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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.
Find out more about ProWritingAid’s Plagiarism checks.
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 Write a Persuasive Essay
Last Updated: September 13, 2024 Fact Checked
This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 4,286,745 times.
A persuasive essay is an essay used to convince a reader about a particular idea or focus, usually one that you believe in. Your persuasive essay could be based on anything about which you have an opinion or that you can make a clear argument about. Whether you're arguing against junk food at school or petitioning for a raise from your boss, knowing how to write a persuasive essay is an important skill that everyone should have.
Sample Persuasive Essays
How to Lay the Groundwork
- Look for language that gives you a clue as to whether you are writing a purely persuasive or an argumentative essay. For example, if the prompt uses words like “personal experience” or “personal observations,” you know that these things can be used to support your argument.
- On the other hand, words like “defend” or “argue” suggest that you should be writing an argumentative essay, which may require more formal, less personal evidence.
- If you aren’t sure about what you’re supposed to write, ask your instructor.
- Whenever possible, start early. This way, even if you have emergencies like a computer meltdown, you’ve given yourself enough time to complete your essay.
- Try using stasis theory to help you examine the rhetorical situation. This is when you look at the facts, definition (meaning of the issue or the nature of it), quality (the level of seriousness of the issue), and policy (plan of action for the issue).
- To look at the facts, try asking: What happened? What are the known facts? How did this issue begin? What can people do to change the situation?
- To look at the definition, ask: What is the nature of this issue or problem? What type of problem is this? What category or class would this problem fit into best?
- To examine the quality, ask: Who is affected by this problem? How serious is it? What might happen if it is not resolved?
- To examine the policy, ask: Should someone take action? Who should do something and what should they do?
- For example, if you are arguing against unhealthy school lunches, you might take very different approaches depending on whom you want to convince. You might target the school administrators, in which case you could make a case about student productivity and healthy food. If you targeted students’ parents, you might make a case about their children’s health and the potential costs of healthcare to treat conditions caused by unhealthy food. And if you were to consider a “grassroots” movement among your fellow students, you’d probably make appeals based on personal preferences.
- It also should present the organization of your essay. Don’t list your points in one order and then discuss them in a different order.
- For example, a thesis statement could look like this: “Although pre-prepared and highly processed foods are cheap, they aren’t good for students. It is important for schools to provide fresh, healthy meals to students, even when they cost more. Healthy school lunches can make a huge difference in students’ lives, and not offering healthy lunches fails students.”
- Note that this thesis statement isn’t a three-prong thesis. You don’t have to state every sub-point you will make in your thesis (unless your prompt or assignment says to). You do need to convey exactly what you will argue.
- A mind map could be helpful. Start with your central topic and draw a box around it. Then, arrange other ideas you think of in smaller bubbles around it. Connect the bubbles to reveal patterns and identify how ideas relate. [5] X Research source
- Don’t worry about having fully fleshed-out ideas at this stage. Generating ideas is the most important step here.
- For example, if you’re arguing for healthier school lunches, you could make a point that fresh, natural food tastes better. This is a personal opinion and doesn’t need research to support it. However, if you wanted to argue that fresh food has more vitamins and nutrients than processed food, you’d need a reliable source to support that claim.
- If you have a librarian available, consult with him or her! Librarians are an excellent resource to help guide you to credible research.
How to Draft Your Essay
- An introduction. You should present a “hook” here that grabs your audience’s attention. You should also provide your thesis statement, which is a clear statement of what you will argue or attempt to convince the reader of.
- Body paragraphs. In 5-paragraph essays, you’ll have 3 body paragraphs. In other essays, you can have as many paragraphs as you need to make your argument. Regardless of their number, each body paragraph needs to focus on one main idea and provide evidence to support it. These paragraphs are also where you refute any counterpoints that you’ve discovered.
- Conclusion. Your conclusion is where you tie it all together. It can include an appeal to emotions, reiterate the most compelling evidence, or expand the relevance of your initial idea to a broader context. Because your purpose is to persuade your readers to do/think something, end with a call to action. Connect your focused topic to the broader world.
- For example, you could start an essay on the necessity of pursuing alternative energy sources like this: “Imagine a world without polar bears.” This is a vivid statement that draws on something that many readers are familiar with and enjoy (polar bears). It also encourages the reader to continue reading to learn why they should imagine this world.
- You may find that you don’t immediately have a hook. Don’t get stuck on this step! You can always press on and come back to it after you’ve drafted your essay.
- Put your hook first. Then, proceed to move from general ideas to specific ideas until you have built up to your thesis statement.
- Don't slack on your thesis statement . Your thesis statement is a short summary of what you're arguing for. It's usually one sentence, and it's near the end of your introductory paragraph. Make your thesis a combination of your most persuasive arguments, or a single powerful argument, for the best effect.
- Start with a clear topic sentence that introduces the main point of your paragraph.
- Make your evidence clear and precise. For example, don't just say: "Dolphins are very smart animals. They are widely recognized as being incredibly smart." Instead, say: "Dolphins are very smart animals. Multiple studies found that dolphins worked in tandem with humans to catch prey. Very few, if any, species have developed mutually symbiotic relationships with humans."
- "The South, which accounts for 80% of all executions in the United States, still has the country's highest murder rate. This makes a case against the death penalty working as a deterrent."
- "Additionally, states without the death penalty have fewer murders. If the death penalty were indeed a deterrent, why wouldn't we see an increase in murders in states without the death penalty?"
- Consider how your body paragraphs flow together. You want to make sure that your argument feels like it's building, one point upon another, rather than feeling scattered.
- End of the first paragraph: "If the death penalty consistently fails to deter crime, and crime is at an all-time high, what happens when someone is wrongfully convicted?"
- Beginning of the second paragraph: "Over 100 wrongfully convicted death row inmates have been acquitted of their crimes, some just minutes before their would-be death."
- Example: "Critics of a policy allowing students to bring snacks into the classroom say that it would create too much distraction, reducing students’ ability to learn. However, consider the fact that middle schoolers are growing at an incredible rate. Their bodies need energy, and their minds may become fatigued if they go for long periods without eating. Allowing snacks in the classroom will actually increase students’ ability to focus by taking away the distraction of hunger.”
- You may even find it effective to begin your paragraph with the counterargument, then follow by refuting it and offering your own argument.
- How could this argument be applied to a broader context?
- Why does this argument or opinion mean something to me?
- What further questions has my argument raised?
- What action could readers take after reading my essay?
How to Write Persuasively
- Persuasive essays, like argumentative essays, use rhetorical devices to persuade their readers. In persuasive essays, you generally have more freedom to make appeals to emotion (pathos), in addition to logic and data (logos) and credibility (ethos). [13] X Trustworthy Source Read Write Think Online collection of reading and writing resources for teachers and students. Go to source
- You should use multiple types of evidence carefully when writing a persuasive essay. Logical appeals such as presenting data, facts, and other types of “hard” evidence are often very convincing to readers.
- Persuasive essays generally have very clear thesis statements that make your opinion or chosen “side” known upfront. This helps your reader know exactly what you are arguing. [14] X Research source
- Bad: The United States was not an educated nation, since education was considered the right of the wealthy, and so in the early 1800s Horace Mann decided to try and rectify the situation.
- For example, you could tell an anecdote about a family torn apart by the current situation in Syria to incorporate pathos, make use of logic to argue for allowing Syrian refugees as your logos, and then provide reputable sources to back up your quotes for ethos.
- Example: Time and time again, the statistics don't lie -- we need to open our doors to help refugees.
- Example: "Let us not forget the words etched on our grandest national monument, the Statue of Liberty, which asks that we "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” There is no reason why Syrians are not included in this.
- Example: "Over 100 million refugees have been displaced. President Assad has not only stolen power, he's gassed and bombed his own citizens. He has defied the Geneva Conventions, long held as a standard of decency and basic human rights, and his people have no choice but to flee."
- Good: "Time and time again, science has shown that arctic drilling is dangerous. It is not worth the risks environmentally or economically."
- Good: "Without pushing ourselves to energy independence, in the arctic and elsewhere, we open ourselves up to the dangerous dependency that spiked gas prices in the 80's."
- Bad: "Arctic drilling may not be perfect, but it will probably help us stop using foreign oil at some point. This, I imagine, will be a good thing."
- Good: Does anyone think that ruining someone’s semester, or, at least, the chance to go abroad, should be the result of a victimless crime? Is it fair that we actively promote drinking as a legitimate alternative through Campus Socials and a lack of consequences? How long can we use the excuse that “just because it’s safer than alcohol doesn’t mean we should make it legal,” disregarding the fact that the worst effects of the drug are not physical or chemical, but institutional?
- Good: We all want less crime, stronger families, and fewer dangerous confrontations over drugs. We need to ask ourselves, however, if we're willing to challenge the status quo to get those results.
- Bad: This policy makes us look stupid. It is not based in fact, and the people that believe it are delusional at best, and villains at worst.
- Good: While people do have accidents with guns in their homes, it is not the government’s responsibility to police people from themselves. If they're going to hurt themselves, that is their right.
- Bad: The only obvious solution is to ban guns. There is no other argument that matters.
How to Polish Your Essay
- Does the essay state its position clearly?
- Is this position supported throughout with evidence and examples?
- Are paragraphs bogged down by extraneous information? Do paragraphs focus on one main idea?
- Are any counterarguments presented fairly, without misrepresentation? Are they convincingly dismissed?
- Are the paragraphs in an order that flows logically and builds an argument step-by-step?
- Does the conclusion convey the importance of the position and urge the reader to do/think something?
- You may find it helpful to ask a trusted friend or classmate to look at your essay. If s/he has trouble understanding your argument or finds things unclear, focus your revision on those spots.
- You may find it helpful to print out your draft and mark it up with a pen or pencil. When you write on the computer, your eyes may become so used to reading what you think you’ve written that they skip over errors. Working with a physical copy forces you to pay attention in a new way.
- Make sure to also format your essay correctly. For example, many instructors stipulate the margin width and font type you should use.
Expert Q&A
You Might Also Like
- ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-write-a-persuasive-essay/
- ↑ https://www.hamilton.edu/academics/centers/writing/writing-resources/persuasive-essays
- ↑ https://www.hamilton.edu/writing/writing-resources/persuasive-essays
- ↑ https://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/sites/default/files/docs/learningguide-mindmapping.pdf
- ↑ https://examples.yourdictionary.com/20-compelling-hook-examples-for-essays.html
- ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/transitions/
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/argument_papers/rebuttal_sections.html
- ↑ http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson56/strategy-definition.pdf
- ↑ https://stlcc.edu/student-support/academic-success-and-tutoring/writing-center/writing-resources/pathos-logos-and-ethos.aspx
- ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/
- ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/revising-drafts/
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/proofreading/proofreading_suggestions.html
About This Article
To write a persuasive essay, start with an attention-grabbing introduction that introduces your thesis statement or main argument. Then, break the body of your essay up into multiple paragraphs and focus on one main idea in each paragraph. Make sure you present evidence in each paragraph that supports the main idea so your essay is more persuasive. Finally, conclude your essay by restating the most compelling, important evidence so you can make your case one last time. To learn how to make your writing more persuasive, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No
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What is a Persuasive Essay? Full Persuasive Essay Guide
In a world where effective communication is crucial, mastering persuasive writing is essential. It transcends simply expressing opinions by enabling you to influence others and clearly articulate your message. Say goodbye to difficulties in making your point; join us as we explore how to craft persuasive essays that are both informative and genuinely compelling in our guide!
Persuasive Essay Definition
This type of essay persuades the reader to agree with your viewpoint by presenting convincing arguments, research, and ideas. You rely on logic and reason to demonstrate why your perspective is more valid than others. You must present clear arguments supported by compelling facts. Several key elements should be included in these essays:
- A clear thesis statement or main idea that guides your essay's focus.
- An opening paragraph that introduces your thesis statement and sets the stage for your argument.
- Body paragraphs that use specific research evidence to support your points.
- Smooth transitions between paragraphs that connect ideas clearly and engagingly.
- Addressing counterarguments to acknowledge and refute opposing viewpoints.
- A conclusion that reinforces your central idea without repeating it word for word.
Elements of a Persuasive Essay
Persuasive essays rely on three key elements called modes of persuasion . These were introduced by Aristotle, a famous philosopher, to help make arguments strong and convincing.
First, there's logos , which means using evidence and logical reasoning to support your points. It's crucial to clearly state your main argument and back it up with solid evidence. Remember, what counts as convincing evidence can vary depending on who you're trying to persuade.
Next up is pathos , which involves appealing to people's emotions. Sharing personal stories can be really effective here because they help readers connect emotionally with your argument. Plus, personal anecdotes can give your essay a unique voice.
Lastly, there's ethos , which is all about building trust and credibility with your audience. The way you write your essay—whether it's serious, funny, or sincere—can affect how readers see you. Using reliable sources and showing empathy can also help establish your credibility. And when you're making claims, it's important to consider what your readers already believe and try to address any doubts they might have.
