Persuasive Writing Writing to persuade or convince the reader.

Have you ever been asked to give your opinion on something? Every day we deal with controversial issues and situations in which we can voice our opinion on a topic. Sometimes it is in simple, every day things like convincing a friend to go to the movies instead of the game; or persuading a teacher to consider moving a test date; or negotiating with your parents to give you an increase in your allowance. Sometimes the issues are very important things such as convincing the school board to change a policy; or persuading your town to build a recycling plant; or convincing an employer to hire you. When we want to persuade or convince others to consider our opinion, we are using persuasive techniques.

The most important persuasive techniques include the following: *consider both sides of the issue In persuasion, being a good negotiator is important. Think of times you tried to convince your parents or friends of something. As a teenager, tantrums do not work! Seeing both sides of the issue is both important and effective. Communicating this in your writing is also important and effective; it makes your persuasion skills stronger! *give strong, believable information to convince others As you prepare a persuasive piece of writing, first brainstorm reasons why you feel the way you do. Choose your three strongest reasons for your essay. Each one will be explained and elaborated on in a body paragraph of your essay.

PERSUASIVE ESSAY MAP Introduction Include a thesis that clearly states your opinion. Reason #1 with explanation and detail Reason #2 with explanation and detail Reason #3 with explanation and detail Opposition S tate an opposing opinion but refute it. Conclusion

When given the task of preparing a persuasive presentation, brainstorming is important. Let’s say the topic is recycling plastic. Each issue has two sides—pro and con. Pro is for and con is against. State your side of an issue clearly. PRO: People need to recycle plastic. CON: People do not need to recycle plastic. I am on the PRO side, so next I brainstorm reasons people need to recycle. People need to recycle plastic to reduce garbage. People need to recycle to save money. People need to recycle to protect the environment. My essay’s thesis sentence is generated from these ideas. The best place for the thesis is the end of my introduction paragraph. Once I introduce my topic and give some background info on the topic, I clearly state my thesis sentence. THESIS: People need to recycle plastic to reduce garbage, save money, and protect the environment..

The PRO statements I brainstormed become the topic sentence for each of my three main body paragraphs. I continue each paragraph with explanation and details to support each statement. People should recycle plastic because it would reduce garbage, save money and protect our environment. One reason people should recycle plastic is because it would reduce garbage. A second reason to recycle plastic is because it would save money. Finally, recycling plastic would help protect our environment.

What types of supporting information can a writer give? The type of supporting information a writer gives depends on the situation. If I am writing the essay as a prompt assignment, I may not be able to use any resources and may not have the opportunity or the time to do research. In that case, the support Information is simply based on my own knowledge and experience. If, however, I have the time, the strongest support information will come from research. Some of the possibilities for supporting information include the following: -statistics -quotes from experts -examples -referencing other research results -evidence I may be able to gather

Students often confuse the purpose of the opposition paragraph. Its purpose is to simply mention a reason people may be on the opposite side. What I want to do is make my argument stronger by refuting the opposition, or more simply, explain why they are wrong and I am right! Some people may say we should not recycle because it takes too much time to separate the garbage. While it does take time both to separate the plastic and time to take the items to a recycle drop-off, the few minutes of time can have a huge impact on protecting our environment. Separating the garbage really is not that difficult. Families could have a container specifically for plastic and place empty containers in as they are used. In some areas, the plastic items are picked up by a recycling company. Even if the items need to be taken to a recycle center, doing this will help our environment.

Finally, my essay will end with a conclusion paragraph. This is the writer’s last chance to make an impression upon the reader. I want to effectively summarize what I have presented in the essay, and close with a statement that restates my thesis. REMEMBER, the purpose of the persuasive essay is to make your readers agree with you. To write a good persuasive essay: *Clearly express your claim in the introduction. *Brainstorm and use your three strongest points. Write a separate body paragraph for each. Explain and give details. *Include recognition of the opposing view, but counter that with your reasoning. *A good conclusion paragraph helps a persuasive essay. Restate your claim and summarize your information.

A thesis sentence for a persuasive essay has two components: Clearly state your position / list your three reasons. EXAMPLE: Students should not be allowed to have cell phones in the classroom because phones cause distraction, increase the possibility of cheating, and lead to bullying.

The importance of the thesis sentence cannot be overstated. A well-written thesis makes the writing purpose clear and previews information that will be presented in the essay. Look at the two thesis samples below. One is for an informative essay while the other is for a persuasive essay. EXAMPLES: A cell phone is a hand-held piece of technology that allows people to search for information, to store information, and to communicate with others. Students should not be allowed to have cell phones in the classroom because phones cause distraction, increase the possibility of cheating, and lead to bullying.

Whether evaluating arguments or writing our own essays, it is necessary for us to recognize the components of effective argument / persuasion. *consider the issue carefully *clearly state your claim (thesis) *support your claim effectively *anticipate (address…acknowledge) the opposition / include rebuttal *organize your information into a well-written essay

rebut (v) -to contradict or oppose by formal argument, plea, or contrary proof -to expose the falsity of synonym—refute rebuttal (n) -argument or proof that contradicts or opposes

Position: Middle school teachers should not give homework. Reason #1: time consuming Reason #2: stress Reason #3: negative impact on grade Opposition: Teachers may say that they need to give homework because it will give students practice with the topics covered in class. However, in school students have resources available when the work is confusing. For example, they can ask the teacher or work with a classmate. If the student is expected to do the work at home, he/she does not have those resources for help if the work is too difficult. The student may not be able to complete the work without the assistance they have in school.