Chapter 6: Persuasive Essay
Copyright © 2011
A Persuasive Essay is writing that takes a position and defends that position
with evidence. The evidence can take the form of quotes from an expert,
statistics, or examples. The goal of a persuasive essay is to convince the reader
to see an issue as you do, to convince the reader of the merit of your point of
view.
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Do you believe there should be child care on campus?
Should we be fighting a war in Afghanistan?
Should people receive jail time for drunk driving?
Do we need to do something about Global Warming?
Is voting essential in a democracy?
Should there be affordable health care for all Americans?
All of these topics and more become the basis for Persuasive writing. And, of
course, each topic can be argued from either point of view!
The Persuasive Essay follows the same organization as all the kinds of writing
we’re learning in this class. The Thesis Statement has the Topic (the issue you
are writing about) and the Main Idea (what you want the reader to believe
about the Topic). In the case of Persuasive writing, the Main Idea is what you
hope to convince the reader using Support (quotes from an expert, statistics,
and examples). How much Support and the amount of detail you use depend
on the length of your Persuasive Essay.
Here’s how the concept of Support (quotes from an expert, statistics, and
examples) fits into the organization of the Persuasive Essay.
1. Introductory Paragraph:
a. Gets the readers interest
b. Sets the context for the paragraph/essay (provides
background)
c. Thesis Statement – Topic + Main Idea (What you hope to
convince your reader to believe)
2. Support Paragraph One: Topic Sentence (The first reason your
reader should believe your Thesis.)
a. General Support 1
b. Specific support 1 – quotes, statistics, and example that back up
your argument.
3. Support Paragraph Two: Topic Sentence (The second reason your
reader should believe your Thesis.)
a. General Support 2
b. Specific Support 2 – quotes, statistics, and examples that back
up your argument.
4. Support Paragraph Three: Topic Sentence (The third reason your
reader should believe your Thesis.)
a. General Support 3
b. Specific support 3 – quotes, statistics, and examples that back
up your argument.
5. Conclusion:
a. Restates the Main Idea (what you have proved in the essay in
different words)
b. Takes the reader a step further.
The following Persuasive Essay, written by a student, follows the organization
outlined above. We’ll use this essay as a model throughout the chapter.
James Hill
April 2009
ENG 090
Persuasive Essay
Informal Outline Thesis Statement: Capital punishment should be
abolished.
Support point 1: fails to deter crime
Support point 2: used unjustly against certain groups
Support point 3: opposes basic values
Abolish Capital Punishment
Capital Punishment has been a staple of the American justice system
since the country’s inception over two centuries ago. Though the
death penalty has persisted for such a long time, the issue has also
been at the center of heated debate. Today, only fifteen states in the
U.S. have abolished the death penalty, in addition to Puerto Rico and
the District of Columbia. Despite the large number of states still
enforcing a death penalty, the number of executions in 2007 was only
42, nearly half the number of executions in 1999. Furthermore, in
December of 2008, 138 countries had eliminated the practice of
capital punishment (Amnesty International). This is proof that
support for and belief in the death penalty is waning both here and
abroad. The reasons vary from the economic to the moral to the
political. However, the three most compelling reasons why capital
punishment should be abolished are because the death penalty fails
to deter crime, the death penalty is used unjustly against certain
groups and sometime even against the innocent, and because the
death penalty opposes the very values and ideals that America
espouses to be most important.
Most proponents of the death penalty insist that it deters people from
committing heinous and violent crimes, but research has shown again
and again that this is not the case. A study published in USA Today
reported that “the average 1993 murder rate in the states with the
death penalty was 56% higher than in states without” (BNET).
Additionally, “the South accounts for 80% of U.S. executions, and has
the highest regional murder rate” (Amnesty International).
Obviously, criminals will persist even in the face of capital
punishment. Thus, we as a society must find other ways to combat
the problem rather than using violence to eradicate violence.
Capital punishment is the most severe and irreversible form of
punishment in existence, yet it is handed down arbitrarily at best and
with malice and prejudice at worst. There is little rhyme or reason to
who is sentenced to death and who is not; every year 22,000 murders
are committed and only 150 of those perpetrators are given the death
penalty (National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty).
