We analyzed several guides to better understand how to write persuasive essay. .
Specifically, we looked at how to convince readers — through a strong hook introduction, outline and structure of a perfect persuasive essay.
We learned a lot about how to write persuasive essay And I’m sure you will too. Let’s start our article with how to write persuasive essay step by step. Generally, when you lack experience, it is not essay to convince readers. However, Our term paper writing service will have you covered.
- What is Persuasive Essay?
- Persuasive Essay: Pre-writing Step
- How to Choose a Great Topic for a Persuasive Essay
- How To Write Persuasive Essay Outline
- How To Structure Persuasive Essay
- Mistakes To Avoid While Writing a Persuasive Essay
- Persuasive Essay Submission
- To Sum UP
What is Persuasive Essay?
A persuasive essay is a piece of writing where the author tries to convince people to agree with a certain topic. By persuading, you get others to understand your point of view and support you on the same.
Writing a persuasive essay could be one of the most complicated, challenging and time consuming task one can ever have to tackle. This is because it’s not easy to convince people. It takes a lot of commitment and could sometimes be energy draining.
The main feature that builds up a unique persuasive piece is facts. This involves collecting evidence from vast resources, aside from your background knowledge on the subject at the table. In order for you to strengthen each of your points, you have to bring out your demonstration abilities as well as deep research skills.
Persuasion is a great skill to have and that is why persuasive essays are the most common types of essay assignments in schools. This type of essay tests students’ ability to think critically, research thoroughly, and form an evidence-based conclusion. As a writer, you are expected to reach your conclusion through a series of logical arguments and convincing words that makes your audience buy into your argument.
It is common for students to confuse a persuasive essay with an argumentative essay but the two although seemingly similar are a little bit different. Both essays are meant to persuade an audience of something using logic but when it comes to writing a persuasive essay, apart from relying on only facts to convince your reader of the position you are taking, you can also use emotions to compel them to buy into your argument.
Persuasive Essay: Pre-writing Step
Before writing a persuasive essay. Consider the following factors;
- Choosing an interesting topic
- Having a great background knowledge of the topic
- Having great research skills
- Understanding your audience and giving value in your content
- Using historical background references
- Giving interesting basic facts
Writing a convincing piece and getting people to follow you is difficult and in this article we give you the steps to writing an impeccable persuasive essay.
For you to write a convincing persuasive essay, you cannot skip this very important step. Writing a persuasive essay requires preparations. Jumping straight into the paper would do you no good.
You need to prepare in order for you to have flow in your content when you start writing. In addition, Having notes down with all the research findings you made will make it a lot easier for you.
It helps you craft a well-organized and easy to read piece that will be understandable and enjoyable.
How to Choose a Great Topic for a Persuasive Essay
The first step you will take when tasked with the writing of a persuasive essay is to pick a topic. This is going to be a topic you are passionate about and you can easily argue it out from different angles and persuade the audience to agree with you both logically and emotionally.
If the topic you have picked is something you believe in, you will be more driven to research, write and argue strongly in a compelling manner because the issue is personal to you. You will build a strong defense in your essay because you are well versed in the topic. The best persuasive essays are from a personal experience as they point clearly to the audience on an ignored social issue that has affected a writer or a group of people the writer cares about.
You want to avoid controversial topics with a lot of contradictory points of view around it such as gun control or abortions. It will be very challenging to convince different groups of people who hold strong views on these topics that you are right on such emotive and delicate topics in the west.
For you to choose and write a convincing persuasive essay on any topic, you must consider the following;
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What is your position on the subject.
Before you start writing you must ask yourself the following questions,
- What do you know about the subject?
- Are you familiar with the events involved?
- Can you fully support your opinion in the case?
- Are you able to answer questions on the subject?
- Can you provide a solution to your argument?
This questions will allow you to evaluate yourself and help you know how well you understand the subject of the matter.
If you are able to answer all of the questions then that will mean you are in a position to write and actually persuade your readers
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Understand your target audience
Your target audience is the people you are writing for. The people you want to convince and knowing the type of people you intend to convince is a great deal in helping you craft down just the right words.
To understand your audience you must be able to know;
- What is your audience’s age group.
- What do they do for a living.
- Which part of the world do they live in.
- What are their struggles.
- What are their expectations and hopes in relation to the subject
This type of questions will enable you to know how to write for your audience. The kind of language you will use in your writing, that will best suite your readers.
Knowing your readers’ struggles, where they live, what they do and their views on the subject will help you know exactly how to go about writing your essay and get them to support you.
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Do Thorough Research
To catch the big fish in the ocean, you must provide the greatest hook. In order for you to get the people to support you, you must have strong points worth supporting and all this calls for a deep and thorough research.
Your research might involve interviewing people to get a little bit more concept of people’s opinions compared to yours. This will give you a general view on how to approach your readers in your writing.
Interviewing people might also results to giving you more points for your essay.
