Writing Persuasive Essay - Middletown High School€¦ · 30-09-2014 · 742 unit 6: argument and persuasion writing task Write a persuasive essay on an issue about which you have

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742 unit 6: argument and persuasion

writing taskWrite a persuasive essay on an issue about which you have a strong opinion. In your essay, try to persuade a specific audience to agree with your position and take a stand or action on it.Idea Starters• an issue that affects your friends or family• a current event discussed in a newspaper, on television, or on an

online news site• a possible action discussed by the student council, board of

education, or your city council or town board

the essentialsHere are some common purposes, audiences, and formats for persuasive writing.

1. development of ideas• includes an introduction that

identifies an issue and states a precise claim

• fairly develops the claim with valid reasons and relevant evidence

• anticipates opposing claims and counters them with well-supported counterclaims

• offers a concluding section that supports the claim

2. organization of ideas• establishes clear, logical

relationships among claims, counterclaims, reasons, and evidence

• uses transitions to create cohesion and clarify relationships

3. language facility and conventions

• maintains a formal style and objective tone

• uses the subjunctive mood• employs correct grammar,

mechanics, and spelling

purposes audiences formats• to sway others

to adopt your position

• to inspire others to take action

• classmates and teacher

• parents• community

members• school board• Web users

• essay for class• letter to editor• speech• blog• advertisement• message-board

posting• podcast

Persuasive EssayIdeas and words can shape people’s attitudes and influence their actions. Think of times you’ve tried to convince others to agree with you. How did you build your case? What words did you use to get others to take your side or take action? In this workshop, you will learn how to construct an argument and choose words that will have the greatest impact on others in a persuasive essay.

Complete the workshop activities in your Reader/Writer Notebook.

write with a purpose common core traits

argument

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Writing Workshop

writing workshop 743

Planning/PrewritingGetting Started

choose an issueFor your essay, you need to choose a substantive issue that matters to a great deal of people. Make a list of issues about which people have differing opinions. Then, select the issue that is most important to you.

ask yourself:• Which issue do I care about the most?• What is my position on this issue?• What reasons and evidence can I use to support

my position?• What opinions do other people have on this issue?

think about audience and purposeYour purpose is to convince others to share your opinion or to take your suggested course of action. Also, make sure you know your audience—people who either disagree with you or do not yet have an opinion on the issue. Understanding their views and concerns will help you build a more convincing argument.

ask yourself:• Who is my audience? What do I want my

audience to believe or do?• How can I make my audience care about this issue?• What does my audience know about this issue?

What background information might they need?• What views might my audience have on this issue?• What objections might my audience raise?

write a claimTo guide your writing, formulate a precise claim, a statement that makes your opinion clear. This statement should identify the issue and describe your position on it.

what does it look like?

Claim: Schools should allow fast food restaurants to offer menu items in the school cafeteria.

gather support for your claimTo show why your opinion is correct, you’ll need to provide reasons that explain your position. Make sure that each reason is valid (makes logical sense) and can be supported with evidence. Also, think ahead and brainstorm opposing claims that your audience might have. Prepare a counterclaim to refute each objection. An effective counterclaim can help you establish the strength of your claim over all other viewpoints.

what does it look like?

Position Issue

Reason 1: Kids would have more food choices. * Evidence * Evidence

Claim: Schools should allow fast food restaurants to offer menu items in the school cafeteria.

Possible Opposing Claim: Fast food is unhealthful.Counterclaim: Food served in the cafeteria now is not necessarily healthful.

Reason 3: Schools will profit.* Evidence

* Evidence

Reason 2: Schools control nutrition. * Evidence * Evidence

W 1a–e Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. W 5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning.



Planning/Prewriting continued

Getting Startedcollect evidenceSupport your claim with specific evidence that is relevant to your issue. Make sure your evidence is sufficient, or substantive enough to prove your point. Here are some types of evidence: what does it look like?Anecdotes: brief, personal stories that illustrate a point

My mother told me that when she was in school, students could leave school at lunchtime to go out to buy fast food.

Examples: specific instances of an idea or situation

Now students have choices of fat-soaked meat and side orders lacking vitamins.

Expert Opinions: quotations or paraphrases of statements made by people who are considered experts on your issue

“Kids get bored easily with the options we provide,” noted cafeteria manager Ingrid Stone.

Facts: statements that can be proven true Many fast food companies are now preparing their food with zero trans fat.

