In
persuasive writing, we try to convince others to agree
with our facts, share our values, accept our argument and
conclusions, and adopt our way of thinking.
Elements
toward building a good persuasive essay include
- establishing facts
to support an argument
- clarifying relevant
values for your
audience (perspective)
- prioritizing, editing,
and/or sequencing
the facts and values in importance to build the
argument
- forming and stating
conclusions
- "persuading"
your audience
that your conclusions
are based upon the agreed-upon facts and shared values
- having the confidence
to communicate your "persuasion" in writing
Here are some strategies
to complete a persuasive writing assignment:
Write out the questions
in your own words.
- Think of the
questions posed in the assignment
while you are reading and researching. Determine
- facts
- the source of the facts
for reliability and later reference
- source of the facts for
prejudice
- values that color the
facts or the issue
- what you think of the
author's argument
- List out facts;
consider their importance:
prioritize, edit, sequence, discard, etc.
Ask yourself "What's missing?"
- What are the
"hot buttons"
of the issue?
List possible emotions/emotional reactions and
recognize them for later use
Start writing a draft!
(refer to: Writing
essays, the basics)
Start as close as possible to your reading/research
Do not concern yourself with grammar or spelling
- Write your first
paragraph
- Introduce the topic
- Inform the reader of
your point of view!
- Entice the reader to
continue with the rest of the paper!
- Focus on three main
points to develop
- Establish flow from
paragraph to paragraph
- Keep your voice
active
- Quote sources to
establish authority
- Stay focused
on your point
of view throughout the essay
- Focus on logical
arguments
- Don't lapse into
summary
in the development--wait for the conclusion
- Conclusion
- Summarize, then
conclude, your argument
- Refer
to the
first paragraph/opening statement as well as the
main points
- does the conclusion
restate the main ideas?
- reflect the
succession and importance of the arguments
- logically conclude
their development?
- Edit/rewrite the
first paragraph
to better telegraph your development and conclusion.
- Take a day or two
off!
- Re-read your paper
with a fresh mind and a sharp pencil
- Ask yourself:
Does this make sense?
Am I convinced?
Will this convince a reader?
Will they understand my values, and agree with my
facts?
- Edit, correct, and
re-write as
necessary
- Check spelling and
grammar!
- Have a friend read
it and
respond to your argument.
Were they convinced?
- Revise
if necessary
- Turn in the paper
- Celebrate a job
well done,
with the confidence that you have done your best.
How to
respond to criticism:
Consider criticism as a test of developing your powers
of persuasion.
Try not to take it personally.
If your
facts are criticized,
double check them, and then cite your sources.
If your
values are criticized,
sometimes we need agree "to disagree".
Remember: your success in persuading others assumes
that the other person is open to being persuaded!
Fear:
If you are not used to communicating, especially in
writing, you may need to overcome fear on several levels.
Writing, unlike unrecorded speech, is a permanent record
for all to see, and the "context" is not as
important as in speech where context "colors"
the words. For example: your readers do not
see you, only your words. They do not know what you
look like, where you live, who you are.
Hopefully in
school,
and class, we have a safe place to practice both the art
of writing and of persuasion. Then later, when we
are in our communities, whether work, church,
neighborhoods, and even families, we can benefit from this
practice.
Persuasion
also has another
dimension: it is built with facts, which illustrate
conclusions. Of course, this means you need to know
what you are talking about, and cannot be lazy with your
facts, or you will not succeed in convincing anyone.
This shows another level of fear: Fear of making a
mistake that will make your argument or persuasion
meaningless. Since you are writing, and the words
are on paper for all to see (or on a web site!), you need
to work to make sure your facts are in order.
