Persuasive Essay
What is a persuasive essay?
Presents an argument through a welldeveloped thesis statement.
Supports the thesis with relevant evidence
Addresses opposing viewpoints
Guidelines for Responding
to a Prompt
1. Read all parts of the prompt carefully.
2. Ask: “What do I have to do?”
3. Ask: “Who is my audience?”
4. Ask: “What information should I include?”
Prompt
Your school is thinking of requiring students
to wear uniforms. Decide whether you agree or
disagree with this proposal.
In a five paragraph essay written to your
principal, defend your position as to whether or
not your school should make this a requirement
of students.
Be sure to support your thesis by including
advantages and disadvantages of wearing a
school uniform.
Brainstorm
Thesis
School uniforms should not be required because they discourage
individuality and don’t teach students to make responsible decisions.
Body Paragraph #1
Body Paragraph #2
Main idea
Discourages Individuality and
prevents students from making
responsible decisions.
Main idea
Does not teach students to
make responsible decisions.
Details
Details
− Uniforms don’t let students
express themselves through
their clothes.
− Students who aren’t given the
opportunity to make practical
decisions about clothes wont
learn how.
− Telling students they have to
look like everyone else is
telling them that being different
is wrong.
−Telling students that they have
to look alike is like telling them
to follow the crowd.
Body Paragraph #3
Counterargument / Refutation
−Some say that school
uniforms would make students’
lives simpler.
−However, if students don’t
learn to do something simple
like deicide what to wear, how
will they ever learn Algebra and
Economics?
Implementing a rule that requires school uniforms can affect students and society as a
whole. Allowing students to wear their own clothes teaches them that individuality is a
good thing and that they are expected to make responsible decisions.
Conclusion
Standard Essay Formula
General Statement (Hook): -- Leads the reader into the essay. Called “hook” for
narrative essays. Connects essay topics to something the reader can connect with.
Introduction
Thesis statement: Tells the reader what you
will prove in the essay and how you will do it.
Body Paragraph #1:
Topic sentence: Tells the reader what you will
provide in THIS paragraph.
Body
Facts, proof, examples:
Evidence sentence #1: prove your point with
specific details, etc.
Evidence sentence #2: Prove your points with
specific details, etc.
Concluding sentence: Remind the reader what
you just proved.
Reword the topic sentence, and transition to the
next paragraph.
Body paragraph #2: Same as above
Body paragraph #3: Same as above
Conclusion
Conclusion: Reword thesis
statement here.
End with a general statement. Do not “give your opinion” here. That goes in
the body paragraph. Do not insert any new information in the conclusion.
Outline for Persuasive Essay
I.
Introduction
A.
B.
II.
A.
B.
III.
A.
B.
IV.
A.
B.
V.
Hook – America prides itself on the importance of individual expression.
Thesis: School uniforms should not be required because they discourage
individuality and they don’t teach students to make responsible decisions
Body Paragraph #1 Discourages individuality
Uniforms don’t let students express themselves through their clothes
Telling students they have to look alike is telling them that being different is
wrong
Body Paragraph #2 Does not teach students to make responsible decisions
Students who are not given the opportunity to make practical decisions
about clothes will never learn how
Telling students that they have to look alike is like telling them to follow the
crowd
Body Paragraph #3 Counterargument / refutations
School uniform supporters feel that uniforms would make students lives’
simpler.
Giving students the opportunity to decide what to wear prepares them for
even greater challenges
Conclusion
A.
B.
School uniforms should not be implemented because they discourage
individuality.
School uniforms do not teach students to make responsible decisions
*** ROUGH DRAFT***
School Uniforms: Looking Beyond the Exterior
6.
America is well known across the globe for its diversity. People from all over the world migrates to the
United States just to be a part of this international society. It is common knowledge that equality and individualism
are a part of America’s famous history; this fact is something that most Americans take pride in. However, the
individuality of a future America may be at risk by the education system. A rule that would require students to wear
uniforms to school is threatening student individuality. School uniforms should not be required because they
discourage individuality and they don’t teach students to make responsible decisions.
School uniforms would not encourage individuality among students. It7.is not uncommon to see a painting
2.
by a kindergartener, read a poem by a middle-school student or hear a guitar playing on a high school campus. the
reason why it is so common to see these scenes taking place is cuz young people enjoy expressing themselves.
