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10 effective techniques to master persuasive essay writing and convince any audience.

As a skilled communicator, your ability to persuade others is crucial in many areas of life. Whether you’re presenting an argument, advocating for a cause, or simply trying to convince someone of your point of view, your persuasive essay can be a powerful tool. However, crafting an essay that truly convinces your reader requires more than just strong opinions and eloquent language. It requires a strategic approach that combines logical reasoning, emotional appeal, and effective writing techniques.

1. Craft a Compelling Introduction: Your introduction is the first impression you make on your reader, so it’s essential to capture their attention right from the start. Consider using a captivating anecdote, a thought-provoking question, or a shocking statistic to engage your audience and set the tone for your essay. By immediately grabbing their interest, you increase the chances that they’ll continue reading and be open to your persuasive arguments.

2. Clearly Define Your Position: Before launching into the main body of your essay, make sure to clearly state your position on the topic. This will help your reader understand your stance and follow your line of reasoning throughout the essay. Use concise and assertive language to communicate your position, and consider reinforcing it with strong evidence or expert opinions that support your viewpoint.

3. Appeal to Emotions: While rational arguments are important, emotions often play a significant role in persuasive writing. Connect with your reader on an emotional level by using vivid descriptions, personal anecdotes, or powerful metaphors. By eliciting an emotional response, you can create a deeper connection with your audience and make your arguments more compelling.

Choose a compelling topic that ignites your passion

When crafting a persuasive essay, it is crucial to select a topic that not only captivates and engages your readers but also resonates strongly with you. By choosing a compelling topic that ignites your passion, you will be able to infuse enthusiasm and conviction into your writing, making it more convincing and persuasive.

While it may be tempting to select a popular or trending topic, it is essential to choose something that you deeply care about and have a genuine interest in. Your passion for the subject matter will shine through in your writing, capturing the attention and interest of your readers.

• Explore your hobbies and personal interests.
• Reflect on societal issues that deeply affect you.
• Consider topics that challenge conventional thinking.
• Analyze current events and their impact on your community or society as a whole.
• Look for subjects that inspire debate and differing opinions.
• Examine topics that align with your values and beliefs.

By choosing a topic that you are not only knowledgeable about but also passionate about, you will have a stronger emotional connection to your writing. This emotional connection will allow you to effectively convey your argument, influence your readers’ perspectives, and ultimately convince them to see things from your point of view.

Remember, the key to writing a persuasive essay lies in your ability to convey your ideas convincingly. By selecting a compelling topic that ignites your passion, you will have a solid foundation for crafting a persuasive essay that will resonate with readers and leave a lasting impact. So, take the time to explore your interests and choose a topic that truly captivates you.

Conduct thorough research to gather supporting evidence

Gathering strong evidence is a vital step in writing a persuasive essay. Convincing your readers requires you to present compelling facts, statistics, expert opinions, and examples that support your arguments. To achieve this, it is crucial to conduct thorough research to collect relevant and reliable information.

Begin by determining the main points you want to convey in your essay. These points should align with your thesis statement and support your overall argument. Once you have a clear idea of what you are trying to communicate, start gathering supporting evidence.

Research various credible sources such as academic journals, books, reputable websites, and expert interviews. Look for information that directly relates to your topic and can be used to reinforce your arguments. Be sure to verify the credibility and reliability of your sources to ensure the accuracy of the information.

Take notes as you conduct your research, highlighting key points, supporting evidence, and any quotes or statistics that you may want to include in your essay. It is essential to organize your findings in a way that makes sense and flows logically in your essay.

When using statistics or data, make sure to cite the sources properly to give credit to the original authors and establish your credibility as a writer. This will also allow your readers to verify the information themselves if they wish to do so.

By conducting thorough research and gathering strong supporting evidence, you will be able to present a persuasive and well-supported argument in your essay. This will not only convince your readers but also showcase your knowledge, understanding, and dedication to the topic at hand.

Develop a clear and concise thesis statement

One of the most important aspects of writing a persuasive essay is developing a thesis statement that is clear, concise, and compelling. A thesis statement serves as the main argument or central idea of your essay. It sets the tone for the entire piece and helps to guide your reader through your argument.

When developing your thesis statement, it’s essential to choose a strong and persuasive statement that clearly states your position on the topic. Avoid vague or ambiguous language that can confuse your reader and weaken your argument. Instead, use strong and specific language that clearly conveys your main point.

Your thesis statement should be concise, meaning it should be expressed in a clear and straightforward manner. Avoid unnecessary words or phrases that can dilute your message and make it less powerful. Instead, focus on getting your point across in as few words as possible while still maintaining clarity and impact.

Additionally, your thesis statement should be compelling and persuasive. It should motivate your reader to continue reading and consider your argument. Use persuasive language and strong evidence to support your thesis statement and convince your reader of its validity.

In summary, developing a clear and concise thesis statement is crucial for writing a persuasive essay. Choose a strong statement that clearly conveys your position, use concise language to express your point, and make your statement compelling and persuasive. By doing so, you will create a strong foundation for your entire essay and increase your chances of convincing your reader.

Use persuasive language and rhetorical devices

When it comes to crafting a compelling persuasive essay, one must master the art of persuasive language and employ various rhetorical devices. The way you choose your words and structure your sentences can make all the difference in captivating and convincing your readers.

One effective technique is to use strong and powerful language that evokes emotion and creates a sense of urgency. The use of vivid and descriptive words can paint a picture in the minds of your readers, making your arguments more relatable and engaging.

Additionally, employing rhetorical devices such as metaphors, similes, and analogies can effectively convey your message and help your readers understand complex ideas. By drawing comparisons and creating associations, you can make abstract concepts more tangible and easier to grasp.

Another valuable device is repetition. By repeating key phrases or ideas throughout your essay, you can emphasize your points and reinforce your arguments. This technique can help make your arguments more memorable and leave a lasting impact on your readers.

Furthermore, using rhetorical questions can encourage your readers to think critically about your topic and consider your perspective. By posing thought-provoking questions, you can guide your readers towards your desired conclusions and make them actively engage with your essay.

Lastly, employing the use of anecdotes and personal stories can make your essay more relatable and establish a connection with your readers. By sharing real-life examples or experiences, you can offer concrete evidence to support your arguments and establish credibility.

In conclusion, mastering persuasive language and employing rhetorical devices can greatly enhance the effectiveness of your persuasive essay. By choosing your words carefully, using powerful language, and incorporating various rhetorical techniques, you can captivate your readers and present your arguments in a compelling and convincing manner.

Address counterarguments and refute them with strong evidence

When writing a persuasive essay, it is crucial to anticipate and address potential counterarguments to strengthen your argument. By acknowledging opposing viewpoints and then refuting them with strong evidence, you can demonstrate the credibility and validity of your own position.

One effective way to address counterarguments is to acknowledge them upfront and present them in an objective and unbiased manner. By doing so, you show that you have considered different perspectives and are willing to engage in a fair and balanced discussion. This approach also helps you connect with readers who may initially hold opposing views, as it shows respect for their opinions and demonstrates your willingness to engage in thoughtful debate.

To effectively refute counterarguments, it is important to use strong evidence that supports your own position. This can include data, statistics, expert opinions, research findings, and real-life examples. By providing convincing evidence, you can demonstrate the superiority of your argument and weaken the credibility of counterarguments. Be sure to cite credible sources and use persuasive language to present your evidence in a convincing way.

In addition to providing strong evidence, it is also important to anticipate and address potential weaknesses in your own argument. By acknowledging and addressing these weaknesses, you can show that you have thoroughly considered your stance and are able to respond to potential criticisms. This helps to build trust and credibility with your readers, as they can see that you are aware of the limitations of your argument and have taken steps to address them.

In conclusion, addressing counterarguments and refuting them with strong evidence is a crucial component of persuasive writing. By acknowledging opposing viewpoints and providing solid evidence to support your own position, you can strengthen your argument and convince readers to adopt your point of view. Remember to always approach counterarguments objectively, use persuasive language, and address any potential weaknesses in your own argument. By doing so, you can create a compelling and persuasive essay that will resonate with your readers.

Edit and proofread your essay for grammar and clarity

Once you’ve completed your persuasive essay, the work isn’t quite finished. It’s essential to go back and review your writing with a critical eye, focusing on grammar and clarity. This final step is crucial in ensuring that your arguments are effectively communicated and that your reader can easily understand and follow your points.

First and foremost, pay attention to grammar. Look for any errors in your sentence structure, verb tense, subject-verb agreement, and punctuation. Make sure that your sentences are clear and concise, without any unnecessary or confusing phrases. Correct any spelling mistakes or typos that may have slipped through the cracks.

Next, consider the overall clarity of your essay. Read through each paragraph and ensure that your ideas flow logically and cohesively. Are your arguments supported by evidence and examples? Are your transitions smooth and seamless? If necessary, revise or rearrange your paragraphs to strengthen the overall structure of your essay.

It’s also important to check for any ambiguous or vague language. Make sure that your words and phrases have precise meanings and can be easily understood by your reader. Consider whether there are any areas where you could provide more clarification or add further details to strengthen your points.

When editing and proofreading, it can be helpful to read your essay out loud. This can help you identify any awkward or convoluted sentences, as well as any areas where you may have used repetitive or redundant language. Reading aloud also allows you to hear the natural rhythm and flow of your writing, giving you a better sense of how your words will be perceived by the reader.

Finally, consider seeking feedback from others. Share your essay with a trusted friend, family member, or teacher and ask for their input. They may be able to offer valuable suggestions or catch any errors that you may have missed. Sometimes, a fresh set of eyes can provide a new perspective and help you improve your essay even further.

By taking the time to edit and proofread your essay for grammar and clarity, you can ensure that your persuasive arguments are presented in the most effective and compelling way possible. This attention to detail will not only demonstrate your strong writing skills, but it will also increase the chances of convincing your reader to see things from your perspective.

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Persuasive Essay Outline – Examples, Templates & Structure

Amanda Green was born in a small town in the west of Scotland, where everyone knows everyone. I joined the Toastmasters 15 years ago, and I served in nearly every office in the club since then. I love helping others gain confidence and skills they can apply in every day life.

Writing a good persuasive essay can help convince others of a point that means a lot to you. It can be anything from an environmental crisis to something as simple as the importance of ebooks to the modern reader. But how do you write a persuasive essay? Where do you even start? Right here! I’ll explain everything you need to know and even show you an example of a persuasive essay.

What Is a Persuasive Essay?

Persuasive essays are meant to convince someone or a group of people to agree with you on a certain topic or point of view. As the writer, you’ll use definitive evidence, simple reasoning, and even examples to support your argument and persuade them to understand the point of the essay.

Why Write a Persuasive Essay?

Believe it or not, you’ll have to form convincing arguments throughout real life. This could be in the form of college essays or academic essays, speeches for debate club that requires a valid argument, or even presenting an idea for change to your town council.

Argumentative vs. Persuasive Essay

An argumentative essay presents an argument on a specific topic and tries to persuade people to accept that argument as valid. It uses evidence, logic, and sometimes counterarguments to support the main point.

A persuasive essay is similar but presents an argument and focuses more on appealing to the reader’s emotions and values to convince them of your point of view. Think of it as convincing vs. persuading. And, yes, persuasive essays can also use evidence, but they often rely more on personal anecdotes and moral appeals to plead their case.

Let me give you an example. I’m a content writer, but I’m also a published author. If I were going to write an argumentative essay, I’d probably choose a topic like “Do you think authors should self-edit their work?”

But if I were doing a persuasive essay with a similar angle, the topic would look more like “The benefits of self-editing for authors.” Make sense?

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Basically, the main difference between argumentative and persuasive essays is all in the emphasis placed on logic and emotion.

How Many Paragraphs in a Persuasive Essay?

A decent persuasive essay should be around five or six paragraphs with double line spacing, depending on the topic, and can range from 500-2000 words in length. This includes your introduction and conclusion.

Introduction of a Persuasive Essay Example

Our world is facing a crisis, and that crisis is plastic pollution! Every day, a disgusting amount of plastic waste is just dumped into our oceans, killing and harming innocent marine life and ultimately affecting the entire food chain, including us.

Even though there is a clear and present danger that plastic presents, there are still a lot of people and corporations that continue to use single-use plastics with zero regards for their impact on our environment. It’s time for people to really look around and take some responsibility.

We can make a change by learning and using environmentally friendly alternatives in our everyday lives. So, in this essay, I’ll argue that using reusable bags, water bottles, and containers is not only necessary for the health of our precious planet but also a simple and effective way to make a real difference.

A Persuasive Essay Structure

As persuasive essay writers, you can write it however you like, but to follow a traditional persuasive essay structure, use this basic layout to get an effective paper:

• An Introduction: You need a good hook to grab the reader’s attention, a thesis statement presenting the main argument, and a roadmap of the essay, so they know what to expect.
• The Body Paragraphs: 2-3 paragraphs should suffice to provide strong evidence, examples, and any reasoning to support the thesis statement. Each paragraph should focus on a single main idea. 
• The Counterargument: This section acknowledges and refutes the opposing viewpoint, strengthening your argument but still without being as forward as an argumentative essay.
• A Conclusion or Closing Statement: Here is where you would summarize the main points of the essay and a restatement of the thesis, including a call to action for the reader and/or a final thought.

In the end, a persuasive essay usually consists of 5-6 paragraphs and needs to be clear, concise, and logically structured to really persuade the reader on the point.

Tips for Persuasive Writing

• Choose a strong, clear thesis statement that presents your argument well.
• Know your audience and tailor your language and arguments to them. You’ll need a different approach if you’re speaking to a group of teenagers versus a team of adults.
• Use credible and reliable sources to support your argument so no one can second guess your point.
• Expect that people will have counterarguments and prepare a few talking points to address them.
• Use strong pieces of evidence and back them up with facts, statistics, examples, and personal anecdotes. Putting a personal touch on it helps ground the essay and lets people know you’re serious about the topic.
• Use an emotional appeal to engage the reader and make a personal connection to your argument. Basically, tug at their heartstrings and play into their guilt.
• Use clear and concise wordage. Try and avoid confusing technical jargon that might confuse people, and maintain a consistent tone throughout the essay.
• Make sure you’re confident and use an assertive tone but avoid being overly aggressive or confrontational. That will just spark a fight.
• Finish up with a powerful call to action or a final thought that leaves a lasting impact on the reader or listener.
• Use the same font throughout your essay, even for headings and titles. Go with easy-to-read fonts like Calibri, Times New Roman, or Garamond.
• Proofread and edit your essay for clarity, grammar, and style. I cannot stress this one enough. If you’re not confident, use programs like Grammarly to help spot typos and inconsistencies.

Persuasive Essay Topic Ideas

If you’re stuck on some ideas of what to form your essay around, here’s a list of some popular topics to inspire you.

• Importance of recycling and reducing waste in today’s climate.
• The need for stricter gun control laws all over the world.
• A paper on abortion rights in today’s age.
• Benefits of alternative energy sources over fossil fuels and how we can be using them.
• How social media has negative impacts on mental health in kids.
• Key benefits of a vegetarian or vegan diet and how it can help the planet.
• The value of a college education.
• Rise of plastic pollution on the environment and sea life and how it is affecting us.
• Why physical exercise and leading an active lifestyle are important.
• The dangers of texting while driving.
• How our public schools need better funding.
• Benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace both online and in-person.

Any of these could be used as logical arguments. Still, to make a persuasive argument from either of them, just follow the basic persuasive essay outline examples I’ve given you.

Example of a Persuasive Essay

Introduction.

In today’s age of ever-changing technology, the way we consume and experience books have changed dramatically in just a short time. While physical books were once the only option, ebooks have grown increasingly popular in recent years. In my essay, I’ll argue that, while we all still love paperbacks and hardcovers, ebooks offer so many benefits over physical books, making them the number one choice for most readers today.

Body Paragraph 1: Convenience

Ebooks are convenient; there’s just no denying it. They’re easily accessible through devices like smartphones, tablets, and e-readers, and they allow readers to carry hundreds of books with them at all times. This makes them perfect for traveling or heading to work, or even going to the gym. Readers can now have an entire library with them without the added weight of physical books. Plus, ebooks are easily bought online with just the click of a button, further adding to their convenience.

Body Paragraph 2: Customization

Ebooks offer a level of customization that physical books just can’t match. For one, the font size can be adjusted for easier reading, which is great for those who have eyesight problems. The background color can also be changed from light to dark to reduce eye strain. Personally, as someone who suffers from Meniere’s disease, this is a great feature. All of these options make ebooks a great choice for people with visual impairments, neurological disorders, or reading difficulties.

Body Paragraph 3: Affordability

Ebooks are often far cheaper than physical books, especially when purchased in bulk. You can get an entire series for a fraction of the cost of one paperback. This makes them a more accessible option for budget-conscious readers and people who simply don’t have the disposable funds for books. Also, tons of ebooks are available for free, which is a great option for readers that are looking for ways to save money but keep up with their reading habits.

Body Paragraph 4: Environmentally Friendly

626,000 tons of paper is used to produce all the books we see published every year. That’s a scary number when you consider the rate of deforestation and the state of our world in terms of global warming. We simply can’t afford to move ahead at a rate like that. Ebooks help tackle the issue because they require zero trees to produce.

In conclusion, ebooks offer endless benefits over physical books, including convenience, customization, and affordability. While physical books will always hold a special place in our hearts, you have to admit that the benefits of ebooks just can’t be ignored. For modern, busy, on-the-go readers, ebooks are the preferred choice. It’s time to embrace the digital age and make the switch to ebooks.

Now Write Your Persuasive Essay!

I hope this guide has helped you figure out persuasive essay writing and how to put together powerful arguments. Just stick to the facts and ease the reader into your point with gentle arguments that continue to prove your point. Don’t be afraid to get personal if it can help the essay and convince the reader.

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How to Write a Persuasive Essay: Tips and Tricks

By Allison Bressmer

Most composition classes you’ll take will teach the art of persuasive writing. That’s a good thing.

Knowing where you stand on issues and knowing how to argue for or against something is a skill that will serve you well both inside and outside of the classroom.

Persuasion is the art of using logic to prompt audiences to change their mind or take action , and is generally seen as accomplishing that goal by appealing to emotions and feelings.

A persuasive essay is one that attempts to get a reader to agree with your perspective.

Ready for some tips on how to produce a well-written, well-rounded, well-structured persuasive essay? Just say yes. I don’t want to have to write another essay to convince you!

How Do I Write a Persuasive Essay?

What are some good topics for a persuasive essay, how do i identify an audience for my persuasive essay, how do you create an effective persuasive essay, how should i edit my persuasive essay.

Your persuasive essay needs to have the three components required of any essay: the introduction , body , and conclusion .

That is essay structure. However, there is flexibility in that structure.

There is no rule (unless the assignment has specific rules) for how many paragraphs any of those sections need.

Although the components should be proportional; the body paragraphs will comprise most of your persuasive essay.

