Transcript Persuasive Writing Strategies

Persuasive Writing Strategies
Ms. Gieser
#1
• Present a clear opinion, a.k.a. a thesis or
position statement.
• No one should come away from your essay
wondering what you think.
• In persuasive writing, a writer takes a position
for or against an issue and writes to convince
the reader to believe or do something.
• State your opinion as clearly as you can in a
single sentence.
• In a persuasive essay, the opinion statement
(often called a thesis statement) comes in the
essay’s introduction.
#2
• State reasons for your opinion.
• A reason is a statement that tells why you
hold your opinion.
• Usually, you will need two or three strong
and distinctly different reasons to support
your opinion.
#3
• Support your reasons with evidence.
• Use a variety of evidence:
– A fact is a statement that can be proven.
• Make sure that you get your facts from reliable reference
sources.
– Use expert opinions or quotations.
• Choose someone who knows a great deal about your topic.
• Be sure to identify the expert and, if quoting, use that
person’s exact words.
– An example is a particular type or instance used as
an illustration.
• Use examples to support your position.
(#3 cont’d.)
– A definition is a statement of the meaning of a word or
phrase.
• Definitions are used for emphasis.
• Make sure you cite the source where you found the definition.
– Statistics are facts expressed in numbers: “Sixty percent
of all jobs will require the technology skills that only a
fraction of Americans now have.”
• Use statistics when you want to show some scientific support
for your opinion.
• Use must be able to cite a credible source from where you
found this information
– An anecdote is an incident that actually happened, one
that is often based on the writer’s personal experience or
observations.
#4
• Support reasons with emotional appeals.
• Persuasive writers sometimes appeal to a
reader’s fears, hopes, wishes, or sense of
fairness.
• Use loaded words ( words carrying either
positive or negative connotations, or feelings)
– When your writing clearly shows your emotion, it
can often sway the reader’s emotions.
#5
• Present and, if possible, demolish
counterarguments (the opposing view or
argument).
• A persuasive writer should acknowledge and state
the opposing point of view and then give reasons
and evidence to prove that view wrong.
#6
• So what? Drive your point home.
• Your conclusion must answer the audience’s
question of “SO WHAT?”
– “So far, so good,” say your readers, “you introduced
your subject in a manner to grab our attention. You
have motivated us in a manner to command our
serious interest. You have a clear point and sound
reasons to support it. You have illustrated your
arguments with enough concrete evidence to sound
convincing. But what now? Where do we go from
here? What do you want us to do about all of this?”
#7 – End with a call to action
• To meet this demand, in the conclusion of your
persuasive essay, ask your audience for some
specific action – drive your point home.
• Conclude with force. Tell them what you wish
them to do, believe, or feel. Call your
audience into action. The writer urges the
reader to do something such as write a letter,
donate money, vote for a candidate, or buy a
product.
(#7 cont’d)
• The conclusion of your essay should
include a restatement of the central idea
and/or a summary of the main points or
ideas in the body.
• The conclusion serves as a device to refresh
in the minds of the audience the point and
ideas you have made in your essay.
• In addition, your conclusion should answer
the question “so what?”
Persuasive –
Brainstorming the Proposal
1. Pro and Con your issue and take a clearly
defined position.
2. Identify who your audience is and which
positions you are trying to persuade.
3. Consider the opposition’s reasons; how
will you refute them?
- how will you prove them wrong?
Brainstorming the Proposal (cont’d)
4. With the opposition in mind, develop
reasons for your stance.
5. What facts/examples provide evidence to
support your ideas?
6. Go back and revise your position.
-
Does it correlate with both your reasons and
refutes, and does it still address the position
you have taken on the issue?
7. Create a general plan/outline for your
essay.
-BEFORE you write your rough draft.