The Persuasive Piece
Length: variable (anywhere from 350-750) words
First Draft (typed) Due: 9/14
100 points.
Final Draft Due: 9/16
Directions: Determine a real audience you want to persuade. This audience could be a friend, a parent, the
RHS student body, community members, your school principal, a company or business, anyone. Think
carefully about issues you feel strongly about. These do not have to be large, societal issues. They could be
very personal, or very limited in scope. For example, you may want to convince company to sell a
particular product, convince a parent to vote for a particular candidate, convince Fulton County schools to
offer a particular course of study, or convince Atlantans to stop single-driver commuting. The possibilities
are endless, but you should choose something you really care about. What action do you want your
audience to take? As you think about the purpose of your persuasive piece, consider this: you will be
delivering/mailing your written persuasive piece to the real audience you are trying to persuade. Take some
time to think. You may even want to do a little research about the issue or issues you have in mind.
Identify your Audience Here:_____________________________________________________________
What is the purpose of your persuasive piece (what action do you want your audience to take)?_________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
A note about format: The organization and structure of your piece will be determined, in part, by your
choice of purpose and audience. For example, a letter to the editor of the AJC will look different than a
request to a company or business. Whoever your audience, do not write a 5-paragraph essay since
5-paragraph essays do not exist in the real world!
Beginnings: Capture the reader's attention. Present your issue clearly. Make clear your position. Take a
definite stand that you are prepared to support.
“Middles”: Present strong supporting evidence for your ideas. Avoid faulty logic such as circular
reasoning, loaded language, etc…. Some examples of evidence include: facts, comparison, contrast,
analogy, statistical evidence, examples, anecdotes, personal experience and observation, quotations from
experts, or any combination of methods and materials to support your ideas.
Acknowledge (but don’t dwell on) opposing viewpoints and don’t forget to answer the strongest opposing
viewpoint—this is crucial.
Endings: Pull together the main supporting points of your discussion and reinforce your thesis sentence
(NEVER repeat your thesis). Avoid overstating your case; your conclusion should be warranted by the
evidence you have presented. You may want to conclude with a call for action.
Tone: Always maintain a reasonable and relatively formal tone (even when convincing friends). No one
wants to be yelled at, called names, or otherwise insulted.
Style: Gear your diction/language toward your audience. First person is okay. Some of your best evidence
may come from personal experience. Avoid words such as great, nice, very, and a lot. Limit your use of be
verbs (write in active voice). Use transitions to connect ideas. Place transitional sentences at paragraph
beginnings.
Persuasive Piece—Pre-writing Considerations
YOUR TOPIC/ISSUE:
YOUR REAL AUDIENCE:
YOUR REAL PURPOSE (YOUR POSITION):
EXPLORING YOUR AUDIENCE:
(Answer the questions below to the best of your knowledge; in some cases, you will know
the exact answer; in others, you will be making an educated guess.)
What is your audience’s gender?
How old is your audience (approx. age range)?
Where do they live? City? Rural area? Another country?
Where do they work? What position do they hold at work?
What is their education level?
What do they believe and value politically?
What do they believe and value philosophically?
What are their personal interests and hobbies?
Where do they go for vacation? Why?
What is unique or unusual about them?
LIST OF EVIDENCE MOST LIKELY TO SWAY THIS PARTICULAR AUDIENCE:
1.
2.
3.
4.
MAILING ADDRESS OF REAL AUDIENCE
Stuck for a Topic? Use this list to spark your own ideas and opinions.
Societal Issues
given sex education in schools, or should this be the responsibility of the parents?
held morally and legally responsible for the actions/needs of their children?
ld young people be subjected to curfews as a way to reduce crime?
force a justifiable method of punishing children?
ople into space?
a negative influence on society?
-human animals to develop products and medicines that benefit human
beings?
we be trying to prevent species becoming extinct? If so, why?
nternational ban on trading elephant ivory be lifted?
s?
ther forms of assessment?
-tests?
ustified?
human organs?
-after pill be banned?
ed and regulated?
-enhancing drugs in sport be legalized?
port really good for us?
Personal Issues
Convince a friend to join your band.
Convince your teacher to let you star in the upcoming play.
Persuade your friend to join a club with you.
Persuade a friend to become a volunteer hospital worker.
Persuade your mother that playing sports will benefit you.
Persuade your family to go to a jogging trail three times a week.
Persuade to an anorexic friend that being thin will not make her happier.
Persuade your friend to eat a more healthy diet.
Convince your friend to enroll in __________.
Convince your principal that your class should have updated _______ textbooks.
Persuade your aunt to go to a prenatal care center.
Persuade your friend to become an organ donor.
Convince your classmates that studying history is important.
Persuade your parents to let you stay up later on week nights.
Persuade your parents to extend your curfew.
Persuade your little brother or sister to do your chores.
Convince your parent to let you borrow the car.
Convince your friend to stop acting like a jerk.
Persuade your parent to allow you to get a drivers license.
Persuade your parent to let you visit a friend in another town.
Persuade your parent to get you your own phone line.
Persuade a bank loan officer to give you a loan.
Persuade your parents to let you pierce your tongue.
Persuade your friend to break up with her boyfriend.
**Here is a list of tired/overused persuasive topics that you should avoid:
death penalty, legalizing marijuana, abortion, recycling, affirmative action.
Here is a website with even more topics, with links to articles to help you research the various sides of your issue:
http://dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/issues_and_Causes/