Statistics: information in numerical form Each student spends about $2.00 a day in the cafeteria.

use appropriate appealsLogical appeals rely on your audience’s ability to use common sense; facts and expert opinions can help you make logical appeals.Emotional appeals speak to your audience’s emotions, such as fear and hope; anecdotes can create emotional appeal.Ethical appeals speak to your audience’s ethics and rely on commonly accepted beliefs or values; examples can be used to make ethical appeals.

tipWhile emotional and ethical appeals can be powerful, they also can disguise flawed logic in weak arguments. For that reason, avoid relying too much on emotional and ethical appeals. Rather, start with sound logical appeals. Then, incorporate some of these other appeals to help you strengthen key points.

Read your claim aloud to a peer. Then, ask: What do you know about this issue? What would you like to know? What objections would you raise to my position?

In your Reader/Writer Notebook, develop your writing plan. Draft a claim, and organize your reasons, evidence, and counterclaims. Consider these tips:• Use reliable sources, such as books and trustworthy Web sites.• Use at least two sources to find facts to back up your argument.

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Writing Workshop


DraftingThe following chart shows a structure for organizing your draft.

grammar in context: subjunctive moodMood is the form a verb takes to indicate a certain attitude. The indicative mood expresses a fact, an opinion, or a question; the imperative mood expresses a direct command or a request; and the subjunctive mood expresses a suggestion, a requirement, a condition contrary to fact, or a wish. In persuasive writing, use the subjunctive mood to clarify that something is not currently the case but could be if your proposed course of action were taken. Read these paired sentences:

Indicative Mood Subjunctive MoodThe school tried offering fast food. [fact] I recommend that the school try offering fast food.

[suggestion]Because we are better fed, we can be more productive and positive. [fact]

It is essential that we be better fed, so that we can be more productive and positive. [requirement]

When students are offered a variety of choices, their morale increases. [fact]

If students were offered a variety of choices, their morale would increase. [wish]

Organizing Your Persuasive Essay

introduction• Grab your audience’s attention with a question, anecdote, or startling statistic.• Provide background information to help your audience understand your issue.• Include a precise claim that makes your position on the issue clear.

body• Logically sequence ideas to show how the claims, counterclaims, and evidence relate.• Develop reasons with relevant, sufficient, and varied evidence. • Fairly address opposing claims by acknowledging their strengths and limitations. Include a

well-supported counterclaim.• Use transitions, such as one concern and another concern, to create cohesion, or flow.• Maintain a formal style by using a confident voice and avoiding slang. Use an objective, or

controlled, tone that isn’t defensive or overly emotional.

concluding section • Restate, but do not repeat, your opinion. Summarize the reasons for it.• End with a call to action, telling members of your audience what they can do.

Develop a first draft following the structure outlined in the chart above. In your draft, use the subjunctive mood correctly to express a possibility.

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W 4 Produce clear and coherent writing appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. L 1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing.



RevisingWhen you revise, you consider the development, organization, and style of your essay. The questions, tips, and strategies in the following chart can help you identify, revise, and rewrite the parts of your essay that need improvement.

Exchange your persuasive essay with a classmate, or read your essay aloud to your partner. Use the chart to make sure the claim, reasons, and evidence are communicated effectively. Help each other identify parts of the drafts that need strengthening or a new approach.

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persuasive essayAsk Yourself Tips Revision Strategies

1. Does the introduction grab the audience’s attention and present a precise claim?

Put a check mark by sentences that get the audience interested. Underline the claim.

Add an interesting opening sentence. Add a claim that states your position on the issue. Rework the existing claim to make it more precise.

2. Does the introduction include background information on the issue?

Put a star by sentences that give background information on the issue.

Add background information to address any gaps in the audience’s knowledge about the issue.

3. Do at least two valid reasons support the claim? Is each reason supported by relevant and sufficient evidence?

Underline each reason. Circle each piece of evidence, and draw an arrow to the reason it supports.

Add reasons or rework existing ones to make them more valid. Add relevant evidence to ensure that your support is sufficient.

4. Do I maintain an objective, or controlled, tone?

Highlight words or phrases that seem defensive, dismissive, or emotional.

Reword highlighted language to better express your command of the issue and confidence in your claim.

5. Are potential opposing claims anticipated and refuted with counterclaims?

Draw a wavy line under potential opposing claims. Bracket counterclaims that address those objections.

Add opposing claims and counterclaims to fairly address potential concerns the audience might have.