Feeling overwhelmed by all this info? Just say - ' write my paper ,' and our expert writers will jump in to assist you right away!
How to Write a Persuasive Essay in 7 Steps
Writing a persuasive essay usually follows a structured format: introduction, body, conclusion . Unlike argument essays, which involve discussing and attacking alternate views, persuasive essays aim to convince the reader of your argument's validity. They're a bit more gentle and understanding in tone. To craft a solid persuasive essay, follow the 7 steps in this section. And while you're at it, don't forget to explore our guide on how to write an argumentative essay , too. These two types of assignments are the most common in school and college.
Step 1: Topic Selection and Research
Choosing a good topic is where you start when writing a persuasive essay. Think about things that really interest you and make you feel strongly. But it's not just about what you like; you also need to think about what matters to your readers. Do some digging to learn more about your topic. Look into different parts of it by checking out reliable sources like books, websites, and academic articles.
While you're doing your research, keep an eye out for different opinions and new ideas about your topic. This helps you get ready for arguments against your point of view. It's also important to see if there's enough evidence out there to back up what you believe. Having lots of evidence makes it easier to make a strong case.
For more help on picking a topic, check out our persuasive essay topics .
Step 2: Develop a Strong Thesis Statement
A well-developed thesis statement should be specific, concise, and debatable. Avoid saying things that are too vague or broad, as they won't give your essay a clear direction. Instead, try to come up with a thesis that clearly says what you believe and encourages people to think about it critically.
Make sure your thesis statement is backed up by the evidence you found in your research. Use facts, numbers, or opinions from experts to support what you're saying and make your argument stronger.
Also, think about how your thesis statement fits into your whole persuasive essay. It should not only outline your main argument but also give a hint about why it's important.
Step 3: Create an Outline
An academic persuasive essay outline typically follows the 'classical' structure, which is based on techniques used by ancient Roman rhetoricians. Here are the basic elements your outline should include:
Section | Details |
---|---|
Introduction | 1. Engaging opener 2. Providing context and necessary background information 3. Stating the writer's main argument or claim 4. Offering a preview of what will be discussed in the essay |
Body Paragraphs | 1. Introducing and providing evidence for each reason sequentially 2. Demonstrating how each reason aligns with values or beliefs held by the audience |
Counterargument | 1. Recognizing and addressing opposing viewpoints 2. Explaining why these opposing viewpoints are flawed or less persuasive |
Conclusion | 1. Bringing the essay to a close 2. Summarizing the main points or arguments presented 3. Leaving a lasting impression on the reader 4. Encouraging action or connecting the topic to broader societal issues |
Step 4: Write the Introduction
When writing a persuasive essay introduction, it should not only give background information but also frame it as a problem or issue, known as the exigence. Presenting a clearly defined problem and proposing the thesis as a solution makes for a compelling introduction, as readers naturally want to see problems solved.
Here's a breakdown of an effective persuasive essay introduction:
- Hook : Begin with a brief anecdote that highlights an emerging issue, capturing the reader's attention.
- Context : Provide background information related to the topic.
- Problem : Connect the anecdote with the emerging issue, presenting it as a problem in need of addressing.
- Debate : Mention briefly the existing debate surrounding how to respond to the problem.
- Claim : Conclude the introduction by hinting at how you intend to address the problem, presented in a conversational tone as part of an ongoing dialogue.
Step 5: Delve into Body Paragraphs
The core of a persuasive essay lies in presenting a claim supported by reasoning and evidence. This means that much of the essay's body is dedicated to providing supporting reasons backed by evidence. A common approach taught in schools and colleges is the PEAS formula:
- Point : Start by explaining your reason clearly. For example, 'Another reason why we need to recycle is because...'
- Evidence : After explaining your reason, give proof that supports it. You can mention facts or share what experts say. You might say, ' I saw in a study that.. .' or ' Scientists have found that.. .'
- Analysis : Explain how your proof supports your reason. You can say, ' This means that.. .' or ' This shows us that... '
- Summary/So what? : Finish by quickly summarizing everything you said before. Then, explain why it's important or what it means for your argument.
Step 6: Address Counterarguments
When you're dealing with counterarguments, pick the response strategy that matches your argument.
- If you agree with some points from the counterargument, acknowledge them and explain why they're not important for your topic.
- If the counterargument uses different evidence, say why it's not trustworthy.
- If the counterargument looks at evidence in a different way, explain why their understanding is wrong.
- If the counterargument weakens your point with evidence, explain why it doesn't actually disprove your argument.
Use phrases like these to introduce counterarguments:
- Some researchers say...
- Critics argue that...
- Others might think...
- There's a different view that...
And transition like this from counterargument to response:
- While some of that makes sense, I still believe...
- Even if that's true, it doesn't change the fact that...
- Those points are interesting, but they don't affect my argument because...
- I see where you're coming from, but I can't agree because...
Step 7: Conclude with a Call to Action or a Memorable Closing Statement
A good persuasive conclusion should do two things:
- Summarize the main points of your essay. If it's a longer essay, using phrases like 'I have argued that' can help, but for shorter essays, it might not be needed since the reader will remember the main ideas.
- Address the ' So what? ' or ' Now what? ' challenge. Imagine your reader asking, 'Okay, I'm convinced by your essay, but why are these ideas important? What should I do with them? Do you expect things to change?' Depending on whether your essay aims to change how people think or act, offer brief action points or insights into the implications of your ideas.
Consider ending with an anecdote, fact, or quote that highlights the significance of your argument.
Also, take a look at our guide on how to write a synthesis essay . It's a common type of assignment you'll encounter in school and college.
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Persuasive Essay Examples
Here are great examples of persuasive essays to inspire you. If you like the writing style of our authors, you can buy essay paper from them, who will ensure a high-quality document specifically tailored to your needs!
5 Tips for Writing a Persuasive Essay
Here are some additional tips to enhance your essay from our persuasive essay writing service :
- Start with a Captivating Hook : Grab your reader's attention from the beginning with an engaging hook. Instead of using common approaches like surprising facts or quotes, try incorporating a unique angle or a suspenseful story related to your topic.
- Build Your Credibility : It's crucial to establish your credibility to persuade your audience to trust your argument. In addition to presenting well-researched facts and statistics, share personal experiences or insights to demonstrate your expertise. Citing lesser-known experts or studies can also provide a fresh perspective and show a thorough exploration of the topic.
- Clearly State Your Thesis: Craft a clear and concise thesis statement that effectively addresses the nuances of your argument. Take time to consider the wording of your thesis and how it aligns with your essay's direction. Provide a brief overview of the main points you'll cover to give readers a clear roadmap.
- Use Persuasive Language : Choose words and phrases that evoke emotion and urgency, compelling the reader to take action. Experiment with rhetorical devices like parallelism or repetition to add depth to your argument. Maintain a tone that balances assertiveness with respect.
- Appeal to Emotions and Logic : While emotional appeals can be powerful, support them with solid logic and evidence. Supplement personal anecdotes with relevant data, expert opinions, or logical reasoning for a well-rounded perspective. Anticipate and address potential counterarguments to demonstrate thorough consideration of the issue.
To bring it all together, you now understand the power of persuasion - it teaches you how to express your ideas clearly and convincingly. This means you can speak up for what you believe in, making society more active and informed. These skills are super useful not just in school but also in jobs and everyday life. And, if you want to make things easier, you can always check out our essay service . We'll save you time and give you some extra help with your writing!
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What are the 7 Tips for Persuasive Essays?
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Daniel Parker
is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.
is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.
- Rewrote the whole article except the samples which are good and new, and FAQs section
- Added new writing steps
- Researched new information overall
1. Gladd, J. (2020, August 18). Tips for Writing Academic Persuasive Essays . Pressbooks. https://idaho.pressbooks.pub/write/chapter/structure-of-academic-persuasive-essays/
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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 Perfect Persuasive Essay
Table of contents:
- Structure and format
Persuasive vs. argumentative essay
- Persuasive essay introduction
- Persuasive essay body part
- Persuasive essay conclusion
Writing tips
A persuasive essay is an important tool in an Australian student’s repertoire. It will be useful not only for your assignments, but sets a good foundation for your life outside of high school, VET, or university as well, when you may have to negotiate with bosses, persuade customers to purchase your amazing goods, or even calm down an upset child.
But how do you write a 5 paragraph persuasive essay which will get you that coveted high grade? Your teacher or professor will be using a specific rubric to set your grades for these kinds of assignments. Let’s take a look.
Persuasive essay structure and format
The basic structural persuasive essay outline is, indeed, 5 paragraphs. It can be more, of course, and often will be, as you should try to keep each point supporting your main argument, or thesis , to one paragraph.
Typical structure for a persuasive essay:
- Introduction
- Body paragraphs (3 or more)
This is the fundamental layout: you will start with one paragraph as an introduction, then go on to write three or more paragraphs containing the body of your essay, then finally your conclusion, wrapping everything up with a neat little bow on top.
You may have also heard of argumentative essays and wonder what the difference is from a persuasive essay. Simply put, an argumentative essay must be based on cold hard facts which have been researched and are verifiable. It must be an essay devoted to the arguments in favour of a particular topic.
However, a persuasive essay has a wider range of resources available, as its only goal is to persuade the reader of the thesis. You can use appeals to emotion, social validation, stories and anecdotes, as well as of course facts and logic to persuade your audience. Think of the difference between a politician trying to persuade people to vote for him or her versus a scientist laying out the evidence they have gathered.
Part 1: Persuasive essay introduction
You begin with a hook , grabbing your audience’s attention from the start with your very first sentence. This can take the form of a relevant quote, or perhaps a personal anecdote, an interesting statistic or fact, an outrageous statement, or a question.
Having seized your reader’s attention, you will need to define who that reader should be. Make the definition of your intended audience clear, whether that’s your teacher, your fellow students, cat owners, fans of Star Wars, or Pokémon collectors.
The third and final part of the intro should consist of your thesis . This is a clear, strong, focused sentence that tells the reader the specific topic or purpose you’re writing about. It is your essay’s foundation, and everything else you will say in the essay rests on it. This is not the time to be wishy-washy or half-hearted; you must take an active, bold stance on the issue of your choice.
If you are not sure how to start persuasive essay, or feel you need prompts or samples of ideas, try looking at the news, whether local to your college or high school, or Aussie news in general. Use the techniques of making a checklist of questions or opinions you have about the world or about Australia, then proceed step by step through your worksheet. Do some research about your topics and find out which one inspires you the most.
Once you’ve made your thesis statement you can continue onward and write the body of your essay.
Part 2: Persuasive essay body paragraphs
Your essay’s body is the meat of the essay. It’s where you do the actual persuading to convince people to believe in your thesis. You should have at least three paragraphs’ worth of evidence for your argument, and if you do not, it’s likely that your thesis isn’t strong enough. If that’s the case, take a step back, and come up with ideas for a statement you feel strongly about, and take your topic from there.
Each separate point you make in defence of your thesis should be contained in a body paragraph of its own, and any facts, examples, stats, or quotes backing up that point included in the same paragraph. Take the time to fully examine each of your points and their meaning. You will also need to consider what someone who disagreed with your thesis might say in response and try to counteract their argument before they can make it.
If appropriate, it may well be worth conceding to, or finding common ground with, any opponents. Anticipating their arguments and agreeing where necessary is a show of strength and confidence on your part. On the other hand, a failure to address an obvious opposing argument looks weak and unprepared, so make sure you’ve got all your ducks in a row.
Part 3: Persuasive essay conclusion
Once you reach the conclusion of your essay, your audience should be at the point of agreeing with you. The conclusion is just to reinforce what they have already been told and leave them with a call to action so that they will carry on with their day in a somewhat different frame of mind than they were when they started reading your essay.
Begin your conclusion by restating your thesis, then your main points. This is important to keep the information fresh in their minds. Once you’ve done this, then close with the idea of the action you want them to take, whether that’s a question for them to think about, a prediction of what might happen in the future, or a literal call for them to do something, like donate to a particular charity or sign a petition.
Now you know how to write a persuasive essay, and are hopefully on your way to great grades. If you still need help, see the writing tips below.
- As you move between points on towards the inevitable conclusion, use transition words and phrases as sentence starters, as they serve as cues for the audience that the argument is moving onward. Some examples of these words are: however , therefore , consequently , in fact , on the other hand , instead , thus , and still .
- If you are truly stuck, why not consider if you can buy persuasive essay online? Another writer’s pages or papers can provide you with a template for the structure or serve as a generator for your own thoughts.
- Persuasive essay writing is like planning a house somewhere in Australia. Think of your thesis as the roof of a building, and each of your supporting points as pillars underneath it. Like a real roof, it has to have at least three pillars to stay up, and the more, the sturdier the whole argument is.
