Persuasion
Writing to Persuade Others . . .
From Reading to Writing Thomas Jefferson,
Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X had
powerful ideas about political and social
problems, and they believed that one way to
solve them was by persuading others to think
and act as they did.
Persuasion
Writing to Persuade Others . . .
All persuasive writing serves this basic
purpose, although it is not always about such
world-shaking issues. Advertising, fundraising
campaigns, editorials, and political speeches
are examples of persuasive writing.
Basics in a Box
Persuasive Essay at a Glance
WHAT I BELIEVE
RUBRIC Standards for
Writing
Opinion or
belief
Introduction
• state the issue and your
position on it clearly in the
introduction
WHY I BELIEVE IT
Supporting
evidence
Supporting
evidence
A successful persuasive
essay should
Supporting
evidence
Body
• be geared to the audience
you’re trying to convince
• support your position with
evidence such as facts,
statistics, and examples
• answer possible objections to
your position
Summary of opinion
What readers should do
Conclusion
• show clear reasoning
• conclude with a summary of
your position or a call to action
Writing Your Persuasive Essay
1
Prewriting
Writing comes more easily if you have
something to say.
Sholem Asch, novelist
Look for an issue that’s important to you
and about which people disagree. Try
brainstorming for ideas with a friend or
looking for controversial issues in the
news.
Planning Your Persuasive Essay
1.Clarify your position. What do you believe
about your topic? Why do you hold that belief?
2.Identify your audience. What do they know
about the topic? What is their position on it?
How can you answer opposing views?
3.Use evidence to support your arguments.
What facts, statistics, and examples support
your position? What reference books or
experts will offer more information?
Writing Your Persuasive Essay
2
Drafting
Continue exploring your ideas as you begin
drafting. Don’t be afraid to rethink or revise
your opinion as you work. At some point,
you must state your position clearly and
support it.
Writing Your Persuasive Essay
2
Drafting
Support with:

facts

statistics

examples

observations

anecdotes

quotations
Writing Your Persuasive Essay
2
Drafting
Watch out for these illogical arguments and
faulty and deceptive uses of language:

circular reasoning—just restating
something in other words without
offering proof
We need a new traffic light at the
corner because it’s necessary.
Writing Your Persuasive Essay
2
Drafting

over-generalization—making a
statement that’s too broad to prove
Everybody likes chocolate.

either-or fallacy—stating that there
are only two possible alternatives
Either I get into Ivy League U. or my
future is ruined.
Writing Your Persuasive Essay
2
Drafting


cause-and-effect fallacy—assuming
that because event B followed event A,
A caused B
I flunked the test because I wore my
unlucky shirt.
bandwagon appeal—trying to
persuade people to follow the crowd
Everyone wears Spike brand of
athletic shoes.
Writing Your Persuasive Essay
2
Drafting

name-calling—attacking the person,
not the idea
Joe won’t be a good representative
because he is a nerd.
Writing Your Persuasive Essay
3
Revising
Target Skill
SUPPORTING PERSONAL OPINIONS
WITH FACTS
While experts’ opinions can provide strong
support for your arguments, you must back
up your own opinions with facts.
Writing Your Persuasive Essay
4
Editing and Proofreading
Target Skill
PRONOUN-ANTECEDENT
AGREEMENT
When you edit and proofread, make sure
pronouns agree with their antecedents in
number, gender, and person so your writing
is clear and unambiguous.