However, uniforms do not allow students to express themselves as individuals through their clothes. As a result,
individual student voices would become muffled, and students, in effect, would become agitated. Moreover, telling
students they have to look alike is like telling them that being different, or being an individual is wrong. This very
idea goes against every great American who helped shape the country into what it is today; Americans such as
3.Earhart changed the course of our nation because of their
Martin Luther King, Jr., Edgar Allan Poe, and Amelia
ability to stand out as individuals. Need to know that being different and that expressing their individuality will not
hurt them.
4. Besides challenging individuality, a rule that forces students to wear uniforms would also not teach them
to make responsible decisions, on the contrary, students who are not given the opportunity to make practical
decisions regarding appropriate school attire will have trouble deciding what is appropriate for the workplace. If a
simple decision like this cant be made, it is unreasonable to expect students to make greater decisions later in life
like where to live, what college to attend, and what field of work to enter. Also, forcing every student to look alike is
like teaching them to follow9.
the crowd. This could result in more students smoking cigarettes after school, and less
students doing homework. Responsible decision-making ability is displayed by a student who has his or her own
mind, not by someone who does what all of his friends are doing.
5.
10.
School uniform supporters argued that uniforms would make student lives simpler. This point may have
some merit on the surface. But giving students the task of deciding what to wear can prepare them for greater
challenges. If a student cannot learn to do something simple like decide what to wear in the morning, it is not likely
that they will easily learn algebra or economics. So instead of complicating students’ lives, the task of deciding
what to wear in the morning can prevent laziness and can prepare them for other challenges that might come up
throughout the school day.
In 8.
conclusion, there are many reasons why school uniforms should not be implemented in the school
system. If students are forced to wear8.
uniforms, they are not given the opportunity to express their individuality in a
positive way, & they are not taught to make good decisions. Public schools allowing students to wear their own
clothes could greatly benefit students & society as a whole.
School Uniforms:
Looking Beyond the Exterior
America is well known across the globe for its diversity. People from all over the world migrate to the United States
just to be a part of this international society. It is common knowledge that equality and individualism are a part of America’s
famous history. This fact is something that most Americans take pride in; however, the individuality of a future America may
be at risk due to the education system. A rule that would require students to wear uniforms to school is threatening student
individuality. School uniforms should not be required because they discourage individuality and they don’t teach students to
make responsible decisions.
School uniforms would not encourage individuality among students. It is not uncommon to see a painting by a
kindergartener, read a poem by a middle-school student or hear a guitar playing on a high school campus. The reason these
scenes are so common is young people enjoy expressing themselves. Unfortunately, uniforms do not allow students to
express themselves as individuals through their clothes. As a result, individual student voices would become muffled, and
students, in effect, would become agitated. Moreover, telling students they have to look alike is like telling them that being
different, or being an individual is wrong. This very idea goes against every great American who helped shape the country into
what it is today. Americans such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Edgar Allan Poe, and Amelia Earhart changed the course of our
nation because of their ability to stand out as individuals. Young people need to know that being different and expressing their
individuality will not hurt them.
Besides challenging individuality, a rule that forces students to wear uniforms would not teach them to make
responsible decisions. Students who are not given the opportunity to make practical decisions regarding appropriate school
attire will have trouble deciding what is appropriate for the workplace. If students cannot make a simple decision like choose
their own outfits, it is unreasonable to expect students to make greater decisions later in life like where to live, what college to
attend, and what field of work to enter. Also, forcing every student to look alike is like teaching them to follow the crowd. This
could result in more students smoking cigarettes after school, and less students doing homework. Responsible decisionmaking ability is displayed by a student who has his or her own mind, not by someone who does what all of his friends are
doing.
School uniform supporters argue that uniforms would make students’ lives simpler. This point may have some merit
on the surface. On the other hand, giving students the task of deciding what to wear can prepare them for greater challenges.
If a student cannot learn to do something simple like decide what to wear in the morning, it is not likely that they will easily
learn algebra or economics. So instead of complicating students’ lives, the task of deciding what to wear in the morning can
prepare them for other challenges that might come up throughout the school day.
In conclusion, there are many reasons why school uniforms should not be implemented in the school system. If
students are forced to wear uniforms, they are not given the opportunity to express their individuality in a positive way.
Students are also not taught to make good decisions. Public schools allowing students to wear their own clothes could greatly
benefit students and society as a whole.