CHAPTER 4

PERSUASIVE ESSAY

A persuasive essay is an imagery dialogue between a reader and writer

The writer uses arguments to try to imagine how the reader will argue against his or her arguments, and answers those objections.

To begin an persuasive essay, you must first have an opinion you want others to share.

THE HOOK The most important sentence in your essay is the

first sentence, the HOOK, for this is when you “grab” the reader’s attention.

INTRODUCTION

To catch the reader, use a hook in the introductory paragraph.

Ask the reader a question.Use a catchy phrase or quote or song lyricsCreate a tongue twister.Make an exclamatory sentence.Use a lead in sentence that entices the reader

to read on.

HOOK

Let’s say your topic is “Should the Death Penalty be abolished?”

Your HOOK could be “Right now, in America, 37% of the convicts on death row are innocent and will be unjustly executed for no good reason!”

After you have given your lead-in, you need to show that you can see both sides of the issue, the “pros” and “cons”with one short reason.

The “pros” is where you say: “Some people say yes, the death penalty should be abolished, for it is cruel and unusual punishment.”

The “cons” would say: “Other people say no, it should not be abolished, the death penalty is necessary to stop murders.”

GENERAL INFO-BACKGROUND INFO

After you give the pros and cons, now it’s time to say what you think in the Thesis Statement;

Include;The topicYour opinion

states your position on the topicThe main reasons (argument)

THESIS STATEMENT

“I believe that the death penalty should be abolished because many innocent will be unjustly executed, it is against the Bible’s commandment ‘thou shalt not kill’ and it is forbidden by the US Constitution as a cruel and unusual punishment.”

INTRODUCTION

Think of the introduction as having a funnel shape:

 

General statement (hook)

Specific information

Thesis 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In your body paragraph, you should have;Counter argumentsYour argument,Examples, personal experience, expert

opinion, analogy, facts and statistics, reasons, emotions

Body paragraphs

Every controversial issue has two sides. Once you can support your position with research,

you need to explore what others think.

COUNTER ARGUMENTS

PREPARING YOUR ARGUMENTS

Look at the three main reasons for your opinion. What objections would others

have to each of your reasons? Write these down under each of your reasons. Now you have three arguments and three counter-arguments.

You should either start with the topic sentence(your argument) or counterargument.

FIRST BODY PARAGRAPH Write a topic sentence and three details that support the reason you believe what you believe.

Repeat the process until you have three paragraphs with

three different reasons and

three details to support that reason.

Research what people opposed to your point of view believe. Write down three counter- arguments to your position.

Address those arguments in a paragraph explaining why your position is a better one. The final sentence in each paragraph should sum up and make a transition to the main idea of the next paragraph.

COUNTER ARGUMENTS 

To support your first reason “many innocent people will be executed” you could say:

“Studies have shown that 37% of the people on death row are innocent and do not belong there. Some are there because they are a member of an unpopular minority. Many are there because the police needed to make an arrest and didn’t care who they arrested as long as they had someone to blame. It is totally wrong for the state to kill innocent people just to look good in the papers.”

The next 2 paragraphs should do the same thing.Remember to save your strongest reason for last

to leave the reader with your best thought.

Here, in your 5th paragraph, you summarize what you said in your paper. You repeat your thesis and briefly give your three supporting reasons again. It is a good idea to paraphrase (say in different words) your thesis and reasons, so that your essay is not too repetitive.

Your conclusion should be a “mirror image”of your introduction. But you do not need to give the pros and cons again in the concluding paragraph, just your thesis, your 3 reasons and your “CLOSURE

The CLOSURE is the last line of your essay and is the second most important line after HOOK because this is where you leave the reader with your final thought.

CONCLUSION

Your conclusion could be: “The death penalty has no place in

modern America. It is a throwback to older barbaric times The death penalty causes many innocent people to be unjustly killed, it is against the law of God given in the Bible, and it is rejected by the “cruel and unusual punishment” amendment of the US Constitution. I strongly urge everyone to write to their Congressman and demand that the death penalty be abolished once and for all.

Now remember: A Good Essay:Is interesting. Is well organized.Uses proper grammar,

spelling, and punctuation.

Has all the elements in the right place.

Has a powerful “grabber” HOOKsentence.

Shows both sides of the issue.

Has a well-defined thesis statement (your opinion) which takes a definite side.

Has three different reasons to support the main opinion of the thesis.

Has three well-elaborated specific reason paragraphs.

Saves the best, strongest reason for last.

Concludes by “mirroring” the introduction by repeating the thesis and the 3 supporting reasons and leaves the reader with a strong CLOSURE to remember.