6. Does the concluding section restate the opinion? Does it include a call to action?

Underline the restatement of the position. Put a check mark next to the call to action.

Add a restatement of your position on the issue. Add a call to action.


Writing Workshop


analyze a student draftRead this draft; note the comments on its strengths as well the suggestions for improvement.

Expand Our Food Choices

by Elizabeth Naglak, Searcy High School

How does the idea of eating real fast food at school sound? Recently some schools have been allowing fast food restaurants to serve lunch in their cafeterias. This is a brilliant idea because it gives students a variety of choices, a healthy and appealing menu, and an experience to enjoy. In doing so, the school would also acquire another way to earn money. Ordinarily, students have the regular plate lunch or a salad every day. After a couple of months, these choices get old and unappetizing. “Kids get bored easily with the options we provide,” noted cafeteria manager Ingrid Stone. I recommend that the school try offering fast food. Students would get more options for lunch. They would no longer have to eat the same foods on a daily basis. It is my hope that students be offered a variety of choices so that their morale might increase. The gourmet lunch options currently offered do nothing to get students excited about lunch. It is essential that we be better fed, so that we can be more productive and positive.

Use Quotation Marks to Indicate Sarcasm or Irony In her second paragraph, Elizabeth uses sarcasm to emphasize that the current school lunch offerings are far from perfect. When used in writing, sarcasm and irony should be indicated by quotation marks to alert the reader. Elizabeth forgot to put quotation marks around the sarcastic phrase, however, to warn readers that she is not being completely serious. Therefore, her revision includes quotation marks around her use of irony.

elizabeth’s revision to paragraph 2

The gourmet lunch options currently offered do nothing to get students excited about lunch.

1

2

Elizabeth uses sarcasm in this paragraph. She should alert the reader to this use of sarcasm with quotation marks.

The subjunctive mood is used to express what would happen if Elizabeth’s idea were approved.

Elizabeth grabs her audience’s attention by asking a question. The question also sets up her claim.

“ ”

W 5 Strengthen writing by revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. L 3 Apply knowledge of language to make effective choices for meaning or style.



analyze a student draft continued

One concern about offering fast food in schools is nutrition. While parents may be concerned with unhealthful fast food being offered in schools, there is nothing to fear. The school would have the power to allow into the lunchroom only those restaurants that offered healthy foods that met nutritional guidelines. The school and the restaurants would therefore be working jointly to create more varied and nutritious lunch options.

Finally, lunch is an important source of revenue for a school. Students who buy their lunch from the cafeteria bring hundreds of dollars into the school each year. On average, a student spends approximately $2.00 a day in the cafeteria. When this is multiplied by one thousand students, the profit is astronomical.

Fast food restaurants in schools give students a plethora of choices without negatively effecting their health. If we were to allow fast food in our schools, everyone would benefit. Our school board should contact local fast food restaurants and ask them to provide school lunch options for our high school.

Add Evidence to Strengthen an Argument Elizabeth gives her most important reason last and supports it with facts and statistics. However, to make her argument as strong and effective as it can be, she needs to add more evidence to explain how fast food menu options would generate revenue for the school.

elizabeth’s revision to paragraph 4

When this is multiplied by one thousand students, the profit is astronomical.Hungry students will buy more food, and the restaurants will pay a fee to operate in the school. In the Lakewood school district, the two high schools earned an extra $10,000 in the first year from fees paid by the restaurants, without diminishing the sales of regular cafeteria food. This demonstrates that our school is missing out on the money that students might spend on food if more choices were available.

Use the feedback from your peers and teacher as well as the two “Learn How” lessons to revise your essay. Evaluate how well you have clarified the importance of the issue, communicated the strength of your claim, and recommended a specific action for your audience to take.

3

4

5

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In the concluding section, Elizabeth summarizes the reasons for her position and includes a call to action.

Elizabeth anticipates an opposing claim and then offers a counterclaim to refute the objection that fast food is not nutritious.

Elizabeth gives her strongest reason in the final paragraph before the concluding section. Although she provides some support for this reason, more evidenceis needed to strengthen her argument.


