Writing a persuasive essay is much like
preparing for a debate. You need to study your persuasive essay topic from
various perspectives, establish your main argument and gather supporting
evidence. You also need to know how to write a persuasive essay, namely how to
organize parts of the persuasive essay in the way that will work best.
Try the following instructions on how to write
a persuasive essay. They are indispensable in writing a well-planned and
thoroughly considered persuasive essay.
1.Start with an Impressive Lead-In
The introduction of your persuasive essay is
the first words you utter to render the readers to be well-disposed to you.
Moreover, it is by the introduction that the reader decides whether to go on
reading you essay or leave it in peace. Thus, the introduction of your essay
should be attention grabbing and impressive enough to induce the reader to read
further on.
Writing a persuasive essay, you need to pay
particular attention to the first sentence you are going to write down, namely
a lead-in. It is the most important part of the whole persuasive essay, out of
which you come out either a winner or a loser.
To write a strong and impressive lead-in, try
the following strategies:
7.start with an unusual detail;
8.put a strong statement;
9.quote a famous person;
10.introduce a short and up-to-the-point anecdote;
11.open the essay with a statistic or fact;
12.start with an emphatic rhetorical question;
7.start with an unusual detail;
8.put a strong statement;
9.quote a famous person;
10.introduce a short and up-to-the-point anecdote;
11.open the essay with a statistic or fact;
12.start with an emphatic rhetorical question;
Before deciding on one of the strategies, try
all of them. You will be surprised to find out how different strategies can
enrich and smarten up the introduction to your persuasive essay.
After you have put the opening sentence, be
sure to introduce a sentence that will show that you see both pros and cons of
the subject matter under consideration. Then write a thesis or focus statement,
which has to reveal your own point of view. A well-formulated thesis statement
is the key to success, as it is the central part of your essay, around which
all other parts are organized.
Remember that a good introduction should be
brief, concise and end with a closing sentence that will be transitional to the
next paragrath.
2.Support Your Thesis in the Body
The body of your persuasive essay is the main
part of your writing where you present supporting evidence and elaborate on the
reasons you stated previously. The body should be a proof that you have
researched and examined your persuasive essay topic and that your arguments are
reasonable and reliable.
In order to prove your thesis statement and
dispel the opposing arguments, you need to: 1) state the facts of the case; 2)
prove your thesis with arguments; and 3) disprove your opponent's arguments in
three consecutive steps.
Statement of facts is a non-argumentative
presentation of details, summaries and narration concerning the problem
discussion. In this part of the body you should present supporting evidence
without stating your own point of view and trying to persuade the readers in
it.
First, you should remind the readers of some
events, provide vivid illustrations that will show the significance of the
topic. Statement of facts should be clear, brief, and vivid. If you obscure the
facts, you are defeating the purpose. Thus, delete irrelevant information and information
which contributes little to the reader's understanding.
After you've introduced some facts, you can get
down to proving your thesis with arguments. This should be the longest section
and the central part of your persuasive essay. With the readers rendered
attentive by the introduction and informed by the statement of fact, you must
show why your position concerning the facts should be accepted and believed.
Now comes the time to deny the truth on which
the opposing argument is built. Be patient in thinking over the refutation. It
is the most difficult stage that needs time, concentration and absorption.
The proven way to hook readers' attention is to
leave your strongest argument for last so that to leave them with your best
thought.
3.Write a Memorable Conclusion.
Your conclusion should be a "mirror
image" of your introduction. It means that you should refresh the reader's
memory and remind him of the thesis statement you put in the introduction. It
is not a mere waste of time or words, but the best way to convince the reader
to take your side.
As well as in writing the introduction, you can
try several ways to write a memorable conclusion for your persuasive essay.
Except for restating the introduction, you can
summarize the main points to enable the readers to recall the main points of
your position.
A nice way to conclude the persuasive essay is to write a
personal comment or call for action. It could be: 1) your prediction; 2) a
question that will let the readers make their own predictions; 3) your
recommendations to solve a problem; 4) a quotation. It's up to you to decide!
The last line of your persuasive essay, that is
the "tag line," needs special attention, for it is the second most
important line after the lead-in. Thus, it is important that it:
4.renders the readers to be well disposed to you;
5.magnifies your points;
6.puts the readers in the proper mood.
4.renders the readers to be well disposed to you;
5.magnifies your points;
6.puts the readers in the proper mood.
Once you have put the full stop after the
"tag line", your work is over. But make sure that the words you have
put in your persuasive essay will be "working" long after your
readers stop reading it.