- The titles of your persuasive essays should be a pared-down version of your thesis statements.
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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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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
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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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.
Uses emotion and opinion to convince | Uses logic and facts to convince |
Is more like an advertisement | Is more like a debate |
Is written for the heart | Is written for the head |
Knowing the audience is important | Knowing the audience is not so important |
Researching information is not so important | Researching information is very important |
Don’t need to consider counter-arguments | Need to consider and address counter-arguments |
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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Writing a Persuasive Essay
View in pdf format, the introduction.
Simply enough, the introductory paragraph introduces the argument of your paper. A well-constructed introductory paragraph immediately captures a reader’s interest and gives appropriate background information about the paper’s topic. Such a paragraph might include a brief summary of the ideas to be discussed in body of the paper as well as other information relevant to your paper’s argument. The most important function of the introductory paragraph, however, is to present a clear statement of the paper’s argument. This sentence is your paper’s thesis. Without a thesis, it is impossible for you to present an effective argument. The thesis sentence should reflect both the position that you will argue and the organizational pattern with which you will present and support your argument. A useful way to think about the construction of a thesis sentence is to view it in terms of stating both the “what” and the “how” of the paper’s argument. The “what” is simply the basic argument in your paper: what exactly are you arguing? The “how” is the strategy you will use to present this argument. The following are helpful questions for you to consider when formulating a thesis sentence:
- What is the argument that I am trying to convince the reader to accept?
- How exactly do I expect to convince the reader that this argument is sound?
Once you have answered these questions, the next step is to synthesize these answers into a single thesis sentence, or, if necessary, two thesis sentences.
For example: You want to convince your reader that the forces of industry did not shape American foreign policy from the late 19th century through 1914, and you plan to do this by showing that there were other factors which were much more influential in shaping American foreign policy. Both of these elements can be synthesized into a thesis sentence:
Fear of foreign influence in the Western hemisphere, national pride, and contemporary popular ideas concerning both expansion and foreign peoples had significantly more influence on American foreign policy than did the voices of industrialists.
This sentence shows the position you will argue and also sets up the organizational pattern of your paper's body.
The body of your paper contains the actual development of your paper’s argument. Each body paragraph presents a single idea or set of related ideas that provides support for your paper’s argument. Each body paragraph addresses one key aspect of your paper’s thesis and brings the reader closer to accepting the validity of your paper’s argument. Because each body paragraph should be a step in your argument, you should be mindful of the overall organization of your body paragraphs. The first step in writing an effective body paragraph is the construction of the first sentence of this paragraph, the topic sentence. Just as the thesis sentence holds together your essay, the topic sentence is the glue binding each individual body paragraph. A body paragraph’s topic sentence serves two main purposes: introducing the content of the paragraph and introducing the next step of your argument. It is important to keep in mind that the goal of the topic sentence is to advance your paper's argument, not just to describe the content of the paragraph. For example: The first part in your thesis on page two states that fear of foreign influence in the Western Hemisphere had more influence on American foreign policy than did industry. Thus, you need to elaborate on this point in your body paragraphs. An effective topic sentence for one of these paragraphs could be:
American fear of foreign influence was a key factor in the United States’ actions in the Spanish-American War. Subsequent body paragraphs might offer further evidence for the idea presented in this body paragraph.
A good way to test the strength of both your topic sentences and your argument as a whole is to construct an outline of your paper using only your paper's thesis statement and topic sentences. This outline should be a logical overview of your paper's argument; all of your paper’s topic sentences should work together to support your thesis statement.
The Conclusion
A basic purpose of your paper’s concluding paragraph is both to restate the paper’s argument and to restate how you have supported this argument in the body of the paper. However, your conclusion should not simply be a copy of your introduction. The conclusion draws together the threads of the paper’s argument and shows where the argument of your paper has gone. An effective conclusion gives the reader reasons for bothering to read your paper. One of the most important functions of this paragraph is to bring in fresh insight. Some possible questions to consider when writing your conclusion are:
- What are some real world applications of this paper’s argument?
- Why is what I am writing about important?
- What are some of the questions that this paper’s argument raises?
- What are the implications of this paper’s argument?
While the organization and structure described in this handout are necessary components of an effective persuasive essay, keep in mind that writing itself is a fluid process. There are no steadfast rules that you need to adhere to as you write. Simply because the introduction is the first paragraph in your essay does not mean that you must write this paragraph before any other. Think of the act of writing as an exploration of ideas, and let this sense of exploration guide you as you write your essay.
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40 Real-World Persuasive Writing Examples (Essays, Speeches, Ads, and More)
Learn from the experts.
The more we read, the better writers we become. Teaching students to write strong persuasive essays should always start with reading some top-notch models. This round-up of persuasive writing examples includes famous speeches, influential ad campaigns, contemporary reviews of famous books, and more. Use them to inspire your students to write their own essays. (Need persuasive essay topics? Check out our list of interesting persuasive essay ideas here! )
- Persuasive Essays
- Persuasive Speeches
- Advertising Campaigns
Persuasive Essay Writing Examples
From the earliest days of print, authors have used persuasive essays to try to sway others to their own point of view. Check out these top persuasive essay writing examples.
Professions for Women by Virginia Woolf
Sample lines: “Outwardly, what is simpler than to write books? Outwardly, what obstacles are there for a woman rather than for a man? Inwardly, I think, the case is very different; she has still many ghosts to fight, many prejudices to overcome. Indeed it will be a long time still, I think, before a woman can sit down to write a book without finding a phantom to be slain, a rock to be dashed against. And if this is so in literature, the freest of all professions for women, how is it in the new professions which you are now for the first time entering?”
The Crisis by Thomas Paine
Sample lines: “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value.”
Politics and the English Language by George Orwell
Sample lines: “As I have tried to show, modern writing at its worst does not consist in picking out words for the sake of their meaning and inventing images in order to make the meaning clearer. It consists in gumming together long strips of words which have already been set in order by someone else, and making the results presentable by sheer humbug.”
Letter From a Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Sample lines: “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct action campaign that was ‘well timed’ in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word ‘Wait!’ It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This ‘Wait’ has almost always meant ‘Never.’ We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that ‘justice too long delayed is justice denied.'”
Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau
Sample lines: “Even voting for the right is doing nothing for it. It is only expressing to men feebly your desire that it should prevail. A wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance, nor wish it to prevail through the power of the majority. There is but little virtue in the action of masses of men.”
Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Roger Ebert
Sample lines: “‘Kindness’ covers all of my political beliefs. No need to spell them out. I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime.”
The Way to Wealth by Benjamin Franklin
Sample lines: “Methinks I hear some of you say, must a man afford himself no leisure? I will tell thee, my friend, what Poor Richard says, employ thy time well if thou meanest to gain leisure; and, since thou art not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour. Leisure is time for doing something useful; this leisure the diligent man will obtain, but the lazy man never; so that, as Poor Richard says, a life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things.” ADVERTISEMENT
The Crack-Up by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Sample lines: “Of course all life is a process of breaking down, but the blows that do the dramatic side of the work—the big sudden blows that come, or seem to come, from outside—the ones you remember and blame things on and, in moments of weakness, tell your friends about, don’t show their effect all at once.”
Open Letter to the Kansas School Board by Bobby Henderson
Sample lines: “I am writing you with much concern after having read of your hearing to decide whether the alternative theory of Intelligent Design should be taught along with the theory of Evolution. … Let us remember that there are multiple theories of Intelligent Design. I and many others around the world are of the strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. … We feel strongly that the overwhelming scientific evidence pointing towards evolutionary processes is nothing but a coincidence, put in place by Him. It is for this reason that I’m writing you today, to formally request that this alternative theory be taught in your schools, along with the other two theories.”
Open Letter to the United Nations by Niels Bohr
Sample lines: “Humanity will, therefore, be confronted with dangers of unprecedented character unless, in due time, measures can be taken to forestall a disastrous competition in such formidable armaments and to establish an international control of the manufacture and use of the powerful materials.”
Persuasive Speech Writing Examples
Many persuasive speeches are political in nature, often addressing subjects like human rights. Here are some of history’s most well-known persuasive writing examples in the form of speeches.
I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Sample lines: “And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”
Woodrow Wilson’s War Message to Congress, 1917
Sample lines: “There are, it may be, many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us. It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts—for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free.”
Chief Seattle’s 1854 Oration
Sample lines: “I here and now make this condition that we will not be denied the privilege without molestation of visiting at any time the tombs of our ancestors, friends, and children. Every part of this soil is sacred in the estimation of my people. Every hillside, every valley, every plain and grove, has been hallowed by some sad or happy event in days long vanished. Even the rocks, which seem to be dumb and dead as they swelter in the sun along the silent shore, thrill with memories of stirring events connected with the lives of my people, and the very dust upon which you now stand responds more lovingly to their footsteps than yours, because it is rich with the blood of our ancestors, and our bare feet are conscious of the sympathetic touch.”
Women’s Rights Are Human Rights, Hillary Rodham Clinton
Sample lines: “What we are learning around the world is that if women are healthy and educated, their families will flourish. If women are free from violence, their families will flourish. If women have a chance to work and earn as full and equal partners in society, their families will flourish. And when families flourish, communities and nations do as well. … If there is one message that echoes forth from this conference, let it be that human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights once and for all.”
I Am Prepared to Die, Nelson Mandela
Sample lines: “Above all, My Lord, we want equal political rights, because without them our disabilities will be permanent. I know this sounds revolutionary to the whites in this country, because the majority of voters will be Africans. This makes the white man fear democracy. But this fear cannot be allowed to stand in the way of the only solution which will guarantee racial harmony and freedom for all. It is not true that the enfranchisement of all will result in racial domination. Political division, based on color, is entirely artificial and, when it disappears, so will the domination of one color group by another. … This then is what the ANC is fighting. Our struggle is a truly national one. It is a struggle of the African people, inspired by our own suffering and our own experience. It is a struggle for the right to live.”
The Struggle for Human Rights by Eleanor Roosevelt
Sample lines: “It is my belief, and I am sure it is also yours, that the struggle for democracy and freedom is a critical struggle, for their preservation is essential to the great objective of the United Nations to maintain international peace and security. Among free men the end cannot justify the means. We know the patterns of totalitarianism—the single political party, the control of schools, press, radio, the arts, the sciences, and the church to support autocratic authority; these are the age-old patterns against which men have struggled for 3,000 years. These are the signs of reaction, retreat, and retrogression. The United Nations must hold fast to the heritage of freedom won by the struggle of its people; it must help us to pass it on to generations to come.”
Freedom From Fear by Aung San Suu Kyi
Sample lines: “Saints, it has been said, are the sinners who go on trying. So free men are the oppressed who go on trying and who in the process make themselves fit to bear the responsibilities and to uphold the disciplines which will maintain a free society. Among the basic freedoms to which men aspire that their lives might be full and uncramped, freedom from fear stands out as both a means and an end. A people who would build a nation in which strong, democratic institutions are firmly established as a guarantee against state-induced power must first learn to liberate their own minds from apathy and fear.”
Harvey Milk’s “The Hope” Speech
Sample lines: “Some people are satisfied. And some people are not. You see there is a major difference—and it remains a vital difference—between a friend and a gay person, a friend in office and a gay person in office. Gay people have been slandered nationwide. We’ve been tarred and we’ve been brushed with the picture of pornography. In Dade County, we were accused of child molestation. It is not enough anymore just to have friends represent us, no matter how good that friend may be.”
The Union and the Strike, Cesar Chavez
Sample lines: “We are showing our unity in our strike. Our strike is stopping the work in the fields; our strike is stopping ships that would carry grapes; our strike is stopping the trucks that would carry the grapes. Our strike will stop every way the grower makes money until we have a union contract that guarantees us a fair share of the money he makes from our work! We are a union and we are strong and we are striking to force the growers to respect our strength!”
Nobel Lecture by Malala Yousafzai
Sample lines: “The world can no longer accept that basic education is enough. Why do leaders accept that for children in developing countries, only basic literacy is sufficient, when their own children do homework in algebra, mathematics, science, and physics? Leaders must seize this opportunity to guarantee a free, quality, primary and secondary education for every child. Some will say this is impractical, or too expensive, or too hard. Or maybe even impossible. But it is time the world thinks bigger.”
Persuasive Writing Examples in Advertising Campaigns
Ads are prime persuasive writing examples. You can flip open any magazine or watch TV for an hour or two to see sample after sample of persuasive language. Here are some of the most popular ad campaigns of all time, with links to articles explaining why they were so successful.
Nike: Just Do It
The iconic swoosh with the simple tagline has persuaded millions to buy their kicks from Nike and Nike alone. Teamed with pro sports-star endorsements, this campaign is one for the ages. Blinkist offers an opinion on what made it work.
Dove: Real Beauty
Beauty brand Dove changed the game by choosing “real” women to tell their stories instead of models. They used relatable images and language to make connections, and inspired other brands to try the same concept. Learn why Global Brands considers this one a true success story.