Economics may play a role in which criminals receive a death
sentence. Wealthy defendants can afford better legal counsel than
poor defendants at the mercy of a public defender. Wealthy
defendants may illicit more sympathy from a jury, just as white
criminals may gain more leniency than those of color. In fact, some of
the most disturbing figures on capital punishment involve the
discrepancies between whites and blacks: “A 2007 study…conducted
by Yale University School of Law revealed that African-American
defendants receive the death penalty at three times the rate of white
defendants in cases where the victims are white” (Amnesty
International). In a country that supposedly values racial equality
and the life of its citizens, our use of the death penalty negates both.
Finally, by resorting to the use of capital punishment we fail to live up
to the ideals on which this country is founded. American tradition is
nested in the unbridled potential and importance of each human life
and yet by killing we teach to kill. In other words, “by executing,
society puts itself on the same low level as those it executes” (BNET).
American culture is steeped in religion and the values of mercy,
forgiveness, and love; but where is our mercy and forgiveness when
we execute those who have done us wrong? Life in prison is a suitable
and devastating punishment for those who murder while also leaving
a chance for some reform or perhaps a contribution by him or her:
“Capital punishment sins most by depriving the culprit of his [or her]
chances of reformation…The only way to destroy a criminal is by
reforming the man who is a criminal. To destroy his [or her] bodily life
is nothing but a stupid blunder” (Sunrise Magazine). As hard as it may
be to accept, when we end the life of a murderer, we are no better than
one and we set no better an example for future generations.
Undoubtedly, capital punishment is bound to stir up intense debate for
years to come with no clear resolution in sight, but I am convinced the
negative consequences of such a practice do not justify it. The death
penalty has yet to prove to be a reliable deterrent to crime, the
sentence of death is handed out based on race and class, and the
practice of capital punishment is the antithesis of everything for which
America is supposed to stand. In conclusion, “If we profess to
revere…justice, and if we ourselves supplicate and rely on that…justice,
how can we reconcile it with our duty, as men created in the divine
image, to dismiss thus roughly a fellow human being from our midst…?
(Sunrise Magazine).
“Old Sparky” the electric chair used at Sing Sing prison in the early 1900s in New York
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_chair
Steps in Writing a Persuasive Essay
Step 1. The Thesis Statement
The first step in organizing a Persuasive Essay is to develop a Thesis
Statement. All Thesis Statements have two important parts: A Topic (what you
are writing about) and the Main Idea (what you’ll prove about the Topic – in
the case of a Persuasive Essay, what you’ll convince your readers to believe).
As with all essays, if you care about the Topic, you’ll do a much better job of
convincing your reader. The Topics assigned in college might take the
following form:
1. Should 18 year olds be allowed to purchase alcohol?
Topic: 18 year olds and alcohol
2. Should computer applications be a required course for all college
students?
Topic: required college course in computer applications
3. Should there be graduation exams for high school?
Topic: graduation exams for high school
4. Should there be Bilingual Classes in public schools?
Topic: bilingual classes in public schools
5. Should cigarette smoking be in public places?
Topic: cigarette smoking in public places1
Once you’ve decided on a Topic, the next step is to develop a Thesis
Statement. The Thesis Statement has not only the Topic, but also the Main
Idea (what you will prove about the Topic, or convince your readers to
believe). Remember, you need both a Topic and a Main Idea for a Thesis
Statement. It’s not enough to announce that you’ll be writing about “smoking
in public places.” You also need to have a statement of your position about the
issue or topic. For example: “Smoking should not be allowed in public
places”; or “Smoking should be allowed in public places1.” The bottom line:
It’s up to you what you want to convince your readers about your Topic.
1To
help you identify the Topic and Main Idea for each Thesis Statement, the Topics are
underlined and the Main Ideas are in bold type.
In making your selection, remember to base the decision on your interest in
and experience with the Topic. Here’s what we mean:
 If your eyes are allergic to cigarette smoke, take a position on smoking
in public places.
 If you have a teenage son who drinks, take a position on the topic of 18
year-olds and alcohol.
 If you entered college knowing nothing about computers and that’s been
frustrating, take a position on having a required college computer
course.
 If you started elementary school without being able to speak fluent
English, take a position on having Bilingual Classes in our schools.
