Persuasive Writing

How to write an effective persuasive

letter or essay
English II
Ms. Richardson
 What it is...
In persuasive writing, a writer takes a position FOR
or AGAINST an issue and writes to CONVINCE the
reader to BELIEVE or DO something.

Persuasive writing is used in ADVERTISEMENTS to

get the consumer to buy a product and in ESSAYS
and LETTERS to get the reader to accept a POINT OF
VIEW.
 So...
In order to CONVINCE the reader you
need more than OPINION; you need
FACTS or EXAMPLES to back your
opinion. Be sure to do the necessary
RESEARCH and REFLECTION so your
writing can be EFFECTIVE!!!
 Persuasive Writing Format
Persuasive writing follows a particular format. It
has an INTRODUCTION, a BODY (which may be
several PARAGRAPHS) where the ARGUMENT is
developed and a CONCLUSION.
After you write your letter or essay, you should
READ, REVISE and CONFERENCE and REVISE
before PUBLISHING (writing and turning in) your
FINAL PRODUCT.
 The Introduction
The introduction has a “HOOK or GRABBER” to catch the
READER’S ATTENTION. Some “GRABBERS” include...
• Opening with an UNUSUAL DETAIL: (Tiye Phoenix began
her career in music as a classically trained pianist.)
• Opening with a STRONG STATEMENT: (When you stop
and think about it, music is present in everything.)
• Opening with a QUOTATION: (Elbert Hubbard once said,
“Truth is stronger than fiction.”
• Opening with an ANECDOTE: An ANECDOTE can provide
an AMUSING and ATTENTION-GETTING opening if it is
SHORT and TO THE POINT.
 Introduction, cont.
• Opening with a STATISTIC or FACT: Sometimes a
STATISTIC or FACT will add EMPHASIS or INTEREST
to your topic. It may be wise to include the item’s
AUTHORITATIVE SOURCE (so you don’t get in
trouble for plagiarism...0.
• Opening with a QUESTION: (Have you ever
considered how many books we’d read were it not
for television?)
• Opening with an EXAGGERATION or OUTRAGEOUS
STATEMENT. (Everyone in the entire world loves
Eminem.)
 THESIS or FOCUS STATEMENT
The introduction should also include a THESIS or
FOCUS STATEMENT, which has THREE OBJECTIVES:
1. It tells the reader THE SPECIFIC TOPIC OF YOUR
ESSAY.
2. It IMPOSES MANAGEABLE LIMITS on that
topic.
3. It SUGGESTS the ORGANIZATION of your paper.
 The THESIS should say to the reader...
“ IVE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS TOPIC, I KNOW WHAT I
BELIEVE ABOUT IT, AND I KNOW HOW TO ORGANIZE
IT.”
Example:
Of all the problems facing the environment
today, the one that bothers me the most is global
warming. Some scientists say that the earth is getting
warmer because of the greenhouse effect. In this
paper, I will describe the greenhouse effect and
whether the earth’s atmosphere is actually getting
warmer.
 Identify...
What kind of grabber was used?
What is the thesis statement?