How Do I Start a Persuasive Essay?

As with any essay introduction, this paragraph is where you grab your audience’s attention, provide context for the topic of discussion, and present your thesis statement.

TIP 1: Some writers find it easier to write their introductions last. As long as you have your working thesis, this is a perfectly acceptable approach. From that thesis, you can plan your body paragraphs and then go back and write your introduction.

TIP 2: Avoid “announcing” your thesis. Don’t include statements like this:

• “In my essay I will show why extinct animals should (not) be regenerated.”
• “The purpose of my essay is to argue that extinct animals should (not) be regenerated.”

Announcements take away from the originality, authority, and sophistication of your writing.

Instead, write a convincing thesis statement that answers the question "so what?" Why is the topic important, what do you think about it, and why do you think that? Be specific.

How Many Paragraphs Should a Persuasive Essay Have?

This body of your persuasive essay is the section in which you develop the arguments that support your thesis. Consider these questions as you plan this section of your essay:

• What arguments support your thesis?
• What is the best order for your arguments?
• What evidence do you have?
• Will you address the opposing argument to your own?
• How can you conclude convincingly?

TIP: Brainstorm and do your research before you decide which arguments you’ll focus on in your discussion. Make a list of possibilities and go with the ones that are strongest, that you can discuss with the most confidence, and that help you balance your rhetorical triangle .

What Should I Put in the Conclusion of a Persuasive Essay?

The conclusion is your “mic-drop” moment. Think about how you can leave your audience with a strong final comment.

And while a conclusion often re-emphasizes the main points of a discussion, it shouldn’t simply repeat them.

TIP 1: Be careful not to introduce a new argument in the conclusion—there’s no time to develop it now that you’ve reached the end of your discussion!

TIP 2 : As with your thesis, avoid announcing your conclusion. Don’t start your conclusion with “in conclusion” or “to conclude” or “to end my essay” type statements. Your audience should be able to see that you are bringing the discussion to a close without those overused, less sophisticated signals.

If your instructor has assigned you a topic, then you’ve already got your issue; you’ll just have to determine where you stand on the issue. Where you stand on your topic is your position on that topic.

Your position will ultimately become the thesis of your persuasive essay: the statement the rest of the essay argues for and supports, intending to convince your audience to consider your point of view.

If you have to choose your own topic, use these guidelines to help you make your selection:

• Choose an issue you truly care about
• Choose an issue that is actually debatable

Simple “tastes” (likes and dislikes) can’t really be argued. No matter how many ways someone tries to convince me that milk chocolate rules, I just won’t agree.

It’s dark chocolate or nothing as far as my tastes are concerned.

Similarly, you can’t convince a person to “like” one film more than another in an essay.

You could argue that one movie has superior qualities than another: cinematography, acting, directing, etc. but you can’t convince a person that the film really appeals to them.

Once you’ve selected your issue, determine your position just as you would for an assigned topic. That position will ultimately become your thesis.

Until you’ve finalized your work, consider your thesis a “working thesis.”

This means that your statement represents your position, but you might change its phrasing or structure for that final version.

When you’re writing an essay for a class, it can seem strange to identify an audience—isn’t the audience the instructor?

Your instructor will read and evaluate your essay, and may be part of your greater audience, but you shouldn’t just write for your teacher.

Think about who your intended audience is.

For an argument essay, think of your audience as the people who disagree with you—the people who need convincing.

That population could be quite broad, for example, if you’re arguing a political issue, or narrow, if you’re trying to convince your parents to extend your curfew.

Once you’ve got a sense of your audience, it’s time to consult with Aristotle. Aristotle’s teaching on persuasion has shaped communication since about 330 BC. Apparently, it works.

Aristotle taught that in order to convince an audience of something, the communicator needs to balance the three elements of the rhetorical triangle to achieve the best results.

Those three elements are ethos , logos , and pathos .

Ethos relates to credibility and trustworthiness. How can you, as the writer, demonstrate your credibility as a source of information to your audience?

How will you show them you are worthy of their trust?

• You show you’ve done your research: you understand the issue, both sides
• You show respect for the opposing side: if you disrespect your audience, they won’t respect you or your ideas

Logos relates to logic. How will you convince your audience that your arguments and ideas are reasonable?

You provide facts or other supporting evidence to support your claims.

That evidence may take the form of studies or expert input or reasonable examples or a combination of all of those things, depending on the specific requirements of your assignment.

Remember: if you use someone else’s ideas or words in your essay, you need to give them credit.

ProWritingAid's Plagiarism Checker checks your work against over a billion web-pages, published works, and academic papers so you can be sure of its originality.

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Pathos relates to emotion. Audiences are people and people are emotional beings. We respond to emotional prompts. How will you engage your audience with your arguments on an emotional level?

• You make strategic word choices : words have denotations (dictionary meanings) and also connotations, or emotional values. Use words whose connotations will help prompt the feelings you want your audience to experience.
• You use emotionally engaging examples to support your claims or make a point, prompting your audience to be moved by your discussion.

Be mindful as you lean into elements of the triangle. Too much pathos and your audience might end up feeling manipulated, roll their eyes and move on.

An “all logos” approach will leave your essay dry and without a sense of voice; it will probably bore your audience rather than make them care.

Once you’ve got your essay planned, start writing! Don’t worry about perfection, just get your ideas out of your head and off your list and into a rough essay format.

After you’ve written your draft, evaluate your work. What works and what doesn’t? For help with evaluating and revising your work, check out this ProWritingAid post on manuscript revision .

After you’ve evaluated your draft, revise it. Repeat that process as many times as you need to make your work the best it can be.

When you’re satisfied with the content and structure of the essay, take it through the editing process .

Grammatical or sentence-level errors can distract your audience or even detract from the ethos—the authority—of your work.

You don’t have to edit alone! ProWritingAid’s Realtime Report will find errors and make suggestions for improvements.

You can even use it on emails to your professors:

Try ProWritingAid with a free account.

How Can I Improve My Persuasion Skills?

You can develop your powers of persuasion every day just by observing what’s around you.

• How is that advertisement working to convince you to buy a product?
• How is a political candidate arguing for you to vote for them?
• How do you “argue” with friends about what to do over the weekend, or convince your boss to give you a raise?
• How are your parents working to convince you to follow a certain academic or career path?

As you observe these arguments in action, evaluate them. Why are they effective or why do they fail?

How could an argument be strengthened with more (or less) emphasis on ethos, logos, and pathos?

Every argument is an opportunity to learn! Observe them, evaluate them, and use them to perfect your own powers of persuasion.

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Allison Bressmer

Allison Bressmer is a professor of freshman composition and critical reading at a community college and a freelance writer. If she isn’t writing or teaching, you’ll likely find her reading a book or listening to a podcast while happily sipping a semi-sweet iced tea or happy-houring with friends. She lives in New York with her family. Connect at linkedin.com/in/allisonbressmer.

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How to Persuade: 4 Techniques That Change Minds

by Jeff Elkins | 9 comments

If you've ever had a point you needed to make, an issue you passionately wanted to share, you may have wondered how to persuade more effectively. Whether we write fiction, poetry, or persuasive essays, this is true of every writer.

At some point, a topic will come along that you cannot remain silent about. But when that time comes, will you be ready to speak out? Do you know the tools of persuasion?

4 Essentials of the Art of Persuasion

I’ve noticed an upsurge in people writing what I call “position papers.” These are persuasive essays that are intended to declare a position on a particular issue in hopes of swaying others to the writer’s side. While this practice isn’t new—it’s in fact as ancient as writing—there seems to have been a renewed interest in it.

Before becoming a writer, I was a pastor for fifteen years. During that time, I learned a lot about the art of persuasion. Most often, I failed at it. Occasionally, I would do it well.

Those times it went well felt amazing. When you hit a home run with a persuasive essay or talk, you can feel it in your bones. Your whole body become electric with excitement.

During those years working in the clergy, I developed some best practices. Here are four that I hope will help your persuasive writing.

1. Before You Write, Empathize

Often when I am planning a position piece, I will get excited because I believe I’ve discovered the one point that is going to bring every reader over to my side. I think I’ve discovered the silver bullet that will win the debate, sell the product, or convince the populace that I am a genius.

With excitement surging through my fingers, I hammer my argument out, proud of myself that there is no way anyone will be able to disagree with the strategic positioning of my words.

But then when I present my argument, I’m shocked to discover that it falls flat.

The reason it fails is because my argument was crafted with ME in mind. I thought it was great and thatother people already on my side of the line think it’s great too, but the people I’m trying to reach aren’t moved.

The problem is, I haven’t met their need, or I’ve failed to find their pain point, or I’ve tried to argue something they don’t care about because I didn’t understand what their needs were in the first place. Rather than bringing people closer to my side, I end up creating an echo chamber where I and other like me take turns patting each other on the back.

The key to writing a truly persuasive argument is empathy. If you don’t understand the people you are trying to convince, then you can’t make a convincing argument. Before you write to them, try to see the world through their eyes.

There are several ways to go about this to become a more persuasive person: You can interview someone you know who is part of the group you are trying to speak with. You can pass around some test essays topics that will float different ideas to see how they are accepted. Or, you can read opposing positions and try to deconstruct their line of thinking in hopes of uncovering foundational assumptions in their understanding.

Often I will do what I call a pre-essay. If there is an issue I want to write about, I’ll write about something adjacent to the issue that I know will engage people on the other side of my opinion in conversation.

As they engage, rather than debating them, I will listen and ask questions. This approach helps me understand the world from their point of view . Often, after coming to understand their perspective, my original essay will radically change.

2. Focus on the Audience, not the Opponent

If someone is educated and passionate about the issue you are discussing to the point where that person is willing to debate you about it, then there is little chance you will change his or her mind. But don’t worry; this doesn’t mean your argument is a waste of time.

When I was in seminary I was introduced to a persuasive technique used by many organizations which I refer to as “debating for the silent crowd.”

The idea behind this technique is to enter into a public space (this could be a physical space like a subway terminal or a digital space like Facebook) where you can gather a crowd. The key is to select a space where you know there will be onlookers.

Once in the space, start debating someone who is passionate about the issue.

The goal of the fight is not to convince your opponent, but rather to win over some of the silent onlookers. While your opponent is likely unmovable, there will be people in the crowd who are already debating the issue internally.

Winning the debate, then, is not about beating your opponent. It’s about winning as many crowd members to your side as you can. It's an effective persuasion tactic, even when it is hard to measure.

3. Less Is More

When we are passionate about a topic, hammering out fifty reasons everyone should see the issue like we do is easy, and it makes us feel good. We think as we write, “There’s no way they aren’t going to come over to my side. Look at all these amazing arguments.” After trimming a little, we publish a persuasive essay titled “25 Reasons You Should Think Like Me.”

There are two problems with this approach:

First, modern attention spans are small and incapable of digesting a barrage of information. After a few points, everything else becomes clutter. We read the first few paragraphs and then skim the rest, or we stop at point three and never even look at the rest of the argument. Like dogs in a park full of squirrels, we are easily distracted and never stay in one place long.

This means that of my 25 reasons, reasons 4–25 were a complete waste of my time.

Additionally, if I were to take each one of my 25 points and break it out into its own shorter essay, think how much more content I could generate. I could publish an article a day on my issue for twenty-five days rather than that more massive thing almost no one will read.

In his book Communicating for a Change , Andy Stanley encourages preachers to have only one point per sermon. He claims that less is more when it comes to the art of persuasion. Once you have decided on the one point you want to get across to your audience, work to make it sticky by creating a single phrase that people will remember long after they’ve read your essay or heard your talk.

Stanley is a master of this. I watched him give a speech over a decade ago on leading through core values and I still remember the phrase he used like it was yesterday: “It’s not what’s hanging on the wall, it’s what’s happening down the hall that matters.”

I heard it only once, but his talk on leadership was transformative for me because he gave me a point I could remember and process long after his talk was done.

4. End with Hope

My preaching professor in seminary used to say that if your people leave sad, they aren’t coming back next week. In an argument, our goal should be to present the problem and then end with the hope that if you work together, you and the audience can change things.

If your audience walks away with a hope-filled challenge, they are more likely to take action than if they leave sad and hopeless about the issue.

President Obama’s “Yes We Can” slogan was a masterful example of this. It assumed a problem that needs to be fixed while communicating hope that the problem will be fixed if “we” work together.

Write to Persuade

You have an opinion the world needs to hear, but you can’t just vomit it out and expect everyone to pay attention. It needs to be crafted in a convincing way that will resonate with people, help them remember your points, and inspire them to take action.

Are there other tricks you use in persuasive writing? Let us know those in the comments as well.

Spend fifteen minutes writing about something that excites you. In your essay, try to persuade people to come over to your way of thinking. Make sure that you empathize with them and keep your arguments small and digestible.

When you're done, post your persuasive piece in the Pro Practice Workshop here. Be sure to leave feedback on other writers' pieces!

Jeff Elkins

Jeff Elkins is a writer who lives Baltimore with his wife and five kids. If you enjoy his writing, he'd be honored if you would subscribe to his free monthly newsletter . All subscribers receive a free copy of Jeff's urban fantasy novella "The Window Washing Boy."

I remember writing persuasive essays in high school. It is a process. I like the part of this article that says to write for the audience and not for yourself. It makes sense. I would like to get my point across while having others in mind. Thank you.

The point about less is more hits home with me. On one occasion, an older preacher was in the audience listening to me. Afterward, he said, “That was a good sermon. One tip though- You don’t need to mention every verse related to every point. Every one of them are inspired. So, one good verse would have worked well.” This has helped me in preaching and writing. People get lost in all our arguments. If they’re lost, they won’t be persuaded. Thanks for the reminder!

I love that story. Fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

Great point on #2. Focus on the audience, not the opponent. The winning argument is always going to be “for” something instead of “against” something else.

It helps if you have some skin in the game. Passion alone is not enough. You have to be thoroughly steeped in the subject to be the most effective.

Years ago, I was engaged in a major labor dispute at the place where I worked and I frequently created articles intended to convey my opinion on the matter. Brevity, being the soul of wit, is also the heart of persuasion. It was sufficient to make short statements to the point, and no more than two or three per article – often people had not the time or the inclination to get past two or three items.

And as you said, the finish that leaves the reader hopeful, engaged, and enlightened was more powerful than an out-and-out barrage, cataloging all the points with their arguments and rebuttals.

Hi Jeff, thanks for the wonderful points. I’ll keep them in mind. Just a quick query though!

Something often appears in the comments below a ‘persuasive article/essay’ — rude, personal comments or bigoted and parochial arguments. I know you’d ask me to ignore them, but what is the next best way to deal with them?

(P.S. While a new president (and a debate ensuing him) happened to you all, you’d know perhaps that India is dealing with a demonetisation phase; and a lot of such persuasive essays are cropping up.)

I think there is two ways to go with rude comments. One way is to ignore them. If you feel engaging with the person commenting is going to cause you emotional stress, I’d go for this option. Because in the end, it isn’t worth it.

A different approach I like to take is to match rudeness with respectful discourse. So I will ask the rude commenter, “Tell me more about that.” I do this specifically with people who are trying to hide behind a veil of logic/common sense/religious virtue. I find that if I force them to talk more about their feelings, they expose themselves to the world for who they are. If you want an example of this, I did it last week on Medium. I wrote an essay on immigration. His original push-back felt logical but I had a feeling there was judgement and anger behind it, so I pushed. Here is a link to it: https://medium.com/@jffelkins/immigration-and-the-bible-d48edfd6cc5#.1k9hk2uih

If you are unfamiliar with Medium, to read a response to someone’s work, you need to scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and click on the responses button. This writer and I had three back and forths after my original article.

Hope that helps.

Fantastic points (hey Jeff, Eastern Shore, here!). “Empathize” with your audience is different than the much-more common “know” your audience. It’s one thing to have awareness of who you’re talking to, it’s another to align with their perspectives and especially their assumptions and pain points. “End with Hope” is genius, too.

If I may add: Remember always that persuasion is EMOTIONAL. People justify their decisions and positions with logic and reason, but only through emotional engagement are they moved to change. Use data for support, but always “connect the dots” emotionally.

That’s why Hope is so powerful – it’s emotional!

If you want to write your essay, you can take help from essay writing guide for university students as there are so many students who don’r know writing and they look for someone who can help you in your writing. I was very happy to have my assignment done by them.

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Writing a Persuasive Essay

Persuasive essays convince readers to accept a certain perspective. Writing a persuasive essay therefore entails making an argument that will appeal to readers, so they believe what you say has merit. This act of appealing to readers is the art of persuasion, also known as rhetoric. In classical rhetoric, persuasion involves appealing to readers using ethos, pathos, and logos.

In this tutorial, we refer to the sample persuasive draft and final paper written by fictional student Maggie Durham.

THE ART OF PERSUASION

Ethos refers to establishing yourself as a credible source of information. To convince an audience of anything, they must first trust you are being earnest and ethical. One strategy to do this is to write a balanced discussion with relevant and reliable research that supports your claims. Reliable research would include quoting or paraphrasing experts, first-hand witnesses, or authorities. Properly citing your sources, so your readers can also retrieve them, is another factor in establishing a reliable ethos. When writing for academic purposes, expressing your argument using unbiased language and a neutral tone will also indicate you are arguing fairly and with consideration of others having differing views.

When you appeal to your readers’ emotions, you are using pathos. This appeal is common in advertising that convinces consumers they lack something and buying a certain product or service will fulfill that lack. Emotional appeals are subtler in academic writing; they serve to engage a reader in the argument and inspire a change of heart or motivate readers toward a course of action. The examples you use, how you define terms, any comparisons you draw, as well as the language choices you use can draw readers in and impact their willingness to go along with your ideas.

Consider that one purpose of persuasion is to appeal to those who do not already agree with you, so it will be important to show that you understand other points of view. You will also want to avoid derogatory or insulting descriptions or remarks about the opposition. You wouldn’t want to offend the very readers you want to persuade.

Establishing an appeal of logos is to write a sound argument, one that readers can follow and understand. To do this, the facts and evidence you use should be relevant, representative, and reliable, and the writing as a whole should be well organized, developed, and edited.

STEPS FOR WRITING PERSUASIVELY

Step one: determine the topic.

The first step in writing a persuasive essay is to establish the topic. The best topic is one that interests you. You can generate ideas for a topic by prewriting, such as by brainstorming whatever comes to mind, recording in grocery-list fashion your thoughts, or freewriting in complete sentences what you know or think about topics of interest.

Whatever topic you choose, it needs to be:

• Interesting : The topic should appeal both to you and to your intended readers.
• Researchable : A body of knowledge should already exist on the topic.
• Nonfiction : The information about the topic should be factual, not based on personal opinions or conspiracy theories.
• Important : Your reader should think the topic is relevant to them or worthy of being explored and discussed.

Our sample student Maggie Durham has selected the topic of educational technology. We will use Maggie’s sample persuasive draft and final paper as we discuss the steps for writing a persuasive essay.