Given the list of Topics, we might come up with the following Thesis
Statements (the Topics are underlined and the Main Ideas are in bold type):
Topic
Main Idea
1. Cigarette smoking should be banned in public places.
Topic
Main Idea
2. Eighteen year-olds should not be allowed to purchase alcohol.
Topic
Main Idea
3. Computer Applications should be a required course for all high
school students?
Main Idea
Topic
4. There should not be Graduation Exams in high school.
Main Idea
Topic
5. There should be Bilingual Classes in all public schools.
Notice how the Thesis Statements have the word should or should not in them.
These words alert the reader that you will be persuading him or her of your
point of view. Other words that serve the same purpose are: must (must not),
ought (ought not).
Introduction from CBS Internet article on teen drinking and brain damage:
“Teens and alcohol can be a deadly combination. But CBS News correspondent
Elizabeth Kaledin reports that a new study shows that teens who indulge in binge
drinking may be paying a heavy price. Toren Volkmann, now 26, says he viewed
alcohol as "glamorous" when he was a teen. Volkmann admits his memory is not
very sharp. But he was thinking clearly enough to sit down with his mother and
write a book together about his experience as a teenage drinker. He hopes his
story will be the ultimate cautionary tale to any teenager who thinks drinking is
just harmless good fun.”
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/07/05/eveningnews/main1778434.shtml
Practice 1. Crafting your own Thesis Statement – Use the following list of
Topics to develop a Thesis Statement by adding a Main Idea.
Topic
+
Main Idea =
Thesis Statement
1. Mandatory sentencing for crime
Your Thesis Statement:
2. Marijuana
Your Thesis Statement:
3. Outsourcing jobs
Your Thesis Statement:
Clothing factory in Vietnam for export to USA
http://www.business-in-asia.com/images/vietnam_factory_workers.jpg
4. Cell phones and driving
Your Thesis Statement:
Texting and Driving?
http://www.cphswolfpack.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/texting_driving_2008_12_11_tr-7.jpg
5. Violent video games
Your Thesis Statement:
Grand Theft Auto
http://news.cnet.com/2300-1043_3-6238466-1.html
Practice 2. Choose one of the Thesis Statements you developed above (see
Practice 1). If you like, this Thesis Statement can serve as the Thesis Statement
for a Persuasive Essay that you’ll be assigned at the end of the chapter.
Topic
Your
Thesis
Statement:
+
Main Idea
=
Thesis Statement
Step 2. The Support
After writing a Thesis Statement for a Persuasive Essay, the next step is to
outline three Support Points that will provide evidence for your Thesis
Statement; that is, convince the reader to accept your point of view. The
Thesis Statement and three Support Points make up the Informal Outline that
will guide your writing like a roadmap guides you on the road (see Chapter 2
for a full discussion of the Informal Outline).
Here’s the Informal Outline that served as the basis for the Persuasive Essay
that we presented earlier in the chapter on capital punishment:
Informal Outline – Persuasive Essay
Thesis Statement: Capital punishment should be abolished.
Support point 1: fails to deter crime
Support point 2: used unjustly against certain groups
Support point 3: opposes the values that America stands for
Practice 3. Developing an Informal Outline – Write a Thesis Statement and
three Support Points for each of the Topics listed below.
Informal Outline 1. Mandatory sentencing for crime
Thesis Statement:
Support Point 1:
Support Point 2:
Support Point 3:
Informal Outline 2. Marijuana
Thesis Statement:
Support Point 1:
Support Point 2:
Support Point 3:
Informal Outline 3. Violent video games
Thesis Statement:
Support Point 1:
Support Point 2:
Support Point 3:
Informal Outline 4. Outsourcing jobs
Thesis Statement:
Support Point 1:
Support Point 2:
Support Point 3:
Informal Outline 5. Cell phones and driving
Thesis Statement:
Support Point 1:
Support Point 2:
Support Point 3:
Step 3. The First draft
Once you have an Informal Outline with a Thesis Statement and three
Support Points, you’re ready to write the first draft of your Persuasive Essay.
A short Persuasive Essay usually has five paragraphs, each with a different
purpose. Let’s review:
1. Introductory Paragraph
a. Gets the readers interest
b. Sets the context for the paragraph/essay (provides
background)
c. Thesis Statement: Topic + Main Idea (What you hope to
convince your reader to believe)
Chapter 9 reviews the Introductory Paragraph methods you can use to get a
readers’ interest and set the background for your essay. However, no matter
which method you choose, remember the Introductory Paragraph ends with
the Thesis Statement.
