English 10A Persuasive Essay Assignment

Overview

General Requirements:

Write a 4-5 paragraph persuasive essay about a controversial topic

Include an intro, body, and conclusion

Use researched facts and logical conclusions to support your position

Address the opposing viewpoint for the purpose of strengthening your argument

Show your awareness of audience through your word choice and selection of detail

Final draft should be typed, double-spaced, with proper headings and title

Do Not:

Write an informative essay

Be wishy-washy about your position

Use other people’s ideas or information without citing sources

Due Dates:

______Topic due (must be approved by your teacher)

______Outline of the entire essay due

______Introductory paragraph due

______Paragraphs 1-3 are completed

______Entire rough draft due (Peer review in class)

______Second draft due (Peer editing in class)

______Final draft due

Possible Organization Styles:

These are only suggestions for how you can organize your essay:

Five Paragraph Essay

Introduction

Pro Paragraph (Support)

Con Paragraph with Refutation

Pro Paragraph

Conclusion

Four Paragraph Essay

Introduction

Pro Paragraph

Con Paragraph with Refutation

Conclusion

Specific Requirements

In Your Introduction:

  • Begin with an attention-getter
  • Anecdote
  • Description
  • Startling fact
  • General statement
  • Other
  • Include a “Link” between the attention-getter and the thesis (a transitional statement)
  • Include a specific thesis that is either explicitly stated or implied
  • If it is implied, the thesis should still be obvious to the reader

In Your Support (“Pro”) Paragraphs:

  • Give each paragraph a specific topic statement that supports your thesis
  • Use the best arguments to support your thesis
  • Support this support with logical statements and researched information
  • Research can be cited informally, but I should still be able to find out where the information was found by reading your citations
  • Example: “The website FreeTibet.org says that…” “On September 27, 2008, the New York Times reported that…”
  • Save your best argument for last

In Your “Con” Paragraph:

  • Mention one argument that the other side might pose in opposition to your thesis
  • Do not go into great detail about this argument (remember, you are disagreeing with this statement, not defending it!)
  • Use the rest of the paragraph to refute this argument
  • Offer relevant facts, information, logical deductions to prove this opposing argument wrong
  • If you cannot refute this argument, you can concede the point
  • Say “This is a good point, but…” and go on to argue that your point is better or stronger

In Your Conclusion:

  • Wrap up the argument without making any new points
  • Remind us about what your central argument is without directly reiterating your thesis or supports
  • Linking back to your attention-getter can be effective
  • Leave your reader with something to think about
  • You may include a “Call to Action” which tells your newly persuaded audience what they can do to further the cause
  • You may include details about how we can accomplish what you have proposed in your thesis

How to Write an Effective Thesis Statement

In a persuasive essay, your thesis must be clear, or you will not be able to effectively persuade your audience. Follow these rules when devising your thesis.

1. Your thesis must be debatable.

If there is no opposing side, then your thesis is ineffective. Saying “Water is necessary for human life” is not debatable, but “U.S. households should have limits on their water consumption so that we can preserve this resource” is debatable.

2. Your thesis should tell the audience to do something or believe something.

Just be sure to avoid preaching about personal beliefs not related to local, national, or international issues. We are not writing about religious issues for this particular assignment.

3. Your thesis can be either explicit or implicit.

Make sure that it is obvious, though.

4. Your thesis should be strongly worded.

Saying, “I think that Tibet should be its own free nation” is less powerful that saying, “Tibet should be its own free nation.”

5. Your thesis should not be about a matter of personal taste.

You can never find evidence to convince someone that Nirvana is the best rock band ever if that person does not like Nirvana. Issues like these cannot be supported with anything other than personal opinions, which are subjective and not reliant on factual information.