Wendy’s: Where’s the Beef?
Today’s kids are too young to remember the cranky old woman demanding to know where the beef was on her fast-food hamburger. But in the 1980s, it was a catchphrase that sold millions of Wendy’s burgers. Learn from Better Marketing how this ad campaign even found its way into the 1984 presidential debate.
De Beers: A Diamond Is Forever
A diamond engagement ring has become a standard these days, but the tradition isn’t as old as you might think. In fact, it was De Beers jewelry company’s 1948 campaign that created the modern engagement ring trend. The Drum has the whole story of this sparkling campaign.
Volkswagen: Think Small
Americans have always loved big cars. So in the 1960s, when Volkswagen wanted to introduce their small cars to a bigger market, they had a problem. The clever “Think Small” campaign gave buyers clever reasons to consider these models, like “If you run out of gas, it’s easy to push.” Learn how advertisers interested American buyers in little cars at Visual Rhetoric.
American Express: Don’t Leave Home Without It
AmEx was once better known for traveler’s checks than credit cards, and the original slogan was “Don’t leave home without them.” A simple word change convinced travelers that American Express was the credit card they needed when they headed out on adventures. Discover more about this persuasive campaign from Medium.
Skittles: Taste the Rainbow
These candy ads are weird and intriguing and probably not for everyone. But they definitely get you thinking, and that often leads to buying. Learn more about why these wacky ads are successful from The Drum.
Maybelline: Maybe She’s Born With It
Smart wordplay made this ad campaign slogan an instant hit. The ads teased, “Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline.” (So many literary devices all in one phrase!) Fashionista has more on this beauty campaign.
Coca-Cola: Share a Coke
Seeing their own name on a bottle made teens more likely to want to buy a Coke. What can that teach us about persuasive writing in general? It’s an interesting question to consider. Learn more about the “Share a Coke” campaign from Digital Vidya.
Always: #LikeaGirl
Talk about the power of words! This Always campaign turned the derogatory phrase “like a girl” on its head, and the world embraced it. Storytelling is an important part of persuasive writing, and these ads really do it well. Medium has more on this stereotype-bashing campaign.
Editorial Persuasive Writing Examples
Newspaper editors or publishers use editorials to share their personal opinions. Noted politicians, experts, or pundits may also offer their opinions on behalf of the editors or publishers. Here are a couple of older well-known editorials, along with a selection from current newspapers.
Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus (1897)
Sample lines: “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias.”
What’s the Matter With Kansas? (1896)
Sample lines: “Oh, this IS a state to be proud of! We are a people who can hold up our heads! What we need is not more money, but less capital, fewer white shirts and brains, fewer men with business judgment, and more of those fellows who boast that they are ‘just ordinary clodhoppers, but they know more in a minute about finance than John Sherman,’ we need more men … who hate prosperity, and who think, because a man believes in national honor, he is a tool of Wall Street.”
America Can Have Democracy or Political Violence. Not Both. (The New York Times)
Sample lines: “The nation is not powerless to stop a slide toward deadly chaos. If institutions and individuals do more to make it unacceptable in American public life, organized violence in the service of political objectives can still be pushed to the fringes. When a faction of one of the country’s two main political parties embraces extremism, that makes thwarting it both more difficult and more necessary. A well-functioning democracy demands it.”
The Booster Isn’t Perfect, But Still Can Help Against COVID (The Washington Post)
Sample lines: “The booster shots are still free, readily available and work better than the previous boosters even as the virus evolves. Much still needs to be done to build better vaccines that protect longer and against more variants, including those that might emerge in the future. But it is worth grabbing the booster that exists today, the jab being a small price for any measure that can help keep COVID at bay.”
If We Want Wildlife To Thrive in L.A., We Have To Share Our Neighborhoods With Them (Los Angeles Times)
Sample lines: “If there are no corridors for wildlife movement and if excessive excavation of dirt to build bigger, taller houses erodes the slope of a hillside, then we are slowly destroying wildlife habitat. For those people fretting about what this will do to their property values—isn’t open space, trees, and wildlife an amenity in these communities?”
Persuasive Review Writing Examples
Book or movie reviews are more great persuasive writing examples. Look for those written by professionals for the strongest arguments and writing styles. Here are reviews of some popular books and movies by well-known critics to use as samples.
The Great Gatsby (The Chicago Tribune, 1925)
Sample lines: “What ails it, fundamentally, is the plain fact that it is simply a story—that Fitzgerald seems to be far more interested in maintaining its suspense than in getting under the skins of its people. It is not that they are false: It is that they are taken too much for granted. Only Gatsby himself genuinely lives and breathes. The rest are mere marionettes—often astonishingly lifelike, but nevertheless not quite alive.”
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (The Washington Post, 1999)
Sample lines: “Obviously, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone should make any modern 11-year-old a very happy reader. The novel moves quickly, packs in everything from a boa constrictor that winks to a melancholy Zen-spouting centaur to an owl postal system, and ends with a scary surprise. Yet it is, essentially, a light-hearted thriller, interrupted by occasional seriousness (the implications of Harry’s miserable childhood, a moral about the power of love).”
Twilight (The Telegraph, 2009)
Sample lines: “No secret, of course, at whom this book is aimed, and no doubt, either, that it has hit its mark. The four Twilight novels are not so much enjoyed, as devoured, by legions of young female fans worldwide. That’s not to say boys can’t enjoy these books; it’s just that the pages of heart-searching dialogue between Edward and Bella may prove too long on chat and too short on action for the average male reader.”
To Kill a Mockingbird (Time, 1960)
Sample lines: “Author Lee, 34, an Alabaman, has written her first novel with all of the tactile brilliance and none of the preciosity generally supposed to be standard swamp-warfare issue for Southern writers. The novel is an account of an awakening to good and evil, and a faint catechistic flavor may have been inevitable. But it is faint indeed; novelist Lee’s prose has an edge that cuts through cant, and she teaches the reader an astonishing number of useful truths about little girls and about Southern life.”
The Diary of Anne Frank (The New York Times, 1952)
Sample lines: “And this quality brings it home to any family in the world today. Just as the Franks lived in momentary fear of the Gestapo’s knock on their hidden door, so every family today lives in fear of the knock of war. Anne’s diary is a great affirmative answer to the life-question of today, for she shows how ordinary people, within this ordeal, consistently hold to the greater human values.”
What are your favorite persuasive writing examples to use with students? Come share your ideas in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .
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Are you looking to improve your persuasive writing skills?
One of the best ways to do that is by reading persuasive essay examples. These examples can show you how to structure your arguments effectively.
But finding good examples can be a challenge. Don't worry, though – we've gathered some helpful persuasive essays for you right here!
So, if you're in search of persuasive essay examples to help you write your own, you're in the right place.
Keep reading this blog to explore various examples!
- 1. Persuasive Essay Examples For Students
- 2. Persuasive Writing Example For Elementary Schools
- 3. Persuasive Essay Examples Middle School
- 4. Persuasive Essay Examples High School
- 5. Persuasive Essay Examples for College Students
- 6. Persuasive Essay Examples For University
- 7. Persuasive Essay Examples for Different Formats
- 8. Basic Persuasive Essay Structure
- 9. Catchy Persuasive Essay Topics
Persuasive Essay Examples For Students
A persuasive essay aims to convince the reader of the author’s point of view.
To find the right path for your essay, it's helpful to go through some examples. Similarly, good essay examples also help to avoid any potential pitfalls and offer clear information to the readers to adopt.
Let’s take a look at 2 short persuasive essay examples, focusing on current and relevant issues:
Example 1:
Why Napping Should Be Encouraged in Schools? Ever feel like your brain is fried after lunch? You're not alone! Many students experience an afternoon slump, making it hard to focus and learn. But what if there was a simple solution: naps? Napping isn't just for babies. Studies show that short naps can boost alertness, improve memory, and enhance creativity. Imagine feeling refreshed and ready to tackle those afternoon math problems or history readings. Schools should encourage napping by providing designated quiet spaces and flexible schedules. Some might argue that naps cut into valuable learning time. However, research suggests that napping can actually lead to better overall learning. A well-rested student is more likely to pay attention, absorb information, and participate actively in class. It's a win-win situation! Schools around the world are already experimenting with nap programs, and the results are promising. Students report feeling more energized and focused, and their academic performance is improving. Wouldn't it be great if your school joined this trend? Let's ditch the afternoon slump and embrace the power of napping. It's a simple change that can have a big impact on student learning and well-being. |
Have you ever noticed how children seem to learn best when they're having fun? Imagine classrooms transformed from rows of desks and textbooks into vibrant spaces filled with laughter and exploration [Sensory Details]. This engaging environment can be achieved by incorporating more play-based learning into the curriculum. Play is not just a frivolous activity; it's a powerful tool that should be used throughout a student's academic journey [Direct Approach]. This essay argues that play-based learning fosters creativity, problem-solving skills, and a lifelong love of learning .
Beyond simple entertainment, play offers a dynamic learning experience. Through games, simulations, and hands-on activities, students actively engage with concepts [Logical Reasoning]. They experiment with different approaches, analyze situations, and learn from their mistakes. This active learning environment sparks curiosity, a natural human desire to explore further, and ultimately leads to a deeper understanding of the subject matter . Play also cultivates critical thinking and problem-solving skills, essential for success not only in academics but also in future careers and everyday life [Logical Reasoning]. Whether it's building a block tower or collaborating on a play, children develop crucial skills like analyzing situations, making decisions, and working together to overcome challenges . Some might argue that play is a distraction from serious learning. However, research shows the opposite is true – play-based learning actually increases student engagement and academic achievement . Students who learn through play are more motivated, retain information better, and develop a love of learning that extends beyond the classroom walls .
In conclusion, incorporating play-based learning into education offers a wealth of benefits for students. It ignites curiosity, fosters critical thinking skills, and promotes a lifelong love of learning [Reiteration]. Let's encourage our schools to embrace play as a powerful tool and create classrooms filled with laughter, exploration, and a deeper understanding for every student . |
If you are looking for longer examples, below are some persuasive essay examples pdf for different academic levels. Read them for free.
Persuasive Writing Example For Elementary Schools
Here are provided some sample essays to further explain the concept of persuasive writing for students.
3rd-grade Persuasive Essay Example
4th-grade Persuasive Essay Example
Persuasive Essay Example 5th-grade
Persuasive Essay Examples Middle School
Check out these persuasive essay examples for middle school to get a comprehensive idea of the format structure.
Persuasive Essay Examples for 6th Grade
7th-grade Persuasive Essay Example
8th-grade Persuasive Essay Example
Persuasive Essay Examples High School
The following are good persuasive essay examples for high school. Having a look at them will help you understand better.
Persuasive Essay Examples Grade 10
High-school Persuasive Essay Example
Examples of Persuasive Essay in Everyday Life
Persuasive Essay Examples for College Students
Essay writing at the college level becomes more complicated. We have provided you with top-notch college persuasive and argumentative essay examples here. Read them to understand the essay writing process easily.
11th-grade Persuasive Essay Example
Persuasive Essay Examples College
Higher English Persuasive Essay Example
Persuasive Essay About Smoking
Argumentative and Persuasive Examples
Persuasive Essay Examples For University
It becomes even more challenging to draft a perfect essay at the university level. Look at the examples of persuasive essays below to get an idea of writing one.
University Persuasive Essay Example
Political Persuasive Essay Examples
Persuasive Essay Examples About Life
Persuasive Essay Examples for Different Formats
A persuasive essay can be written in several formats. For instance, you can write the usual 5-paragraph essay, or even something longer or shorter.
Below are a few sample essays in various common formats.
Persuasive Essay Examples 5 Paragraph
Persuasive Essay Examples 3 Paragraph
These examples tell you how to remain convincing and persuasive regardless of the essay format you use.
Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job
Basic Persuasive Essay Structure
Here's a breakdown of the typical persuasive essay outline , along with an example for each step:
- Introduction (Grab Attention & Introduce the Issue):
Hook your reader with an interesting fact, anecdote, or question-related to the topic. Briefly introduce the issue you'll be arguing for.
For Example:
Have you ever dreamt of classrooms filled with laughter and curiosity, not just the pressure of tests? Imagine a world where students learn not just facts, but how to think critically and solve real-world problems. This can be achieved by implementing project-based learning in all schools. |
- Thesis Statement (Clearly State Your Position):
The thesis statement is a one-sentence summary of your entire argument. It should be clear, concise, and specific, and include your main points.
Project-based learning, where students tackle real-world challenges through collaborative projects, is a superior educational method that fosters deeper learning, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills compared to traditional lecture-based teaching. |
- Body Paragraphs (Develop Your Arguments):
Dedicate each paragraph to a single main point supporting your thesis. Use strong evidence to back up your claims. This can include statistics, research findings, expert opinions, or personal anecdotes. Use clear transitions between paragraphs to show the flow of your argument.