Here’s the Introductory Paragraph from the Persuasive Essay on Capital
Punishment given at the beginning of this chapter arguing that “Capital
punishment should be abolished.” The sentences in the Introduction designed
to get your interest and provide background or context are in Italics. The Thesis
Statement is underlined and in bold text.
Introductory Paragraph:
Abolish Capital Punishment
[Introduction to provide background and provide context for
the essay]: Capital Punishment has been a staple of the American
justice system since the country’s inception over two centuries ago.
Though the death penalty has persisted for such a long time, the issue
has also been at the center of heated debate. Today, only fifteen states
in the U.S. have abolished the death penalty in addition to Puerto Rico
and the District of Columbia (Amnesty International). Despite the
large number of states still enforcing a death penalty, the number of
executions in 2007 was only 42, nearly half the number of executions in
1999 (Amnesty International). Furthermore, in December of 2008, 138
countries had eliminated the practice of capital punishment (Amnesty
International). This is proof that support for and belief in the death
penalty is waning both here and abroad. The reasons vary from the
economic to the moral to the political. However, I maintain that
[Thesis Statement for the Essay]: the three most compelling
reasons why capital punishment should be abolished are
because the death penalty fails to deter crime, the death penalty
is used unjustly against certain groups and sometime even
against the innocent, and because the death penalty opposes the
very values and ideals that America espouses to be most
important.
Notice that the student writer gets his readers’ interest and sets the
background for the essay by quoting statistics that support the idea that the
death penalty is being applied less often today than in the past. His
Introductory Paragraph ends with the Thesis Statement (“capital
punishment should be abolished”).
The Support Paragraphs:
The Support paragraphs in the Persuasive Essay have three parts:
Support Paragraphs: Each Support Paragraph begins with a Topic
Sentence (One of three reasons listed in your Informal Outline that
your reader should believe your Thesis), followed by:
a. General Support
b. Specific Support – quotes, statistics, and examples that back up
your argument.
Let’s use the student essay arguing that “capital punishment should be
abolished” to illustrate the point. (The Topic Sentence for the Paragraph is
underlined; the General Support is in Blue Type, and the Specific Support is in
Red Type.
Support Paragraph 1:
[Topic Sentence for Support Paragraph 1]: Most
proponents of the death penalty insist that it deters people
from committing heinous and violent crimes, but research has
shown again and again that this is not the case. [Specific
Statistical Support for Topic Sentence]: A study published
in USA Today reported that “the average 1993 murder rate in
the states with the death penalty was 56% higher than in
states without” (BNET). Additionally, “the South accounts for
80% of U.S. executions, and has the highest regional murder
rate” (Amnesty International). [Conclusion that Restates
the Topic Sentence of the Paragraph in different words]:
Obviously, criminals will persist even in the face of capital
punishment. [Conclusion taking the reader a step further
based on what the writer has proved in his paragraph]:
Thus, we as a society must find other ways to combat the
problem rather than using violence to eradicate violence.
The Topic Sentence of the first Support Paragraph is: “Research has
shown…that [the death penalty does] not deter people from crime.” The
student writer then uses statistics from USA Today and Amnesty
International to support his argument. Notice in the next to last
sentence of the paragraph he restates his Topic Sentence in different
words to reinforce his argument (“Obviously, criminals will persist even
in the face of capital punishment”), and then the first Support Paragraph
ends with a Conclusion based on the Thesis: (“we as a society must find
other ways to combat the problem rather than using violence to
eradicate violence”). Notice that the organization the student uses in his
first Support Paragraph mirrors the organization of the full essay!
Certainly you don’t need to include a Conclusion in the Support
Paragraph, but it’s a nice touch!
Support Paragraph 2:
[Topic Sentence for Support Paragraph 2]: Capital
punishment is the most severe and irreversible form of
punishment in existence, yet it is handed down arbitrarily at
best and with malice and prejudice at worst. [General
Support for the Topic Sentence of the Paragraph]: There is
little rhyme or reason to who is sentenced to death and who is
not; [Statistical Specific Support for the Topic Sentence of the
Paragraph]: every year 22,000 murders are committed and
only 150 of those perpetrators are given the death penalty
(National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty).
