Persuasive Writing - Weeblymrscarllsrhs2016.weebly.com/uploads/7/9/8/4/...Review: The Persuasive Essay: •A Catchy Title •Introductory paragraph with a “hook”, three main arguments

Persuasive Writing

Persuasive Writing

Persuasive writing is writing that tries to convince a reader to do something or to believe what you believe about a certain topic.

It takes a position for or against something.

Persuasive Writing can be used to…

Purpose Persuasive Statement

Support a cause “Please support my football team by buying discount coupons.”

Urge people to action “Vote for Sarah!”

Make a change “The principal should let us wear hats in classrooms.”

Prove something wrong “Cell phones do not cause brain cancer.”

Persuasive Writing can be used to…

Purpose Persuasive Statement

Stir up sympathy “If you don’t adopt this dog, it could have to live in a shelter.”

Create interest “Better grades get you a better job and more money.”

Get people to agree with you

“I am sure you’ll agree that Milky Way is the best candy bar.”

Persuasive Writing follows a certain format…1. INTRODUCTION

o with a “hook” and thesis statement

2. BODY o where the argument is explained

3. CONCLUSION o main points are summarized and reviewed and the

reader is left with something to think about

First, Know Your Audience…

Before you start writing, you should know your audience:

oWho will read your writing? Who do you need to convince?o The audience may be your friends, your teacher, your parents, your

principal, the readers of a newspaper or the President of the United States!

oWill you be graded? On What?

o Should you be casual or professional?

Second, pick a side!

The writer must clearly state his/her position and stay with that position. Pick a side!

Generally, the position is stated in the opening paragraph or introduction.

Third, do your research…

In order to convince the reader you need more than just an opinion, you need facts or examples to back your opinion.

Be sure to do the research!

Four: Make a plan, then write!

The 5 Paragraph Essay:

1. Introduction with a hook and thesis statement

2. Argument 1 with support

3. Argument 2 with support

4. Argument 3 with support

5. Conclusion

Persuasive Writing:DOS and DON’Ts

DODo divide your essay into 5 paragraphs

Do have a thesis statement in your introduction

Do come up with 3 main points to support your argument—these will be your 3 body paragraphs

Do have a conclusion that has a “clincher statement”

Do come up with a catchy title

DON’TDon’t begin with “Hello my name is___ and I’m going to write about____”

Don’t use the word “I “ (Instead of “I think we shouldn’t wear uniforms” say “Uniforms shouldn’t be required.”)

Don’t be a flip flopper. Pick a side!

Don’t forget to support your opinions with facts and example s

Don’t introduce new information in your conclusion

Writing Your Essay

A Great Introduction

• Grabs or “hooks” the reader’s attention making them want to read on

• Tells how the writing will be organized

• Clearly states the author’s position in a thesis statement

The Hook

• The first sentence of your essay

• It is meant to capture the attention of your reader

• There are many good strategies that will make sure your essay starts strong

The Hook

The biggest mistake you can make when writing a hook is using general statements.

Bad Hooks:oHello, my name is Tim and today I am going to write

about...

oVolunteering after school is a way to learn responsibility because…

Hook: Strong Statement

• People can’t resist fair and healthy conflict when debating a topic.

• Challenge the reader’s opinions in your hook without attacking their values and beliefs

Example:

Social media ruins lives.

Hook: Quotation

• Make sure that the quote is relevant to your topic, background information, or your thesis statement in some way.

Example:

John F. Kennedy once said, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”

Hook: Fact or Statistic

• Surprise and impress your reader with an interesting fact related to your topic. If it is a commonly known fact, people won’t be as interested in learning more.

Example:

Seventy-two percent of Canadians have been directly related to a person, or persons, killed during WWII.

Hook: Anecdote/Scenario

• A personal experience or made-up situation to introduce the topic.

• Short, to the point, and relate to the topic• Sometimes tricky because we are avoiding personal

pronouns (I, me, us, we).