Project-based learning goes beyond rote memorization. Students venture into real-world problems, like designing a sustainable water system or creating a campaign to raise awareness about climate change. This active engagement sparks curiosity and a drive to find solutions, leading to a deeper understanding of the concepts involved.
Furthermore, project-based learning fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Students have to analyze situations, research information, collaborate with peers, and come up with creative solutions to complex challenges. This collaborative approach mirrors real-world scenarios, preparing students for future success in their careers. |
- Counterargument (Acknowledge Opposing Views):
Briefly acknowledge potential objections to your argument. This shows you've considered different viewpoints and strengthens your own position.
Some may argue that project-based learning can be time-consuming or require additional resources. However, the long-term benefits outweigh the initial investment. |
- Rebuttal (Address Counterarguments):
Explain why the counterarguments are not strong enough to invalidate your main points. Offer additional evidence to solidify your position.
While project-based learning might require initial planning and adjustments, the research shows a significant increase in student engagement and academic achievement. This can lead to improved classroom management and reduced need for reteaching, ultimately saving teachers time in the long run. |
- Conclusion (Restate & Call to Action):
Briefly restate your thesis and summarize your main points. End with a strong call to action, urging the reader to adopt your perspective or take a specific step.
In conclusion, project-based learning offers a dynamic and engaging approach to education. It cultivates critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a deeper understanding of the subjects. Let's urge our schools to embrace this innovative teaching method and prepare our students for a brighter future. |
By following this structure and incorporating strong evidence, you can craft a persuasive essay that effectively convinces your reader to see things your way.
Catchy Persuasive Essay Topics
Now that you have read some good examples, it's time to write your own persuasive essay.
But what should you write about? You can write persuasive essays about any topic, from business and online education to controversial topics like abortion, gun control, and more.
Here is a list of ten persuasive essay topics that you can use to grab your reader's attention and make them think:
- Should the government increase taxes to fund public health initiatives?
- Is the current education system effective in preparing students for college and the workplace?
- Should there be tighter gun control laws?
- Should schools have uniforms or a dress code?
- Are standardized tests an accurate measure of student performance?
- Should students be required to take physical education courses?
- Is undocumented immigration a legitimate cause for concern in the United States?
- Is affirmative action still necessary in today’s society?
- How much, if any, regulation should there be on technology companies?
- Is the death penalty an appropriate form of punishment for serious crimes?
Need more topic ideas? Check out our extensive list of unique persuasive essay topics and get started!
To Sum it Up!
This post gave you a bunch of persuasive essay examples to check out. By reading them, you learned how to build strong arguments, organize your essay, and use evidence to back up your ideas.
Now it's your time to write! Don't worry about being perfect, just give it a shot and make it your own. But if you're still feeling stuck, don't worry.
Our persuasive essay writing service is here to the rescue!
Our experienced writers specialize in creating top-notch essays on a wide range of topics. Whether it's a challenging persuasive essay or any other type, we've got you covered.
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Persuasive Essay Outline
Persuasive Essay Outline explanation
- Structure of a five paragraph persuasive essay
- Introduction (3-5 sentences)
- Hook: Grab the reader’s attention with a quote, scenario, question, vivid description, etc. Must be related to your topic. (1-2 sentences)
- Thesis statement: Simply and clearly state your position on the issue(1 sentence )
- Three arguments. Choose three arguments you can use to convince your reader of your position. Briefly state these arguments here. (1-3 sentences)
- Paragraph 2 (5-8 sentences)
- Go back to paragraph one and find your first argument. Then write a paragraph about it.
- Use specific examples to support your argument
- Write a transition sentence.
- Paragraph 3 (5-8 sentences)
- Go back to paragraph one and find your second argument. Write a paragraph about it .
- Use specific examples to support your argument. You should authoritative websites to give facts, statistics, supporting quotations, studies, research, etc.
- Write a transition sentence.
- Paragraph 4 (5-8 sentences)
- Go back to paragraph one and find your third argument. Write a paragraph about it.
- Conclusion (3-5 sentences)
- Summarize—restate your thesis statement and three arguments in different words
- Make a closing statement. Tie your closing statement back to your opening hook.
Outline Persuasive Essay
- Directions: Use the outline form below to organize your persuasive essay. Choose your topic and three arguments to support your opinion. Section I is for your introduction. Section II is for the body (one paragraph for each argument). Section III is for your conclusion. Topic___________________________________________________________________ I. Introduction
a. Hook _______________________________________________________
b. Thesis statement______________________________________________
c. Argument #1_________________________________________________
d. Argument #2_________________________________________________
e. Argument #3_________________________________________________
II. Body Paragraph #1
a. Argument #1_________________________________________________
b. Example #1____________________________________________
c. Example #2____________________________________________
d. Example #3____________________________________________
e. Transition_____________________________________________
Body Paragraph #2
a. Argument #2 _________________________________________________
Body Paragraph #3
a. Argument #3 _________________________________________________
b. Example #1____________________________________________
c. Example #2____________________________________________
III. Conclusion
a. Restate thesis (different words)__________________________________
b. Restate arguments (different words)___ ____________________________
c. Clincher (tie it all together)______________________________________
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.
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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 youâre 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 youâre 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, youâll 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 youâre 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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Persuasive Essay Guide
Persuasive Essay Examples
Last updated on: Feb 9, 2023
Free Persuasive Essay Examples to Help you Get Started
By: Caleb S.
Reviewed By: Rylee W.
Published on: Jan 28, 2020
There are many different kinds of essays, and a persuasive essay is one of them. When writing one, you will have to maintain a certain kind of voice and style throughout the essay.
We know that it could be difficult for you to adapt to a certain tone and maintain it throughout the essay.
Therefore, we gathered some easy-to-understand and high-quality persuasive essay examples to help you get started. These examples will help you know how persuasive writing is different from other kinds of writing.
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Good Persuasive Essay Examples
There are a lot of benefits of reading great and well-written essays. However, for many students, writing this type of essay would be a novel task. They may not have written it before and need help.
Essays examples come in handy in such situations. This is especially helpful before you begin to write a persuasive essay, which extends to selecting a topic. A persuasive piece of writing is based on encouraging the readers to adopt and agree with your perspective.
These essay examples help the students in the following ways.
- They help the students choose from good persuasive essay topics .
- They help with proper essay formatting.
- They help the students know about the required essay sections.
- They tell the students about the kind of content that is suitable for that particular kind of essay.
- They help you make your essay an effective persuasive essay.
Reading great essay examples or samples helps you know about your weaknesses and the areas you need to focus on.
Here are some examples for your ease.
PERSUASIVE ESSAY EXAMPLE ABOUT COVID 19
PERSUASIVE ESSAY EXAMPLE ABOUT PRODUCT
PERSUASIVE ESSAY EXAMPLE 5 PARAGRAPH
How to Start a Persuasive Essay - Example
Starting your essay engaging will help to keep the readers accepting your point of view. This is important because if you go astray, the reader will lose interest and leave your essay in the middle. To avoid it, make sure that your introduction and essay start is strong and impactful.
Below is an example that gives you a better idea and makes your essay writing process easy.
HOW TO START A PERSUASIVE ESSAY EXAMPLE
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Persuasive Essay Examples for Elementary Students
At primary school, teachers assign essays to students as a way of improving their writing skills. However, the essays are very simple and not very complex, so the students easily write them.
Below are some good persuasive essay topics for primary school kids.
Persuasive Essay Examples for 3rd Grade
PERSUASIVE ESSAY EXAMPLES FOR 3RD GRADE
Persuasive Essay Examples for 4th Grade
PERSUASIVE ESSAY EXAMPLES FOR 4TH GRADE
Persuasive Essay Examples for 5th Grade
PERSUASIVE ESSAY EXAMPLES FOR 5TH GRADE
Persuasive Essay Examples for Middle School
Middle school kids are better acquainted with the essays. These kids learn many things, and by now, essays have become a common part of their homework.
If you are a middle school student and looking for some essay examples, then refer below.
Persuasive Essay Examples for 6th Grade
PERSUASIVE ESSAY EXAMPLES FOR 6TH GRADE
Persuasive Essay Examples for 7th Grade
PERSUASIVE ESSAY EXAMPLES FOR 7TH GRADE
Persuasive Essay Examples for 8th Grade
PERSUASIVE ESSAY EXAMPLES FOR 8TH GRADE
Persuasive Essay Examples for High School
High-school students are often struggling with writing a persuasive essay. However, if you get help from examples, you will easily write a good one.
Below are some persuasive essay examples to help high-school students.
PERSUASIVE ESSAY EXAMPLES FOR 9TH GRADE
PERSUASIVE ESSAY EXAMPLES FOR 10TH GRADE
Persuasive Essay Examples College
Are you looking for college persuasive essay examples? Therefore, for your help, we gathered a professionally written example that you could use for your ease.
PERSUASIVE ESSAY EXAMPLES FOR COLLEGE
Higher English Persuasive Essay Examples
Higher English is a standalone subject and a specialized study course. Here, the students study the language and literature together and learn how to hone their writing skills. For this, they also study different fiction and non-fiction texts and works.
Look at this example and know how a good persuasive essay looks like.
PERSUASIVE ESSAY EXAMPLES FOR HIGHER ENGLISH
How to End a Persuasive Essay - Examples
The ending is as important for your essay as the beginning. A strong conclusion will leave a lasting and strong mark on the reader. This is why you do not end your essay in haste and put ample thought into it.
Refer to the below example to know how to end your persuasive essay strongly.
HOW TO END A PERSUASIVE ESSAY - EXAMPLE
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Tips to Write a Great Persuasive Essay
Below are some helpful tips that will assist you in writing an engaging and great essay.
- Your essay topic should be about something that you are passionate about. It is important because you work better when you are working on something that you like.
- Know your audience fully before starting to write your essay. The essay content largely depends on your academic level. Teachers of higher grades expect the essays to be perfectly researched and written. Therefore, make it according to your teacher’s expectations.
- Begin the essay with a powerful hook sentence. This could be anything like a rhetorical question, a fact, or something interesting about the main essay topic.
- Add a brief and relevant thesis statement after the introduction and divide the body paragraphs according to the number of ideas.
- Do proper research about both sides of the argument. It will help you counter the opposite views and put your point of view more significantly. Do not assume that the audience knows about your stance; research and tell them a better story.
- Emphasize your viewpoint with strong and substantial evidence and details
- Keep the tone empathetic and make the reader feel that you can relate to their experiences and emotions. This is a powerful writing technique because people trust those who know their feelings.
- Divide the sections logically and maintain proper transition between the sections and the rest of the essay.
- Do not add any new ideas at the end of the essay or in conclusion. This section must stick to the main ideas only. Thus, explain one or two of the core ideas and your personal opinion here.
- Proofread your essay thoroughly and make sure that it is error-free and perfectly written.
- Do not mix the persuasive essay with an argumentative essay; they both are different.
Following all these tips, you will be able to write an engaging and perfect persuasive essay.
However, if you still need help. Consult 5StarEssays.com , a professional writing service that provides write my essay help to high-school, college, and university students. We have a dedicated team of professional writers, ensuring you get high-quality essays and papers within the given deadline.
So, contact us now and get your essay on time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 5 persuasive techniques.
Below are the five persuasive techniques.
- Think about tone.
- Know the reader’s purpose.
- Establish trust and credibility.
- Use rhetoric and repetition.
- Pay attention to language.
How do you start a persuasive essay?
Here are some steps that you should follow and start writing a persuasive essay.
- Brainstorm the topic ideas.
- Research on the topic.
- Create an outline.
- Develop the thesis statement.
- Choose a strong hook statement.
- Divide the information into body paragraphs.
Arts, Persuasive Essay
Caleb S. has been providing writing services for over five years and has a Masters degree from Oxford University. He is an expert in his craft and takes great pride in helping students achieve their academic goals. Caleb is a dedicated professional who always puts his clients first.
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- Persuasive Essay Guide - How to Write a Persuasive Essay
- Persuasive Essay Topics Ideas to Craft an A-Worthy Essay
- Persuasive Essay Outline - Detailed Guide with Examples
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How to Write a Persuasive Essay: Step-by-Step Guide + Examples
Have you ever tried to get somebody round to your way of thinking? Then you should know how daunting the task is. Still, if your persuasion is successful, the result is emotionally rewarding.
A persuasive essay is a type of writing that uses facts and logic to argument and substantiate such or another point of view. The purpose is to assure the reader that the author’s position is viable. In this article by Custom-writing experts, you can find a guide on persuasive writing, compelling examples, and outline structure. Continue reading and learn how to write a persuasive essay!
⚖️ Argumentative vs. Persuasive Essay
- 🐾 Step-by-Step Writing Guide
🔗 References
An argumentative essay intends to attack the opposing point of view, discussing its drawbacks and inconsistencies. A persuasive essay describes only the writer’s opinion, explaining why it is a believable one. In other words, you are not an opponent; you are an advocate.