Notice that Support Paragraph 2 has the simplest organization of any of the
Support Paragraphs in the essay. The Topic Sentence (“Capital punishment
is the most severe and irreversible form of punishment in existence,
yet it is handed down arbitrarily at best and with malice and prejudice
at worst”) is followed by General Support (“There is little rhyme or reason to
who is sentenced to death and who is not”) that provides focus for the
Specific Support with statistics that follows (“every year 22,000 murders are
committed and only 150 of those perpetrators are given the death penalty”).
Support Paragraph 3:
[Topic Sentence for Support Paragraph 3]: Economics and race
may play a role in which criminals receive a death sentence.
[Specific Support 1 using an Example]: Wealthy defendants can
afford better legal counsel than poor defendants at the mercy of a
public defender. Wealthy defendants may illicit more sympathy
from a jury, just as white criminals may gain more leniency than
those of color. [Second Support for the Topic Sentence of the
Paragraph introduced by a General Support Sentence]: In fact,
some of the most disturbing figures on capital punishment involve
the discrepancies between whites and blacks: [Specific Support 2
using statistics]: “A 2007 study…conducted by Yale University
School of Law revealed that African-American defendants receive
the death penalty at three times the rate of white defendants in
cases where the victims are white” (Amnesty International).
[Conclusion that restates the Topic Sentence of the paragraph
in different words]: In a country that supposedly values racial
equality and the life of its citizens, our use of the death penalty
negates both.
The Topic Sentence of the third Support Paragraph (“Economics and race may
play a role in which criminals receive a death sentence”) is followed by two
support points, one economics (“Wealthy defendants can afford better legal
counsel than poor defendants at the mercy of a public defender. Wealthy
defendants may illicit more sympathy from a jury”) and ends with a transition
phrase to the second support: race (“just as white criminals may gain more
leniency than those of color”). The Specific Support Sentences for race then
gives statistics: (“A 2007 study…conducted by Yale University School of Law
revealed that African-American defendants receive the death penalty at three
times the rate of white defendants in cases where the victims are white”).
Finally, continuing the parallel structure, the writer established in earlier
support paragraphs, he restates the Topic Sentence of the paragraph in
different words: (“In a country that supposedly values racial equality and the
life of its citizens, our use of the death penalty negates both”).
Support Paragraph 4:
[Transition word (“finally”) to the Topic Sentence of Support
Paragraph 4]: Finally, [Topic Sentence for Support Paragraph
4]: by resorting to the use of capital punishment we fail to live up to
the ideals on which this country is founded. [General Support 1
for Topic Sentence of the Paragraph]: American tradition is
nested in the unbridled potential and importance of each human life
and yet by killing we teach to kill. [Specific Support 1 using a
Quote]: In other words, “by executing, society puts itself on the
same low level as those it executes” (BNET). [General Support 2
for the Topic Sentence of the Paragraph]: American culture is
steeped in religion and the values of mercy, forgiveness, and love;
but where is our mercy and forgiveness when we execute those who
have done us wrong? [General Support 3 for the Topic Sentence
of the Paragraph]: Life in prison is a suitable and devastating
punishment for those who murder while also leaving a chance for
some reform or perhaps a contribution by him or her: [Specific
Support 3 using a Quote]: “Capital punishment sins most by
depriving the culprit of his [or her] chances of reformation…The
only way to destroy a criminal is by reforming the man who is a
criminal. To destroy his [or her] bodily life is nothing but a stupid
blunder” (Sunrise Magazine). [General Support 4 for the Topic
Sentence of the Paragraph]: As hard as it may be to accept, when
we end the life of a murderer we are no better than one and we set
no better an example for future generations.
Notice that the fourth Support Paragraph begins with a Transition Word
(“Finally”) that alerts the reader that this is the Topic Sentence of the last
Support Paragraph. Transition words and phrases provide a helpful bridge
from one point to another that help organize your writing. The transition is
followed by the Topic Sentence: (“by resorting to the use of capital
punishment we fail to live up to the ideals on which this country is founded”).
The Topic Sentence is supported by two quotes and four general persuasive
arguments: 1) American tradition [values the] importance of each human life
and yet by killing we teach to kill.); 2) American culture is steeped in religion
and the values of mercy, forgiveness, and love; but where is our mercy and
forgiveness when we execute those who have done us wrong?; 3) Life in
prison gives a person a chance to reform; the death penalty does not; and 4
[with the death penalty] we are no better than one [who kills] and we set no
better an example for future generations.
