The persuasive essay: structure and strategies

1. The Persuasive Essay
Parallels (Brent Davies, 2009)

2. The Persuasive Essay
In a persuasive essay, the writer attempts to
persuade readers that his or her opinion on a
controversial issue is the right one. The writer
presents one side of the issue and supports his or
her opinion with arguments backed up by statistics,
examples and expert opinions. In short essays (500
words), five paragraphs is the standard format.

3. Structuring the Argumentative Essay

4. Structuring the Argumentative Essay
Introductory Paragraph

5. Structuring the Argumentative Essay
Introductory Paragraph
Begin with a “grabber” -- a technique used to grab the
reader’s attention. Effective grabber techniques include:

6. Structuring the Argumentative Essay
Introductory Paragraph
Begin with a “grabber” -- a technique used to grab the
reader’s attention. Effective grabber techniques include:
1. Quotations

7. Structuring the Argumentative Essay
Introductory Paragraph
Begin with a “grabber” -- a technique used to grab the
reader’s attention. Effective grabber techniques include:
1. Quotations
Sue Rodriguez asked, “... whose body is this? Who owns
my life?”

8. Structuring the Argumentative Essay
Introductory Paragraph
Begin with a “grabber” -- a technique used to grab the
reader’s attention. Effective grabber techniques include:
1. Quotations
Sue Rodriguez asked, “... whose body is this? Who owns
my life?”
2. Definitions

9. Structuring the Argumentative Essay
Introductory Paragraph
Begin with a “grabber” -- a technique used to grab the
reader’s attention. Effective grabber techniques include:
1. Quotations
Sue Rodriguez asked, “... whose body is this? Who owns
my life?”
2. Definitions
“Euthanasia” is the act of killing someone to relieve pain
and suffering.

10. Structuring the Argumentative Essay
Introductory Paragraph
Begin with a “grabber” -- a technique used to grab the
reader’s attention. Effective grabber techniques include:
1. Quotations
Sue Rodriguez asked, “... whose body is this? Who owns
my life?”
2. Definitions
“Euthanasia” is the act of killing someone to relieve pain
and suffering.
3. Facts

11. Structuring the Argumentative Essay
Introductory Paragraph
Begin with a “grabber” -- a technique used to grab the
reader’s attention. Effective grabber techniques include:
1. Quotations
Sue Rodriguez asked, “... whose body is this? Who owns
my life?”
2. Definitions
“Euthanasia” is the act of killing someone to relieve pain
and suffering.
3. Facts
“On February 12, 1994, Sue Rodriguez defied Canadian
law and, with the help of an unidentified physician, ended
her life.

12. Structuring the Argumentative Essay
Introductory Paragraph:

13. Structuring the Argumentative Essay
Introductory Paragraph:
The introduction ends with a thesis statement, an
affirmative sentence that expresses the writer’s opinion
about the subject of the essay.

14. Structuring the Argumentative Essay
Introductory Paragraph:
The introduction ends with a thesis statement, an
affirmative sentence that expresses the writer’s opinion
about the subject of the essay.
Euthanasia should not be legalized.

15. Structuring the Argumentative Essay

16. Structuring the Argumentative Essay
Body Paragraphs

17. Structuring the Argumentative Essay
Body Paragraphs
The second, third and fourth paragraphs make up
the body of the essay.

18. Structuring the Argumentative Essay
Body Paragraphs
The second, third and fourth paragraphs make up
the body of the essay.
In each of these paragraphs, the first sentence
begins with a transition term. (First, Second,
Third, To continue, To finish) followed by an
argument in support of the thesis statement. The
first sentence,also called the topic sentence, must be
backed up with some form of evidence.

19. Body Paragraphs:
Three types of evidence

20. Body Paragraphs:
Three types of evidence
1. Statistics

21. Body Paragraphs:
Three types of evidence
1. Statistics
Facts: Euthanasia became legal in the Netherlands on
April 1, 2002.
Figures: Approximately 85 percent of Dutch people
support active euthanasia.

22. Body Paragraphs:
Three types of evidence
2. Expert Opinion

23. Body Paragraphs:
Three types of evidence
2. Expert Opinion
Quote: Sue Rodriguez once asked, “I want to ask
you gentlemen, if I cannot give consent to my own
death, then whose body is it? Who owns my life?
Paraphrase: Sue Rodriguez asked the court to tell
her who owned her body and life.

24. Body Paragraphs:
Three types of evidence
3. Example

25. Body Paragraphs:
Three types of evidence
3. Example
The story of Sue Rodriguez, a young woman
diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
(ALS), demonstrates the need to legalize assisted
suicide.

26. Body Paragraphs:
Three types of evidence
3. Example
The story of Sue Rodriguez, a young woman
diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
(ALS), demonstrates the need to legalize assisted
suicide.
Ideally, at least two types of evidence are
used in the body essay.