Step Two: Pose a Research Question

Once you have a topic, the next step is to develop a research question along with related questions that delve further into the first question. If you do not know what to ask, start with one of the question words: What? Who? Where? When? Why? and How? The research question helps you focus or narrow the scope of your topic by identifying a problem, controversy, or aspect of the topic that is worth exploration and discussion. Some general questions about a topic would be the following:

• Who is affected by this problem and how?
• Have previous efforts or polices been made to address this problem? – What are they?
• Why hasn’t this problem been solved already?

For Maggie’s topic of educational technology, potential issues or controversies range from data privacy to digital literacy to the impact of technology on learning, which is what Maggie is interested in. Maggie’s local school district has low literacy rates, so Maggie wants to know the following:

• Are there advantages and/or disadvantages of technology within primary and secondary education?
• Which types of technology are considered the best in terms of quality and endurance?
• What types of technology and/or programs do students like using and why?
• Do teachers know how to use certain technologies with curriculum design, instruction, and/or assessment?

Step Three: Draft a Thesis

A thesis is a claim that asserts your main argument about the topic. As you conduct your research and draft your paper, you may discover information that changes your mind about your thesis, so at this point in writing, the thesis is tentative. Still, it is an important step in narrowing your focus for research and writing.

The thesis should

1. be a complete sentence,

2. identify the topic, and

3. make a specific claim about that topic.

In a persuasive paper, the thesis is a claim that someone should believe or do something. For example, a persuasive thesis might assert that something is effective or ineffective. It might state that a policy should be changed or a plan should be implemented. Or a persuasive thesis might be a plea for people to change their minds about a particular issue.

Once you have figured out your research question, your thesis is simply the answer. Maggie’s thesis is “Schools should supply technology aids to all students to increase student learning and literacy rates.” Her next step is to find evidence to support her claim.

Step Four: Research

Once you have a topic, research question, and thesis, you are ready to conduct research. To find sources that would be appropriate for an academic persuasive essay, begin your search in the library. The Purdue Global Library has a number of tutorials on conducting research, choosing search teams, types of sources, and how to evaluate information to determine its reliability and usefulness. Remember that the research you use will not only provide content to prove your claim and develop your essay, but it will also help to establish your credibility as a reliable source (ethos), create a logical framework for your argument (logos), and appeal to your readers emotionally (pathos).

Step Five: Plan Your Argument; Make an Outline

Once you have located quality source information—facts, examples, definitions, knowledge, and other information that answers your research question(s), you’ll want to create an outline to organize it. The example outline below illustrates a logical organizational plan for writing a persuasive essay. The example outline begins with an introduction that presents the topic, explains the issue, and asserts the position (the thesis). The body then provides the reasoning for the position and addresses the opposing viewpoints that some readers may hold. In your paper, you could modify this organization and address the opposing viewpoints first and then give the reasoning for your viewpoints, or you can alternate and give one opposing viewpoint then counter that with your viewpoint and then give another opposing viewpoint and counter that with your viewpoint.

The outline below also considers the alternatives to the position—certainly, there are other ways to think about or address the issue or situation. Considering the alternatives can be done in conjunction with looking at the opposing viewpoints. You do not always have to disagree with other opinions, either. You can acknowledge that another solution could work or another belief is valid. However, at the end of the body section, you will want to stand by your original position and prove that in light of all the opposing viewpoints and other perspectives, your position has the most merit.

Sample Outline of a Persuasive Argument

• 1. Introduction: Tell them what you will tell them.
• a. Present an interesting fact or description to make the topic clear and capture the reader’s attention.
• b. Define and narrow the topic using facts or descriptions to illustrate what the situation or issue is (and that is it important).
• c. Assert the claim (thesis) that something should be believed or done about the issue. (Some writers also briefly state the reasons behind this claim in the thesis as Maggie does in her paper when she claims that schools should supply tablets to students to increase learning , engagement, and literacy rates ).
• 2. Body: Tell them.
• a. Defend the claim with logical reasons and practical examples based on research.
• b. Anticipate objections to the claim and refute or accommodate them with research.
• c. Consider alternate positions or solutions using examples from research.
• d. Present a final point based on research that supports your claim in light of the objections and alternatives considered.
• 3. Conclusion: Tell them what you told them.
• a. Recap the main points to reinforce the importance of the issue.
• b. Restate the thesis in new wording to reinforce your position.
• c. Make a final remark to leave a lasting impression, so the reader will want to continue this conversation and ideally adopt the belief or take the action you are advocating.

In Maggie’s draft, she introduced the topic with facts about school ratings in Texas and then narrowed the topic using the example of her local school district’s literacy rates. She then claimed the district should provide each student a tablet in order to increase learning (and thus, literacy rates).

Maggie defends her claim with a series of examples from research that proved how access to tablets, technology-integrated curriculums, and “flipped classrooms” have improved literacy rates in other districts. She anticipates objections to her proposal due to the high cost of technology and counter argues this with expert opinions and examples that show partnerships with businesses, personalized curriculums that technology makes possible, and teacher training can balance the costs. Maggie included an alternative solution of having students check out tablets from the library, but her research showed that this still left students needing Wi-Fi at home while her proposal would include a plan for students to access Wi-Fi.

Maggie concluded her argument by pointing out the cost of not helping the students in this way and restated her thesis reaffirming the benefits, and then left the reader with a memorable quote.

Click here to see Maggie’s draft with feedback from her instructor and a peer. Sample Persuasive Draft

Feedback, Revision, and Editing

After you write a draft of your persuasive essay, the next step is to have a peer, instructor, or tutor read it and provide feedback. Without reader feedback, you cannot fully know how your readers will react to your argument. Reader feedback is meant to be constructive. Use it to better understand your readers and craft your argument to more appropriately appeal to them.

Maggie received valuable feedback on her draft from her instructor and classmate. They pointed to where her thesis needed to be even more specific, to paragraphs where a different organization would make her argument more convincing, to parts of the paper that lacked examples, sentences that needed revision and editing for greater clarity, and APA formatting that needed to be edited.

Maggie also took a critical look at her paper and looked back at her writing process. One technique she found helpful was to read her paper aloud because it let her know where her wording and organization were not clear. She did this several times as she revised and again as she edited and refined her paper for sentence level clarity and concision.

In the end, Maggie produced a convincing persuasive essay and effective argument that would appeal to readers who are also interested in the way technology can impact and improve student learning, an important topic in 2014 when this paper was written and still relevant today.

Click here to see Maggie’s final draft after revising and editing. Sample Persuasive Revised

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Persuasive Essay Writing

How to Write a Persuasive Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide

13 min read

Published on: Jan 3, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 29, 2024

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It's the night before the essay is due, and you haven't even started. Your mind is blank, and you have no idea what words will persuade your teacher. 

The good news is that some tips and tricks can make the process of writing a persuasive essay much easier.

In this blog, we'll break down the components of a persuasive essay and provide helpful tips and examples along the way. By the end, you should have all the guidelines to create a winning essay that will persuade your readers to see things your way.

Let's take a closer look at all these steps.

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What is a Persuasive Essay?

A persuasive essay presents logical arguments with emotional appeal.

Typically, persuasive essays begin with a question that the writer spends the essay arguing in favor of or opposition to. 

For example: should kids be allowed to play video games on weekdays? 

The writer would then spend the rest of the essay backing up their claim with reasons and evidence. 

Persuasive essays often include counterarguments. These arguments oppose the writer's position. 

By including counterarguments, persuasive essays become more interesting. They also force the writer to think critically about their position.

For example, an opponent of the previous argument might say that playing video games leads to poor grades. 

The original writer could deny this claim by pointing to studies that show no correlation between bad grades and playing video games.

The best persuasive essays are well-researched and use data to support their claims. 

However, persuasive essays are not just about logic. They also need to include emotional appeal. 

After all, people are more likely to be persuaded by an argument that speaks to their feelings. 

Elements of a Persuasive Essay 

When a persuasive essay is a task, you must keep these three greek terms in mind. They are:

• Ethos (appeal to ethics) 
• Pathos (appeal to emotion)
• Logos (appeal to logic)

A good essay will use all of these elements to convince the reader that the argument presented is valid. 

Let's take a closer look at each one.

Ethos - the Credibility Element 

The persuasive power of ethos lies in the character or credibility of the person making the argument. 

For an argument to be persuasive, the person presenting it must be someone that the audience trusts. 

This could be because they are an expert on the subject or because they have first-hand experience with it. Either way, ethos establishes the speaker's credibility and makes the audience more likely to trust what they have to say.

Pathos -the Emotional Element 

While ethos deals with the character of the person making the argument, pathos has to do with the audience's emotions. A persuasive argument will tap into the audience's emotions and use them to sway their opinion.

This could be done through stories or anecdotes that evoke an emotional response or by using language that stirs certain feelings.

Logos - the Logical Element 

The final element of persuasion is logos, which appeals to logic. A persuasive argument will use sound reasoning and evidence to convince the audience that it is valid. This could be done through data or using persuasive techniques like cause and effect.

Using all these elements of a persuasive essay can make your argument much more effective. 

How To Write a Persuasive Essay

Writing persuasive essays can be challenging, but they don't have to be.

With the following simple steps, you can quickly turn an ordinary essay into one that will make a lasting impression. 

Tough Essay Due? Hire a Writer!

How To Start a Persuasive Essay 

Here is a complete guide on how to start a persuasive essay. Follow them to compose a perfect essay every time. 

Brainstorm All Possible Angles 

The first step in writing a persuasive essay is brainstorming. You need to develop an angle for your essay that will make it unique and interesting. 

For example, let's say you're writing about the death penalty. A lot has been said on this topic, so it might be hard to find an angle that hasn't been covered already. 

But if you think about it, there are many different ways to approach the issue. 

Maybe you could write about the personal experiences of someone affected by the death penalty. Or maybe you could write about the economic costs of the death penalty. 

There are many possibilities here - it's all about thinking creatively.

Select Your Topic

Once you've brainstormed a few ideas, it's time to choose your topic. Pick the angle you think will most effectively persuade your reader. 

Once you've chosen your topic, it's time to research. Use statistics, expert opinions, and real-life examples to support your position. 

Choose Your Side

Now that you've researched, it's time to take a side in the debate. Remember, you must take a strong stance on one side of the issue. 

After deciding your stance, research and support it with evidence.

Appeal to Human Emotions 

One of the most effective ways to persuade someone is by appealing to their emotions. 

After all, we're not robots - we're human beings and always make decisions based on our feelings. 

Make your reader feel something, whether it's anger, sadness, empathy, or even amusement. You'll be well on convincing them of your point of view. 

Anticipate Possible Objections.

Of course, not everyone will agree, and that's okay! 

The important thing is that you anticipate some of those objections and address them head-on in your essay. 

This shows that you take your reader's objections seriously and are confident in your position. 

Organize Your Evidence 

Once you have all of your evidence collected, it's time to start organizing it into an outline for your essay.  

Organizing your essay is a key step in the writing process. It helps you keep track of all the evidence you've gathered and structure your argument in an organized way.

What Are The Steps To Write Your Persuasive Essay?

Now that you have your topic essay outline, it's time to move on to the actual writing.

Here are the steps you need to take:

Step 1: Create a Compelling Introduction

You want to hook your readers with a great opening for your persuasive essay, so they'll want to keep reading.

Here are 3 tips for writing an attention-grabbing introduction for your next essay.

• Use a strong hook statement

Your hook statement should immediately draw the reader in and make them want to learn more. 

A good hook statement will vary depending on whether you're writing for an academic or more casual audience. 

Still, some good options include a quote, an interesting statistic, or a rhetorical question.

• Make sure your thesis statement is clear and concise

Your thesis statement is the main argument of your essay, so it needs to be stated clearly and concisely in your introduction.

 A good thesis statement will be specific and limit the scope of your argument so that it can be fully addressed in the body of your paper.

• Use a transition

Transitions are important in writing for academic and non-academic audiences because they help guide the reader through your argument. 

A good transition will introduce the main point of your next paragraph while still maintaining the connection to the previous one.

Step 2: Write The Body Paragraphs

Here is a formula for structuring your body paragraphs in a persuasive essay. 

This formula will ensure that each body paragraph is packed with evidence and examples while still being concise and easy to read.

• The Topic Sentence

Every body paragraph should start with a topic sentence. A topic sentence is a key sentence that sums up the paragraph's main point. 

It should be clear, concise, and direct. 

For example, if you were writing a paragraph about the importance of exercise, your topic sentence might be this:

"Regular exercise is essential for good physical and mental health."

See how that sentence gives a clear overview of what the rest of the paragraph will be about.

• Relevant Supporting Sentences

Once your topic sentence is down, it's time to fill the rest of the paragraph with relevant supporting sentences. 

These sentences should provide evidence to support the claims made in the topic sentence. 

For the exercise example, we might use sentences like this:

"Exercise has been shown to improve heart health, reduce stress levels, and boost brain power."

"A sedentary lifestyle has been linked to an increased risk of obesity, heart disease, and type II diabetes."

See how each sentence ties back to the paragraph's main point. That's what you want your supporting sentences to do.

• Closing Sentence

Last but not least, every body paragraph should end with a closing (or transition) sentence. This sentence should briefly summarize the main points of the paragraph and introduce the next point that will be discussed in the following paragraph. 

For the exercise example, the closing sentence might look like this:

"So, as you can see, there are many compelling reasons to make exercise a regular part of your routine."

How to End a Persuasive Essay

The end of your essay is just as important as the introduction. You must leave your readers with a lasting impression and ensure your argument convinces them. 

To do this, you'll want to craft a persuasive conclusion that ties together all the points you have made in the essay.

Here is a video explaining the body paragraphs in a persuasive essay. Check it out for more information. 

Step 1: Write a Persuasive Conclusion

Here are a few tips to help make sure your persuasive essay conclusion is as effective and persuasive as possible. 

• Restate Your Thesis

Begin your essay conclusion by restating the thesis statement you began within your introduction. Doing so will remind readers of what you set out to prove and provide a sense of closure.

• Summarize Your Arguments

 You can also use your conclusion to summarize the main points of your argument. This will help readers recall the evidence you presented and reinforce why it supports your thesis. 

• Offer a Call to Action

Lastly, don't forget to include a call to action in your essay conclusion. This can be anything from a persuasive plea to a persuasive suggestion. 

Step 2:  Polish Up Your Essay

After you’re done with the essay, take a few minutes to read through it. Ensure that your persuasive points and evidence are clear, concise, and persuasive. 

Also, double-check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. Ensure that all of your persuasive points are properly explained and make sense to the reader. 

If you’re not confident in your persuasive writing skills, you can enlist a friend or family member to read through it and provide feedback.

You can follow a proofreading checklist after completing your essay to ensure you are on track.

By following these steps, you’ll end up with a persuasive essay that will impress anyone who reads it!

Format Of A Persuasive Essay 

Once you have your persuasive essay topic, it's time to craft an essay structure. Crafting the perfect persuasive essay format is essential for ensuring your paper has maximum persuasive power.

Here are some tips for formatting an effective persuasive essay.

• Increase the Readability of Your Text 

Ensure that you have adhered to all the paragraphing requirements of your instructor. 

Double-check that your margins are set properly. A margin of 1 inch (2.5 cm) on all sides is the standard for most written documents.

This makes it easier for readers to focus and extract important information quickly.

• Use Easy-to-Read Font

Choose a font that is easy to read and professional. Stay away from script fonts or anything too fancy or difficult to read. Stick with basic fonts like Times New Roman, Arial, and Calibri.

• Keep a Defined Alignment

Align your persuasive essay to the left margin. This makes it easier for readers to follow along with your argument without having to do too much extra scrolling. 

By following these simple tips, you'll be able to craft the perfect persuasive essay format.

Persuasive Essay Examples

Here are some examples of persuasive essays that can help you get the gist of essay writing.

Persuasive essay on the preservation of nature

Persuasive essay examples pdf

Example of a persuasive essay about covid-19

Check out some more  persuasive essay examples  here for more inspiration.

Good Persuasive Essay Topics

The right persuasive essay topics can make or break your essay. Here are a few examples of persuasive essay topics that can help you. 

• Should the government increase taxes on sugary foods to reduce obesity? 
• Do standardized tests accurately measure student intelligence and aptitude? 
• Should studying a foreign language be mandatory in schools? 
• Should all high school students complete community service hours before graduating? 
• Are video games affecting the concentration and cognitive development of children? 
• Should genetically modified foods be labeled as such in stores? 
• Are the current copyright laws protecting artists and content creators enough? 
• Should college tuition be reduced for all students? 
• Is the use of animals in medical research ethical? 
• Should the use of drones be regulated by the government? 
• Should college athletes receive payment for their performance? 
• Should students be allowed to have cell phones in school? 
• Is drug testing in schools an effective way to prevent substance abuse? 
• Does social media promote a healthy lifestyle or contribute to cyber bullying? 
• Should the voting age be lowered to 16? 

If you’re stuck with choosing topics, these are great  persuasive essay topics  to get you started! 

Pick one of these and craft an essay that will leave your readers thinking. 

Tips to Write a Compelling Persuasive Essay

Here are a few tips and tricks to help you make a lasting impression on your reader:

Pick A Topic You're Passionate About

First, you need to choose a topic you're passionate about. It will be easier to write about the topic if you care about the essay. 

This will make it easier to develop persuasive arguments, and you'll be more motivated to do research.

Research Your Topic Thoroughly

After picking a persuasive essay topic, you need thorough research. This will help you gain a better understanding of the issue, which in turn will make your essay stronger. This will also ensure that you fully grasp all counterarguments on your topic.

Know Your Audience

Knowing your audience before writing is important. Are you writing to your classmates? Your teacher? The general public? Once you know your audience, you can tailor your argument to them. 

Knowing your audience will help determine the tone and approach of your essay.

Hook The Reader's Attention

The first few sentences of your essay are crucial - they must grab the reader's attention and make them want to keep reading. 

One way to do this is by starting with a shocking statistic or an interesting story. The reader will be instantly hooked and will be enticed to read more.

Research Both Sides 

A good persuasive essay will consider both sides of an issue and present a well-rounded view. This means researching both sides of the argument before taking a stance. 

Make sure to consider all the evidence before making up your mind - otherwise, your argument won't be as strong as it could be.

Ask Rhetorical Questions

Rhetorical questions are not meant to be answered but rather to make the reader think about the issue. 

For example, "How can we expect our children to succeed in school if they don't have enough resources?" 

Questions like this can help engage readers and get them thinking about solutions rather than just complaining about problems.

Emphasize Your Point

It's important to reiterate your main points throughout the essay so that readers don't forget what they are supposed to argue for or against by the time they reach the end of the paper.

Persuasive essays can be difficult to write, but following simple tips can help make the process easier. 