In a longer essay, the four General Support Points would each receive their
own paragraph with more specific support for each.
The Conclusion:
The last paragraph in the Persuasive Essay is the Conclusion. The Conclusion
has two goals:
Conclusion
a. Restates the Main Idea (what you have proved in the essay) in
different words.
b. Takes the reader a step further.
Chapter 10 reviews the methods you can use to write the Conclusion. For
example, our student writer in his essay arguing to end the death penalty uses
the Quote Method in his Conclusion:
Conclusion
[Transition from the Support Paragraphs to the Conclusion]:
Undoubtedly, capital punishment is bound to spur up intense
debate for years to come with no clear resolution in sight, but
[Restate the Thesis in different words]: I am convinced the
negative consequences of such a practice do not justify it. The
death penalty has yet to prove to be a reliable deterrent to crime,
the sentence of death is handed out based on race and class, and
the practice of capital punishment is the antithesis of everything for
which America is supposed to stand. [Use of Quote to restate and
reinforce Thesis Statement and as a way to take the reader a
step further]: “If we profess to revere…justice, and if we ourselves
supplicate and rely on that…justice, how can we reconcile it with
our duty, as men created in the divine image, to dismiss thus
roughly a fellow human being from our midst…? (Sunrise
Magazine).
Practice 4. In the Persuasive Essay below titled “Why I Deserve a Raise,”
identify the Organizational Structure using the following guide:
Put the Introduction designed to give background or get the readers’ interest
in Italics.
Underline and put in bold print the Thesis Statement for the essay.
Put the Topic Sentence in Blue type for the Support Paragraphs.
Put one Example of Supporting Detail in Red type for the Support Paragraphs.
Put (parentheses) around the Transition Words and Phrases that signal the
Topic Sentence of Support Paragraphs.
Put [brackets] around the Transition Words and Phrases that signal specific
support or examples.
Underline and put in Green type the part of the Conclusion that restates the
Thesis Statement in different words.
Put in Green type the part of the Conclusion that takes the reader a step
further.
Manuel Rodriquez
Eng 090
05-03-09
Persuasive Essay
Informal Outline: [copy and paste here]
Thesis Statement:
Support Point 1:
Support Point 2:
Support Point 3:
Why I Deserve a Raise
Persuading your employer to give you a raise can be a very difficult and nerve
racking task. There is always the fear that they will say no because they do
not believe that you are doing as good of a job as you thought. I, however,
believe that I do deserve to get a raise. The three reasons are: I work hard
and know what I’m doing; I am the best salesman in the store; and I feel that I
am an asset to the company.
First, I am a very work-oriented person. Most of my job is physical labor, and
I love doing that. I am very meticulous about the quality and speed of my
work. I like to make sure that I do a good job, and that it’s done in a timely
fashion. Last month, we had two major projects due the same week. I worked
overtime and skipped lunch, so I could get both projects completed on time.
Second, I am a fantastic salesman. I have no problem talking to anyone about
what plants they are looking for. I also help identify the mystery plants in
people’s yards, as well as find the plants that are best suited for their needs. I
helped a woman from Lakewood to completely re-landscape her yard. She
was so happy with the result that she has told all her friends about our
business.
Finally, I feel that I am an asset to the company. I have no problem working
long hours, or fixing any mistakes I may have made. I am the only employee
that returned from last season. Considering that everyone else was let go or
left the job, I feel that my staying shows my commitment to my work. This
season, I have helped to train all of the new employees.
Not everyone that works for a company for over a year deserves a raise. For
many people, however, a raise is the benchmark of actually doing a good job,
however. After discussing the many reasons I feel I deserve a raise, I know
you will agree. I will always give my best to your business. I even hope to
move up to a management position some day.
Here’s why I deserve a raise.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/green/sfl-0922ask-for-raise.pg,0,4265926.photogallery
Steps in the Writing Process
In Practice 5, you’ll be writing your own essay. In doing so, take it
one step at a time, like following directions to a distant city or a
recipe to make an excellent dinner. Here are the steps in writing a
Persuasive Essay:
1. Prewriting Choose a Topic for your essay – what you will be
writing about.