A persuasive essay primarily resorts to emotions and personal ideas on a deeper level of meaning, while an argumentative one invokes logic reasoning. Despite the superficial similarity of these two genres, argumentative speech presupposes intense research of the subject, while persuasive speech requires a good knowledge of the audience.
🐾 How to Write a Persuasive Essay Step by Step
These nine steps are the closest thing you will find to a shortcut for writing to persuade. With practice, you may get through these steps quickly—or even figure out new techniques in persuasive writing.
This approach gives you two tremendous advantages. First, you will already have an opinion and an understanding of the arguments for and against your perspective. Second, you can go through the writing process more quickly. | ||
The more research you can do, the better. A great idea is to set a deadline for stopping research. Immerse yourself until then. This way, you can stay on pace to finish before your final deadline. By the end of this research process, you should crystalize your position on the topic. | ||
Here, you are going to want to read at least one or two expert persuasive essay samples that agree with your position. They will show you good ways to structure your argument. Simultaneously, it can reveal any apparent holes in your position. Take notes on the most convincing lines of support. And always cite your sources correctly. | ||
If Step 3 didn’t reveal flaws in your position, this step certainly will. Look for examples of persuasive essays that defend a point of view opposite to yours. Study them carefully. Use this knowledge to strengthen your research and essay. | ||
Many writers skip outlining. And then spend hours staring at a blank page. Don’t do that! Make your persuasive essay outline! Professional writers will tell you that it is easier to make an outline than it is to “just start writing.” Note that the next section of this article contains detailed instructions on how to make a persuasive essay outline. | ||
Since you have your persuasive essay structure now, this should be the easiest step of all. At this point, don’t think—just write! You’ve already thought a lot. Furthermore, you’ll do plenty more thinking. Don’t waste time deciding what to write. Just turn each of your ideas into grammatical sentences. | ||
When you complete a rough draft, give yourself a break before rereading your essay. Later, read your draft, correcting typos, and making small improvements as you go. If you like your essay, great! If you dislike your essay, take notes. Use those notes as you begin the of revising and editing your essay. Repeat this as many times as necessary. | ||
Asking for help is not easy. But still, if you have the opportunity, give your essay to a friend and ask for feedback. Good feedback can greatly improve your text. | ||
You’ll most likely make minimal (if any) edits to your content on this stage. Now it’s time to take care of the format. Make your persuasive essay shine! |
📑 Persuasive Essay Outline
Below you’ll find an example of a persuasive essay outline . Remember: papers in this genre are more flexible than argumentative essays are. You don’t need to build a perfectly logical structure here. Your goal is to persuade your reader.
Note that the next section contains a sample written in accordance with this outline.
Persuasive Essay Introduction
- Hook: start with an intriguing sentence.
- Background: describe the context of the discussed issue and familiarize the reader with the argument.
- Definitions: if your essay dwells upon a theoretical subject matter, be sure to explain the complicated terms.
- Thesis statement: state the purpose of your piece of writing clearly and concisely. This is the most substantial sentence of the entire essay, so take your time formulating it.
Persuasive Essay Body
Use the following template for each paragraph.
- Topic sentence: linking each new idea to the thesis, it introduces a paragraph. Use only one separate argument for each section, stating it in the topic sentence.
- Evidence: substantiate the previous sentence with reliable information. If it is your personal opinion, give the reasons why you think so.
- Analysis: build the argument, explaining how the evidence supports your thesis.
Persuasive Essay Conclusion
- Summary: briefly list the main points of the essay in a couple of sentences.
- Significance: connect your essay to a broader idea.
- Future: how can your argument be developed?
⭐ Persuasive Essay Examples
In this section, there are three great persuasive essay examples. The first one is written in accordance with the outline above, will the components indicated. Two others are downloadable.
Example #1: Being a Millionaire is a Bad Thing
Introduction.
Could a glass of good wine on a private airplane have a bitter taste? | |
People tend to idealize the life they do not have. Money resolves many issues: leisure, education, and often even health problems. But when basic needs are met, new and more exquisite desires appear. Wealth does not guarantee happiness. Moreover, it can become a malediction. | |
A millionaire is a person whose fortune makes up a million dollars or more, but the word is used for any wealthy individual for the purpose of the essay. | |
This text intends to prove that being a millionaire is a dubious pleasure through objective reasons. |
Paragraph #1
Millionaires spend the first part of their lives accumulating the assets, and the second half trying to keep them. | |
It may sound motivating only for those who have never lived it through. People who have spent their lifetime running for a fortune admit in their old days that life has passed by, and they did not engage in really important activities. Instead of intensive work, meetings, and interviews, they would have spent time with their families and friends. | |
Thus, no money can buy back the lost time for earning it. |
Paragraph #2
Moreover, the continuous striving for fortune and fear of losing it provokes high stress. | |
Running a business is always a risk, and being rich and famous attracts much attention to the family and lifestyle. Being wealthy is also a full-time job that can drain the emotional and physical forces. Even if a millionaire in question is a workaholic and enjoys round-the-clock attention, such a way of life undermines their health, forcing them to spend much time and monetary resources on medical treatment. Personal relationships are also harmed because wealthy people cannot spend much time with their families. | |
Nothing comes without cost, and it happens that the cost is more valuable than the gain. |
Paragraph #3
Finally, large fortune imposes responsibility. | |
It may seem that money can buy you the possibility to do whatever you want, and sometimes it is really so. A millionaire can afford a month-long vacation if their business runs smoothly, and they have trusted deputies. However, practice shows that success requires supervision. Furthermore, employees, business investors, and family depend on business owners. Besides, people expect a wealthy person to share with the poor and sick. | |
A wrong decision can ruin many lives, making a millionaire’s life even more stressful. |
Having considered everything mentioned above, the life of a wealthy person is anything but easy. They have to waste years earning a fortune, and then suffer stress in fear of losing it. They cannot give up to their discretion because many people depend on them. This pressure undermines their health and relationships. | |
This information is not intended to demotivate the reader from striving to earn more. Instead, the idea is that nothing comes without a price. | |
Therefore, knowing the outcomes and the stakes you have the choice of what to dedicate your life to. |
Example #2: Teachers or Doctors?
The importance of doctors in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic is difficult to overstate. The well-being of the nation depends on how well doctors can fulfill their duties before society. The US society acknowledges the importance of doctors and healthcare, as it is ready to pay large sums of money to cure the diseases. However, during the lockdown, students and parents all around the world began to understand the importance of teachers.
Before lockdown, everyone took the presence of teachers for granted, as they were always available free of charge. In this country, it has always been the case that while doctors received praises and monetary benefits, teachers remained humble, even though they play the most important role for humanity: passing the knowledge through generations. How fair is that? The present paper claims that even in the period of the pandemic, teachers contribute more to modern society than doctors do.
Example #3: Is Online or Homeschool More Effective?
The learning process can be divided into traditional education in an educational institution and distance learning. The latter form has recently become widely popular due to the development of technology. Besides, the COVID-19 pandemic is driving the increased interest in distance learning. However, there is controversy about whether this form of training is sufficient enough. This essay aims to examine online and homeschooling in a historical and contemporary context and to confirm the thesis that such activity is at least equivalent to a standard type of education.
Persuasive Essay Topics
- Why do managers hate the performance evaluation?
- Why human cloning should be prohibited.
- Social media have negative physical and psychological effect on teenagers.
- Using cell phones while driving should be completely forbidden.
- Why is business ethics important?
- Media should change its negative representation of ageing and older people.
- What is going on with the world?
- Good communication skills are critical for successful business.
- Why capitalism is the best economic system.
- Sleep is extremely important for human health and wellbeing.
- Face-to-face education is more effective than online education.
- Why video games can be beneficial for teenagers.
- Bullies should be expelled from school as they encroach on the school safety.
- Why accountancy is a great occupation and more people should consider it as a future career.
- The reasons art and music therapy should be included in basic health insurance.
- Impact of climate change on the indoor environment.
- Parents should vaccinate their children to prevent the spread of deadly diseases.
- Why celebrities should pay more attention to the values they promote.
- What is wrong with realism?
- Why water recycling should be every government’s priority.
- Media spreads fear and panic among people.
- Why e-business is very important for modern organizations.
- People should own guns for self-protection.
- The neccessity of container deposit legislation.
- We must save crocodiles to protect ecological balance.
- Why we should pay more attention to renewable energy projects.
- Anthropology is a critically relevant science.
- Why it’s important to create a new global financial order.
- Why biodiversity is crucial for the environment?
- Why process safety management is crucial for every organization.
- Speed limits must not be increased.
- What’s wrong with grades at school ?
- Why tattoos should be considered as a form of fine art.
- Using all-natural bath and body products is the best choice for human health and safety.
- What is cancel culture?
- Why the Internet has become a problem of modern society.
- Illegal immigrants should be provided with basic social services.
- Smoking in public places must be banned for people’s safety and comfort.
- Why it is essential to control our nutrition.
- How to stimulate economic growth?
- Why exercise is beneficial for people.
- Studying history is decisive for the modern world.
- We must decrease fuel consumption to stop global warming.
- Why fighting social inequality is necessary.
- Why should businesses welcome remote work?
- Social media harms communication within families.
- College athletes should be paid for their achievements.
- Electronic books should replace print books.
- People should stop cutting down rainforest.
- Why every company should have a web page.
- Tips To Write An Effective Persuasive Essay: The College Puzzle, Stanford University
- 31 Powerful Persuasive Writing Techniques: Writtent
- Persuasive Essay Outline: Houston Community College System
- Essays that Worked: Hamilton College
- Argumentative Essays // Purdue Writing Lab
- Persuasion – Writing for Success (University of Minnesota)
- Persuasive Writing (Manitoba Education)
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Persuasive Essay Examples
50 free persuasive essay examples (+best topics).
There are plenty of persuasive essay examples available online and you can access them to learn more about what this type of essay is all about. Persuasive essays explain a topic while trying to persuade the readers that your perspective is the most logical, valid, and informed one about the topic. Read on to learn more about persuasive essays before looking through sample persuasion essays.
Table of Contents
- 1 Persuasive Essay Examples
- 2 What is a persuasive essay?
- 3 Persuasive Writing Examples
- 4 Elements of persuasive essay
- 5 Persuasive Paper Examples
- 6 Choosing a topic for your essay
- 7 Persuasive Essay Samples
- 8 Creating the outline of persuasive essay examples
- 9 Tips for writing persuasive essay examples
What is a persuasive essay?
A persuasive essay which is also called an argumentative essay is a type of written document that’s academic in nature. Here, you use reason and logic to convince the reader of the legitimacy of your perspective. Therefore, you must use clear arguments and support these with logical reasons and compelling facts.
Persuasive Writing Examples
Elements of persuasive essay
Persuasive writing examples make use of reasons and logic to make them more persuasive. When you write your own persuasive essay examples, you must convince your readers to adopt your point of view or to take a specific action. To do this, you must present solid arguments using facts, examples, and quotes from experts.
If you want to come up with an effective and well-written persuasive paper example, make sure to include these elements:
- Introduction and thesis statement An essay isn’t complete without an introduction. Here, you provide an explanation for the relevant points of your chosen topic to help the readers understand your position. Keep in mind that any argument can have many aspects. Therefore, you should give as many details and information about the specific aspects you plan to discuss in your essay. As for the thesis statement, you would include this as the very end of your essay’s introduction.
- Supporting facts Provide facts to support your point of view in the sample persuasion essay. These facts may include statistics, the information you’ve researched, excerpts from academic journals or publications, and quotes from experts. Don’t forget to cite all of the facts properly.
- Proof for your arguments When presenting the facts in your persuasive writing examples, make sure to follow a sequence which strengthens your argument. Start with the least relevant facts and move up to the most important ones. When explaining these points, follow the same sequence so as not to confuse your readers. The first argument you prove must be the first issue that you stated in your thesis statement. From there, build your explanations all the way to the main point of your essay.
- Conclusion This is the last part of your persuasive essay. Don’t just think of this as a summary. Instead, you must use it to explain why you’ve written the essay in the first place. This creates a stronger paragraph which helps persuade the reader.
Persuasive Paper Examples
Choosing a topic for your essay
Although you may know the definition of a persuasive essay, do you know what it means and how to create one correctly? Before you even start writing persuasive essay examples, you must choose a topic for your essay first. This is the first step in writing any essay.
When you’re assigned to write a persuasive paper example, how do you choose a topic? There are so many options for you to choose which you can take from the various areas of study. Once you’ve chosen your topic, format your title as a question. This gives you a good basis to defend and express your opinions.
If you’re feeling stuck and you can’t think of a good topic, you can go online and search for one. Write down all of the topics which “speak” to you before making a final choice. Having more options will give you a better idea of what a persuasive essay calls for.
