26-Line Persuasive Essay Tips and Tricks for a Great Score Benchmark : February STAAR : April 1st

1/23 – Persuasive Writing Create three columns in your journal KNOW WANT to know LEARNED Bullet information you know about persuasive writing Bullet information you WANT to know about persuasive writing Save this for what you have learned

What are the elements of a persuasive essay? Hook Thesis Example Analysis Concession Refutation Call to Action

Keep this in mind… Good writing starts with good thinking. So pre-write! Quality > quantity EXPLAIN yourself CLEARLY Assume your reader has NO IDEA what you’re writing about! Being vague/general = low score ALWAYS revise and edit your writing.

Persuasive Essay Writing Purpose: to persuade. Your essay must center around a CLEAR position. You don’t have to be an expert in anything or have specific background knowledge to do well. Use detailed, specific examples to support your thinking. Use a concession and a refutation! You may write in 1st (“I”) or 3rd (“They/he/she”) person as long as your writing is PERSUASIVE.

HOOK Startling Statement Thematic Statement All human being are capable of the most gruesome crimes imaginable. It is only because of the customs and controls of civilization that people do not become savages. Thematic Statement It is not the absence of fear that defines courage, but the ability of one to force onself to take action in spite of fear. Embedded quote that relates to the topic of your paper Nelson Mandela once gave an insightful speech where he explained that “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”

Transition This is a common misconception… While that may be true…. Mandela accurately pointed out… This applies to….. (connect it to the topic of your paper) Sentence stem: This connects to my paper because….

Claim (THESIS) ANSWER THE PROMPT ANSWER THE PROMPT ANSWER THE PROMPT Did I mention you should answer the prompt?

Claim (Thesis) Choose ONE side Do NOT repeat the prompt Do NOT acknowledge the other side yet State you view SPECIFICALLY Do NOT repeat the prompt

Paragraph 1 Topic Sentence = Set them up for your first point Evidence (explain in two sentences) Analysis (one sentence explaining how this supports your claim)

Paragraph 2 TS = Transition into your second point… (_____ is not the only instance where this is true….) Refer back to the previous paragraph and then move forward with the topic Evidence (two sentences) Analysis (one sentence)

Paragraph 3 TS (introduce the counter argument) Evidence (identifies the counter argument) Analysis This is your refutation Explain why your point is still the strongest!

How do I effectively persuade with my evidence? Use specific NON-FICTION examples: from your life, from your experience, from your knowledge about the world and modern life… News, current events, history ALWAYS WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW! Don’t use false evidence. Don’t make up facts or hypothetical situations.

Conclusion Refer back to the thesis End with a call to action

NO NO NO NO “IF” “YOU” Do NOT state hypothetical situations These essays receive the LOWEST scores Ex. If you were to go to the store…. Ex.2 – If Johnny had just picked up his water bottle… “YOU” Do NOT address the reader STAAR readers get really offended Break this habit now. It is not appropriate in academic writing.

Practice…. Let’s just look at a prompt

The first two steps of the assignment provide information that may be helpful in understanding the prompt, but they are not the prompt. In fact, if you ignore these items, it will not affect your ability to write the essay. It is the third step of the assignment that is your PROMPT. This is what you must respond to in your essay. The final step reminds you of the essentials to include when writing the essay. Read the information in the box below.   Some argue that our so-called information age is really an “interruption age.” With smart phones in hand, we spend much of the day texting, tweeting, and surfing the Web. Rather than concentrating on big issues, we fill our heads with the trivia and gossip that interrupts our attention. So much information passes our way that we have trouble remembering any of it. Think carefully about this question: Do you believe that instant communication is helping or hurting us? Write an essay stating whether we live in an information age or an interruption age. Be sure to— *state your position clearly *use appropriate organization *provide specific support for your argument *choose your words carefully *edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and sentences

Practice Prompt Read the following quotation: “Authentic patriotism is not about you, what you believe or what you think is right…. Authentic patriotism is not an opinion. It’s an action.” – Stephen Kiernan

Practice Prompt Think carefully about the following statement: “Some people define themselves by what they believe, while others allow their actions to speak for them.”

Practice Prompt Write an essay stating your position on which is more important: what a person thinks or what a person does. Be sure to: State your position clearly. Use appropriate organization. Provide specific support for your argument. Choose your words carefully. Edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling.

Brainstorm What is your position? Do actions speak louder than words? What EVIDENCE can you use to support your position? Think of your personal experiences, the news, current events, or history. Use YOUR knowledge about YOUR life and YOUR experiences. Use YOUR knowledge about the world around you. EXPLAIN your EVIDENCE CLEARLY SO YOU CAN BE UNDERSTOOD!

How can we improve this example? For example, a people posted a lot of tweets about ebola, but some people actually went over there to help. Their actions actually did something. The other people didn’t really contribute to anything.

For example, during the Ebola epidemic, one doctor who travelled to Africa contracted Ebola as he cared for patients during their last few (contagious) days. He returned to America, received treatment, and as soon as he was well enough, he returned to Africa to continue the fight against this infectious disease. This doctor did not have to be in the spotlight to be a hero because….

Recommended Format The 26-line essay is a shortened version of what you’ve ALREADY DONE before! Hook & Claim(Thesis) Ev1 Ev1 Analysis– 1st evidence & explanation Ev1 Ev1 Analysis– 2nd evidence & explanation Ev1 Ev1 Analysis– 3rd evidence & explanation (or concession & refutation) Conclusion – review thesis & call to action