In this blog, we've outlined the components of a persuasive essay and provided some tips on how to write one. We also shared examples of persuasive essays that scored high marks on standardized tests. 

If you are looking for an essay writing service , look no further than CollegeEssay.org! Our experienced essay writer can provide the assistance you need to produce an essay that meets the highest standards.

Let our persuasive essay writer handle the hard work and get you started on your path to success.

Try our AI essay writer and elevate your writing to new heights today!

Frequently Asked Questions About Persuasive Essays

How long should a persuasive essay be.

Generally speaking, persuasive essays should be between 500-750 words. However, the length of your essay will depend on the instructions given by your teacher or professor.

What Techniques Are Used In Persuasive Essays?

Persuasive techniques include facts and statistics, emotion and logic, personal stories, analogies and metaphors, pathos, ethos, and logos.

How Do I Make My Persuasive Essay More Convincing?

To make your essay more convincing, cite reliable sources, use persuasive language, and provide strong evidence and arguments.

How Is Persuasive Writing Different From Argumentative Writing?

The main difference between persuasive and argumentative writing is that persuasive writing seeks to convince or persuade the reader. On the other hand, argumentative writing seeks to debate an issue.

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How to Write a Persuasive Essay

The entire point of a persuasive essay is to persuade or convince the reader to agree with your perspective on the topic. In this type of essay, you’re not limited to facts. It’s completely acceptable to include your opinions and back them up with facts, where necessary.

Guide Overview

• Be assertive
• Use words that evoke emotion
• Make it personal
• Topic selection hints

Tricks for Writing a Persuasive Essay

In this type of writing, you’ll find it is particularly helpful to focus on the emotional side of things. Make your reader feel what you feel and bring them into your way of thinking. There are a few ways to do that.

Be Assertive

A persuasive essay doesn’t have to be gentle in how it presents your opinion. You really want people to agree with you, so focus on making that happen, even if it means pushing the envelope a little. You’ll tend to get higher grades for this, because the essay is more likely to convince the reader to agree. Consider using an Persuasive Essay Template to understand the key elements of the essay.

Use Words that Evoke Emotion

It’s easier to get people to see things your way when they feel an emotional connection. As you describe your topic, make sure to incorporate words that cause people to feel an emotion. For example, instead of saying, “children are taken from their parents” you might say, “children are torn from the loving arms of their parents, kicking and screaming.” Dramatic? Yes, but it gets the point across and helps your reader experience the

Make it Personal

By using first person, you make the reader feel like they know you. Talking about the reader in second person can help them feel included and begin to imagine themselves in your shoes. Telling someone “many people are affected by this” and telling them “you are affected by this every day” will have very different results.

While each of these tips can help improve your essay, there’s no rule that you have to actually persuade for your own point of view. If you feel the essay would be more interesting if you take the opposite stance, why not write it that way? This will require more research and thinking, but you could end up with a very unique essay that will catch the teacher’s eye.

Topic Selection Hints

A persuasive essay requires a topic that has multiple points of view. In most cases, topics like the moon being made of rock would be difficult to argue, since this is a solid fact. This means you’ll need to choose something that has more than one reasonable opinion related to it.

A good topic for a persuasive essay would be something that you could persuade for or against.

Some examples include:

• Should children be required to use booster seats until age 12?
• Should schools allow the sale of sugary desserts and candy?
• Should marijuana use be legal?
• Should high school students be confined to school grounds during school hours?
• Should GMO food be labeled by law?
• Should police be required to undergo sensitivity training?
• Should the United States withdraw troops from overseas?

Some topics are more controversial than others, but any of these could be argued from either point of view . . . some even allow for multiple points of view.

As you write your persuasive essay, remember that your goal is to get the reader to nod their head and agree with you. Each section of the essay should bring you closer to this goal. If you write the essay with this in mind, you’ll end up with a paper that will receive high grades.

Finally, if you’re ever facing writer’s block for your college paper, consider WriteWell’s template gallery to help you get started.

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A Comprehensive Guide on How to Write a Persuasive Essay

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A persuasive essay is a potent literary tool designed to sway the reader's opinion and evoke a response. Unlike other types of essays , the primary goal here is not merely to inform or entertain but to persuade. In this guide, we'll explore what exactly a persuasive essay is, delve into its main components, and provide practical tips on how to write a persuasive essay that leaves a lasting impression.

What is a Persuasive Essay?

At its core, a persuasive essay aims to convince the reader to adopt a particular viewpoint or take a specific action. It's an artful blend of logical reasoning and emotional appeal, carefully crafted to sway opinions and inspire action. Whether addressing a controversial social issue, advocating for a change in policy, or expressing an individual opinion, the persuasive essay is a vehicle for influencing minds.

How to Write a Persuasive Essay: The Main Components

1. Introduction: Capturing Attention and Stating the Thesis The introduction serves as the gateway to your persuasive essay. Begin by grabbing the reader's attention with a compelling hook—an anecdote, a surprising fact, or a thought-provoking question. After capturing their interest, clearly state your thesis, which should encapsulate the main argument you'll be advocating throughout the essay. Make sure it's concise, focused, and sets the stage for what follows.

2. Body Paragraphs: Building the Argument The body of your persuasive essay is where you present your case in detail. Each paragraph should focus on a single point that supports your thesis. Begin with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph, followed by supporting evidence, examples, and logical reasoning. Be sure to anticipate counterarguments and address them in a respectful manner. This not only strengthens your position but also demonstrates a thorough understanding of the topic.

3. Ethos, Pathos, and Logos: The Triad of Persuasion A persuasive essay is most effective when it appeals to the audience's emotions, ethics, and logic. Ethos involves establishing credibility and showcasing your expertise or authority on the subject. Pathos appeals to the reader's emotions, invoking empathy or stirring passions. Logos relies on logical reasoning, presenting evidence and sound arguments to support your claims. Striking a balance between these three elements ensures a well-rounded and convincing essay.

4. Counterarguments and Rebuttal: Strengthening Your Position Acknowledge opposing viewpoints to demonstrate fairness and open-mindedness. Addressing counterarguments head-on not only strengthens your position but also shows that you've thoroughly considered different perspectives. Craft a persuasive rebuttal by presenting additional evidence or showcasing flaws in the opposing argument. This not only reinforces your stance but also reinforces your credibility as a thoughtful and informed writer.

5. Conclusion: Leaving a Lasting Impression End your essay with a powerful conclusion that backs your thesis and leaves a lasting impression. Summarise the key points from the body paragraphs and restate your thesis in a compelling way. Avoid introducing new information in the conclusion; instead, focus on leaving the reader with a clear understanding of your perspective and a sense of urgency or importance regarding your argument.

Writing a Persuasive Essay: Practical Tips

Know Your Audience: Tailor Your Approach Understanding your audience is crucial when crafting a persuasive essay. Consider their values, beliefs, and potential biases. Tailor your language and arguments to resonate with your target audience, making your persuasive efforts more effective.

Thorough Research: The Foundation of Persuasion Before diving into writing, conduct thorough research on your chosen topic. Familiarise yourself with relevant facts, statistics, and expert opinions. A well-researched essay not only strengthens your argument but also enhances your credibility as a writer.

Craft a Strong Thesis Statement: The Heart of Your Essay Your thesis statement is the focal point of your persuasive essay. Ensure it is clear, concise, and debatable. A strong thesis sets the tone for the entire essay and provides a roadmap for both the writer and the reader.

Use Persuasive Language: Engage and Convince Choose your words carefully to create a persuasive impact. Employ strong, vivid language that evokes emotion and captivates the reader. Be mindful of your tone, striking a balance between confidence and humility.

Revise and Edit: Polish Your Persuasive Gem The final step in crafting a persuasive essay is thorough revision and editing. Review your essay for clarity, coherence, and consistency. Check for grammatical errors, ensure a smooth flow of ideas, and confirm that your arguments are well-supported by evidence.

The refinement of your work is just as crucial as its creation. Let our team of skilled editors meticulously edit and proofread your essay , providing valuable insights to elevate your writing to its highest potential.

Writing a Persuasive Essay: A Skill That Goes Beyond Academia

Mastering the art of persuasion through essay writing is a valuable skill that extends beyond academia. Whether advocating for social change or expressing a personal viewpoint, a persuasive essay equips you to articulate your ideas effectively and influence others. By understanding the main components and following practical tips, you can confidently navigate the terrain of persuasive writing, leaving a lasting impact on your readers.

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How to Write a Persuasive Essay (This Convinced My Professor!)

Table of contents

Meredith Sell

You can make your essay more persuasive by getting straight to the point.

In fact, that's exactly what we did here, and that's just the first tip of this guide. Throughout this guide, we share the steps needed to prove an argument and create a persuasive essay.

This AI tool helps you improve your essay > This AI tool helps you improve your essay >

Key takeaways: - Proven process to make any argument persuasive - 5-step process to structure arguments - How to use AI to formulate and optimize your essay

Why is being persuasive so difficult?

"Write an essay that persuades the reader of your opinion on a topic of your choice."

You might be staring at an assignment description just like this 👆from your professor. Your computer is open to a blank document, the cursor blinking impatiently. Do I even have opinions?

The persuasive essay can be one of the most intimidating academic papers to write: not only do you need to identify a narrow topic and research it, but you also have to come up with a position on that topic that you can back up with research while simultaneously addressing different viewpoints.

That’s a big ask. And let’s be real: most opinion pieces in major news publications don’t fulfill these requirements.

The upside? By researching and writing your own opinion, you can learn how to better formulate not only an argument but the actual positions you decide to hold. 

Here, we break down exactly how to write a persuasive essay. We’ll start by taking a step that’s key for every piece of writing—defining the terms.

What Is a Persuasive Essay?

A persuasive essay is exactly what it sounds like: an essay that persuades . Over the course of several paragraphs or pages, you’ll use researched facts and logic to convince the reader of your opinion on a particular topic and discredit opposing opinions.

While you’ll spend some time explaining the topic or issue in question, most of your essay will flesh out your viewpoint and the evidence that supports it.

The 5 Must-Have Steps of a Persuasive Essay

If you’re intimidated by the idea of writing an argument, use this list to break your process into manageable chunks. Tackle researching and writing one element at a time, and then revise your essay so that it flows smoothly and coherently with every component in the optimal place.

1. A topic or issue to argue

This is probably the hardest step. You need to identify a topic or issue that is narrow enough to cover in the length of your piece—and is also arguable from more than one position. Your topic must call for an opinion , and not be a simple fact .

It might be helpful to walk through this process:

• Identify a random topic
• Ask a question about the topic that involves a value claim or analysis to answer
• Answer the question

That answer is your opinion.

Let’s consider some examples, from silly to serious:

Topic: Dolphins and mermaids

Question: In a mythical match, who would win: a dolphin or a mermaid?

Answer/Opinion: The mermaid would win in a match against a dolphin.

Topic: Autumn

Question: Which has a better fall: New England or Colorado?

Answer/Opinion: Fall is better in New England than Colorado.

Topic: Electric transportation options

Question: Would it be better for an urban dweller to buy an electric bike or an electric car?

Answer/Opinion: An electric bike is a better investment than an electric car.

Your turn: Walk through the three-step process described above to identify your topic and your tentative opinion. You may want to start by brainstorming a list of topics you find interesting and then going use the three-step process to find the opinion that would make the best essay topic.

2. An unequivocal thesis statement

If you walked through our three-step process above, you already have some semblance of a thesis—but don’t get attached too soon! 

A solid essay thesis is best developed through the research process. You shouldn’t land on an opinion before you know the facts. So press pause. Take a step back. And dive into your research.

You’ll want to learn:

• The basic facts of your topic. How long does fall last in New England vs. Colorado? What trees do they have? What colors do those trees turn?
• The facts specifically relevant to your question. Is there any science on how the varying colors of fall influence human brains and moods?
• What experts or other noteworthy and valid sources say about the question you’re considering. Has a well-known arborist waxed eloquent on the beauty of New England falls?

As you learn the different viewpoints people have on your topic, pay attention to the strengths and weaknesses of existing arguments. Is anyone arguing the perspective you’re leaning toward? Do you find their arguments convincing? What do you find unsatisfying about the various arguments? 

Allow the research process to change your mind and/or refine your thinking on the topic. Your opinion may change entirely or become more specific based on what you learn.

Once you’ve done enough research to feel confident in your understanding of the topic and your opinion on it, craft your thesis. 

Your thesis statement should be clear and concise. It should directly state your viewpoint on the topic, as well as the basic case for your thesis.

Thesis 1: In a mythical match, the mermaid would overcome the dolphin due to one distinct advantage: her ability to breathe underwater.

Thesis 2: The full spectrum of color displayed on New England hillsides is just one reason why fall in the northeast is better than in Colorado.

Thesis 3: In addition to not adding to vehicle traffic, electric bikes are a better investment than electric cars because they’re cheaper and require less energy to accomplish the same function of getting the rider from point A to point B.

Your turn: Dive into the research process with a radar up for the arguments your sources are making about your topic. What are the most convincing cases? Should you stick with your initial opinion or change it up? Write your fleshed-out thesis statement.

3. Evidence to back up your thesis

This is a typical place for everyone from undergrads to politicians to get stuck, but the good news is, if you developed your thesis from research, you already have a good bit of evidence to make your case.

Go back through your research notes and compile a list of every …

… or other piece of information that supports your thesis. 

This info can come from research studies you found in scholarly journals, government publications, news sources, encyclopedias, or other credible sources (as long as they fit your professor’s standards).

As you put this list together, watch for any gaps or weak points. Are you missing information on how electric cars versus electric bicycles charge or how long their batteries last? Did you verify that dolphins are, in fact, mammals and can’t breathe underwater like totally-real-and-not-at-all-fake 😉mermaids can? Track down that information.

Next, organize your list. Group the entries so that similar or closely related information is together, and as you do that, start thinking through how to articulate the individual arguments to support your case. 

Depending on the length of your essay, each argument may get only a paragraph or two of space. As you think through those specific arguments, consider what order to put them in. You’ll probably want to start with the simplest argument and work up to more complicated ones so that the arguments can build on each other. 

Your turn: Organize your evidence and write a rough draft of your arguments. Play around with the order to find the most compelling way to argue your case.

4. Rebuttals to disprove opposing theses

You can’t just present the evidence to support your case and totally ignore other viewpoints. To persuade your readers, you’ll need to address any opposing ideas they may hold about your topic. 

You probably found some holes in the opposing views during your research process. Now’s your chance to expose those holes. 

Take some time (and space) to: describe the opposing views and show why those views don’t hold up. You can accomplish this using both logic and facts.

Is a perspective based on a faulty assumption or misconception of the truth? Shoot it down by providing the facts that disprove the opinion.

Is another opinion drawn from bad or unsound reasoning? Show how that argument falls apart.

Some cases may truly be only a matter of opinion, but you still need to articulate why you don’t find the opposing perspective convincing.

Yes, a dolphin might be stronger than a mermaid, but as a mammal, the dolphin must continually return to the surface for air. A mermaid can breathe both underwater and above water, which gives her a distinct advantage in this mythical battle.

While the Rocky Mountain views are stunning, their limited colors—yellow from aspen trees and green from various evergreens—leaves the autumn-lover less than thrilled. The rich reds and oranges and yellows of the New England fall are more satisfying and awe-inspiring.

But what about longer trips that go beyond the city center into the suburbs and beyond? An electric bike wouldn’t be great for those excursions. Wouldn’t an electric car be the better choice then? 

Certainly, an electric car would be better in these cases than a gas-powered car, but if most of a person’s trips are in their hyper-local area, the electric bicycle is a more environmentally friendly option for those day-to-day outings. That person could then participate in a carshare or use public transit, a ride-sharing app, or even a gas-powered car for longer trips—and still use less energy overall than if they drove an electric car for hyper-local and longer area trips.

Your turn: Organize your rebuttal research and write a draft of each one.

5. A convincing conclusion

You have your arguments and rebuttals. You’ve proven your thesis is rock-solid. Now all you have to do is sum up your overall case and give your final word on the subject. 

Don’t repeat everything you’ve already said. Instead, your conclusion should logically draw from the arguments you’ve made to show how they coherently prove your thesis. You’re pulling everything together and zooming back out with a better understanding of the what and why of your thesis. 

A dolphin may never encounter a mermaid in the wild, but if it were to happen, we know how we’d place our bets. Long hair and fish tail, for the win.

For those of us who relish 50-degree days, sharp air, and the vibrant colors of fall, New England offers a season that’s cozier, longer-lasting, and more aesthetically pleasing than “colorful” Colorado. A leaf-peeper’s paradise.

When most of your trips from day to day are within five miles, the more energy-efficient—and yes, cost-efficient—choice is undoubtedly the electric bike. So strap on your helmet, fire up your pedals, and two-wheel away to your next destination with full confidence that you made the right decision for your wallet and the environment.

3 Quick Tips for Writing a Strong Argument

Once you have a draft to work with, use these tips to refine your argument and make sure you’re not losing readers for avoidable reasons.

1. Choose your words thoughtfully.

If you want to win people over to your side, don’t write in a way that shuts your opponents down. Avoid making abrasive or offensive statements. Instead, use a measured, reasonable tone. Appeal to shared values, and let your facts and logic do the hard work of changing people’s minds.

Choose words with AI

You can use AI to turn your general point into a readable argument. Then, you can paraphrase each sentence and choose between competing arguments generated by the AI, until your argument is well-articulated and concise.

2. Prioritize accuracy (and avoid fallacies).

Make sure the facts you use are actually factual. You don’t want to build your argument on false or disproven information. Use the most recent, respected research. Make sure you don’t misconstrue study findings. And when you’re building your case, avoid logical fallacies that undercut your argument.

A few common fallacies to watch out for:

• Strawman: Misrepresenting or oversimplifying an opposing argument to make it easier to refute.
• Appeal to ignorance: Arguing that a certain claim must be true because it hasn’t been proven false.
• Bandwagon: Assumes that if a group of people, experts, etc., agree with a claim, it must be true.
• Hasty generalization: Using a few examples, rather than substantial evidence, to make a sweeping claim.
• Appeal to authority: Overly relying on opinions of people who have authority of some kind.

The strongest arguments rely on trustworthy information and sound logic.

Research and add citations with AI

We recently wrote a three part piece on researching using AI, so be sure to check it out . Going through an organized process of researching and noting your sources correctly will make sure your written text is more accurate.

3. Persuasive essay structure

If you’re building a house, you start with the foundation and go from there. It’s the same with an argument. You want to build from the ground up: provide necessary background information, then your thesis. Then, start with the simplest part of your argument and build up in terms of complexity and the aspect of your thesis that the argument is tackling.

A consistent, internal logic will make it easier for the reader to follow your argument. Plus, you’ll avoid confusing your reader and you won’t be unnecessarily redundant.

