26-Line Persuasive Essay
Tips and Tricks for a Great Score
Benchmark : February
STAAR : April 1st
S
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?
S Hook
S Thesis
S Example
S Analysis
S Concession
S Refutation
S Call to Action
Keep this in mind…
S Good writing starts with good thinking.
S So pre-write!
S Quality > quantity
S EXPLAIN yourself CLEARLY
S Assume your reader has NO IDEA what you’re writing about!
S Being vague/general = low score
S ALWAYS revise and edit your writing.
Persuasive Essay Writing
S Purpose: to persuade. Your essay must center
around a CLEAR position.
S You don’t have to be an expert in anything or have
specific background knowledge to do well.
S Use detailed, specific examples to support your
thinking.
S Use a concession and a refutation!
S You may write in 1st (“I”) or 3rd (“They/he/she”)
person as long as your writing is PERSUASIVE.
HOOK
S Startling Statement
S 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.
S Thematic Statement
S 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.
S Embedded quote that relates to the topic of your paper
S 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
S This is a common misconception…
S While that may be true….
S Mandela accurately pointed out…
S This applies to…..
(connect it to the topic of your paper)
Sentence stem: This connects to my paper because….
Claim (THESIS)
S ANSWER THE PROMPT
ANSWER THE PROMPT
S ANSWER THE PROMPT
S ANSWER THE PROMPT
S ANSWER !!
S Did I mention you should answer the prompt?
Claim (Thesis)
S Choose ONE side
S Do NOT acknowledge the other side yet
S State you view SPECIFICALLY
S Do NOT repeat the prompt
Paragraph 1
S Topic Sentence = Set them up for your first point
S Evidence (explain in two sentences)
S Analysis (one sentence explaining how this supports your
claim)
Paragraph 2
S TS = Transition into your second point…
S (_____ is not the only instance where this is true….)
S Refer back to the previous paragraph and then move forward
with the topic
S Evidence (two sentences)
S Analysis (one sentence)
Paragraph 3
S TS (introduce the counter argument)
S Evidence (identifies the counter argument)
S Analysis
S This is your refutation
S Explain why your point is still the strongest!
How do I effectively persuade
with my evidence?
S Use specific NON-FICTION examples: from your life,
from your experience, from your knowledge about the
world and modern life…
S News, current events, history
S ALWAYS WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW! Don’t use false
evidence. Don’t make up facts or hypothetical
situations.
Conclusion
S Refer back to the thesis
S End with a call to action
NO NO NO NO
S “IF”
S Do NOT state hypothetical situations
S
These essays receive the LOWEST scores
S
Ex. If you were to go to the store….
S
Ex.2 – If Johnny had just picked up his water bottle…
S “YOU”
S Do NOT address the reader
S STAAR readers get really offended
S 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?
an essay stating whether we live in an information age or an
interruption age.
—
*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:
1)
State your position clearly.
2)
Use appropriate organization.
3)
Provide specific support for your argument.
4)
Choose your words carefully.
5)
Edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling.
Brainstorm
S What is your position? Do actions speak louder than words?
S What EVIDENCE can you use to support your position?
S Think of your personal experiences, the news, current events, or
history.
S Use YOUR knowledge about YOUR life and YOUR experiences. Use
YOUR knowledge about the world around you.
S 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.
S 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
S The 26-line essay is a shortened version of what you’ve ALREADY DONE
before!
S Hook & Claim(Thesis)
S Ev1 Ev1 Analysis– 1st evidence & explanation
S Ev1 Ev1 Analysis– 2nd evidence & explanation
S Ev1 Ev1 Analysis– 3rd evidence & explanation (or concession &
refutation)
S Conclusion – review thesis & call to action