Develop a Topic Sentence – what you will prove about
the Topic).
Put together an Informal Outline containing your
Thesis Statement and three main Support Points.
2. Drafting
Following the “Organization of the Essay,” write your
first draft.
3. Revise for
organization
(draft 2)
Review and revise your draft to make sure that the
organization of your essay is sound and follows your
Informal Outline.
4. Revising
for style
(draft 3)
Revise your essay for the flow and readability of the
sentences – (see Chapter 11 on Style).
5. Editing
(draft 4)
Review and revise your essay to make sure you get the
grammar, spelling, and punctuation right (see
Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation Checklist).
Practice 5. Writing your own Persuasive Essay
Graded Essay Assignment: Write a 1-2 page Persuasive essay, using the
topic you developed in the Progressive Writing Assignments in this Chapter
(see below). You can use the drafts you put together for these assignments for
your essay!
Your essay must be organized according to the principles of organization
covered in this chapter.
1. Topics you can choose from for your Persuasive Essay (you can use the
Thesis Statement and Informal Outline you completed earlier in the chapter):
Topic
+
Main Idea
1. Mandatory Sentencing for crime
=
Thesis Statement
2. Marijuana
3. Violent video games
4. Cell phones and driving
5. Outsourcing jobs
2. Complete an Informal Outline to plan your essay. The Informal
Outline should have the following parts:
Thesis Statement:
Support Point 1:
Support Point 2:
Support Point 3:
3. Write an Persuasive Essay from 1-2 pages long on the topic you chose
that follows your Informal Outline.
A. Organization:
(Check when you are certain you have included the following):
Introductory Paragraph
____ Introduction to get readers’ interest and set background
____ Thesis Statement
3 Support Paragraphs
____ Topic sentence for each Support Point in your Informal Outline that
should appear at the beginning of each Support Paragraph
____ General Support sentences
____ Specific Support sentences – Examples with details;
Conclusion Paragraph
____ Conclusion that restates the main idea, and
____ Takes the reader one step further.
4. Place the Informal Outline and Organization Checklist directly above
your essay. (You will receive 3 points added to your grade for
completing the Outline and the Organization Checklist.)
5. Make sure to include the heading with your name, date, course
information, and assignment in the upper left corner of the essay!
Here’s how to format your essays: At the opening of your essay, single space
your name, the course, date and something that identifies which assignment it
is (Persuasive Essay, for example) in the upper left hand corner. You will need
a title. Capitalize the first letter in each word of your title (except for a, the, at,
of, in and to, unless one of these words begins the title). Center the title above
the essay. Also, make sure to double-space the text of the essay (Use ctrl-A,
then ctrl-2). Also, make sure your essay is in 12 point type with 1 inch
margins.
6. Complete the following Grammar Checklist, by checking carefully for
each type of error in your essay. Correct the errors and place an “X”
by each type of error you checked for.
Attach the Grammar Checklist in a separate file with your essay.
1. ____ Spelling (Use the spell check on your computer)
____ Spelled as one word instead of two!
Anyone
Anything
Someone Everybody
Anybody Whenever
Somebody Cannot
2. Fragments
_____ Make sure you have a subject and a verb in all your sentences; otherwise
the word group is a fragment. Here are some examples:
Fragment: Getting to class on time.
Sentence: Getting to class on time has been a problem for me.
Fragment: When I knew he was there.
Sentence: When I knew he was there, I dropped off the contract.
Fragment: Such as the games that are on-line.
Sentence: There are many video games that I play, such as the games that are
on-line.
Fragment: When she arrived at class after the bus had dropped her off.
Sentence: She arrived at class after the bus had dropped her off.
3. Run-ons
_____ Run-ons are caused by combining two full sentences, each with a subject
and verb and no conjunction, into one sentence using a comma or no
punctuation. You can correct a run-on by:
Run-on: She arrived at class the bus had dropped her off.
Sentence: She arrived at class after the bus had dropped her off.
Run-on: You know the answer, it’s on the board.
Sentence: You know the answer because it’s on the board.
4. Comma Errors
_____ Commas with Coordinate Conjunctions – Notice the need for a
comma in compound sentences with a coordinating conjunction (and,
but, or), where there are two equal ideas (see page … in the text).
Examples:
I walked to class, and I carried my books.
I walked to class and carried my books.