Now...using this information, revise the

introduction you wrote yesterday in your letter
to me to make sure it meets the guidelines we
just discussed.
 And that brings us to...the BODY
In the BODY of your essay or letter, you
provide EVIDENCE to support the OPINION
offered in the THESIS STATEMENT in the
INTRODUCTION.
The BODY should consist of at least THREE
PARAGRAPHS. Each PARAGRAPH is based
on a SOLID REASON to back your thesis
statement.
 Making your ARGUMENT...
Since almost all ISSUES and IDEAS have sound
ARGUMENTS on both sides of the QUESTION, a
good persuasive writer tries to anticipate
opposing VIEWPOINTS and provide COUNTER-
ARGUMENTS along with the MAIN POINTS in the
ESSAY or LETTER.
One of the THREE paragraphs should be used to
discuss OPPOSING viewpoints and your
COUNTER-ARGUMENT.
 Convince me, convince me!!!
The PERSUASIVE STRENGTH (the likelihood that the
reader will take your side) of your persuasive essay
or letter is just as dependent on how well you
ELABORATE your ARGUMENT as it is on your
ARGUMENT itself.
ELABORATION usually takes one of three forms:
– STATISTICS or RESEARCH (with the source cited,
of course)
– Real-life EXPERIENCES
– Examples
 ELABORATING on ELABORATION...
Some effective techniques for ELABORATING your argument
are:
Generating a HYPOTHETICAL (‘what if’) INSTANCE:
This is used particularly when you want the
reader to SEE A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW.
Use CUES for the reader (e.g. SUPPOSE
THAT, WHAT IF, HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT
WHAT IT MIGHT BE LIKE IF, etc.)
 Elaborating techniques, cont.
CLARIFYING a POSITION:
Carefully evaluate your words to decide what
needs to be EXPLAINED to the reader
(AUDIENCE) and what can be ASSUMED by
them. (Ex. If you were writing to a MUSICIAN
about music, you can assume they know what a
sixteenth note is. However, if you were writing
to a MARINE BIOLOGIST about music, you’d
need to explain what it is. )
 October 12, 2010
In your green workbook titled, “Interactive
Reader,” complete page 57. Then, read p. 58
and write the definitions for setting and mood
on the bottom of page 57. You have 5 minutes
to complete this from the time the bell rings.
Any foolishness today will be cause for an office
referral.
 Even more elaborating techniques...
ILLUMINATING your UNDERLYING TOPIC:
• Make sure you provide BACKGROUND INFORMATION
your reader may need
• Include DETAILED, SPECIFIC, ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES
to TRIGGER your reader’s IMAGINATION (this is a
good place to include FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE, too!)
• DEFINE any special TERMS used
• Arm your reader with all the TOOLS they will need to
FULLY UNDERSTAND your position.
• Ms. Richardson: 214.502.1008
  We’re not done yet! 
• DRAWING COMPARISONS: Choose something
SIMILAR and FAMILIAR to what is being explained
(especially if your topic is one with which your
audience is likely Unfamiliar). Compare and
contrast your position with the ‘something similar’.
• Making an ANALYSIS: You can ANALYZE a problem
by looking at the PARTS and THEREFORE help the
reader to UNDERSTAND.
Now, we’re done. Whew!
 Assignment
1. Choose an ELABORATION STRATEGY from
those discussed to use in your letter to me.
2. Write the name of the strategy on your rough
draft.
3. REVISE your writing so that it uses the
strategy you chose.
 We shall CONCLUDE with the CONCLUSION

A piece of PERSUASIVE WRITING usually ends by

SUMMARIZING the most important DETAILS of the
ARGUMENT and stating once again what the READER
is to BELIEVE or DO.

You should do three things in your CONCLUSION:

1. RESTATE your THESIS or FOCUS STATEMENT
2. SUMMARIZE (by PARAPHRASING) the MAIN
POINTS of your position
 And lastly...
Write a PERSONAL COMMENT or CALL FOR ACTION. You can
do this:
• With a PREDICTION: Used with a narrative or a cause/effect
approach, the conclusion may suggest what the RESULTS
may or may not be in the SITUATION discussed
• With a QUESTION: This lets your READER make their own
PREDICITONS; draw their own CONCLUSIONS
• With RECOMMENDATIONS: This ending STRESSES the
ACTIONS or REMEDIES that should be taken
• With a QUOTATION: these may summarize, predict or call
for action, so you can use these in a conclusion for nearly
any kind of paper
 Assignment
Think about your paper from start to finish.
1. On a sheet of paper titled, “Conclusion Plan,” restate
your thesis statement.
2. What are your main points that need to be restated?
Write these on a sheet of paper titled, “Conclusion
Plan”.
3. Which of the four strategies will you use to make
your personal comment or call for action? Write this
down as well.
4. For homework, put all of this together to write your
concluding paragraph.
 Persuasive essay outline
I. Introduction
I. Get the reader’s ATTENTION by using a “hook”
II. Give some BACKGROUND INFORMATION if
necessary
III. THESIS or focus statement
II. First ARGUMENT or reason to support your
position
I. TOPIC sentence explaining your point
II. ELABORATION to back your point (several
sentences)
 Outline, cont.
III. Same as II. but with a different argument or
reason
V. Same as II. but with a different argument or
reason
VI. OPPOSING VIEWPOINT (this is optional, but highly
recommended so that the reader will know you
have considered another point of view and have a
rebuttal to it)
I. OPPOSING point to your argument
II. Your REBUTTAL to the opposing point
III. ELABORATION to back your rebuttal (a few sentences)
 More outline...

VI. Conclusion
I. Summary of main points or reasons
II. Restate thesis statement
III. Personal comment or a call to action
Final thoughts: General guidelines
When writing a persuasive essay:
• Have a FIRM OPINION that you want your
READER to ACCEPT
• Begin with a GRABBER or HOOK to get the
reader’s ATTENTION
• Offer EVIDENCE to SUPPORT your OPINION
• CONCLUDE with a RESTATEMENT of what you
want the reader to DO or BELIEVE