When writing a persuasive essay, the writer should use well-reasoned arguments to show that some ideas stand up better than others. The reason for writing this type of essay is to try to convince the reader to accept or agree with the writer’s point of view or take certain action. An essay of the persuasive variety should use facts and logic if the argument is to be soundly supported.
Tips for Writing Persuasive Essays
Decide what stance you are going to take. What are your thoughts on the topic and which side of the argument are you on? Are you prejudiced in any way that might negatively affect your argument or judgment? Do you know what solution you will recommend?
Know and understand your reader(s). Work out whether your readers are likely to agree with your stance and, if not, why they might disagree. It is essential you understand the issue from both sides if your persuasive essays are to argue your viewpoint successfully.
Make sure you research the subject matter thoroughly. The whole purpose of persuasive writing is to provide your readers with compelling and comprehensive proof so your argument should be sufficiently robust to disprove any counter arguments. Most likely, you will have to undertake any necessary research in a library to achieve your objective.
Give adequate consideration to your essay’s structure. Take time to figure out what proof or evidence you are going to offer and what presentation method you are going to use. When writing a persuasive essay, do not forget you must use logic.
Your arguments should be supported. Rely on solid facts, which you should collect from your own experiences and observations and, of course from your research work. However, take care! All sources must be correctly cited if you are to avoid plagiarism. Any statistics or facts you use should be verifiable. It is essential you have hard data to support your argument. To add further weight to it, it is a good idea to use a couple of quotes taken directly from subject matter experts. Last but not least, you should include some credible examples that leave no doubt about the validity of your argument.
Tips for Organizing Your Essay
An introductory paragraph: To write a good persuasive essay, your aim should be to try and grab the attention of your readers in the introductory paragraph and provide them with information on the background to the issue or topic. The introductory paragraph should end with a clearly written thesis statement.
Body paragraphs: The body paragraphs of an essay should be comprised of all the points or arguments that a writer uses to support their thesis. Each new paragraph should be devoted to a particular idea or point. You should additionally add a paragraph or two to clearly explain and disprove the most notable counter arguments.
A concluding paragraph: You should use the concluding paragraph to restate your primary argument and supporting evidence. The whole idea of a persuasive essay, after all, is to persuade your audience to adopt your viewpoint.
Have a rest: After writing your essay, take a break for a couple of days. Leave your essay to one side and rest your mind. Then, re-read your work with a fresh pair of eyes. Is it logical? Do you think your argument is sufficiently convincing to persuade your readers to agree with it? Does your essay contain sufficient proof in the form of examples, quotes, statistical information and hard facts?