Persuasive Writing Review Guide
PRETTY, PRETTY, PLEASE!!!
WITH SUGAR ON TOP!
Name: _____________
7th Grade English
Ms. Spector
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What is the Writing Process?
Prewriting: Explore topics, gather details, and plan the
organization (*use graphic organizers!*).
Writing: Using the prewriting plan, complete a first draft.
Revising: Based on the six traits of effective writing, revise
drafts by adding, deleting, and rearranging text
Editing: Check revised writing for correctness, prepare a
final copy, and proofread the final copy for errors.
Publishing: Share your work with others
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Using the 6 Traits of Writing in Persuasive Writing
Ideas: Using clear reasoning that informs and convinces.
Organization: Forming a logical, smooth flow of ideas with a
clear call to action
Voice: Developing a natural, positive, and convincing voice
Word Choice: Using persuasive vocabulary that fits the
audience and does not include inflammatory words
Sentence Fluency: Including a variety of sentence types
that flow easily
Conventions: Checking for errors in punctuation,
capitalization, spelling, and grammar
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In a persuasive essay/position essay, you take one side of a
controversy and state clearly where you stand on the issue.
 By stating and defending a position, you can convince
others to agree with you.
Beginning: The beginning introduces the topic and states
the position.
Use these strategies to get your reader “HOOKED”
Connect with the reader
Dramatize the controversy
Ask a question
Be creative
Middle: The middle paragraphs support the writer’s position
using specific examples. There should be 3 middle
paragraphs.
Using Transitions in Your Body Paragraphs
First of all,
Also,
Most importantly,
To begin,
Also,
In addition,
Most importantly,
Finally,
Most significantly,
Ending: The ending restates the writer’s position.
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Prewriting Strategies
1. Select a problem that you care about and that fits the
assignment.
2. List possible solutions and choose one.
3. Gather details about the problem and the solution
4. Write a clear opinion statement to guide you.
5. Create a list or an outline as a planning guide.
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Example of an Organized List
Position statement: The best way to make study hall more effective is
to make it more open.
First topic sentence: An open study hall would let hardworking
students go where they need to go to get more work done.
Facts and details:
 A person who needs to do research can go to the library
 A student who has to write a report could go to the computer
lab
 A student who needs to finish an art project can go to the art
room
Second topic sentence: An open study hall would motivate students
to take study hall more seriously.
Facts and details
 Hardworking students get more privileges
 It would motivate other students to do work and earn the same
privileges.
Third topic sentence: An open study hall would teach responsibility.
Facts and details
 Students who use study hall appropriately would have more
free time after school
 Students who were not working would have to go back to their
desks.
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Writing Strategies
1. Use your organized list or an outline as a planning guide
2. Get all your ideas on paper in your first draft.
3. Write on every other line to make room for changes
later.
4. Write a clear opinion statement.
5. Use specific details to convince your reader that the
problem is serious and your solution will work.
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Revising Strategies
1. Read through your entire draft to get a feeling of how
well your essay works.
2. Make sure your opinion statement names the problem
and proposes a solution.
3. Check your paragraphs to make sure they follow your
writing plan.
4. Revise your voice if it does not sound convincing.
5. Make sure your words and sentences are strong and
clear.
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Revising Using a Checklist
Ideas
_____ 1. Do I focus on a clear problem and solution?
_____ 2. Have I included persuasive details and the problem
and the solution?
Organization
_____ 3. Have I followed my organized list or outline?
_____ 4. Does my beginning capture my reader’s attention?
Voice
_____ 5. Does my voice sound confident?
_____ 6. Does my voice sound persuasive?
Word Choice
_____ 7. Have I chosen appropriate words?
Sentence Fluency
_____ 8. Do I use compound sentences well?
_____ 9. Do I use complex sentences well?
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Editing Strategies
1. Use a dictionary, a thesaurus, and the “Proofreader’s
guide.”
2. Check for any words or phrases that may be confusing
to the reader.
3. Check your writing for correct punctuation,
capitalization, spelling, and grammar.
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Editing Using a Checklist
Conventions
Punctuation
_____ 1. Do I use end punctuation after all my sentences?
_____ 2. Do I use quotation marks around any direct
quotations?
Capitalization
_____ 5. Do I start all my sentences with capital letters?
_____ 6. Do I capitalize all proper nouns?
Spelling
_____ 7. Have I spelled all words correctly?
_____ 8. Have I double checked the words on my spell
checker may have missed?
Grammar
_____ 10. Do I use correct forms of verbs?
_____ 11. Do my subjects and verbs agree in number?
_____ 12. Do I use the right forms of words?
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Open Study Halls
“Study hall is for studying!” Most students at Carr Middle
School have heard Mr. Spencer say these words in study hall,
especially when people are talking or making trouble. He’s
right. Many students really count on their time in study hall to
do homework and get ready for tests. The best way to make
study hall more effective is to make it more open.
First of all, an open study hall would let hardworking
students go where they need to go to get more work done. A
person who needs to do research could go to the library. A
student who has to write a report could go to the computer
lab. If a person needs to finish an art project, he or she could
go to the art room. By allowing hardworking students to move
around, an open study hall would actually help them
accomplish more.
Secondly, an open study hall would motivate students to
take study hall more seriously. When hardworking students
earned the privilege of leaving the room, other students would
want to earn the same privilege. The only way would be to
study.
Most importantly, an open study hall would teach
responsibility. Teachers are always saying that students should
take responsibility for their education. After all, in high school,
nobody will hold their hands. Now is when they should learn
how to manage their time. An open study hall would help.
Students who used it well would have more free time after
school, and students who abused the privilege would wind up
back at their desks. An open study hall would reward kids for
being responsible.
Study hall would be more effective if it were open. An
open study hall would allow students to accomplish more,
would motivate kids to work harder, and would teach
responsibility. Though some people are worried that kids would
abuse the system, hall passes could take care of those
problems. Principal MacGregor should give this proposal
serious attention. Open the doors of study hall!
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