27. Structuring the Argumentative Essay

28. Structuring the Argumentative Essay
Conclusion

29. Structuring the Argumentative Essay
Conclusion
The fifth paragraph is called the conclusion.
The conclusion begins with a transition term (In
summary, To conclude) and a summary in which
the thesis and the three arguments are restated.
The essay ends with a “clincher”--a technique used
to encourage the reader to think about the essay.

30. Conclusion
Three types of “clincher” techniques

31. Conclusion
Three types of “clincher” techniques
1. Connecting with the introduction

32. Conclusion
Three types of “clincher” techniques
1. Connecting with the introduction
An example of connecting with the grabber would be:
The response to both of Sue Rodriguez’s questions is
the same: She does!

33. Conclusion
Three types of “clincher” techniques

34. Conclusion
Three types of “clincher” techniques
2. Asking a Rhetorical Question

35. Conclusion
Three types of “clincher” techniques
2. Asking a Rhetorical Question
Should euthanasia be legalized? Without a doubt!

36. Conclusion
Three types of “clincher” techniques

37. Conclusion
Three types of “clincher” techniques
3. Offering a Suggestion

38. Conclusion
Three types of “clincher” techniques
3. Offering a Suggestion
Euthanasia should be a choice in the same way that
abortion is a choice--and for the same reason: the
body belongs to the individual, not the state.

39. Persuasive Strategies

40. Persuasive Strategies
Four basic strategies to use when writing a
persuasive essay:

41. Persuasive Strategies
Four basic strategies to use when writing a
persuasive essay:
1. Don’t use any first- or second-person
pronouns(I, you, we, my, your, our, etc.)

42. Persuasive Strategies
Four basic strategies to use when writing a
persuasive essay:
1. Don’t use any first- or second-person
pronouns(I, you, we, my, your, our, etc.)
By only using the third-person singular or plural (he,
she, it, they, etc.), the essay appears impersonal and
therefore rational.

43. Persuasive Strategies
Four basic strategies to use when writing a
persuasive essay:

44. Persuasive Strategies
Four basic strategies to use when writing a
persuasive essay:
2. Don’t use any contractions (he’s, they’re,
we're,etc.)unless your teacher indicates otherwise.

45. Persuasive Strategies
Four basic strategies to use when writing a
persuasive essay:
2. Don’t use any contractions (he’s, they’re,
we're,etc.)unless your teacher indicates otherwise.
Using a formal style will lend credibility to your essay.

46. Persuasive Strategies
Four basic strategies to use when writing a
persuasive essay:

47. Persuasive Strategies
Four basic strategies to use when writing a
persuasive essay:
3. Place the weakest argument in the second
paragraph of the body (paragraph 3)

48. Persuasive Strategies
Four basic strategies to use when writing a
persuasive essay:
3. Place the weakest argument in the second
paragraph of the body (paragraph 3)
By placing your weakest argument in the middle of
the two paragraphs, the stronger of the two
arguments hides the weakness of the argument. In
other words, you begin and end strong.

49. Persuasive Strategies
Four basic strategies to use when writing a
persuasive essay:

50. Persuasive Strategies
Four basic strategies to use when writing a
persuasive essay:
4. In the introduction, present the opposing
viewpoint first, and then refute it in your thesis
statement.

51. Persuasive Strategies
Four basic strategies to use when writing a
persuasive essay:
4. In the introduction, present the opposing
viewpoint first, and then refute it in your thesis
statement.
By presenting the opposing position and then refuting
it, you appear open-minded; you indicate that you
have considered both sides of the issue, opting for
the better of the two.

52. Language Structures and Transition Terms

53. Language Structures and Transition Terms
Some useful language structures to present
and then refute and opinion are:

54. Language Structures and Transition Terms
Some useful language structures to present
and then refute and opinion are:
• While proponents claim that..., it would appear
the opposite is true.

55. Language Structures and Transition Terms
Some useful language structures to present
and then refute and opinion are:
• While proponents claim that..., it would appear
the opposite is true.
• Some have asserted that ...; nevertheless, ...

56. Language Structures and Transition Terms
Some useful language structures to present
and then refute and opinion are:
• While proponents claim that..., it would appear
the opposite is true.
• Some have asserted that ...; nevertheless, ...
• It could be argued that ...; however, ...

57. Language Structures and Transition Terms
Some useful language structures to present
and then refute and opinion are:
• While proponents claim that..., it would appear
the opposite is true.
• Some have asserted that ...; nevertheless, ...
• It could be argued that ...; however, ...
Notice the words nevertheless and however. They
are transition words and, like the terms first, second,
and third, they help the reader follow your train of
thought