The essay structure usually includes the following parts:

• Intro - Hook, Background information, Thesis statement
• Topic sentence #1 , with supporting facts or stats
• Concluding sentence
• Topic sentence #2 , with supporting facts or stats
• Concluding sentence Topic sentence #3 , with supporting facts or stats
• Conclusion - Thesis and main points restated, call to action, thought provoking ending

Are You Ready to Write?

Persuasive essays are a great way to hone your research, writing, and critical thinking skills. Approach this assignment well, and you’ll learn how to form opinions based on information (not just ideas) and make arguments that—if they don’t change minds—at least win readers’ respect. ‍

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How to Write a Persuasive Essay

Connecting With Readers on an Emotional Level Takes Skill and Careful Planning

• Writing Essays
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• M.A., English Literature, California State University - Sacramento
• B.A., English, California State University - Sacramento

When writing a persuasive essay, the author's goal is to sway the reader to share his or her opinion. It can be more difficult than  making an argument , which involves using facts to prove a point. A successful persuasive essay will reach the reader on an emotional level, much the way a well-spoken politician does. Persuasive speakers aren't necessarily trying to convert the reader or listener to completely change their minds, but rather to consider an idea or a focus in a different way. While it's important to use credible arguments supported by facts, the persuasive writer wants to convince the reader or listener that his or her argument is not simply correct, but convincing as well.

The are several different ways to choose a topic for your persuasive essay . Your teacher may give you a prompt or a choice of several prompts. Or you may have to come up with a topic, based on your own experience or the texts you've been studying. If you do have some choice in the topic selection, it's helpful if you select one that interests you and about which you already feel strongly.

Another key factor to consider before you begin writing is the audience. If you're trying to persuade a roomful of teachers that homework is bad, for instance, you'll use a different set of arguments than you would if the audience was made up of high school students or parents.

Once you have the topic and have considered the audience, there are a few steps to prepare yourself before you begin writing your persuasive essay:

• Brainstorm.  Use whatever method of brainstorming works best for you. Write down your thoughts about the topic. Make sure you know where you stand on the issue. You can even try asking yourself some questions. Ideally, you'll try to ask yourself questions that could be used to refute your argument, or that could convince a reader of the opposite point of view. If you don't think of the opposing point of view, chances are your instructor or a member of your audience will.
• Investigate.  Talk to classmates, friends, and teachers about the topic. What do they think about it? The responses that you get from these people will give you a preview of how they would respond to your opinion. Talking out your ideas, and testing your opinions, is a good way to collect evidence. Try making your arguments out loud. Do you sound shrill and angry, or determined and self-assured? What you say is as important as how you say it.
• Think.  It may seem obvious, but you really have to think about how you are going to persuade your audience. Use a calm, reasoning tone. While persuasive essay writing is at its most basic an exercise in emotion, try not to choose words that are belittling to the opposing viewpoint, or that rely on insults. Explain to your reader why, despite the other side of the argument, your viewpoint is the "right," most logical one.
• Find examples.  There are many writers and speakers who offer compelling, persuasive arguments. Martin Luther King Jr.'s " I Have a Dream " speech is widely cited as one of the most persuasive arguments in American rhetoric. Eleanor Roosevelt's " The Struggle for Human Rights " is another example of a skilled writer trying to persuade an audience. But be careful: While you can emulate a certain writer's style, be careful not to stray too far into imitation. Be sure the words you're choosing are your own, not words that sound like they've come from a thesaurus (or worse, that they're someone else's words entirely).
• Organize.  In any paper that you write you should make sure that your points are well-organized and that your supporting ideas are clear, concise, and to the point. In persuasive writing, though, it is especially important that you use specific examples to illustrate your main points. Don't give your reader the impression that you are not educated on the issues related to your topic. Choose your words carefully.
• Stick to the script.  The best essays follow a simple set of rules: First, tell your reader what you're going to tell them. Then, tell them. Then, tell them what you've told them. Have a strong, concise thesis statement before you get past the second paragraph, because this is the clue to the reader or listener to sit up and pay attention.
• Review and revise.  If you know you're going to have more than one opportunity to present your essay, learn from the audience or reader feedback, and continue to try to improve your work. A good argument can become a great one if properly fine-tuned.
• 100 Persuasive Essay Topics
• Convince Me: A Persuasive Writing Activity
• 501 Topic Suggestions for Writing Essays and Speeches
• 50 Argumentative Essay Topics
• Words, Phrases, and Arguments to Use in Persuasive Writing
• What Is Expository Writing?
• 40 Writing Topics for Argumentative and Persuasive Essays
• Tips on How to Write an Argumentative Essay
• How to Write a Narrative Essay or Speech (With Topic Ideas)
• What an Essay Is and How to Write One
• Ethos, Logos, Pathos for Persuasion
• How to Write a Great Process Essay
• Write an Attention-Grabbing Opening Sentence for an Essay
• 50 Great Topics for a Process Analysis Essay
• How Long Should My Paper Be?
• How to Write a Response Paper

How to write a persuasive essay

Published September 27, 2020. Updated May 19, 2022.

Persuasive Essay Definition

A persuasive essay is a type of essay where the writer attempts to persuade the reader to agree with an opinion they feel strongly about. It uses emotions and opinions to convince the reader.

Overview of persuasive essay

Persuasive writing is made up of the three modes of persuasion. They are ethos (ethics), pathos (emotions), and logos (logic). A persuasive essay should clearly state your position in the thesis statement (your opinion on a topic). These types of essays are more like an advertisement. The main goal is to convince someone to accept your position by appealing to their emotions. In order to do that, the writer should know who the audience is. This helps to build the most effective essay possible. Researching information is not so important and does not need to consider counter-arguments.

Here is a helpful table of contents:

Key takeaways

Identifying persuasive writing, know your audience, possible topics for a persuasive essay, parts of an essay, outline example, persuasive essay template and examples, differences between persuasive and argumentative essays.

• The three modes of persuasion are ethos (ethics), pathos (emotions), and logos (logic)
• Persuasive writing uses emotions to convince your reader to agree with you
• A persuasive essay should clearly state your position in the thesis statement (your opinion on a topic)
• The body paragraphs should be reasons explaining your position
• The conclusion should restate your position, summarize your main points, and end with a closing statement

Worried about your writing? Submit your paper for a Chegg Writing essay check , or for an Expert Check proofreading . Both can help you find and fix potential writing issues.

So, what makes persuasive writing… persuasive?

Modes of persuasion

All persuasive writing is made up from the three modes of persuasion: ethos, pathos, and logos:

• Ethos is an appeal to ethics, or values
• Its purpose is to demonstrate the writer’s credibility
• If the reader feels the writer is credible, they are more likely to trust them

Look at this example:

From my experience as a neonatal nurse, newborn babies sleep for 15 to 18 hours per day, but only for short periods of two to four hours at a time.

By highlighting their relevant profession, the writer establishes credibility.

• Pathos is an appeal to emotion
• The writer wants to make the reader feel something, using words
• Here is a good place to use emotive language

Although fostering a senior dog can be heartbreaking in the end, people volunteer to give old dogs love and a comfortable life in their final years.

Words like “heartbreaking” and “final years” are used to make the reader feel compassion.

• Logos is an appeal to logic
• It uses facts, statistics, and data to convince the reader
• Having credible information strengthens the argument

Statistically speaking, bungee jumping, with 1 death per 500,000 jumps, is safer than hang gliding, with 1 death per 560 instances, and canoeing, with 1 death per 10,000 instances.

Presenting the actual numbers of deaths per instance, you can convince a reader that bungee jumping is not as dangerous as most people think.

Although you can use all three modes of persuasion, for a persuasive essay, focus on pathos – the use of emotions.

In a persuasive essay, your main goal is to convince someone to accept your position by appealing to their emotions. In order to do that, you need to know something about who your audience is.

It’s important to know who you are writing for so you know what types of points will appeal to them. This helps you build the most effective essay possible.

For example, say you are writing a social media post trying to convince people to visit a resort. If you were targeting families, you might focus on describing family travel packages and activities for children. If you were targeting college students, you might focus more on more adventurous activities (that are not kid-friendly) or even mention that it’s a great place for spring break.

In both cases, the target audience changes what points are focused on.

If your teacher assigns you a persuasive essay and leaves the topic wide open for you to choose, take a look at this list for some inspiration. Remember that if you strongly disagree with the topic, you could also write a persuasive essay about its opposite!

• Government should provide safety nets for the poor
• If a student is bullied, the bully’s parents should be fined
• The driving age should be raised to 18
• Instagram is bad for body image
• Healthcare should be a basic right in the U.S., like in other countries
• Social media is bad for developing interpersonal communication
• Eating local food is better for the environment than eating vegetarian
• There shouldn’t be billionaires
• High fructose corn syrup should be eliminated from foods
• Growing your own vegetables should be subsidized

Every essay you write will have 3 parts: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.

Think of the organization of an essay like this:

• Intro – Tell your reader what you’re going to write about.
• Body – Write about it.
• Conclusion – Tell them what you wrote about.

Let’s go through each of those parts for a persuasive essay. Each part will include a sample.

Introduction

You want to begin your essay with a hook. A hook is an interesting opening that “catches” your reader and makes them want to read more. Your hook is usually the first sentence.

After you’ve hooked the reader, you want to give some context or background information. Think of each sentence in your intro as a stepping point. Each sentence brings you closer to your thesis statement.

Once you’ve given some context, write a thesis statement, which tells the reader exactly what they’re going to read about. For a persuasive essay, the thesis statement gives your position: what is your opinion about your topic? Think of it like a map to the rest of your essay.

Sample introduction

Can you identify the hook, background information, and thesis statement in this sample?

Think about your favorite class in high school. Why was this class your favorite? Who was your teacher? I’m sure you loved the subject, but I’m willing to bet the teacher had something to do with it. How many classes did you have every day? Have you ever thought about how many classes your teacher taught? How many tests did he grade? How many essays did she read through and give feedback on? How many faculty meetings did he attend? Teachers are professionals, but their salary has not kept up with the requirements school districts place on them. Teachers should be paid higher salaries.

A typical essay will have between one and three body paragraphs, although you can write as many as you need (or as many as your teacher assigns you). Regardless of how many body paragraphs you have, they will all be organized in a similar manner.

Start with a topic sentence to show your reader what is coming up. This is a general sentence that gives an overview of that paragraph. Since your thesis statement was your position on a topic, the topic sentences will be reasons for your position. Why do you believe what you believe?

The body paragraphs will explain your reasons using emotion and opinions. If you have facts, that’s okay, but remember that you are persuading using emotion more than logic.

End a body paragraph with a sentence that summarizes what you wrote or that leads into the next paragraph.

Sample body paragraphs

Can you identify the topic sentences? Is each topic sentence a reason for the writer’s position? Does the body paragraph explain that reason? Can you identify any of the modes of persuasion – ethos, pathos, logos?

Every quality teacher is both a subject matter expert and good at teaching. These are two different skills. A teacher who connects well with his students but doesn’t know the subject matter isn’t going to be an effective teacher. Conversely, a genius who know the subject matter inside out but can’t find a way to make the material accessible to her students is also not an effective teacher. A good teacher needs to be both; In a way, it’s like every teacher is doing two jobs, but only getting paid for one. Although doubling every teacher’s salary might not be possible, they should at least get a raise.

Another reason that teachers should be paid higher salaries is because their jobs go beyond teaching. They are also coaches, advisors, confidants, classroom managers, and so much more. Can you remember that one teacher who was there for you, beyond their role as an educator? Perhaps it was the history teacher who listened to you when things were tense at home. The writing teacher who encouraged you to pursue your love of short stories. The Spanish teacher who believed in you enough to convince you to apply for that scholarship. Teachers are performing duties that are not part of their contracts, and they do it because they love their job and they love their students. Doesn’t that deserve a raise?

Finally, teachers deserve a raise because their work is not just in the classroom. Teachers are in the classroom, actively teaching, for up to seven hours a day. Before you say that’s not a full work day of 8 hours, remember that teaching is only part of the job. Teachers need time to prepare their lessons. They need time to grade assignments, quizzes, and tests. They need time for administrative duties and meetings. It’s not unusual for a teacher to put in a 50 to 60-hour work week, on a regular basis. Their pay does not reflect the time actually spent working.

This is how your essay ends, and it is the last impression your reader takes away.

Conclude your essay by restating your position from your thesis statement (in the introduction). Then, summarize the main points (your reasons) from your essay.

Try to end with a closing statement: an idea that you want your reader to walk away with.

Sample conclusion

Can you identify the sentence that ties back to the thesis statement? Can you identify the summary of the main points? Can you identify a closing statement?

We all agree that teachers play an essential role in the lives of young people. Teachers know their subjects well, and they know how to share that information in a way that students can understand. Yes, teachers teach students what they need to be productive members of society, but they are also involved in their lives as mentors, coaches, advisors, and more. Plus, the hours they actually put in are not reflected in their pay. If school districts continue to demand that teachers work more, do more, and be more, the least teachers can get in return is pay that represents the importance of that work. It is time to give teachers a raise.

I. Teachers should be paid higher salaries.

II. Good teachers = good at teaching + subject knowledge. Two skills!

A. Good at teaching, bad at subject matter = ineffective

B. Genius at subject matter, bad at teaching = ineffective

C. Teacher needs to be both

• That’s like two jobs!
• Only 1 paycheck

Maybe not double pay, but more

III. Teachers do more than just teach

A. Coaches, advisors, confidants, classroom managers

B. Teacher who was more than just teacher

• History teacher – listened
• Writing teacher – encouraged
• Spanish teacher – scholarship

C. Duties not in their contracts

• Love their job
• Love their students

Doesn’t that deserve a raise?

IV. Work is not just in the classroom

A. Teach for 7 hours/day

B. Prepare lessons

D. Admin and meetings

E. 50-60 hours/week is common

Pay does not reflect time spent working

V. Teachers play essential role in students’ lives. It’s time to give them a raise.

Essay template

Essay example.

Before you turn in that paper, don’t forget to cite your sources in APA format , MLA format , or a style of your choice.

By Halina Stolar. Halina has a Master’s degree in teaching and taught English as a Second Language and writing for almost 15 years overseas. She now works as a freelance writer and geeks out over grammar for fun.

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How to Write Perfect Persuasive Essays in 5 Simple Steps

WHAT IS A PERSUASIVE ESSAY?

A persuasive text presents a point of view around a topic or theme that is backed by evidence to support it.

The purpose of a persuasive text can be varied.  Maybe you intend to influence someone’s opinion on a specific topic, or you might aim to sell a product or service through an advertisement.

The challenge in writing a good persuasive text is to use a mix of emotive language and, in some cases, images that are supported by hard evidence or other people’s opinions.

In a persuasive essay or argument essay, the student strives to convince the reader of the merits of their opinion or stance on a particular issue. The student must utilise several persuasive techniques to form a coherent and logical argument to convince the reader of a point of view or to take a specific action.

PERSUADING PEOPLE REQUIRES A CONSISTENT APPROACH…

Persuasive texts are simple in structure.  You must clearly state your opinion around a specific topic and then repeatedly reinforce your opinions with external facts or evidence.  A robust concluding summary should leave little doubt in the reader’s mind.  ( Please view our planning tool below for a detailed explanation. )

TYPES OF PERSUASIVE TEXT

We cover the broad topic of writing a general persuasive essay in this guide, there are several sub-genres of persuasive texts students will encounter as they progress through school. We have complete guides on these text types, so be sure to click the links and read these in detail if required.

• Argumentative Essays – These are your structured “Dogs are better pets than Cats” opinion-type essays where your role is to upsell the positive elements of your opinions to your audience whilst also highlighting the negative aspects of any opposing views using a range of persuasive language and techniques.
• Advertising – Uses persuasive techniques to sell a good or service to potential customers with a call to action.
• Debating Speeches – A debate is a structured discussion between two teams on a specific topic that a moderator judges and scores. Your role is to state your case, sell your opinions to the audience, and counteract your opposition’s opinions.
• Opinion Articles, Newspaper Editorials. – Editorials often use more subtle persuasive techniques that blur the lines of factual news reporting and opinions that tell a story with bias. Sometimes they may even have a call to action at the end.
• Reviews – Reviews exist to inform others about almost any service or product, such as a film, restaurant, or product. Depending on your experiences, you may have firm opinions or not even care that much about recommending it to others. Either way, you will employ various persuasive techniques to communicate your recommendations to your audience.
• Please note a DISCUSSION essay is not a traditional persuasive text, as even though you are comparing and contrasting elements, the role of the author is to present an unbiased account of both sides so that the reader can make a decision that works best for them. Discussions are often confused as a form of persuasive writing.

A COMPLETE TEACHING UNIT ON PERSUASIVE WRITING SKILLS

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A complete 140 PAGE unit of work on persuasive texts for teachers and students. No preparation is required.

THE STRUCTURE OF A PERSUASIVE ESSAY

1. Introduction

In the introduction, the student will naturally introduce the topic. Controversial issues make for great topics in this writing genre. It’s a cliche in polite society to discourage discussions involving politics, sex, or religion because they can often be very divisive. While these subjects may not be the best topics of conversation for the dinner table at Thanksgiving, they can be perfect when deciding on a topic for persuasive writing. Obviously, the student’s age and abilities should be considered, as well as cultural taboos, when selecting a topic for the essay. But the point holds, the more controversial, the better.

Let’s take a look at some of the critical elements of the introduction when writing a persuasive essay:

Title: Tell your audience what they are reading.

This will often be posed as a question; for example, if the essay is on the merits of a vegetarian lifestyle, it may be called something like: To Eat Meat or Not?

Hook : Provide your audience with a reason to continue reading.

As with any genre of writing, capturing the reader’s interest from the outset is crucial. There are several methods of doing this, known as hooks. Students may open their essays with anecdotes, jokes, quotations, or relevant statistics related to the topic under discussion.

Background: Provide some context to your audience.

In this introductory section, students will provide the reader with some background on the topic. This will place the issue in context and briefly weigh some opinions on the subject.

Thesis statement: Let the audience know your stance.

After surveying the topic in the first part of the introduction, it is now time for the student writer to express their opinion and briefly preview the points they will make later in the essay.

2. Body Paragraphs

The number of paragraphs forming this essay section will depend on the number of points the writer chooses to make to support their opinion. Usually three main points will be sufficient for beginning writers to coordinate. More advanced students can increase the number of paragraphs based on the complexity of their arguments, but the overall structure will largely remain intact.

Be sure to check out our complete guide to writing perfect paragraphs here .

The TEEL acronym is valuable for students to remember how to structure their paragraphs.  Read below for a deeper understanding.

Topic Sentence:

The topic sentence states the central point of the paragraph. This will be one of the reasons supporting the thesis statement made in the introduction.

These sentences will build on the topic sentence by illustrating the point further, often by making it more specific.

These sentences’ purpose is to support the paragraph’s central point by providing supporting evidence and examples. This evidence may be statistics, quotations, or anecdotal evidence.