Example:

The young man with the hammer hoisted himself onto the top of the wall. All around him were people who chanted and cheered. He knelt down, with his hammer, and began to chip at the cold, gray concrete. Little by little, the wall began to crumble. It was hard to believe were watching the Belin Wall coming down uniting a country after 30 years of separation.

Hook: Outrageous Statement

• A statement related to the topic, but uses hyperbole to captures attention

Example:

Fast food is killing America!

The Plan Sentence

• Tells the reader how the essay is going to be organized

• Should contain the three main arguments that will appear in the essay, written in the order that they will appear (from weakest to strongest)

Plan Sentence Example

When Winning is Really About Losing

Congratulations! Here’s a medal. This is what happens every time you sign your little bundle of energy up for a sport. In the society we live in today, even if a child coughs, they get a plastic trophy saying they are the ultimate athlete. This behavior demoralizes children, takes away a sense of accomplishment, and makes them think life is a breeze. Children should be awarded for ability, not participation.

Plan Sentence Example

Smoking in Public Areas

A recent study done by the Air Initiative Smoking Group revealed that seven out of ten people are uncomfortable when individuals smoke around them. Many places such as Texas and Japan still allow smoking in public areas; permitting this creates a countless number of problems. Societies around the globe should ban smoking in public areas. This behaviour sets a bad example, it creates pollution and most importantly, it causes an extreme health risk to the smoker and the people around them.

Thesis Statement

• A thesis statement is one sentence at the end of your introduction that states your opinion

• It needs to be strong

Thesis Statement Example

Fast Food Is Killing America!

A typical child needs 2,000 calories for an entire day and Burger King’s Whopper with triple cheese has 1,230 calories. That is far more calories than anyone needs in one day! Fast food consumption has risen 500 percent since 1970 and today reaches nearly every part of society, including some public school cafeterias. Fast food is harmful because it rapidly increases weight, causes high blood pressure, and leads to sluggishness. Fast food is bad for your health.

CATCHY

TITLE

HOOK THE READER

THESIS STATEMENT

PLAN

SENTENCE

Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Three Supporting Paragraphs

• Use each of the main arguments you used in your introductory paragraph and expand on each giving facts and reasons.

• In our previous example, you would write one paragraph on how fast food increases weight, one paragraph on how it causes high blood pressure and one on how it leads to sluggishness.

Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Conclude Your Essay

What makes an good conclusion?

Last paragraph summarizes your main point.

End using one or more of the following strategies:

• Call the reader to action

• Anecdote or scenario

• Make a Prediction

The last paragraph wraps up the writing and gives the reader something to think about.

Strategies for Conclusions Call to Action

◦ Ask the reader to do something or to make something happen “I challenge you to watch what you eat and to avoid fast food.”

Provide a solution

◦ Provide an answer to the problem “Fast food doesn’t have to be “bad food.” Make better choices like salads, fruit and low fat treats.”

Make a Prediction

◦ Explain what might be the consequences of action or inaction “If people continue to eat lots of fast food, they put their health at risk. If kids don’t make better choices today, they won’t grow into healthy adults.”

Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Concluding Paragraph:

Restate your thesis.

End with…

• A comment (Don’t make your body suffer!)

• A question (Are you willing to risk your health?)

• A call to action (I highly recommend you consider your options the next time your faced with a decision about what to eat.)

Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

In closing, it’s important to remember that too much

fast food can have negative effects on your health. If

not eaten in moderation, you can gain weight, suffer

from high blood pressure and become slow and

sluggish. Is it worth the risk to your body? Eat Healthy

and Make good choices!

Review: The Persuasive Essay:

• A Catchy Title

• Introductory paragraph with a “hook”, three main arguments and a thesis statement.

• One paragraph for each of your three arguments.

• Closing paragraph that re-states your thesis and challenges the reader to think about it.

Don’t Forget…

• Make sure to read over your work and edit for mechanics and spelling.

• Write neatly!

• Include detail and great vocabulary.

• Follow proper format: MLA!