Notice that you do have a comma when there is a second subject but
do not have a comma when the second subject is left out.
_____
Commas with Subordinate Conjunctions – Use commas after
subordinate clauses that introduce sentences. A subordinate clause is
less important than the main sentence and is signaled with a key word.
Examples: When I got to class, the fire alarm rang.
After I got to class, the fire alarm rang.
The fire alarm rang after I got to class.
I like apples because they are sweet.
Notice that you need a comma when the subordinate clause starts the
sentence but do not use a comma when the Subordinate Clause does
not start the sentence.
_____ Commas in Opening Phrases and Introductory Phrases – Use a
comma after opening phrases.
Example: “In fact, I did it my way.”
“In early morning light, I saw the battle.”
“I saw the battle in the early morning light.” (Notice there is
no comma because the prepositional phrase comes at the end
of the sentence.)
_____ Commas in Series – Put a comma after each item in a series including
the last item before the conjunction.
Example: “I like apples, oranges, and bananas.”
“She read the chapter on Monday, visited the Writing
Center on Tuesday, and took the exam on Wednesday.”
_____
Commas with Which but not That – It is almost always true that
“which” takes a comma, and “that” does not.
Example: “I am taking the umbrella, which is in the closet.”
“I am taking the umbrella that is in the closet.”
_____
No Comma after a Subordinate Conjunction – You never have a
Comma after a Subordinate Conjunction.
Never like this: “Although, it was raining, we played the soccer match
to the end.”
Always like this: “Although it was raining, we played the soccer match
to the end.”
5. Correct Wording
_____ Its/It’s This is an exception to the possessive rule. “Its” is the possessive
as in “The cat cleaned its fur.” “It’s” is the contraction meaning “It is,” as
in, “It’s time to go.”
_____ Then/Than These two words are tricky. “Then” is used to show a
change in time. For example: “First, I washed my clothes; then I did my
assignment.” “Then” is also used with cause-effect sentences. For
example: “If you want to leave on time, then you better start packing.”
“Than” is used for comparisons. For example: “I like your choice better
than mine.”
_____ There/Their/They’re These words are pronounced the same but have
different meanings. Here’s what they mean:
1. “There” is a direction like: “over there.”
2. “Their” shows possession like: “their car.”
3. “They’re” is a contraction meaning: “They are.”
_____ To/Too/Two These words are pronounced the same but have different
meanings. Here’s what they mean:
You have “to” as in “to the store”; “too” as in “too many assignments”; and
“two” as in “two pencils.” Make sure to use the right form in your essay!
_____ In formal writing, avoid using “and” or “but” to start a sentence. Usually
you can just take the “and” or “but” out, and it will fix the problem, or
you can combine the word group that begins with “and” or “but” with
the sentence that comes before.
Incorrect: I walked to class. And I took the quiz.
Correct: I walked to class, and I took the quiz.
_____ Slang – In a formal paper, try to avoid using slang words like “Got,” “Lot
of,” “thing,” “stuff,” or “bunch.” See if you can find another word to do
the job.
_____ I believe/I think/in my opinion/Next I’ll talk about – In a formal
paper, avoid writing “I believe,” “I think,” “in my opinion,” and so on.
Readers will assume that you would not write it if you didn’t believe it,
so it’s unnecessary to write, “I believe.”
Extra Wording: I believe 16 year olds should have the right to vote.
Revised: Sixteen year olds should have the right to vote.
_____ The words “very,” “a little,” “a lot,” “kind of,” “sort of,” and “you
know,” “that,” and “In this essay, I’m going to write about, “at the
present time,” due to the fact that,” “in the event that,” “The point I
am trying to make is that,” “What I mean to say is that,” “In the final
analysis”…” are most often unnecessary and don’t add anything to your
writing. Just take them out.
_____ Numbers – In a formal paper, write out your numbers unless they are
triple digits (10 or greater), or a paper where you are presenting data.
Incorrect: There were 8 stores in the city.
Correct: There were eight stores in the city.
_____ Second Person “you” – In a formal paper, try to avoid the second
person “you” unless you’re giving instructions or directions. Stick to the
third person (“it” “he” “she” “they”) and so on. Or in personal essays, use
the first person “I.”
Process Essays are the exception where you are explaining how to do
something (like how to change the car’s oil, or how to write an essay!)