The final part of the paragraph links back to the initial statement of the topic sentence while also forming a bridge to the next point to be made. This part of the paragraph provides some personal analysis and interpretation of how the student arrived at their conclusions and connects the essay as a cohesive whole.

3. Conclusion

The conclusion weaves together the main points of the persuasive essay. It does not usually introduce new arguments or evidence but instead reviews the arguments made already and restates them by summing them up uniquely. It is important at this stage to tie everything back to the initial thesis statement. This is the writer’s last opportunity to drive home their point, to achieve the essay’s goal, to begin with – persuade the reader of their point of view.

Ending an essay well can be challenging, but it is essential to end strongly, especially for persuasive essays. As with the hooks of the essay’s opening, there are many tried and tested methods of leaving the reader with a strong impression. Encourage students to experiment with different endings, for example, concluding the essay with a quotation that amplifies the thesis statement.

Another method is to have the student rework their ending in simple monosyllabic words, as simple language often has the effect of being more decisive in impact. The effect they are striving for in the final sentence is the closing of the circle.

Several persuasive writing techniques can be used in the conclusion and throughout the essay to amp up the persuasive power of the writing. Let’s take a look at a few.

ETHOS, PATHOS & LOGOS TUTORIAL VIDEO (2:20)

TIPS FOR WRITING A GREAT PERSUASIVE ESSAY

PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES

In this article, we have outlined a basic structure that will be helpful to students in approaching the organization of their persuasive writing. It will also be helpful for the students to be introduced to a few literary techniques that will help your students to present their ideas convincingly. Here are a few of the more common ones:

Repetition: There is a reason why advertisements and commercials are so repetitive – repetition works! Students can use this knowledge to their advantage in their persuasive writing. It is challenging to get the reader to fully agree with the writer’s opinion if they don’t fully understand it. Saying the same thing in various ways ensures the reader gets many bites at the ‘understanding’ cherry.

Repetition Example: “The use of plastic bags is not only bad for the environment, but it is also bad for our economy. Plastic bags are not biodegradable, meaning they will not decompose and will continue to take up space in landfills. Plastic bags are also not recyclable, meaning they will not be reused and will instead end up in landfills. Plastic bags are not only bad for the environment, but they are also bad for our economy as they are costly to dispose of and take up valuable space in landfills.”

In this example, the phrase “not only bad for the environment but also bad for our economy” is repeated multiple times to reinforce the idea that plastic bags are not just a problem for the environment but also the economy. The repetition of the phrase emphasizes the point and makes it more persuasive.

It is also important to note that repetition could be used differently, such as repeating a word or phrase to create rhythm or emphasis.

Storytelling: Humans tend to understand things better through stories. Think of how we teach kids important values through time-tested fables like Peter and the Wolf . Whether through personal anecdotes or references to third-person experiences, stories help climb down the ladder of abstraction and reach the reader on a human level.

Storytelling Example: “Imagine you are walking down the street, and you come across a stray dog clearly in need of food and water. The dog looks up at you with big, sad eyes, and you cannot help but feel a twinge of compassion. Now, imagine that same scenario, but instead of a stray dog, it’s a homeless person sitting on the sidewalk. The person is clearly in need of food and shelter, and their eyes also look up at her with a sense of hopelessness.

The point of this story is to show that just as we feel compelled to help a stray animal in need, we should also feel compelled to help a homeless person. We should not turn a blind eye to the suffering of our fellow human beings, and we should take action to address homelessness in our community. It is important to remember that everyone deserves a roof over their head and a warm meal to eat. The story is designed to elicit an emotional response in the reader and make the argument more relatable and impactful.

By using storytelling, this passage creates an image in the reader’s mind and creates an emotional connection that can be more persuasive than just stating facts and figures.

Dissent: We live in a cynical age, so leaving out the opposing opinion will smack of avoidance to the reader. Encourage your students to turn to that opposing viewpoint and deal with those arguments in their essays .

Dissent Example: “Many people argue that students should not have to wear uniforms in school. They argue that uniforms stifle creativity and individuality and that students should be able to express themselves through their clothing choices. While these are valid concerns, I strongly disagree.

In fact, uniforms can actually promote individuality by levelling the playing field and removing the pressure to dress in a certain way. Furthermore, uniforms can promote a sense of community and belonging within a school. They can also provide a sense of discipline and structure, which can help to create a more focused and productive learning environment. Additionally, uniforms can save families money and eliminate the stress of deciding what to wear daily .

While some may argue that uniforms stifle creativity and individuality, the benefits of uniforms far outweigh the potential drawbacks. It is important to consider the impact of uniforms on the school as a whole, rather than focusing solely on individual expression.”

In this example, the writer presents the opposing viewpoint (uniforms stifle creativity and individuality) and then provides counterarguments to refute it. By doing so, the writer can strengthen their own argument and present a more convincing case for why uniforms should be worn in school.

A Call to Action: A staple of advertising, a call to action can also be used in persuasive writing. When employed, it usually forms part of the conclusion section of the essay and asks the reader to do something, such as recycle, donate to charity, sign a petition etc.

A quick look around reveals to us the power of persuasion, whether in product advertisements, newspaper editorials, or political electioneering; persuasion is an ever-present element in our daily lives. Logic and reason are essential in persuasion, but they are not the only techniques. The dark arts of persuasion can prey on emotion, greed, and bias. Learning to write persuasively can help our students recognize well-made arguments and help to inoculate them against the more sinister manifestations of persuasion.

Call to Action Example: “Climate change is a pressing issue that affects us all, and it’s important that we take action now to reduce our carbon footprint and protect the planet for future generations. As a society, we have the power to make a difference and it starts with small changes that we can make in our own lives.

I urge you to take the following steps to reduce your carbon footprint:

• Reduce your use of single-use plastics
• Use public transportation, carpool, bike or walk instead of driving alone.
• Support clean energy sources such as solar and wind power
• Plant trees and support conservation efforts

It’s easy to feel like one person can’t make a difference, but the truth is that every little bit helps. Together, we can create a more sustainable future for ourselves and for the planet.

So, let’s take action today and make a difference for a better future, it starts with minor changes, but it all adds up and can make a significant impact. We need to take responsibility for our actions and do our part to protect the planet.”

In this example, the writer gives a clear and specific call to action and encourages the reader to take action to reduce their carbon footprint and protect the planet. By doing this, the writer empowers the reader to take action and enables them to change.

Now, go persuade your students of the importance of perfecting the art of persuasive writing!

A COMPLETE UNIT ON TEACHING FACT AND OPINION

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20 POPULAR PERSUASIVE ESSAY TOPICS FOR STUDENTS

Writing an effective persuasive essay demonstrates a range of skills that will be of great use in nearly all aspects of life after school.

In essence, if you can influence a person to change their ideas or thoughts on a given topic through how you structure your words and thoughts, you possess a very powerful skill.

Be careful not to rant wildly.  Use facts and other people’s ideas who think similarly to you in your essay to strengthen your concepts.

Your biggest challenge in getting started may be choosing a suitable persuasive essay topic.  These 20 topics for a persuasive essay should make this process a little easier.

• WHY ARE WE FASCINATED WITH CELEBRITIES AND WEALTHY PEOPLE ON TELEVISION AND SOCIAL MEDIA?
• IS IT RIGHT FOR SCHOOLS TO RAISE MONEY BY SELLING CANDY AND UNHEALTHY FOODS TO STUDENTS?
• SHOULD GIRLS BE ALLOWED TO PLAY ON BOYS SPORTING TEAMS?
• IS TEACHING HANDWRITING A WASTE OF TIME IN THIS DAY AND AGE?
• SHOULD THERE BE FAR GREATER RESTRICTIONS AROUND WHAT CAN BE POSTED ON THE INTERNET?
• SHOULD PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE TO TAKE DRUG TESTS?
• ARE TEENAGE PREGNANCY SHOWS A NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON VIEWERS?
• SHOULD GAMBLING BE PROMOTED IN ANY WAY IN SPORTS EVEN THOUGH IT BRINGS IN LARGE AMOUNTS OF REVENUE?
• SHOULD SPORTING TEAMS THAT LOSE BE REWARDED BY RECEIVING INCENTIVES SUCH AS HIGH DRAFT PICKS AND / OR FINANCIAL BENEFITS?
• SHOULD SHARKS THAT ATTACK PEOPLE BE DESTROYED? SHOULD WE GET INVOLVED IN FOREIGN CONFLICTS AND ISSUES THAT DON’T DIRECTLY AFFECT OUR COUNTRY?
• SHOULD WE GET INVOLVED IN FOREIGN CONFLICTS AND ISSUES THAT DON’T DIRECTLY AFFECT OUR COUNTRY?
• COULD VIDEO GAMES BE CONSIDERED AS A PROFESSIONAL SPORT?
• IF YOU WERE THE LEADER OF YOUR COUNTRY AND HAD A LARGE SURPLUS TO SPEND, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH IT?
• WHEN SHOULD A PERSON BE CONSIDERED AND TREATED AS AN ADULT?
• SHOULD SMOKING BECOME AN ILLEGAL ACTIVITY?
• SHOULD THE VOTING AGE BE LOWERED?
• DOES PROTECTIVE PADDING IN SPORTS MAKE IT MORE DANGEROUS?
• SHOULD CELL PHONES BE ALLOWED IN THE CLASSROOM?
• IS TEACHING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE A WASTE OF TIME?
• SHOULD WE TEACH ETIQUETTE IN SCHOOLS?

PERSUASIVE PROMPTS FOR RELUCTANT WRITERS

If your students need a little more direction and guidance, here are some journal prompts that include aspects to consider.

• Convince us that students would be better off having a three-day weekend .  There are many angles you could take with this, such as letting children maximize their childhood or trying to convince your audience that a four-day school week might actually be more productive.
• Which is the best season?  And why?   You will really need to draw on the benefits of your preferred season and sell them to your audience.  Where possible, highlight the negatives of the competing seasons.  Use lots of figurative language and sensory and emotional connections for this topic.
• Aliens do / or don’t exist?  We can see millions of stars surrounding us just by gazing into the night sky, suggesting alien life should exist, right? Many would argue that if there were aliens we would have seen tangible evidence of them by now.  The only fact is that we just don’t know the answer to this question.  It is your task to try and convince your audience through some research and logic what your point of view is and why.
• Should school uniforms be mandatory? Do your research on this popular and divisive topic and make your position clear on where you stand and why.  Use plenty of real-world examples to support your thoughts and points of view.  
• Should Smartphones be banned in schools?   Whilst this would be a complete nightmare for most students’ social lives, maybe it might make schools more productive places for students to focus and learn.  Pick a position, have at least three solid arguments to support your point of view, and sell them to your audience.

VISUAL JOURNAL PROMPTS FOR PERSUASIVE WRITING

Try these engaging, persuasive prompts with your students to ignite the writing process . Scroll through them.

Persuasive Essay Examples (Student Writing Samples)

Below are a collection of persuasive essay samples.  Click on the image to enlarge and explore them in greater detail.  Please take a moment to read the persuasive texts in detail and the teacher and student guides highlight some of the critical elements of writing a persuasion.

Please understand these student writing samples are not intended to be perfect examples for each age or grade level but a piece of writing for students and teachers to explore together to critically analyze to improve student writing skills and deepen their understanding of persuasive text writing.

We recommend reading the example either a year above or below, as well as the grade you are currently working with, to gain a broader appreciation of this text type.

VIDEO TUTORIALS FOR PERSUASIVE WRITING

OTHER GREAT ARTICLES RELATED TO PERSUASIVE ESSAY WRITING

Teaching Resources

Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills through proven teaching strategies.

WHERE CAN I FIND A COMPLETE UNIT OF WORK ON HOW TO WRITE PERSUASIVE ESSAYS?

We pride ourselves on being the web’s best resource for teaching students and teachers how to write a persuasive text. We value the fact you have taken the time to read our comprehensive guides to understand the fundamentals of writing skills.

We also understand some of you just don’t have the luxury of time or the resources to create engaging resources exactly when you need them.

If you are time-poor and looking for an in-depth solution that encompasses all of the concepts outlined in this article, I strongly recommend looking at the “ Writing to Persuade and Influence Unit. ”

Working in partnership with Innovative Teaching Ideas , we confidently recommend this resource as an all-in-one solution to teach how to write persuasively.

This unit will find over 140 pages of engaging and innovative teaching ideas.

PERSUASIVE ESSAY WRITING CHECKLIST AND RUBRIC BUNDLE

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How to Start an Essay with Strong Hooks and Leads

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How can I answer high-school writing prompts without sounding weird and fake?

Being given a prompt makes me freeze up immediately.

Let me clarify. I'm talking about high school writing prompts. You know. Those. The ones that ask you to write an essay about what you would change about something. Or the ones that ask you to write about a personal experience. Or the ones that ask you to write about what you want to do. Or the ones that ask you what you would theoretically do in a given situation. Or the ones that ask you to explain why it's important to... you get the point. Those. Here are several examples. The one in bold is the one answered in my sample response.

Is there a book that you feel should be required reading for everyone? Write an essay persuading your audience to read this book. Some people think of the United States as a nation of “couch potatoes.” Write an essay persuading readers to be more physically active. As the saying goes, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Describe a time when you persisted until you achieved your goal. Describe the purposes of the Internet. Include various viewpoints, including that of users and providers. We all have things that we are afraid of, and sometimes we find ourselves in situations that force us to face our deepest fears. Tell about a time when you had to face one of your greatest fears.

Here's the first paragraph of the sample "level six" response they provided, which is the "perfect" response according to the textbook.

Every kid in the neighborhood knew the Robinson house and avoided it like a bowl of Brussels sprouts. Mr. Robinson was a notorious crank, the house was always dark and creepy, and his dog was a terror—a mean, fang-toothed creature that looked like she would love to tear you apart.

I can't write these. Well, I hate writing these. They seem so weird and... middle school. The writing is okay, but I hate feeling like I'm writing... fanfiction. Mediocre fanfiction.

So, it's not horrible, but I hate it. Why? Am I too picky? Personal taste? It just feels like a kid's show. Should I stomach it, or try a different approach?

• creative-writing
• writers-block

• 1 I recommend editing your question so that, instead of (or failing that as well as) showing the writing you hate, you display the criteria for earning level $6$ and why you take issue with them. If your question can be a good fit for this site, it'll be because the challenge is working out how to simultaneously satisfy the mark scheme and your misgivings about the best way to write. –  J.G. Commented May 10, 2019 at 14:18
• 2 @amadeus this is not asking for a critique, the exert given is the 'correct answer' and they are asking for advice on how to write more like that when given a prompt. –  linksassin ♦ Commented May 10, 2019 at 15:29
• I retracted my close vote. @Amadeus 's edit made all the difference. It no longer sounds like a request for a critique. –  Cyn Commented May 10, 2019 at 16:07
• 22 +1 for an excellent, important question, because honestly this only gets worse when you apply for college. The essay prompts are largely the same kind of thing, only you’re expected to say more and, of course, a whole lot more is riding on the opinion of whoever ends up reading it. There are good ways to answer these kinds of things, but it is extremely difficult to communicate what those are in general. So far it looks like this site is well living up to its name and mission in handling this question. –  KRyan Commented May 10, 2019 at 17:34
• 1 @ChrisSunami Sorry I don't know where that came from...though there had to have been a comment deleted because A's name came up as a tag. –  Cyn Commented May 12, 2019 at 6:50

12 Answers 12

You can and should answer these prompts in your own style and voice . I do have my doubts and concerns about these kinds of tests, but if there is any legitimacy to the grading at all, it won't be based on you writing in the style and voice of the sample. (In other words, you're focusing in on the wrong aspects of the sample.) You should be able to ask for a copy of the scoring rubric --or already have one --but the criteria is probably based largely on command of overall structure, and the technical details (good spelling, grammar, etcetera).

What they want --ideally --is for you to pick something that is interesting to you, and to talk about it in your own way , while demonstrating command of the basics. You don't have to talk about Mr. Robinson's dog. For example, consider this alternate response to the bolded prompt:

One of my greatest fears is having to answer a high-school writing prompt --it makes me freeze up immediately. They seem so weird and middle school. I hate feeling like I'm writing mediocre fanfiction.

In case you didn't recognize it, those are your own words, just presented in a way that responds to the prompt. Despite the fact that I edited your question, it actually reads pretty well, and has a strong voice. I don't see any reason for you to have a problem answering these prompts except that you're trying to put yourself into a box when you don't actually need to. The samples sound weird and fake because they ARE weird and fake (they are probably adults trying to sound like kids), not because that's the criteria for getting a good score.

• 6 I don't think it's a good idea to write an assignment that could be interpreted as "Teacher, you chose a shitty assignment for us." –  David Richerby Commented May 11, 2019 at 10:29
• 5 @DavidRicherby: Obviously, the answer is not specifically suggesting "use the assignment to criticize the assignment" - they're just giving a similar example based on what OP wrote themselves. –  V2Blast Commented May 11, 2019 at 10:55
• 4 @DavidRicherby Why not? I think I would get a good laugh out of it. The teachers are aware of the artificiality of these prompts. –  Steven Gubkin Commented May 12, 2019 at 16:10
• 3 Teachers like meta answer too, but it's a gamble. –  Jylo Commented May 12, 2019 at 16:52
• 2 Anyone who grades essays has seen literally hundreds of essays about how hard it is to write an essay. It's not as clever as it would first seem. –  Moyli Commented May 13, 2019 at 9:16

Answer: To answer these sorts of prompts, particularly in the case where example answers trigger a negative response in you, I recommend the following. 1. Look for the structure of the 'perfect answer' and apply that structure to your writing. 2. Identify the specifics that you dislike, in this case that make a passage sound like fan fiction.

The example answer:

...has all sorts of issues that make me cringe.' Every kid ...' Really? Every last one? Even the weird-o chick that lives three doors down who you only see on Tuesday nights when she's prowling the neighborhood with fake blood on her face? ' avoided it like a bowl of Brussels sprouts. ' I love Brussels sprouts. LOVE them. ' dark and creepy ' ...cliche. ' mean, fang-toothed creature ' ... hyperbole. The passage feels amateurish, and fan-fic-like.

But on the other hand, what that paragraph accomplishes is to take a universal point of reference (the Robinson house) and follow it with specifics to support the thesis (greatest fear). This approach is a trick used in writing, including non -fan-fiction writing. Begin with a relatable event and focus in.

As Chris said, embrace your own voice. But look to these sorts of provided answers to find the structure and commonalities. Read analytically, in addition to for enjoyment and creatively.

For what its worth, my voice would be less flowery than the example (no fang-toothed creatures) and would have no particular absolutes, though there'd be specifics.

Like many of my classmates, my greatest fear is going anywhere near the vending machine on the south side of campus. That's where Mr. Vogel, the Biology instructor, insists on stringing up all the dissected fetal pigs each spring, as a morbid joke about what we could expect on the lab final. It's worse on cloudy days, because the formaldehyde really gets strong when it's damp, and even in the fall you can't help but think about those corpses, little piglets, whenever it's raining out. I don't know anyone who goes there alone, especially once April rolls around."

