be believed. If possible, use a variety of facts from different points of view to support an argument.
- "The southern region, which accounts for 80% of all death sentences in the United States, still has the highest homicide rate nationally. This rejects the notion that the death penalty is a deterrent."
- "Conversely, states that don't have the death penalty have lower homicide rates. If the death penalty is a deterrent, why don't we see an "increase" of homicides in states that don't enforce the death penalty?"
- Consider the flow of your body paragraphs together. You have to make sure that the arguments presented can be perceived as a mutually reinforcing whole, not as mutually exclusive.
Step 5. Use the last sentence of each body paragraph as a transition to the next paragraph
For flow to form in your essay, there must be a natural transition from the end of one paragraph to the beginning of the next. Consider the following example:
- The end of the first paragraph: "If the death penalty continues to fail to prevent crime, and crime continues to increase, what happens when someone gets the wrong sentence?"
- Beginning of second paragraph: "More than 100 wrong-convicted death row convicts were acquitted of their charges, some just minutes before their death sentences were carried out."
Step 6. Add a rebuttal or counter argument
You are not required to do this, but your essay can be stronger with it. Think of one or two of the strongest opposing arguments and come up with counter arguments to refute them.
- Example: "Critics of the policy of allowing students to bring snacks into the classroom say that it will distract them a lot, reducing their ability to learn. However, consider the fact that schoolchildren are in rapid growth. Their bodies need energy and their minds may be exhausted. if they don't eat anything for too long. Allowing snacks in the classroom will actually increase their ability to focus by eliminating the distraction of hunger."
- Starting a paragraph with counter arguments followed by your own rebuttals and arguments may also be effective.
Step 7. Write your conclusion at the very end of the essay
In general, it's a good idea to restate the main ideas and end the paper as a whole with an interesting thought. If readers won't forget it easily, the essay will stay with them longer. Don't just restate your theses, think about how you left them. Consider the following:
- How can this argument be applied to a wider context?
- Why does this argument or opinion matter to me?
- What follow-up questions arise from my argument?
- What actions can readers take after reading my essay?
Part 4 of 4: Brushing up on the Essay
Step 1. Take a day or two without looking at the essay
It will not be difficult to do this if it is planned well in advance. Then, come back to your essay after a day or two and check it. You will look fresher and it will help to spot errors. Language or ideas that are difficult and need time to improve may be addressed in the future.
Step 2. Read the concept
A common mistake for most writing students is not taking enough time to reread initial concepts. Read your essay from start to finish. Consider the following:
- Does this essay convey his position clearly?
- Is this position fully supported by evidence and examples?
- Is the paragraph filled with unrelated information? Do the paragraphs focus on one main idea?
- Are the counter arguments presented fairly without any distortion? Has it been refuted convincingly?
- Do the paragraphs flow in a logical order and build the argument step by step?
- Does the conclusion explain the importance of the attitude of the essay and encourage the reader to do/think something?
Step 3. Make any necessary revisions
Revisions are more than simple corrections to text. It could be that you need to adjust the transition, move paragraphs so that the flow is better, or even draft new paragraphs whose evidence is more current and interesting. Be willing to make even major changes to improve your essay.
It might help you to ask a trusted friend or classmate to look at your essay. If he has trouble understanding your argument or finds things unclear, focus his revision on these points
Step 4. Make corrections to the reading carefully
Use the spell checker on your computer to check the spelling of words (if possible). Read the essay aloud, reading it exactly the same as the text. Doing so will help you find errors that need to be corrected.
- It can be helpful to print out a draft essay and then mark it with a pen or pencil. When writing on a computer your eyes will become so used to reading things that you think you've already written that you'll miss mistakes. Using a physical copy will force you to pay attention in a new way.
- Be sure to apply the correct format to your essay. For example, many instructors specify the width of the paper border and the typeface that should be used.
Tips
- Use clear and precise language.
- If you want to convince someone, you need a lot of writing techniques.
- Use alliteration. Alliteration is a sentence whose words start with the same letter, for example: All of Sarah's siblings like vegetables and chili sauce.
- Make sure you're on the clear side of the argument when it comes to arguments, don't move around or contradict each other on your own.
- Read other persuasive texts to get an idea of what language to use.
- Make sure each sentence is meaningful. Adding an extra sentence doesn't mean it will make your idea clear. Keep your essay clear and short.
- Avoid using personal pronouns like “I” or “you”. This can take away the professional impression from your writing.
- Be aware of the possibility of counter arguments against your opinion. You must have a plan ahead of disagreements. Therefore, write down the general counter opinion and make a rebuttal.
- Many writers are helped by writing body paragraphs at the beginning and opening and concluding paragraphs at the end. If you get stuck at any step in this process, continue writing and come back the next time.
