Transcript nuts and bolts of persuasive writing, connections, part 1

Warm-up 6.4
• Form your thesis statement of your persuasive essay, by using
these guidelines:
• List the opposing side's major argument + your opinion + two
reasons to support your opinion.
• Example I've listed three reasons): Even though many Americans
believe that we can accomplish more for ourselves and others
with less sleep, we should strive to obtain at least eight hours of
sleep a night, as it aids in mental health, helps keep our
metabolism and productivity strong, and allows our bodies
enough time to go through all sleep cycle stages necessary to be
at our peak optimal health
Creating a Proper Introduction
– First, come up with a hook idea
– To create a hook, you must first understand your
audience
• Who is your audience for this essay?
• Who else could your audience be for?
Creating a Proper Introduction
–Teachers are already ready to read your
essays.
–Make sure to keep them interested,
excited to read, and expecting that your
writing is strong!
–Your hook helps do this for you.
Pick from your strongest argument
– Know the purpose of your writing
– You are writing a persuasive statement
– Consider your strongest argument—keep
this in mind for the suggestions next.
Choosing a Hook
for Your Essay
– Suggestions:
• Tell an anecdote (short story, real, or beginning
with “imagine if”)
• Reveal a startling fact (this comes from your
research)
• Provide an inspirational quotation that relates to
your topic (also found with research)
• (And, if you need more suggestions, the first
Adobe attachment on today’s agenda on my
website provides more)
– Which will you use? Spend a few minutes, and
craft your idea in your warm-up notebook
Craft Your Hook
– Use the right words!
– Your hook is the second most important sentence of
your essay (your thesis being the first)
– Therefore, you should wait until your essay is fully
complete to revise (and maybe even change!) your
hook idea
– Let’s look at some of your topics, and I’ll help you
come up with sample ideas…
Craft Your Hook
Set the Scene
– Explain the basic background information to
your topic in 2-3 sentences, alluding to why
people are interested in this topic
– (This is part of the sample I went over with
you on the topic of sleep last week)
Thesis statement
– Opposing side + your opinion (with a “should”
statement) + 3 reasons why.
– Even though many Americans believe that we can
accomplish more for ourselves and others with less
sleep, we should strive to obtain at least eight hours
of sleep a night, as it aids in mental health, helps
keep our metabolism and productivity strong, and
allows our bodies enough time to go through all sleep
cycle stages necessary to be at our peak optimal
health.
Topic Sentence
Sentence Starters
–Bodies 1-2, Topic Sentence
• The first/second/third major reason why
[your opinion] is . . .
–Body 3, Topic Sentence
• Some people think that . . . However,
their argument is weak.
Context
– Context sets the seen for each of your concrete
details in your essay.
– You will find concrete details from your
researched ideas.
– Therefore, before you write your next sentence
after your topic sentence, it’s important to look at
the first detail you’ll use, and then come up with
the context.
Concrete Details
– Concrete details come from your research, and
can be one of two things:
• Paraphrased (details put into your own words)
• Direct quotations (words taken directly)
– Your concrete details should take up ¼ to 1/3 of
your actual writing, but not more. Most of your
essay will be formed with your own thoughts,
ideas, and commentary.
Lead-ins to Details
– Paraphrasing is a little easier, as it simply puts
precise, researched details into your own words
(see my essay for examples).
– Quotations can be a little more tricky, but can be
done in one of four ways:
• Rolling into quotations
• Introducing the idea with a complete sentence
and a colon
• Introducing the speaker of the quotation with a
comma or with the word “that”
Rolling in Example
• My example: Receiving eight hours of sleep, on
the other hand, can reverse the adverse
psychological effects of our daily stressors, and
sleep is, indeed, “where the body and mind [are]
repaired, reordered, and ready for the new day”
(Dillon 1).