Finally, you should select a topic which inspires you but which also provides you with a wide range of materials to research. There’s no point in writing a persuasive essay about something which you don’t believe in. Otherwise, you won’t feel compelled to create persuasive arguments.
Persuasive Essay Samples
Creating the outline of persuasive essay examples
Persuasive essay examples must achieve a balance between ethos, pathos, and logos. This convinces the readers to think carefully about your point of view and even go as far as adopting it. But how do you create an effective persuasive essay? What comes after the topic and title?
The next step in the essay writing process is to come up with an outline to serve as your essay’s structure. Here are some tips for creating the outline:
- Introduction Provide some background about the topic you’ve chosen. Indicate your main argument and create your thesis statement.
- Body In the paragraphs following your introduction, provide your arguments and the facts you have researched to support them. Make sure that you do a lot of research, especially if you want to create a compelling and persuasive piece of writing. Choosing the arguments, reasons, and facts that you want to include in your essay involves a lot of careful consideration. You should only choose those which you believe make your essay stronger and more convincing.
- Conclusion If you want your conclusion to be as organized and readable as the rest of your essay, make this a part of the outline too. That way, you know exactly how to approach writing your conclusion when the time comes.
Tips for writing persuasive essay examples
Once you’ve already understood what sample persuasion essays are all about, it’s time to start writing your own. It may take some time before you can start writing more fluidly but if this is your first time to write such an essay, here are some tips to guide you:
- Start by reading the instructions of your assignment regarding the persuasive essay you must write. If you have the freedom to choose the topic to write about, then you may want to look at different persuasive writing examples to get inspiration. Remember, choose a topic that you’re interested in, one which inspires you.
- Before you start with your research, make a list of all the facts you know about the topic you’ve chosen. Then create another list, this time containing your opinions and ideas about the topic. Arrange these points according to how important you see them.
- Now it’s time to reflect on what you’ve written. Think about why you have these opinions. You must first clarify your views so that you don’t get overwhelmed by all the information you come across when you do research.
- Try to think of your own perspective on the topic. In doing this, you can come up with a draft of your thesis statement to reflect your view in a concise manner.
- The next step is to start doing research. Use different sources to give you a broader perspective regarding your topic. From library books to academic sources to online journals and more, there are so many resources available.
- As you’re doing research, take note of the things you want to include in your essay. If you can find facts which support the information you already know about your topic, all the better! The point of doing research is to collect enough information to strengthen the statements you include in your persuasive essay.
- After researching, go back to the thesis statement you’ve created. If you think that it’s still relevant, keep it. But if all of the information you’ve gathered makes your thesis statement seem weak, revise it. Think of another thesis statement which is more compelling and thought-provoking.
- Create an outline for your essay . After your research, you would have a better idea of the overall content of your essay. Try to come up with a clear outline to guide you as you write the content.
- The next step is to go through all of your notes. Organize the information according to relevance. If you’ve already placed the points you want to discuss in your outline, search for information about those points and put them together. Make sure that all the points in your outline have clear facts and explanations.
- Finalize your outline after organizing all of the information you have at your disposal. This makes it easier for you to follow when you start writing your essay.
- Most people start writing their essays with the introduction. But for some, they prefer to write the body of the essay before writing both the introduction and the conclusion. Either way, use the outline and the notes you’ve gathered to help guide you.
- When writing your essay, make sure to include the following: Definitions of key ideas or terms. Descriptions and analyses of specific examples included in your essay. Summary and evaluations of conflicting opinions about the topic. Comparisons and contrasts of the examples you’ve given and how they relate to the thesis statement. Connections of the examples to each other and to the main idea.
- If needed and if appropriate, use a lot of quotations from experts. Just make sure that they support your arguments and analyses.
- Cite all information you use properly. Follow the citation format required by your assignment or your professor.
- Before printing, emailing or submitting, make sure to proofread your essay to ensure that it doesn’t contain any errors.
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WTO / Education / 30 Great Persuasive Essay Examples | Guide & Tips
30 Great Persuasive Essay Examples | Guide & Tips
A persuasive essay , or argumentative essay , is one in which you use logic and arguments to convince or persuade your readers to agree with a specific opinion or idea.
A good one employs excellent research and choice of words to strongly present the writer’s opinion and convince the readers to agree with it.
To write one, you must research thoroughly, write convincingly, and arrange your points succinctly. This article will gain more insight into the prewriting stage, the writing stage, and the editing stage. You will also learn winning tips that will help you write outstanding examples.
Persuasive Essay Examples
Fundamentals of Writing a Great Persuasive Essay
To write a great persuasive essay, you need to follow the outlined writing process. Below are tips for each stage of the writing process:
Prewriting stage
This stage is critical to the success of your writing. At this point, you plan the different parts of the essay.
These are the steps to take:
Choose a position you’re passionate about
Choose a topic and select the position you would love to advocate for. It would help if you chose a side you believe in, as that will make the research, writing, and argument more personalized. Opting for a topic you strongly believe in will make the defense easy. Also, because you are knowledgeable on the subject, you will not have issues with the research.
Understand the audience
To write a unique essay, you need to consider your audience. Remember that your writing should be suited to your audience. Check whether they are knowledgeable and inclined to believe your arguments. If you’re writing for a semi-literate audience, using high-sounding words will be ineffective as they won’t understand you. Instead, make it easy, simple, and easy to understand.
Research both sides thoroughly
You must thoroughly research the different sides of the argument to put up a convincing essay example. By researching both sides, you will discover points for and against the opinion and the loopholes in the different opinions. Utilize your school’s resources, such as a library, reference materials, and academic journals.
Identify convincing evidence
After conducting your research, select the most convincing evidence, as it will form the basis of your essay. Also, discover the significant points for the opposite team.
Create a working outline or structure
In this stage, you must create a working structure that will guide your essay. To do this, you must think critically about the pros and cons of your argument and note the places to put forward your most robust evidence.
Your outline will also keep you organized from the beginning, with supporting facts, figures, and pieces of evidence. So, for each point, you must outline the significant facts and research to support it. A working outline also helps you define your argument concisely and logically to make your writing process more manageable.
Here is a good sample outline to use:
Introductory paragraph
- Get your readers’ attention with a hook: A hook is the one big idea that hooks your audience. It can be a significant promise, quotation , unusual statistic, question, premise, or argument that will keep your readers engaged with your essay.
- Provide an overview of the argument: After writing the hook, the next step is to outline the argument.
- Close with the statement: Close by providing a thesis statement that reveals the position of the argument.
Body paragraphs
- Each paragraph should tackle one part of the evidence.
- Back up each paragraph with adequate supporting facts, figures, and pieces of evidence.
Opposing view paragraph
- In the opposing view paragraph, explain and counter the significant points of the opposite view.
Concluding paragraph
- In the concluding paragraph, reaffirm and re-emphasize the thesis and supporting points.
Draft your essay
After creating your outline, the next stage is to create an initial draft.
Here are the steps to follow:
- Open the Introductory Paragraph with a hook; your hook can be a quote, a story, a question, or a strong statement. For example, for an essay on education, you can use this hook. Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.”
- State the thesis statement clearly, concisely, and succinctly.
- For each body paragraph, address one reason that emphasizes your point and provide strong evidence using research results, facts and figures , real-life examples, and quotable quotes from experts.
- Make arguments using different means, like analogies, comparisons, and logic.
- Define terms and give background information. Your readers may not be deeply knowledgeable about the subject. To carry everyone along, you must define terms and provide some background information.
- Remember that the concluding paragraph must summarize the points and provide more credence to your argument. It can be a question, a plea, a recommendation, or a prediction that convinces your readers to believe your point and act in the direction you want.
How to Revise the Persuasive Essay
After scribbling your essay, the next step is to revise and review it. Remember, “The first draft reveals the art; revision reveals the artist.” ― Michael Lee. So, to refine it and take it to the next level, you must revise what you have written.
Here are some things to do when revising a persuasive essay:
Crosscheck your position on the issue
Here, you should check whether your position is coherent and well-captured. Check if your points are well explained with illustrations, analogies, and arguments. Also, check if the essay states a firm position on the topic and is backed up with adequate statistics, quotes, facts, and examples.
Review the opening
Check if the hook captures the topic and aligns with the points you want to make. Ensure the hook is captivating, persuasive, and intriguing.
Ensure coherence of paragraphs
Your paragraphs should be coherent. They should have logical evidence, supporting analogies, and illustrations. In addition, your paragraphs should be legible, brief, and concise.
Confirm validity of refutation
Verify whether you refuted the opposing views convincingly with enough evidence to support your ideas while revising.
Review the formal structure
Check for the formal essay structure. Are the paragraphs well outlined? Do the paragraphs address only one issue? What’s the word choice like? Are the paragraphs coherent and readable? Are the sentences well-written and clear?
Food for thought in the concluding paragraph
Verify if the article persuades the reader to think and act in the manner in which it is concluded.
Persuasive Essay Topics
To further assist you in your writing, we will provide you with different and appropriate topic examples.
Here are some topics you can write on:
- Should people be forced to take the Covid-19 vaccine?
- Is the American dream a reality or a myth?
- Are eBooks better than physical books?
- Should under 18 children have any abortion rights?
- Should abortion be abolished?
- Should same-sex couples be allowed to adopt children?
- Should there be limits to free speech?
- Is religion the opium of the masses?
- Should classes on emotional intelligence be part of the curriculum for high school students?
- Should wealthier people pay more taxes?
- Is the keto diet a safe way to lose weight?
- Is feminism equal to misandry?
- Should paternal leave be made compulsory?
- Should human cloning be encouraged?
- Does artificial intelligence portend great harm in the future?
- Is social media a curse or a blessing?
- Is the quality of marriages eroding?
- Is society losing its long-upheld values?
- Is marriage a curse or a blessing?
- Should euthanasia be abolished?
- Should financial education be part of the curriculum?
- Do violent TV shows and games encourage violence in real life?
- Should social media be banned for under-aged children?
- Does nature or nurture play a greater role in shaping an individual?
- Can we change our behavior?
- Can science be a tool of destruction in the world?
- Should student loans be forgiven?
Persuasive Essay Outline Examples
Tips for Writing a Persuasive Essay
Although writing a persuasive essay is an interesting and easy task, there are a few considerations that, if kept in mind while writing, can make the end result perfect.
Following are some effective considerations for writing a persuasive essay:
Write with integrity and empathy
To write an award-winning essay, you must employ ethos (integrity or ethics), pathos (empathy), and logos (logic). First, your writing must appeal to ethics. Second, you must convince your readers that you are writing from an ethical standpoint. That means your position must be correct. Third, disagree with ethically wrong opinions. More so, it would help if you appealed to emotions. You ought to awaken your reader’s anger, sadness, or sympathy through your essay. Your points should also be logical and supported by supporting facts and research.
Proofread and correct errors
After putting down a well-written essay, you should ensure it is grammatically correct by proofreading and correcting errors. You can use online tools as well to correct your write-up.
Key Takeaways
- A persuasive essay entails convincing your readers of a particular opinion.
- It is a significant part of life today and appears in ads, marketing campaigns, political manifestos, newspapers, and magazines.
- However, to write a convincing one, you must be thoroughly versed and passionate about the topic.
- You must also state your point convincingly, with supporting research and facts to back up your points.
- This write-up has provided you with well-written points on persuasive writing. Working with them will help create convincing essays.
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A persuasive essay is a type of academic writing where the author presents an argument and tries to convince the reader to adopt their point of view or take a specific action. The goal of a persuasive essay is to persuade or sway the reader's opinion through logical reasoning, evidence, and compelling arguments.
The question of how to write a persuasive essay is often asked by high school or college students. But it is not a secret that the skill of creating a solid persuasive argument is vital not only for students. The ability to form your strong opinion is a very useful instrument to have in life. A person who masters the art of persuading people will be able to build a successful career in any field and build effective relationships. Our academic experts decided to assist you in understanding the importance of this type of academic writing by sharing effective tips on writing an effective persuasive essay, providing examples, general structure, and more. So keep reading and find out everything you should know about persuasive paper.
What Is a Persuasive Essay: Definition
"I think the power of persuasion will be the greatest superpower of all time.” Jenny Mollen
It does not matter whether you know who Jenny Mollen is or not – she was right when saying it. It is time to provide a clear definition of what is a persuasive essay. It is an academic type of paper, which contains an explanation of a specific topic and tries to convince readers of an author’s truth presenting it as the most biased and competitive point of view. It contains a logical & valid perspective on the problem. Professional Tip:
“People often confuse persuasive writing with argumentative one. The main difference is that an author of an argumentative paper should take a certain position regarding chosen topic while an author of another type of paper should also persuade the target audience, his argument is the dogma. In both cases, authors should respect opposing views. No matter what selected topic/research problem is, a student should conduct extensive research outside of class to succeed.” Prof. Jeremy Walsh, college teacher of Religious Studies & online writer at StudyCrumb
Unlike a position paper , the primary purpose of a persuasive essay is to make people take the same point of view regarding a specific topic. Without credible, relevant evidence, author’s points will not sound strong enough to ensure an audience. Keep on reading to understand structure and explore exciting persuasive essay college examples!
