Steps for Writing
a STAAR
Persuasive
Essay
Mrs. McHale
English III
STEP #1
READ the prompt. Circle the most important
word in the prompt (the subject).
Should school librarians ban inappropriate
books from the school library?
STEP #2
Brainstorm a list of reasons for and
against the issue or position.
Against banning books:
For banning books:
--students are too young to
make decisions about what
they read
--librarians don’t want parents
mad at them
--students should only read
about pleasant and noncontroversial topics
--the Constitution allows us the
freedom of speech, freedom of
press
--students need to learn to make
responsible choices about what
they read
--students should not be sheltered
from controversial world news
--students can find inappropriate
material on the Internet
--the question of appropriate
reading is debatable, it cannot be
determined by one individual
STEP #3
Choose the position you want to
argue.
Either “Yes, school libraries should
censor books” OR
“No, school libraries should not
censor books.”
STEP #4
Choose the two “reasons” for
which you can write the best
argument.
--One “reason” for each body paragraph
STEP #5
Before you write anything else, focus on
answering the prompt by writing a position
statement, also known as a thesis statement.
Rearrange words from the prompt into a
statement, then follow it with “because” and then
add two reasons. (This is the road map for the
rest of your essay!)
School librarians should not ban books from the
school library because students need to learn to
choose for themselves and it goes against the
American Constitution.
STEP #6
Now go back and create the introductory paragraph
and plug the thesis statement into the end.
a. The first sentence is the “hook.” Re-read the information
before the prompt to find the general subject. Think
general and broad. How does this topic affect “the
world” or “life”? Question what would happen
“without”…
--What would the world be like without books?
b. The second sentence must “draw a line” from the hook
to the thesis. Think of what the two have in common,
which is usually the end of the hook.
--While books are very important, it can be easy to
overlook the value of books that have disagreeable or
inappropriate subjects.
Put the three sentences together to make the Intro Paragraph.
Introductory Paragraph
Hook: What would the world be like
without…._________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Line:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________
Sinker (Position/Thesis Statement): State your position on the
argument *because* <<reason 1>> and <<reason 2>>.
Persuasive Phrases
Include these phrases to ensure the persuasive nature of your
essay:
It is certain that…
The logical conclusion is…
The fact is…
The truth is…
The correct perspective is…
Common sense reveals that…
The bottom line is…
In reality,…
The essential idea is…
With certainty, a person can say that…
In the majority of cases…
Body Paragraph 1
Topic Sentence: <<Reason 1>>.
The truth is, students need to learn to
think independently and make
decisions for themselves and if
libraries ban objectionable books,
students will not be able to do so.

Example and Commentary for <<Reason 1>>:

Imagine that a young girl reads The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and is
outraged at the treatment of slaves in the
novel. Because of reading this objectionable
material, she decides to become a human
rights activist and influences society in a
profound way. If a librarian had taken away
this option, the young girl might not have
made that important decision about her life’s
work.
Body Paragraph 2
Topic sentence: <<Reason 2>>.
Also, an essential idea is that limiting
students’ access to controversial writing
is a breach of their freedom under the
Constitution.

Example and Commentary for <<Reason 2>>:

For example, the Constitution of the United
States of America proclaims certain
“inalienable rights” for its citizens that include
freedom of speech and freedom of press. If a
student (who is, in fact, a citizen) is not
allowed to pursue certain information banned
by a library, that is limiting his or her freedom.
It is also suppressing the freedom that authors
have to distribute their ideas, beliefs, and
philosophies.
Conclusion Paragraph
Restate your position/thesis
statement in a different
way.
Counterargument:
• A Counterargument states what the other side would argue
in response to your thesis.
• Other side responds with reasons that your argument is
not persuasive.
• Example:
• Your argument:
• Banning books from school libraries for any reason
violates a student’s rights under The United States
Constitution.
• Counterargument:
• Those in favor of banning books might say that
children are not yet old enough to understand their
rights under the Constitution, and therefore do not
have the capacity to claim them. However, age
and capacity do not determine citizenship.
Therefore, regardless of a student’s age or
capacity, that student is entitled to all freedoms
afforded them by The Constitution.
Call to Action:
• Word or phrase which calls a reader to take immediate
action to do/act in the way the writer is trying to persuade
them to
• Should be located in your conclusion paragraph after your
restatement of your thesis.
• Example:
• Therefore, it is imperative that students rise up against
the establishment and rebel against anyone who
attempts to censor literature in pubic schools.
Last Prompt:
State your position on whether it
is better to travel by car or by
bus. Support your answer with
examples.