• 3 +1 Thanks, this is a strong and useful answer. When different answers address different aspects of a situation, I don't see them as being in competition with each other. –  Chris Sunami Commented May 10, 2019 at 18:13
• When did Brussels sprouts lose the final 's' from the Belgian capital? –  Michael Harvey Commented May 10, 2019 at 22:02
• 2 @MichaelHarvey Black cat, Brussels sprout, dead donkey. It's hard to pronounce two adjacent identical consonants, so most people elide one of them (sometimes into a glottal stop). With unusual words like "Brussels", it's easy to omit the silent letter when writing. –  David Richerby Commented May 11, 2019 at 10:32
• Brussels is the capital of a significant European country, and its name is hardly 'unusual'. –  Michael Harvey Commented May 11, 2019 at 10:41
• 4 Henceforth I shall serve Bruxelles meristems at Christmas dinner. –  SFWriter Commented May 12, 2019 at 0:17

As a teacher, I never look at the examples given as 'correct answers' when we're talking about personal writing topics.

Let me elaborate with two examples:

a) Write an essay about Romeo and Juliet .

Whatever you write, you must include specific content (characters, plot, etc) for you to get a good grade. No amount of excellent writing style will save you. The focus is in the content, not the style (but don't ignore it).

Every school / education ministry will instruct a teacher on how to grade a given essay, but let's pretend I'm back in my training and must devise my own scoring system.

The content will takle about 70% of the final mark. The other 30% will be divided over points related to your writing style and ability such as appropriate organisation in paragraphs, spelling, punctuation, use of connectors, logical flow of ideas, level of technical vocabulary (I've read essays on novels where the student didn't even use the words 'narrator' and 'character' while talking about them) and general vocabulary (using 'and' and 'but' throughout instead of also using the likes of 'as well' and 'however'), sentence structure ('This book is about X. It's an interesting story. The narrator is omniscient. There are four main characters: A, B, C, D.'), and so on.

b) Write an essay about your favourite fruit.

For as long as you're talking about your (supposedly) favourite fruit, almost anything goes.

In this particular case, I'm very... tyranical. If the topic is not respected (say, you talk about the fruit you least like), I do not grade at all. 0%.

For as long as you tackle the topic appropriately, all that matters to me is (in no particular order):

spelling and punctuation,

logical flow of ideas (this is of extreme importance),

use of connectors (you can't get a really good flow of ideas without them)

level of vocabulary (a three year old can say apples are good, but going for 'delectable' is either part of a tongue-in-cheek text well sprinkled with equally unlikely words, or it's a sign the student used the thesaurus blindly)

sentence structure (the same structure over and over means you're not fluent in your own language)

grammar variety (appropriate variety of verb tenses and other grammatical structures - reading an entire essay using only Simple Past makes for a boring read, not to mention it invites the abuse of the same sentence structure, whereas it's so much nicer to find Past Perfects and Continuous where they should be)

Note! When I say I want to see variety, I mean appropriate to what is being said, not over-the-top variety for variety's sake.

We all have things that we are afraid of, and sometimes we find ourselves in situations that force us to face our deepest fears. Tell about a time when you had to face one of your greatest fears.

Here's the first paragraph of the sample "level six" response they provided, which is the "perfect" response according to the textbook.

I'll be so bold as to offer the important factors behind making your answer as perfect as an answer may get:

Make sure you're writing about an actual great fear (not something that you pass off as 'meh' scary) and make sure that you're talking about an event where you (not your bff) faces it. Overcoming the fear is not mentioned, so feel free to mention that time you switched off the night-light to face your fear of the dark but ended up sleeping with your parents because it's was just that bad.

That was the main thing. Organise your thoughts. Jot down events, people involved, feelings, reactions, etc. Picture the whole event inside your head.

Now get to writing. You can go about it in a million ways...

I was six years old and I was so scared of Mr Robinson's dog, I'd break down crying rather than walk past her yard. Can you feel how shameful that was? I definitely could! And yet, not even the shame could make me go through it.

For many years, my greatest fear was Mr Robinson's dog. I have always been short for my age, so for me that animal was not big, it was huge!

It is never easy to face one's greatest fears. I was not an exception. My fear in particular was a specific dog and there was good reason to fear it, for it had tried to bite more than one person.

I'm afraid I've never had a 'deep' fear. If I must be completely honest, my greatest fear is getting a bad mark at school because I'll end up without my phone. Let's be honest, though, that's not much of a fear.

Note! Approach no. 4 is valid, but tricky. Unless a student really has a way with words, I strongly advise them to avoid it.

• "As a teacher, I never look at the examples given as 'correct answers' " You're an English teacher? And you use passive voice? :) –  Acccumulation Commented May 10, 2019 at 22:41
• 6 @Acccumulation: I'm a teacher of Portuguese in Portugal. We don't hate the passive voice. ;) Anyway, I also teach English and mark English essays, but I prefer to teach my students when it's ok to use it and when it isn't. It comes naturally for Portuguese students because of how we usually use it in our own language. –  SC for reinstatement of Monica Commented May 10, 2019 at 23:06
• @Acccumulation I assume your quibble is with "given". Since she's the one looking (or not) and the answers are supplied by an unspecified other person how do you think that should have been expressed? –  Bloke Down The Pub Commented May 11, 2019 at 18:43
• @BlokeDownThePub I think that who other person is is a relevant issue. Are they given by Sara Costa? By their department? A state agency? –  Acccumulation Commented May 11, 2019 at 20:53
• 2 @ToddWilcox: I always tell students they're free to invent stuff as some topics may touch on sensitive points that kids would rather not make public and rightfully so. As for respecting the topics, kids these days have too much trouble identifying what a question requests of them and will take off in sometimes surprising directions ("my favourite shop" once became "my parents' shopping habits"). Failing to answer the requested question will cause lots of heartbreak in National Exams. I prefer to hand over a couple of zeros at the beginning of a school year, ... –  SC for reinstatement of Monica Commented May 12, 2019 at 0:40

I used to do exactly the same thing. In jr. high school, I would routinely turn in blank sheets when faced with this kind of assignment.

My solution was to get over myself. It took a long time. I can tell by your question that you have very high standards for yourself. I do too, and trust me, it doesn't do us any favors to demand total perfection of ourselves. Frankly, it doesn't do me any favors to hold other people to the same unreasonable standard I hold myself to. That's the path to the dark side. I can tell by your question that you are actually very good at communicating in a written form. I hate being bad at something I think I can do well, and so do you. It's really frustrating!

I didn't write perfectly. My writing wasn't even mediocre at first. It was really terrible. I turned in garbage, but it was a better grade than a zero. Sometimes, I wrote off-topic, and some teachers didn't mind what I wrote, as long as I wrote something. Eventually, I got better at it. I never became excellent at prompt writing, but it helped me develop my skills in structure. I didn't even realize this until late in college, because I always assumed that I wasn't good at English. I needed a different perspective to learn that prompt writing is just an exercise, and there are many other uses of writing.

Get over yourself and write bad fanfic. It will help you become a better writer and a better person.

• THis is going to be excruciating, but I will try. I just feel so annoyed when I read my own writing and feel that it's boring. It's like writing a joke on Twitter and then realizing the delivery would be slightly better if you removed one bit of punctuation –  Carlos Cienfuegos Commented May 10, 2019 at 17:58
• 3 @CarlosCienfuegos - "There is a vitality, a life force, an energy... that is translated through you... and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist... It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business... to keep the channel open... No artist is pleased... There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others." - Martha Graham, as quoted by Agnes DeMille –  Chris Sunami Commented May 10, 2019 at 18:20
• "Get over yourself and write bad fanfic. It will help you become a better writer and a better person." this is so very true! –  sesquipedalias Commented May 12, 2019 at 11:23

Good writing isn't good because of the specific words or style used. Good writing is good because it communicates an idea clearly, in a well-organized structure, and with a style that is pleasant to read (whatever form that takes). I still freeze up and feel self-conscious when I sit down to write myself. How do I know the words I'm picking aren't awkward? At some point, though, the individual words don't matter as long as the right ideas are being communicated.

Personally, I've found that when I know what I want to say, figuring out how to say it is much easier. I usually do quite a bit of prewriting, and once I've organized my thoughts, the words and sentences to build those thoughts up come much more easily to me. So my advice is, when you sit down to write an essay, first take a minute or two to think about what you're going to write. Decide what you main thesis is, what the main arguments or points will be, and how it will all be organized. As tired and cliche as it is, the 5-paragraph essay is a perfectly fine way to go about this, and if it works, you might as well take it. Your question is another example of a strong structure. It's more ad-hoc, but each paragraph introduces an idea that provides more context for the next one until you've built up enough that asking your main question makes sense.

Once you've done this, just write. From your question, I can tell you have a strong command over your own personal style. That's all that matters. Don't make mistakes that produce an unweildly style - don't use imprecise word choice or awkward sentence structures, for example. But if you avoid those clear technical issues, there are a million ways of saying the same thing, and they're all equally viable.

For the GRE, the last standardized test I had to take, one of my prompts asked me to read a persuasive essay and then discuss some of the assumptions the author was implicitly making. My first paragraph was literally a numbered list of the assumptions I thought of! It was not poetic or artistic in the slightest. I ended up getting a 5 out of 6 on that prompt. I think the lack of personality in my opening is part of what kept me from a perfect score, but hot dang if it didn't communicate my ideas concisely and clearly.

Here are my thoughts on the example opening paragraph in your question:

I think the reason this example is used as the opening is because it contains no grammatical errors, it clearly telegraphs what the rest of the essay will be about, and it is at least more interesting to read than the bazillions of nearly-identical, merely OK openings that the readers will be sick and tired of after a half an hour of grading. That's really it. I agree with you that the style used isn't my cup of tea, but it is technically sound writing.

I'd like to note that if the rest of the essay kept on describing Mr. Robinson's scary dog without ever getting to how the writer overcame their fear of it, then it wouldn't matter how poetic or flowery the rest of the essay was. It wouldn't even matter if it were grammatically correct. It would receive a poor grade. On the other hand, like my last essay, an opening that is boring and phones it in but gets right to the point, is grammatically correct, and comes before an essay that clearly answers the prompt will get at least a decent score.

Remember that the prompts are basically an excuse for you to practice writing .

Of course, it's much easier to write well if it's about something about which you have an opinion, while those prompts are usually about things you don't care much about.

There are two good ways around it, and both use mainly one of the two aspects of oratory: eloquence and rhetoric. You'll recognize them as well-worn politicians' tools.

• The eloquent non-answer answer: “I'm glad you want to know about my thoughts on the municipal trash initiative ballot. It's very important for our youth to go out and be politically active in our community, as it will ensure that our future generations will contribute to the good governance of this county.”

It starts by repeating the key words of the question (or prompt), segueing into what the author actually wants to talk about. The way to pull it off is with a forceful, straight faced, eloquent delivery, leaving the reader with the impression that it addressed the topic, unless they're paying attention to sleight of hand.

This only works if your writing teacher is looking for you to practice more form than substance, and the wrong choice if they're looking for a coherent logical progression of thoughts.

• The rhetorical stance: “I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricasie, or a ragoust.”

If you're tasked with explaining, defending, or opining on something you know nothing about, have no opinion of, or have the opposite opinion of, then you can: 1) Frame it as a question for yourself: "If I had an opinion about this, what could it be?", or b) Pick the opposing stance and run with it, as an exercise of sober devil's advocacy, or taking it to the sarcastic extreme, like Jonathan Swift's quote above, or a politician adopting the positions of their lobbyist.

The rhetorical option is usually the most flexible and potentially fun, as it's about the what if , a lot more mutable than the what is .

One good strategy for standardized test essays is to think of topics that you can write strong essays on in advance , rather than trying to answer a given question directly. For instance, for each of these points, think of something you could write a short essay on:

• a time you overcame a difficulty
• an important historical figure or event
• a favorite book or movie
• a problem you see in the world today

An essay describing a difficulty you overcame could be modified to fit two of the questions you cited:

As the saying goes, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Describe a time when you persisted until you achieved your goal. We all have things that we are afraid of, and sometimes we find ourselves in situations that force us to face our deepest fears. Tell about a time when you had to face one of your greatest fears.

This approach allows you to go into the exam with the essays already prepared in your mind, making it much easier to respond to the prompts. Writing about the topics you feel most strongly about and have thought about in advance will make your essays noticeably better.

(This approach also works for college application essays which often ask similar questions.)

Make stuff up.

Be creative . Have fun with it.

Is there a book that you feel should be required reading for everyone? Write an essay persuading your audience to read this book.

Create a fictitious book about whatever you want it to be about.

Some people think of the United States as a nation of “couch potatoes.” Write an essay persuading readers to be more physically active.

Come up with completely ridiculous physical activities. Beating up neighborhood gang members with a golf club, stealing shopping carts, getting out and moshing more, etc.

As the saying goes, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Describe a time when you persisted until you achieved your goal.

Describe how your first attempt to go to the moon wasn't successful, but after much persistence you finally made it. Only to accidentally get stranded for a year.

Describe the purposes of the Internet. Include various viewpoints, including that of users and providers.

Push the envelope by expressing that much of the internet is used gratuitously to watch porn and buy illegal drugs.

Describe being afraid of writing prompts that don't seem to give you enough to work with and seem pointless.

Some notes on writing in general & in highschool:

Fans of literature usually have a decent enough sense of humor. Always write in your own voice and take liberties with what the prompt could be interpreted to mean. If you write about things you enjoy you will write more proficiently, and this will be apparent to the reader.

• 3 -1 The OP isn't asking about writing for a creative writing class, but specifically for a standardized test. For a test, it's best to go in knowing a safe strategy that will let you write an essay you can be confident will score well every time. Experimenting and trying to be as creative as possible has its place, but not during a test. –  Kevin Commented May 10, 2019 at 20:49
• Edited to reflect your correct point about this not being specifically for creative writing. This is still what I would recommend. I have also taken many standardized tests with Essays, and passed with flying colors utilizing the techniques listed above. –  App-Devon Commented May 10, 2019 at 21:34
• 3 An essay that tried to persuade the reader to beat up anyone with golf clubs would almost certainly get you in trouble where I went to high school. Any of the other suggestions are liable to get you a zero, depending on the teacher. –  Laurel ♦ Commented May 10, 2019 at 22:18
• It is making use of sarcasm and hyperbole as literary devices. It could be even more tongue in cheek if you mention using "A Modest Proposal" (a pamphlet about eating children to solve hunger problems taught where I went to highschool) to assault rich golfers. These questions are very loose and a talented writer could go any number of ways with it effectively with varying levels of subtlety or outright denying of expectations. Eloquence will allow you to be granted a great deal of levity provided you back it up with skill. –  App-Devon Commented May 10, 2019 at 23:09

I suggest that, instead of following the instructions exactly as written, that you write the essay to a particular imaginary person who will be grading the test.

For a standardized high-school essay test, the essay will probably be checked by a piece of software for so-called "errors." A human reader, probably an underpaid teacher with a Master's in English from a local university, and having 700 essays to read, will grade your essay, taking into account the software score.

Software can't grade the quality of human-written essays for shit, so minimally try to avoid the kind of writing style that software considers to be an error; that would be, avoid "ain't" and "y'all" and other stylistic so-called "errors" like these.

Remember that your essay will not be necessarily graded by the smartest reader in the world, nor the most stupid. This will be an Everyman type teacher, with a good grounding in grammar and spelling, but without the writing chops to make it as a professional writer. So, avoid errors first, but always try to write an essay To This Person. Convince them that what you're saying is how you actually feel, and develop an attitude and outlook they will likely sympathize with.

If you take an outlandish or wild position in your paper, you will be marked down for it. Human graders of this type can't tell the difference between "poorly written" and "something I personally disagree with."

On another note: why are you answering high-school essay prompts anyway?

I very much dislike these prompts too, as I am very bad at writing personally. When asked to write prompts like this, I often instead of writing about actual experience, I act as if I am writing as the Generic American. I write in broad general terms, thinking as generically as I possible can. I usually use facts and logic instead of experience to explain my statements, usually write in second person (as to separate myself from the text as much as possible), and as I said, try to think in a generic sense.

For example, let's look at your first example prompt

For this, my answer would be ungodly generic. My school essays, as I submit them, for questions like this would read something like:

I believe that all books are important. Books not only act as a record of the past, a mirror of the present, but also a glimpse into our future. I believe that requiring the reading of any critical books of the past should be required, as it tells what the world once was, tells why the world is how it is now, and also prevents the world from making the same mistakes.

That response was very generic, and I only slightly answered the question. However, while it could just be my teachers, even my most strict teachers usually accept an answer phrased like that as valid. Your last example is the easiest to answer, after all, you can explain it in a technical sense. What the internet is as a system, a collection of information exchange nodes relaying signals between relay centres to distribute content across vast distances quickly.

Some people find these prompts really easy, and others like myself can't seem to write them. I've had a few cases where in class, I legitimately couldn't write an essay because I simply didn't believe it and couldn't figure out how to fake an answer. I'm not good at writing about myself. Ask me to write about facts using data, and I'm good. Ask me to write about subjective information that really doesn't exist except within my own mind, and I'm going to be lost.

I don't think there is any easy way to become 'good' at this. You just learn to deal with it when you can, and try and work with your teacher if you're unable to (after all, even though the AES seems to forget this, not everybody has the same strengths - different people are good and different things, and different people are absolutely horrible at others).

How many kids are in your class? How many essays is the teacher going to read that are all going through the motions? Have you tried getting a chuckle? It's been my experience that English Teachers have amazing senses of humor (all 4 of my High School English Teachers were Hilarious and for different reasons.

So, give some more unique and humorous answers. If I had your list of prompts, I would pick "What book should everyone be required to read" and realize the definition of "book" is very broad and covers classic novels to children's picture books. I was initially going to say my pick would be from Dr. Suess and then write an overly gushing praise of Dr. Suess and the meaning behind... "Green Eggs and Ham" or "Hop on Pop". But then I realized the best answer for this would be simpler than those: "Everybody Poops".

If you think about it, can you honestly say you could respect someone who shows obvious signs that they have never read that book? At the very least, if someone has not, they should at least make every effort to understand the core thesis and master the skills discussed in the discourse of this fundamental discussion of the proper disposal of the by products of digestion in a safe, sanitary manner. Additionally for many the world over, it is the basic introduction into both proper hygiene and the first work one may encounter that begins to teach tolerance of others and to not shame someone for their bodily functions.

For your topic selection, you don't have to go with an actual fear... pick something that is absolutely ridiculous and roll with it, describing the fear of such things in ways to make it seem like you are legit terrified of the target, but no one else would see that as terrifying. One of the funniest phobias I've seen is from a character from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" who is honestly terrified of rabbits. She dresses in a white rabbit costume for Halloween convinced she's in a scary costume and she is terrified of Bugs Bunny cartoons, believing the hero to be the small bald hunter with a speech impediment. Another episode highlights what about bunnies terrifies her, specifically she really finds the floppy ears and nose twitches to be unnerving and the consumption of carrots suspicious, wondering what they need that enhanced eyesight for and convinced the species is plotting something.