Writing Workshop


Editing and PublishingIn the editing stage, you proofread your essay to make sure that it is free of grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Mistakes will distract your audience from the issue and will likely cause them to question your authority.

grammar in context: spellingAlways proofread what you have written so that you can eliminate careless spelling errors. Errors can suggest that you do not care enough about the issue to present your argument accurately. Incorrect spelling also undermines your argument by raising questions about your authority, giving your audience reason to mistrust your ideas.Follow these general guidelines:• Do not guess about correct spelling; use a dictionary.• Do not rely solely on spell-checkers, which are not foolproof. They may

overlook words that are spelled correctly but are used incorrectly.exampleThe principle has assured us that she would be open to allowing fast food in the cafeteria.[The word principle is spelled correctly but used incorrectly. A principle is a rule of conduct. The word principal, the head of a school, should be used.]As Elizabeth edited her essay, she noticed that the word effecting in the sentence below is not correct. Effect refers to the result or consequence of an action, while affect refers to the action itself of having an impact on something.

Fast food restaurants in schools give students a plethora of choices without negatively effecting their health.

publish your writingFinally, you can decide how best to make sure your intended audience considers your ideas. Here are some options: • Condense your essay for publication in a local paper as a letter to the editor.• Publish your essay on a school or community Web site.• Adapt your essay into a persuasive speech; deliver it to an appropriate audience.

Proofread your essay for errors, including spelling errors. Correct any errors you find. Then, publish your final essay where it will reach its intended audience.

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affecting

W 5 Strengthen writing by revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. L 1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage. L 2c Spell correctly.



Scoring RubricUse the rubric below to evaluate your persuasive essay from the Writing Workshop or your response to the on-demand writing task on the next page.

persuasive essayscore common core traits

6 • Development Asserts a precise claim on a substantive topic; supports the claim with valid reasons and relevant, sufficient evidence; ably counters opposing claims with counterclaims; ends powerfully

• Organization Is logically organized to persuasive effect; uses transitions to create cohesion and show the relationships among the claim, reasons, and evidence

• Language Consistently maintains a formal style and objective tone; shows a strong command of conventions

5 • Development States a precise claim; offers valid reasons and evidence; counters opposing claims with counterclaims; ends with a strong concluding section

• Organization Is logically organized; uses transitions to show the relationships among the claim, reasons, and evidence

• Language Uses a formal style and objective tone; has a few errors in conventions

4 • Development States a clear claim; offers mostly valid support; needs to more fairly address opposing claims; has an adequate concluding section

• Organization Reflects a logical organization, with one or two exceptions; could use a few more transitions

• Language Mostly uses a formal style, but sounds defensive at times; includes a few distracting errors in conventions

3 • Development States a claim that could be more precise; provides some relevant support but not enough to be sufficient; unfairly dismisses other viewpoints; has a somewhat weak concluding section

• Organization Has some flaws in organization; needs more transitions to show how ideas relate

• Language Often lapses into an informal style or defensive tone; has several errors in conventions

2 • Development Has a vague claim; offers irrelevant reasons and insufficient evidence; fails to acknowledge other viewpoints; has a weak concluding section

• Organization Has major organizational flaws; lacks transitions throughout• Language Uses an informal style and defensive tone; has many errors in conventions

1 • Development Lacks a claim; has no support; ignores opposing claims; ends abruptly• Organization Has no organization and transitions• Language Uses an inappropriate style and tone; has major problems with grammar,

mechanics, and spelling


Writing Workshop


Read the task carefully. Then, read it again, noting the words that tell the topic, the purpose, the type of writing, and the audience.

writing taskImagine that your school board is planning to no longer allow students to work during the school year. Write a persuasive essay convincing parents to agree with your position on this policy.

1. analyze the task 5 min

2. plan your response 10 min

Decide how you feel about the policy. Write a claim that states your viewpoint. Next, think of two to three reasons that support your position. Then, brainstorm evidence—anecdotes, examples, expert opinions, facts, and statistics—to support your reasons. Finally, consider opposing claims that your audience might raise. How could you counter those objections?

4. improve your response 5–10 min

Revising Check your draft against the writing task. Does your draft clearly state your position? Will your reasons be convincing to your audience? Have you included enough supporting evidence? If not, add these elements or revise them to make them stronger.Proofreading Find and correct errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. Make sure your edits are neatly written and readable.Checking Your Final Copy Before you turn in your response, read it one more time to make sure that you have not overlooked any errors. Does your final essay represent your best work?

3. respond to the task 20 min

Use your organizer to start drafting your essay. Begin with a question, anecdote, or statistic to grab your audience’s attention. Consider these tips:• In your introduction, provide background information on the issue and state your claim.• In each body paragraph, explain one reason for your position and provide evidence

to support it. Cite examples from your own or someone else’s experience.• Address at least one opposing claim and refute it with a counterclaim. Explain why

your viewpoint is more valid.• Conclude with a restatement of your position and a call to action.

