Chapter 6: Persuasive Essay - Student Journey Pressstudentjourneypress.com/uploads/...Essay_WRITING.docx  · Web view: Topic Sentence (The first reason your reader should believe

Chapter 6: Persuasive EssayCopyright © 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.

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 interestb. 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 2b. 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 3b. 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 HillApril 2009ENG 090Persuasive Essay

Informal Outline Thesis Statement: Capital punishment should be abolished.Support point 1: fails to deter crimeSupport 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 Idea1. Cigarette smoking should be banned in public places.

Topic Main Idea2. Eighteen year-olds should not be allowed to purchase alcohol.

Topic Main Idea3. 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 Topic5. 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 USAhttp://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 Autohttp://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 + Main Idea = Thesis Statement

Your ThesisStatement:

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 EssayThesis Statement: Capital punishment should be abolished.

Support point 1: fails to deter crimeSupport point 2: used unjustly against certain groupsSupport 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 Paragrapha. Gets the readers interestb. 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 Supportb. 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:

Conclusiona. 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 RodriquezEng 09005-03-09Persuasive 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

2. Drafting

3. Revise for organization(draft 2)

4. Revising for style(draft 3)

5. Editing(draft 4)

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.

Following the “Organization of the Essay,” write your first draft.

Review and revise your draft to make sure that the organization of your essay is sound and follows your Informal Outline.

Revise your essay for the flow and readability of the sentences – (see Chapter 11 on Style).

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 = Thesis Statement1. Mandatory Sentencing for crime

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 EverybodyAnybody WheneverSomebody 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!)