You might also need to spend some time in the library and the internet to get more of historical and documented views on the subject.
You must have great research skills and be creative in order for you to have enough convincing points.
- Focus on the purpose
The purpose in this case is to convince your audience in which you must stick to.
Through out your research you must focus on your subject and your opinions. Reasons why you are bringing on the subject, why you are supporting it and why you are trying to get the people to support you too.
To ensure you don’t sway to another direction from your specific tittle, all this must be your number one priority while you research and write.
- Organize your work
Once you have done your research and positioned yourself on the subject. Organize your work.
Start with your strongest points down to the back ups [the small points]. Ensure you have enough evidence to bring out and explain each point independently in different paragraphs.
Make sure when you start writing, your content will have a nice flow and your audience will clearly understand what you stand for right from the beginning.
- Be relevant in each and every step.
How To Write Persuasive Essay Outline
The outline you shall follow when writing your persuasive essay is going to be similar to other academic essays. You shall start with the introduction section, then the main body, and finally the conclusion. However, the content shall be different in each of these sections because it is a persuasive essay. Let’s look at each of the three sections keenly;
- Introduction
- Body paragraphs [at least 3]
- Conclusion
The layout usually start out with one paragraph as an introduction, going on to the 3 or more body paragraphs and wrapping up everything neatly in the last paragraph.
Your essay is recommended to have at least 5 paragraphs.
Now let’s break down the essay structure step by step. Instead of introduction though we are going to start out by showing you how to choose your tittle.
How To Structure Persuasive Essay
The Subject
If you have a choice you must be wise in deciding the tittle of your essay. You know the topics you can handle best.
Choose an interesting topic and phrase it in a way that is going to capture your readers attention at a glance and keep them reading throughout.
It is always advised to write the essay first and tittle last. Use your thesis to craft an interesting tittle ensuring it is in line with content.
Narrow vast topics and concentrate on a very specific tittle. This will give your reader a better and clear understanding of what you are bringing on the table.
For instance, instead of writing an essay about ‘’ What causes climate change’’ ,you could bring it down to ‘’ Effects of gasoline-powered vehicles on climate change’’. This makes it even more, specific, interesting and brings out more meaning to it.
Ensure you have enough to write about the chosen topic. Let it be a subject you have some background knowledge about besides research.
Remember your tittle is the first words your readers will come across and there and then decide whether it’s going to be an interesting essay or a boring one.
How To Write Persuasive Essay Introduction
This is the first part of your essay and it introduces the readers to the topic of your discussion. It does that by giving them a background of the topic, a hook, and a position you have taken on the topic. You grab the reader’s attention at this point and don’t lose till the end of the essay with a strong hook and a clear thesis statement. In this type of essay, you take a stance and you do it with a forceful thesis otherwise it would be difficult to deliver a powerful argument.
To create a powerful thesis statement in a persuasive essay, consider the “what” and “how” of your argument. The “what” is whatever you are trying to convince the audience to accept while the “how” is the method you shall use to convince the readership that your stance is valid.
Your introduction should be attention grabbing. Start with an interesting fact that is common.
Use statistics, people love numbers and using them anyway you can in your introduction is going to hook them there.
Start by asking a question. This will install curiosity in your readers minds and they are going to want more.
Using a famous quotation for starters has also been proven to make the reader want to read more of the presentation.
At this stage is where you introduce the topic. What is your reason for sharing. What and why does it matter. Be careful though, not to share too much information here. Don’t bring out the real argument, just a brief background information about your topic.
Provide your thesis statement. This usually comes towards the end of your introduction.
A persuasive essay thesis statement usually includes;
- – The subject. What are you writing about?
- – The argument. Why are you writing about it and why it should or shouldn’t be the way
It is.
- – Your Stance. What is your position on the subject?
Your thesis statement is a statement whereby you provide a clear reason as to why you stand for or against a particular subject. From this your readers should clearly understand your position.
This is important since it let your reader understand the flow of the essay and know where it is going.
How To Write Persuasive Essay Body Paragraphs
This is where your strongest argument lies. You bring out your points and support them fully.
Always have at least 3 main points which are the real deal, this are your strongest reasons the whole essay is going to be based on.
Write each point in their own paragraph and support it independently. Use strong facts that you will be able to write on and answer any question on the same if need be.
For you to convince people you must have links for referral to strengthen your point. Refer to documented copy on the same.
Use transitional words like ‘’not only. But also’’ to show similarities, ‘’ although, instead, however’’ to bring out contradiction, ‘’ in case’’ to show cause and effect and ‘’in general, in particular’’ to show examples/evidence.
Transitional phrases brings meaning and show logic. Start with transitional phrases in each of your paragraphs to build a bridge between ideas.
Tackle each point in a creative manner and make sure to explain your opinions to detail. Since it is the main section of your essay and this is where you shall present your arguments.