Purpose Audience

Topic

Preparing for Timed Writing

Type of writing

Reason 1

Claim:

Reason 2

Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence

W 10 Write routinely over shorter time frames for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.


Speaking & Listening

Workshop

Presenting an ArgumentWhen was the last time you presented an argument? Perhaps you tried to convince your parents or a teacher to see things your way. Maybe you attempted to persuade a group of friends to participate in an activity with you or to share your opinion. Good arguments can be made for or against almost any issue if the reasoning and evidence are logical, well organized, and delivered effectively.

Complete the workshop activities in your Reader/Writer Notebook.

Adapting Your EssayFollow these suggestions to turn your persuasive essay into an effective oral presentation.• Audience As you plan your presentation, choose reasons and evidence that will

resonate with your listeners. Acknowledge the concerns of audience members who might disagree with you. Be prepared with counterclaims.

• Introduction Grab your audience’s interest from the start. Make your introduction dramatic by opening with a thought-provoking question, an illustrative anecdote, or a quotation from an expert on the subject.

• Organization Build interest and momentum by maintaining focus. Structure your ideas for maximum impact by presenting your reasons in order of importance, with the strongest reason last. Make brief notes to help you remember the key points you want to make. Make sure to state each point concisely, so that your audience doesn’t lose interest in your ideas.

• Effective Rhetoric Experiment with language and sentence structures for persuasive effect. To make your ideas “stick,” you might use parallel structure—the repeated use of words, phrases, and sentences with the same grammatical form.

• Concluding Section Sum up your argument. Then, end with a passionate call to action. Choose your last sentence carefully for the greatest impact.

taskAdapt your persuasive essay into an oral presentation. Practice your argument, and then present it to an appropriate audience.

a strong oral argument . . .• focuses on a precise claim• presents information clearly, concisely, and logically• provides valid reasons and relevant evidence • fairly addresses potential opposing claims• employs rhetoric, or persuasive language• uses effective verbal and nonverbal speaking techniques

Go to thinkcentral.com.KEYWORD: HML10-752

Speaking &Listening Online


speak with a purpose common core traits

SL 3 Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric. SL 4 Present information clearly, concisely, and logically. SL 6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks. L 1a Use parallel structure.

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Delivering Your Presentationuse verbal techni!ues

How you use your voice can be as persuasive as what you say. Practice these verbal techniques before giving your presentation.• Speak Loudly and Clearly Project your voice so that everyone in your audience

can hear you. Enunciate so that everyone can understand exactly what you say.• Adopt an Appropriate Tone Choose a tone that is right for the audience you are

addressing. In an informal group of classmates or friends, use a conversational tone. In a formal gathering, avoid slang, colloquialisms, and contractions.

• Pace Your Presentation To engage listeners and compel them to accept your claim, try speaking at a faster pace at the beginning of your presentation. Then speak more slowly to emphasize specific points in your argument. Pausing before and after key points is also effective.

use nonverbal techni!uesBody language and graphic aids can also help make your presentation convincing.• Use Hand Gestures Stress key points in your argument with gestures.• Vary Facial Expressions Smile, frown, or raise your eyebrows to express

agreement, disagreement, concern, worry, surprise, or shock.• Make Eye Contact Connect with your audience by making frequent eye contact

with individuals.• Change Your Pose Approach the audience. Turn to face different parts of the

audience.• Share Visuals Use props such as charts, photos, and other visuals to keep your

audience’s interest and to support your argument.

As a Speaker Practice presenting your argument to a small group of friends. Try incorporating the verbal and nonverbal techniques described above for a speaking style that effectively conveys your message. After your presentation, ask for feedback on your delivery. Then, apply what you have learned from your friends’ critique when you speak before a larger audience.As a Listener Listen to a friend’s presentation of an argument. Evaluate his or her claim, as well as the choice of reasons and evidence. Don’t be swayed by fallacious (flawed) reasoning and distorted evidence that is inaccurate or taken out of context. In addition to the substance of the argument, evaluate the delivery of information. Share your ideas about how the presentation might be improved.

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speaking and listening workshop 753

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Writing Persuasive Essay - Middletown High School€¦ · 30-09-2014 · 742 unit 6: argument and persuasion writing task Write a persuasive essay on an issue about which you have

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