Elements of a Persuasive Essay
Before we get to guidelines and structure of an essay , it is important to mention what are the three main elements of a persuasive essay. First of all, these are foundation of every effective argument, invented by philosopher Aristotle. The goal of these traditional modes of persuasion is building logical arguments and making your audience more likely to trust them. Let’s look at them in more detail.
- Ethos It is an element that will help you “sell” your point of view. Through this element, a speaker or writer appeals to ethics. They use words and knowledge for building trustworthiness. They persuade their audience of their credibility, character or intelligence. In this way, the public is more likely to believe arguments made.
- Pathos This element helps you evoke feelings of your readers. Through this element, a speaker or writer appeals to emotions. To make your argument more convincing, you should trigger compassion, joy, sadness, anger, or any other kind of emotion.
- Logos Through this element, a speaker or writer appeals to logic. Logos will help your readers focus on rational and reasonable validity of your argument.
Persuasive Essay Structure
Do you want to understand how to structure a persuasive essay in detail? Then you should read the next information carefully. A successful writing of a persuasive essay requires a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of this type of paper. You should not only understand your topic and provide good arguments but also know how to structure your thoughts properly. We will help you with that. This guide will explain the fundamentals and major elements of this type of work. So follow the approach we presented below and your persuasive text will stand out from the crowd.
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How to Write a Persuasive Essay Introduction Paragraph
Wonder how to start a persuasive essay ? It is an example of an excellent introduction. An answer to question of how to be persuasive in writing starts with a good persuasive intro. An introduction to this type of academic writing has 2 primary purposes:
- Attract reader’s attention from opening lines.
- Present your topic and reveal goals of writing.
Stay subtle if you want to succeed in your persuasive writing. Identify the topic, purposes, main messages, sources, and target audience before developing an outline and start working on the introduction.
Writing a Persuasive Essay Thesis
Conclude an introduction paragraph with the powerful thesis for persuasive essay. It is a sentence or two that stresses the main idea of your whole paper, which is author’s primary argument to persuade the audience. Let’s look at the example:
With a good thesis statement your persuasive essay writing is more likely to impress your audience.
How to Create a Persuasive Essay Body Paragraph
Once you have stated your thesis, the final sentence of your introduction paragraph, do everything possible to defend your idea. Develop 3 strong persuasive arguments that will support your opinion. Every new body paragraph starts with primary idea. It is followed by in-text citations and evidence gathered from primary sources. Before writing each persuasive body paragraph, conduct in-depth research and select the most up-to-date, accurate, and credible facts from sources like books, magazines, newspapers, websites, documentaries, etc. Do not use Wikipedia or similar sources. Teachers do not grade them as anyone can edit those websites. Any website where answers provided to necessary questions are shared by some typical Internet users who are not field experts does not count. In general, structure of body paragraphs looks this way:
- Main claim/argument.
- In-text citations & other evidence.
- Transition to the following paragraph.
How to Write Persuasive Essay Conclusion Paragraph
Many students underestimate the power of conclusion. An introduction should grab reader’s attention, but a conclusion should leave a positive impression on your reader and make your writing successful. Here we will explain persuasive conclusion paragraph structure. We also advise our users to look at different essay conclusion examples . Begin with the short overview of the arguments and corresponding evidence. Reword the thesis statement, which closes the opening paragraph to stress the importance of everything written in your persuasive paper. Do not make a conclusion of more than 5 sentences. Avoid inserting new arguments or evidence in the last paragraph. The only new thing the author can add is his forecast for the future/the way the researched problem may be implemented in the real world. To persuade the reader or encourage him in ongoing research, call him sign a petition/join a support group if you write a debatable speech on politics, for example. Quote all the cited sources properly after the conclusion. The list is called Bibliography or References/Works Cited.
How to Write a Persuasive Essay: 8 Simple Steps
Step 1: Choose one of the persuasive essay topics that interests you the most. If you have a strong opinion about something, feel free to talk about it in your persuasive essay. This will not only be interesting to you but also make your readers believe in what you say. Browse our topics for a position paper , they can help you with some fresh ideas. Step 2: Research the question from both sides. Obviously, you should know everything about the issue you are for, but not less important to know the side you are against. To make the reader believe you and take your side you should know the arguments you're trying to convince them against. Step 3: Look for some credible sources. Then read the information carefully and make notes in order to use them later in your paper. Step 4: After you have analyzed all sources, create an outline for your essay. A persuasive essay outline will help you put your thoughts in order and organize your arguments. Create logical connections between your evidence and arguments to make the writing process easier. Step 5: Create the attention-grabbing hook for your persuasive essay to intrigue the reader. Include your hook to your strong introduction paragraph. Capture your audience's attention by including the essential background information in your introduction. Step 6: Write your body paragraphs. Try to keep a logical sequence of your arguments by presenting your evidence consecutively, from the weakest reason to the strongest. Step 7: Write a conclusion. Summarize all the main points you talked about in your essay and restate your thesis. Include a call to action. Step 8: Proofread and edit your text. Read it out loud and correct all the grammar mistakes and typos. You can also give your essay to your friend, they can see it from a different angle. Check if the sentence structure is correct. Delete unnecessary words and parts of sentences. Here’s how a template of a persuasive essay on gun control will look. Take a glimpse to get a better idea or simply use StudyCrumb's college essay writing service at once.
>> Learn more: How to Write a Good Essay
Persuasive Essay Examples: Free Sample to Help on Your Way
To make you understand the topic even better, we have prepared one of the great persuasive essay examples that will give you an overall idea. Feel free to download the available materials or use a sample attached below as a source for inspiration. We hope that this reference will help you organize your thoughts and create an outstanding essay!
Persuasive Essay Format
Another thing you should keep in mind is persuasive paper format. It is important to check formatting once you are done. It includes both in-text citations (direct/indirect) & references. A student must check the way each type of source is cited and references before inserting a new entry in Bibliography . The format for persuasive essay will depend on teacher's guidelines. Review your assignment thoroughly. Pay attention to specifics like a word count, spacing, font and alignment. Anyway, if you don’t know proper formatting, here we provided the general guidelines for essay format:
Word count: around 500 words. Fonts: Times New Roman, 12-point. A 16-point font is suitable for the title for your essay, unless you specify otherwise. Arial as well as Georgia fonts are also appropriate in essay writing, too. Spacing: Double-spaced. 1.5 works as well. Alignment: justified.
Persuasive Writing Tips: Main Points
The points listed below stress an important role of a proper persuasive essay writing.
- Begin with a clear thesis/controlling point. Establish the focus of writing (place it in the last sentence of an introduction).
- Introduce thesis after brief introduction with hook sentence coming first. Make sure you know how to write a hook in an essay .
- Develop body paragraphs based on in-depth research. Provide either narrative/descriptive or argumentative points.
- Do not forget to add persuasive transition words & phrases. Relate points and make the entire flow of your text smooth.
- Insert counterarguments and present and reject opposing opinions.
- A conclusion should enhance central idea. Do not make it repetitive!
Writing a Persuasive Essay: Bottom Line
We've created our concise guide that will help you with your persuasive essay writing. Hope with our tips, examples and a general structure you will know how to write a compelling persuasive essay and improve your skills of convincing your audience in written form. Buy a persuasive essay if you just need the result without any hassle.
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How to Write a Persuasive Essay: Frequently Asked Questions
1. how long should a persuasive essay be.
Persuasive essays have no paragraph limits. However, a general word count will depend on whether you are middle school, high school or college student. Anyway, try not to exceed 500 word limit. Keep it shorter but emphasize your most relevant information.
2. How are a persuasive essay and an expository essay different?
The difference between persuasive and expository essays is in their purpose. Goal of expository writing is informing your reader or explaining something. It should shed light on some topic so readers understand what it is about. On the other hand, persuasive writing aims to persuade and convince others.
3. Which three strategies are elements of a persuasive essay?
A formal persuasive essay includes three strategies: issue, side, and argument.
- Issue is what your essay is about. Include an issue in your title.
- Side (Thesis) means which side of an issue (“for” or “against”) you believe in your essay.
- Argument is where you are proving your side and convince readers using your arguments and evidence.
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COMMENTS
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:
Pick a topic that appeals to you. Because a persuasive essay often relies heavily on emotional appeals, you should choose to write on something about which you have a real opinion. Pick a subject about which you feel strongly and can argue convincingly. [3] 6. Look for a topic that has a lot of depth or complexity.
Writing a persuasive essay usually follows a structured format: introduction, body, conclusion. Unlike argument essays, which involve discussing and attacking alternate views, persuasive essays aim to convince the reader of your argument's validity. They're a bit more gentle and understanding in tone. To craft a solid persuasive essay, follow ...
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.
Persuasive essay structure and format. The basic structural persuasive essay outline is, indeed, 5 paragraphs. It can be more, of course, and often will be, as you should try to keep each point supporting your main argument, or thesis, to one paragraph. Typical structure for a persuasive essay: Introduction. Body paragraphs (3 or more) Conclusion.
1 Choose wording carefully. Word choice—the words and phrases you decide to use—is crucial in persuasive writing as a way to build a personal relationship with the reader. You want to always pick the best possible words and phrases in each instance to convince the reader that your opinion is right. Persuasive writing often uses strong ...
Choose a position you're passionate about. The first step in writing a persuasive essay is choosing a topic and picking a side. If the topic is something you believe in, it will make the entire experience of researching, writing, and arguing your perspective more personal. Choosing a topic that appeals to you on an emotional or sentimental ...
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. ... Sample Outline of a Persuasive ...
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.
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 ...
Contact Sales Learn More. The last time you wrote a persuasive essay may have been in high school or college, but the skill of writing a strong persuasive argument is always a useful one to have. Persuasive writing begins with a writer forming their own opinion on a topic, which they then attempt to convince their reader of this opinion by ...
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.
Writing a Persuasive Essay. View in PDF Format. Structure and organization are integral components of an effective persuasive essay. No matter how intelligent the ideas, a paper lacking a strong introduction, well-organized body paragraphs and an insightful conclusion is not an effective paper.
Learn what a persuasive essay is, see its purpose, and study the persuasive essay format with examples. See the steps on how to write a persuasive essay. Updated: 11/21/2023
Sample lines: "Even voting for the right is doing nothing for it. It is only expressing to men feebly your desire that it should prevail. A wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance, nor wish it to prevail through the power of the majority. There is but little virtue in the action of masses of men.".
To find the right path for your essay, it's helpful to go through some examples. Similarly, good essay examples also help to avoid any potential pitfalls and offer clear information to the readers to adopt. Let's take a look at 2 short persuasive essay examples, focusing on current and relevant issues: Example 1:
Persuasive Essay Outline explanation . Structure of a five paragraph persuasive essay ; Introduction (3-5 sentences) Hook: Grab the reader's attention with a quote, scenario, question, vivid description, etc. Must be related to your topic. (1-2 sentences) Thesis statement: Simply and clearly state your position on the issue(1 sentence )
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.
Free Persuasive Essay Examples to Help you Get Started. There are many different kinds of essays, and a persuasive essay is one of them. When writing one, you will have to maintain a certain kind of voice and style throughout the essay. We know that it could be difficult for you to adapt to a certain tone and maintain it throughout the essay.
Learn More. Note that the next section contains a sample written in accordance with this outline. Persuasive Essay Introduction. Hook: start with an intriguing sentence. Background: describe the context of the discussed issue and familiarize the reader with the argument. Definitions: if your essay dwells upon a theoretical subject matter, be sure to explain the complicated terms.
Persuasive writing examples make use of reasons and logic to make them more persuasive. When you write your own persuasive essay examples, you must convince your readers to adopt your point of view or to take a specific action. To do this, you must present solid arguments using facts, examples, and quotes from experts.
Persuasive Essay Writing Guide Sample 01. New SAT Persuasive Analysis Essay Tips Example. Cell Phones in School Persuasive Essay Example. Social Networking Sites Persuasive Essay Example. Persuasive Essay Writing Guide Sample 02. Physical Education is Vital Persuasive Essay Example. School's Out Persuasive Essay Example.
Step 3: Look for some credible sources. Then read the information carefully and make notes in order to use them later in your paper. Step 4: After you have analyzed all sources, create an outline for your essay. A persuasive essay outline will help you put your thoughts in order and organize your arguments.
Learn how to write an effective rhetorical analysis essay that dissects the author's persuasive techniques. This guide provides step-by-step instructions, examples, and tips to help you craft an impressive essay. ... Here's a sample outline form for a rhetorical analysis essay, which you can adapt to fit the specific text and rhetorical ...