If you're feeling spiteful or subversive, you could try genie-twisting the prompt to write something that technically satisfies the prompt, but in an unconventional or unexpected way.

Example by maximum-overboner :

in primary school we had a creative writing assignment where we had to ‘write about a character in a new, strange situation!’ and i wrote about a squid that was somehow teleported from the ocean to the forest floor and slowly choked to death for two pages and i’ll never quite forget my teacher’s face because it turns out she wanted ‘this new school is scary, i hope i make friends!’ and not a graphic description of a squid dying

This example was for creative writing, but the same idea could be applied to essays and expository pieces of writing. Satire can be a valid approach to writing something.

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193 Sports Persuasive Essay Topics [with Tips & Examples]

For many of us, physical activity is an essential part of life. From morning yoga to professional soccer, it helps us stay fit and healthy. Besides, it’s a source of entertainment that can relax us and calm us down.

Writing or talking about sports can be as enjoyable as doing or playing them. Are you passionate about some game or event? Do you have a favorite player? Have you ever participated in a championship? Watched the Olympic games? All these aspects can be explored in a paper, and a good sports persuasive essay topic will help you with that.

Whether you need a subject for public speaking or you are writing a persuasive text, you will find the right idea here. Our professional writers prepared gathered sports persuasive speech topics and essay ideas. So, check out our list to find something you can convince your audience of.

• ✍️ How to Start?
• ⭐ Stellar Sports Topics
• ❄️ Winter Sports
• ☀️ Summer Sports
• 🏈 American Football
• 🏀 Basketball
• 🏋 Olympics Topics
• 🏆 NBA Topics
• 🏃 NFL Topics
• 🏒 NHL Topics
• 🤸 Exercises Topics

🍏 Fitness Topics

• 💃 Dance Topics
• 📝 Writing about Sports

✍️ How to Start a Sports Persuasive Essay?

You may be familiar with the term “hook” concerning the essay writing. If not, well, it’s a catchy sentence or two at the beginning of the paper. It’s supposed to intrigue the reader and grab their attention so that they follow your train of thought.

The writer places a hook before the thesis statement of their paper. This way, the reader will be more focused on the core message.

Let’s be real:

Not everyone is interested in sports. Or not in the particular game that you center your paper around. So, in the persuasive essay on sports, a catchy hook is essential. You need an attention grabber to make anyone engaged. Plus, it helps to get a clear understanding of your thesis later. You can check out some college essay examples to better understand what we’re talking about.

So, how can you intrigue from the start?

There are several popular hooks for sports-related essays:

• Quotations . A quotation is an engaging way to introduce your reader to the topic. Make sure the quote is relevant to the rest of the essay. “You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.” – Michael Jordan
• Fun Facts . Use some fun or unexpected info about sports to surprise a reader. It can be a great attention-grabber, especially if a reader is not knowledgeable on the subject. A record 202 countries participated in the 2004 Olympic Summer Games in Athens.
• Personal Experience. Using personal experience in a hook is smart in several ways. First, it gives the reader a sense of the author’s presence. Second, it provides information in an engaging, conversational style. I couldn’t stand the idea of working out when I was younger.
• Anecdotes . Similar to personal experience, anecdotes are entertaining stories. They can be based on a real narrative or be entirely made-up. Your task is to make them humorous. Do you know Jim Thorpe’s response when he received the gold medal for the Decathlon? When the King of Sweden said that Thorpe was the greatest athlete in the world, he said, “Thanks, King.”
• Rhetorical Questions . Rhetorical questions don’t require an answer. They either state the obvious or encourage one’s thinking. Use them in a hook to immerse the reader into the subject. If LeBron James ends up taking the Cleveland Cavaliers to the playoffs now, and Carmelo Anthony can’t take the Denver Nuggets to the playoffs, what do you think that does to the Rookie of the Year voting?
• Useful Definition . Starting the first paragraph with a definition sets the tone for your essay. It is an informative, specific lead to your topic. Deck work is the mood-setting moves performed on the deck once the music starts before the swimmers enter the water.
• Controversial statement . There are usually two sides to any controversy. Your reader will either agree or disagree with a given statement but will stay invested. The U.S. men’s soccer team won’t win a World Cup in the foreseeable future.

⭐ 12 Best Sports Persuasive Speech Topics

• College Basketball.
• Sports Psychology.
• Ticket Prices.
• American Football.
• Student-Athletes.
• Soccer Championships.
• Sports Education.
• Controversial Matches.
• 2022 Olympics.
• Cheerleading.
• Youth Sports.

🍂 Persuasive Essay Topics: Seasonal Sports

Some sports activities differ from one time of the year to another. Here is a list of good persuasive essay topics about seasonal sports:

❄️ Winter Sports Persuasive Essay Topics

• The launch of The Winter Dew Tour has greatly Improved Snowboarding Culture in the US .
• Recent Climate Change Trends pose a significant threat to the winter sports industry.
• Cross Country Skiing is the least dangerous of all winter sports.
• Figure skating judges are biased .
• Violence in hockey is often encouraged by fans.
• Ski jumping is better than snowboarding.
• North Korea stole the show during Pyongyang winter Olympics.
• The Winter sports apparel market will keep growing regardless of the global crisis.
• Fake snow should not be used for winter sports.
• Bobsleigh is not a serious sport.

☀️ Summer Sports Persuasive Essay Topics

• Golf is a rich man’s favorite sport.
• Horse showing is underrated in the US .
• Boxing is better than MMA. Are boxers better athletes than MMA fighters?
• More American Universities should invest in organizing summer sports camps.
• It’s time to cancel the NBA summer league.
• Gymnastics is the most aesthetically pleasing sport.
• Wimbledon is not as prestigious anymore.
• Skateboarding should not be a part of the Olympics.
• Alcohol consumption should be prohibited during the Tour de France.
• Martial arts are practiced only for defense purposes .
• Nike is the best producer of golf equipment .
• Badminton is harder to play than tennis.
• Lacrosse and field hockey are the same sport.
• Swimming should be a mandatory skill for everyone.
• Surfing is the most difficult of all water sports.

🏏 Sports Persuasive Essay Topics: Games

Games can be one of the most exciting things about sports. Take a look at the persuasive essay topics about team sports:

🏈 American Football Persuasive Essay Topics

• Football is too dangerous for its players . Concussions and other brain injuries are common in American football.
• American football philosophy is inseparable from American identity .
• American football is more profitable than baseball .
• Companies should stop placing ads on the player’s uniform. Elaborate on the distracting factor. Can it lead to more injuries among the players?
• College athletes who play American football should get a better insurance plan.

• The Canadian football league is more fun to watch than the NFL.
• Rugby is harder to play than American football.
• College football players should get higher scholarships.
• More awareness should be raised about racist team names in football.
• The football helmet is an essential part of the equipment.
• Of all contact team sports, American football is the most dangerous .
• There should be an age limit for young kids to start playing football.
• The tradition of American football has created a tightly-bound community.
• American football cultivates unnecessary violence and aggression.
• American football conveys a wrong image of masculinity.

⚽ Soccer Persuasive Essay Topics

• FIFA World Cup is the most profitable yet corrupt soccer event in the world . Should its policies be reconsidered?
• FIFA’s primary mission is to promote peace and intercultural communication .
• Soccer World Cup is not well adjusted for the international crowd.
• Women’s soccer gets fewer media coverage than men’s soccer.
• Virtual reality is soccer training that can replace conventional training methods.
• The World Cup events bring severe damage to the countries that host them.
• Soccer drills are the most effective training strategy.
• Different techniques for kicking a soccer ball are a critical element of the game.
• Despite all the risks, soccer is the best investment in the sports industry .
• Soccer has become an integral part of Saudi culture .
• The World Cup bidding system is too corrupt.

• Girls soccer teams should be allowed to compete with boys soccer teams.
• Karl Henning is a better businessman than a soccer player.
• Soccer coaching ethics should be stricter.
• Soccer is the most popular team sport of the century .

🏀 Basketball Persuasive Essay Topics

• UCR’s Women’s Basketball uses inefficient marketing strategies .
• We should reconsider the age range for basketball game players.
• There should be a female version of the Big East conference.
• Racial prejudices are a prominent issue in basketball.
• College basketball players should get paid for each game.
• Michael Jordan and LeBron James should not be compared.
• Basketball is the least traumatic team sport.
• Schools should encourage and support girls’ basketball teams more.
• Basketball is a more exciting game than soccer.
• Height is not a decisive factor in basketball.
• There is a link between basketball and hip-hop.
• The use of Native American imagery for basketball mascots is offensive.
• Basketball is a more American game than football.
• Basketball used to be more accessible.
• Basketball games in movies are not realistic.

⚾ Baseball Persuasive Essay Topics

• Baseball is more profitable than football.
• Baseball games should incorporate instant replays.
• Major League Baseball should carry out tests on steroid use among players .
• MLB should invest more in seeking out young talents .
• Pitchers play the most influential role in baseball.
• Princeton University Youth Baseball and Softball Association is a great initiative.
• Baseball is more interesting to watch than cricket.
• Data collection methods in MLB are not objective .
• The rules in baseball are too complicated for spectators to follow.

• Baseball used to be more exciting as a game.
• International players in baseball teams attract new audiences.
• American Legion Baseball coaches should get higher salaries.
• MLB should have a set salary cap.
• Baseball salary caps are, in fact, a bad idea.
• Houston Astros players should’ve been penalized after the sign-stealing scandal.

🥇 Professional Sports Persuasive Essay Topics

We honor a variety of sports on different large-scale events. Here are persuasive essay topics about professional sports:

🏋 Olympics Persuasive Essay Topics

• Ancient Greek Olympics held more sense and symbolism compared to the modern Olympics.
• Skill and greatness shouldn’t be ultimately measured by the number of gold medals.
• The Summer Olympics are more entertaining than the Winter Olympics.
• We should abolish the Olympic games . Explain that they cause severe economic and social issues. Elaborate on the harm to the environment due to the games.
• The Olympics are great at promoting values of peace and international communication.
• The Olympic games bring more damage than benefits to a hosting country.
• Medicine dealing is the most problematic aspect of the Olympics.
• Jesse Owens is the greatest athlete in Olympics history.
• The Olympics ticketing system will significantly benefit from IT development .
• The Olympics Committee should reconsider the use of anabolic steroids.
• Money spent on the Olympics could serve better causes .
• Special Olympics should get more media coverage.
• The Summer Olympics list should include cricket.
• We shouldn’t ban blood doping during the Olympics.
• Tokyo 2020 Olympics should be postponed until 2022.

🏆 NBA Persuasive Essay Topics

• If not his multiple injuries Ralph Sampson could’ve become the player of the century.
• The WNBA is underrated compared to the NBA . Why do female players have significantly smaller salaries than male players?
• The NBA has one of the most loyal fan bases of all.

• The NBA All-Star games are more entertaining than Super Bowl events.
• The NBA age limit is too small.
• Investing in an NBA team is too risky .
• The NBA draft does not provide equal chances for all teams.
• Joel Embiid owes part of his success to Kobe Bryant.
• Is NBA the most successful of North America’s sports leagues?
• Charlotte Hornet’s value rose because Michael Jordan bought it.
• Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks are equally good teams.
• The rivalry between Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors developed after the 2015 NBA Finals.
• The NBA’s dress code should be reconsidered.
• The NBA 2011 lockout has significantly worsened the owners-players relationship .
• Michael Jordan is overrated.

🏃 NFL Persuasive Essay Topics

• Super Bowl uses an extremely efficient marketing strategy .
• The NFL concussion rules are too disruptive for the game.
• Tony Romo is the best player in Dallas Cowboys.
• The NFL is more profitable than MLB.
• NFL’s Michael Vick case . Explain that the legal justice system does not treat celebrities equally as other individuals. Provide more examples from real life to support your arguments.
• Does NFL cultivate violence and aggression?
• NFL UK will be able to compete with the original NFL in the foreseeable future.
• The NFL should pay more attention to head injuries.
• Dak Prescott is the best quarterback.

• Is Tua Tagovaiola overrated? He went straight from Alabama football team to Miami Dolphins. That’s when Tagovailoa started as a promising quarterback. But what happened after?
• We should end the NFL Preseason tradition as it’s unnecessary.
• Chicago Bears is the most successful NFL team.
• New Orleans Saints was a revolutionary team for the NFL.
• Antonio Brown should be able to return to playing in NFL regardless of his criminal record.
• The NFL is the best football association in the world, and here’s why.

🏒 NHL Persuasive Essay Topics

• The NHL is not doing enough to control violence during the game.
• Fighting should be banned as it can result in player’s life-long injuries.
• Edmonton Oilers’ Connor Mcdavid is the best NHL player.
• Canadians are better at playing hockey than Americans.
• The NFL should consider reducing contract length.
• Florida Panthers have a long way to go to become a good team.
• Gary Bettman is the worst NHL commissioner.
• Tickets for the NHL winter classic games should be less expensive.
• Victor Hedman is the all-time best defenseman in Tampa Bay Lightning.
• Regardless of their efforts, referees are always the scapegoats on ice.
• The NHL All-Star games are more exciting than the NBA ones.

🚴 Physical Activities Persuasive Essay Topics

Sport is not always about competing. For many of us, it is a way to stay active and get that good old endorphin rush.

🤸 Persuasive Essay Topics on Exercises

• Daily exercise ensures better mental and physical health . Seems obvious, right? Give this sports persuasive essay topic a scientific twist by describing its impacts on physiology.
• The gym is the best place for physical activity .
• Yoga is the best practice for stress-management .
• Children should not be assessed for their physical training at school.
• All children should have a certain level of physical activity a week.
• Companies should let their employees exercise during work hours .
• Everyone should know how to play at least one sport.
• Personal trainers can improve your exercise routine significantly.
• CrossFit is not the healthiest way to exercise .
• Swimming is one of the healthiest workouts.

• At-home workouts are as efficient as gym workouts.
• Exercise rehabilitation is essential for injury recovery.
• Physically active children have more chances to grow into dynamic adults.
• Physical exercise can battle depression.
• Proper stretching activities are essential to prevent injuries.
• Obesity and weight loss are some of the most burning issues in the US .
• Vegetarianism can damage health . Discuss the controversy of vegetarianism as a lifestyle concept.
• Fitness obsession is not that harmful.
• Poor sleeping pattern is one of the most health-damaging factors.
• All restrictive diets are bad for human’s health.
• Health and wellness programs have a positive impact on employees’ performance .
• Excessive salt consumption is hugely harmful.
• It is a myth that gluten can negatively affect one’s health.
• Schools should take better care of children’s nutrition plan.
• Food supplements can’t replace actual vitamin intake.
• Most people who are trying to lose weight approach dieting in the wrong way.
• Nutrition is more important than physical exercise.
• Healthy food should be more affordable.
• Social media plays a crucial role in promoting a healthy lifestyle.
• Diet pills can put your life in danger.

💃 Dance Persuasive Essay Topics

• Dance is more of a sport than an art.
• Zumba is a better workout than pilates and aerobics.
• Hip-hop will never become outdated.
• Ballet schools require one of the most intense physical training.
• Dancing provides physical and mental relaxation .
• Learning how to dance is one of the less obvious confidence boosters.
• Capoeira is an underrated martial art .
• Should dance be included in major sports events like the Olympics?
• The right amount of training can make a good dancer out of anyone.
• Dancing can be as good of a workout as any other sport.

📝 Writing a Persuasive Essay about Sports

Now that you’ve seen the topics let’s talk about writing. Persuasive essays differ from the other academic papers in both the goal and structure. You have to keep in mind that you’re composing not for yourself but for the reader. That’s why you have to present your arguments logically and coherently.

Here are some tips on writing a killer persuasive essay about sports:

• Choose a topic that you can handle. Don’t try to compose a paper on the game that you know nothing about. It’s too tiring and time-consuming. Remember that it takes months for a fan to learn everything about their favorite sport. If you don’t have such years-long passion, focus on the more straightforward aspects of your topic.
• Research beforehand . Even if you’re a sports fan, and especially if you’re not. There are plenty of rules and scandals that you need to consider to sound convincing. Look up some fun facts or entertaining stories. Sports topics usually give you plenty of material to play around with.
• Take notes. The more notes you take while researching, the less work you’ll have to do after. And you won’t have to reread the materials to find that one sports event that you’ve forgotten about. The industry is quite vibrant with exceptional cases. Make sure you keep track of all the information that might be useful.
• Pick the issues to discuss according to the evidence . If you can’t support an argument with enough credible proof, don’t include it in your essay. Both argumentative and persuasive essays require you to stay on top of your argumentation.
• Outline and draft your paper before writing the final version. When you’re writing on recent events, you may get new information at any moment. So, draft before composing. In case you decide to include some new evidence or improve an argument, it won’t be messy. Outlining will help to organize your thoughts comprehensively and concisely.

Thank you for your attention. Share this sport related persuasive essay article with a friend. And don’t be shy to convince everyone your opinion is the right one!

• Good Topics for an Argumentative Essay on Sports: Tasos Vossos, Pen and the Pad
• Essay Structure: Elizabeth Abrams, for the Writing Center at Harvard University
• Writing the Introduction: Monash University
• The Basics of Essay Writing: UNSW Current Students
• English II Persuasive Essay [10th grade]: Brianna Johnson, Trinity University
• Write an Attention-Grabbing Opening Sentence for an Essay: Grace Fleming, ThoughtCo
• Online Guide to Writing and Research — UMGC
• Taking Notes from Research Reading: Margaret Procter, Writing Support, University of Toronto
• Basic Guide to Essay Writing: Kathy Livingston
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I read all your articles, I like it a lot I learned a lot about the game. Thank you so much for sharing such a beautiful article with us.

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Home — Essay Samples — Education — Physical Education — The Importance of Being Physically Active

The Importance of Being Physically Active

• Categories: Physical Education

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Published: Aug 1, 2024

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Physical health benefits, mental well-being benefits, social interaction benefits.

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• How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips

How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

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When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.

In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.

• Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
• Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by evidence from sources.
• Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.
• Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least effective, and why.
• Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.
• Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

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An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:

• Make a claim
• Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
• Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
• Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:

• Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better spent on other approaches
• Cite data to support your claim
• Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
• Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

• Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
• Highlight the problems with this position
• Present your own position , showing how it addresses these problems
• Suggest a possible compromise —what elements of your position would proponents of the opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

• Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia
• Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
• Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
• Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

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An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

College essays

• Choosing Essay Topic
• Write a College Essay
• Write a Diversity Essay
• College Essay Format & Structure
• Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

 (AI) Tools

• Grammar Checker
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• Text Summarizer
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An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

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