The body section ought to be in different paragraphs each with a specific idea and supporting evidence that is logical and valid in driving the argument forward. The essay shall have 5 paragraphs at most. Feel free to offer opposing opinions and provide counterarguments that clear any contradicting feeling a reader might have. You want to sell your readers at this point so that the conclusion part just closes the entire argument by restating the thesis. If you do a great job on the main body section, you will have no problem concluding and winning the audience over.
To build solid arguments, you can use Aristotle’s rhetorical elements which are ethos, pathos, and logos.
- Ethos in essay writing can be incorporated by using credible authors as reference points for your arguments because it touches on the credibility of the author. Ethos simply implies that the audience should believe your arguments because of the credibility of the author.
- Pathos in persuasive essay writing can be incorporated by tapping into the readers’ emotions, morals, and values. You can easily use emotions and moral superiority to your advantage while pushing your arguments to the audience. An example would be let’s say you are arguing on the ban of narcotics, you can state that “life is very beautiful but you can’t see it when you are hooked on drugs and don’t have control over your life anymore, it is only when you are sober and contented and firmly leading your life without fixations that you can enjoy the beauty of life”. Such a statement appeals to an audience’s emotions and drives them to want to stop a certain habit in society.
- Logos can be used in a persuasive essay by appealing to reason and using numeral data. You can say “5 out of 10 people who use drugs end up destroying their life or cannot hold down a job”.
The best way to craft powerful arguments for the body section shall be to conduct proper research and find sources that support your arguments. There shall always be another side to your topic, explore it and find counterarguments. You should find sufficient evidence that convinces your readers all along. You can use statistics from credible authorities, you can use quotes from the early thinkers and you can also use examples.
The three elements of successful rhetoric arguments shall make your arguments so powerful and robust that no one shall be able to resist them at all. Ethically, you shouldn’t come across like you are manipulating your argument and misleading the audience with your information. Your information has to be factual and can be validated by the audience if need be. Wrong information shall water down your arguments.
How To Write Persuasive Essay Conclusion
This is the summary of all the arguments made in the body section. You shall remind the audience of your thesis statement by restating it here and confirming it with the arguments and facts made within the body section of the essay. You want to encourage the audience to take a specific action or adopt the position you took while starting the essay. It can be a dramatic plea or a call to action.
Now that you have given all the points to support your opinions, this is your last chance to really persuade the audience.
Let’s break this into parts;
Part 1: Restate your thesis
You don’t need to rewrite the whole thesis statement. Link your conclusion to a phrase you used in your thesis statement. This will give your readers a sense of completion and establish a balance that feels just right at the end of a difficult discussion.
Part 2: Restate your 3 strongest points
Again, you are not rewriting the whole essay here. Conclude your essay by reflecting back to your strongest points. It builds a sense of conclusion and reminds them on why they should support your argument.
Part 3: A call to action
Tell your readers what to do next now that your reasoning is clear and sensible. Be confident in your presentation.
Avoid using phrases like, ‘’to sum up’’ or ‘’in conclusion’’ at the end of your essay. Phrases like this could be encouraged in oral presentations but not in writing.
From the flow of your writing readers could sense and tell when your essay is coming to an end. You will irritate the audience if you say the obvious.
Mistakes To Avoid While Writing a Persuasive Essay
Avoid these mistakes while writing a persuasive essay;
Make sure your content matches the topic. It could be really hard to keep intact with the topic sometimes due to broad topics. To avoid this kind of mistake always make sure your essay topic is narrowed down to the least possible tittle, very specific.
Don’t repeat words and phrases. This makes your essay plain and meaningless. Also, it makes it boring, making your readers loose interest and unable to read through to the end.
In addition, it gives the essence that you don’t know what you are talking about and therefore lack evidence to prove your point. As a result, essays like this are hard to persuade anyone.
Never refer to facts you can’t prove. Linking or referring to facts you cannot explain well just because you read them somewhere gets you to some dead end.
In persuasive essays evidence and demonstrations are the main factors. You can’t demonstrate if you can’t prove. It’s that simple. If you can’t explain a point, don’t mention it.
Persuasive Essay Submission
Now that your persuasive essay is ready, do these two things before submitting;
- Proofread
- Edit
Proofread and edit your work to check for any spelling mistakes and irrelevant words and phrases you might want to remove or add.
You might want to have someone else read your essay to edit it for you.
Do this at least two times to ensure no careless mistakes.
Persuasive essay is all about making others agreeing with your point of view. Once you have facts to support your opinions and you organize your writing accordingly, then you are good to go.
To Sum Up
In order to learn how write persuasive essay, it is important that you know your audience and the angle you want to take. Once you have those two pieces of information, it is time to start writing your essay. The introduction should be catchy and introduce your topic. The body of the essay should provide evidence in support of your argument. The conclusion should restate your thesis and leave the reader with something to think about. By following these steps, you can write a persuasive essay that will get your point across.
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