How to Write a Persuasive Essay

To make your readers stand in similar grounds with you, the writer, is the end-goal of a persuasive essay. And this is not or may not be a piece of cake on your part. Composers of this brand of essay play similarly the role of lawyers or debaters in which, all of you argue that this certain path is the best and safest to traverse. This essay though, is not going to persuade, but inform you on the writing guidelines on essays of persuasion.

What Are the First Round of Evidences?

Persuasive essays entail a stand on a particular conflicting event. You are actually caught between (or among) two (or more) ideas or positions that are at odds against each other. In getting out of this dilemma, you might be thinking that the first move is to take a stand, or a position. I believe this is not the immediate and right step in writing your persuasive essay. Since persuasive essays require powerful argumentation, it is best to investigate briefly first on the evidences behind the issue at hand. Initially, gather all the relevant data in order for you to examine it in various angles.

Let us illustrate this guideline. If you are to write a persuasive essay that tackles Recognition or Redistribution as the heart of social policies, then in order for you to come up with, a good essay about it, you have to know first the following information: What is Recognition? What is Redistribution? What do scholars say about these? You should have a literature review first on the issue at hand. How can you persuade the readers to walk with you if you have not passed through the two positions that are at odds against each other?

The significance of the brief literature review is that it enables you to encounter first the sides of the issue at hand. It is a means for you to brainstorm. It does not mean however that you are going to spend the bulk of your time reading everything about the issue at hand. You will be devoting much of your time defending your position in the best way possible. According to De La Paz (2001), in teaching students to write persuasive essays, they have “to be reflective by generating ideas to support each side of an issue before deciding what their position is” (p. 234).

What Is Your Position?

After engaging in a brief literature review on the topic that you will be writing on, decide now on what is your position. Based on your first round of academic inquiry, ask yourself whether you are going to dwell on the left or the right wing. Ask yourself, which of the positions is more appropriate in resolving the issue in which you are going to write on. Which is sounder? Which is more applicable in reality? Since you are being of values, you judge the matter according to your set of values.

Write to Persuade

After deciding on the position to take, you are now about to argue it in a form of writing. Arguing through writing is far different and difficult than speaking or presenting. Although in some cases, you can always cite illustrations, figures, or tables to support your point, but note that these are only materials that could aid the readers. Still, you struggle in the form of the written words. Bear in mind therefore that you are going to write to persuade. But just how are you going to write a persuasive essay?

1. Keep in mind that essays in general are basically structured intro three parts – introduction, body, and conclusion.

Keep your introduction short and let it serve as the abstract or the preview or overview of your essay. Write it in such a way that the hints you provide will tease the readers. More importantly, state the general thesis statement of your essay in this portion of the essay. State your stand so that the readers will know what to expect. How about the body and the conclusion? The subsequent sections are about to discuss how to do so.

2. Make sure that your arguments are logically presented.

The body is the heart of your persuasive essay. It is in this section that you deploy and strongly establish your arguments. Thus, your essay must ensure clarity. You cannot present a strong defense for your claim if you cannot present it in a clear and well-structured manner. Be sure to write down your points, premises or specific thesis statements in a logical manner. In doing so, De La Paz (2001) suggests that you think of a map. A map leads you to something. It would be useful if you state first the ideas that support your points before you state your ideas that rebut the other stand (p. 234). In other words, you can logically present your arguments by having smooth transitional sentences. Make it a point that this certain paragraph that contains this certain idea will lead to the next. In effect, your arguments are tightly weaved among each other, and therefore strongly presented.

3. State clearly your points or premises.

You have to be clear that every paragraph is about a certain idea. Every paragraph contains a specific thesis statement, which refer to your points or premises. You can write your specific thesis statements by way of a declarative sentence or in a rhetorical question. The following illustrates the said suggestions respectively:

1) It is strongly believed that China must join the United States of America and Japan in disarming North Korea.

2) What is the significance of China in disarming North Korea?

Either way, your audience is exposed to your position, and you reveal unto them afterwards the supporting ideas behind your position.

4. How are you going to state your point?

This may be the first question that you will confront yourself with in writing your persuasive essay. Before stating your point, you must decide on which between the facts and your point will come first. On the one hand, you may opt to present the facts first before stating your point. On the other hand, you may opt too to state first your point before presenting the facts. Either way, the facts and your point build on each other.

According to Coffin et al. (2003), there are three ways in stating one’s perspective on the issue. The writer may explicitly use “I think”, “in my view”, or “in my opinion”. The writer may also make use of “it can therefore be argued that”, “from the evidence it is clear that x is a plausible interpretation”, or “an analysis of the evidence above shows that”. The third option is to join these two ways (p. 58). What is essential here is that you speak to your readers and you convey to them your stand.

5. Stick to your goal — to persuade.

Since a persuasive essay aims to convince the readers to view the world in a particular perspective, the author therefore has to strengthen her/his arguments by integrating relevant points of view. Coffin et al. (2003) is saying that a writer may include other points of view for two purposes — to have a balanced presentation, or to avoid deploying simplistic arguments. On the other hand, the writer may not do so as it would only weaken her/his arguments (p. 57). If you see yourself trapped within this circumstance, it is best that you should stick to the goal of a persuasive essay — to make your readers to stand in the same grounds as yours. It is good that you present and acknowledge the different angles to the problem, but you must ensure that it does not defeat the purpose of defending your stand.

Let’s take a look at this example:

I firmly believe that Hong Kong should enjoy autonomy from China as stated in the Basic Law in which, Hong Kong is supposed to “enjoy a high degree of autonomy”. The Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, the Standing Committee of National People’s Congress’ interpretations of the Basic Law, and the central government’s reported direct or indirect interference with Hong Kong are all accounts of violations to the autonomy that Hong Kong is supposed to be enjoying in a “one country, two systems” state. Christine Loh’s (2006) tri-dimensional view of the matter provides an alternative in resolving the issue of Hong Kong’s autonomy. First, the people of Hong Kong respect their culture at the same time “willing to stand up for two systems”. Second, they respect the central government, acting in such a way that they are not attacking its leaders and CCP. And third, they believe in “one country”. China therefore should seriously acknowledge these three things if it respects Hong Kong, since there are no huge threats behind if China will make Hong Kong truly an autonomous region.

Notice in this example that the writer has stated a clear stand – that Hong Kong should be autonomous from China. Then, an undeniably different point of view (by Christine Loh) has been cited, which is about unity in a different angle. At first glance, it seems that such point of view even supports the opposite position of the writer. Yet, the author has even used it to advance the claim that Hong Kong should be autonomous from China.

6. Use strong evidences.

This guideline is corollary to the fourth one. Strong arguments require strong evidences. The second round of evidence-hunting is devoted on searching for literatures that will fortify your claim. According to De La Paz (2001), supporting ideas account for why you took this position and not the other. Likewise, they provide a precise defense for the premise (p. 234).

Writing a persuasive essay based on common sense or on the moral frameworks of society is insufficient and lacks precision, and therefore dissuades the readers. You are a rational being, and for that reason, you should argue in accordance with academically produced materials. Ask yourself the following question: Who are the experts in that area of concern and what do they say about it? The reason why you should listen and eventually cite these experts is because they have studied or scholarly researched on this particular conflicting event. Therefore, it makes your essay sound authoritative.

The following is an example of a pro-abortion stand that is grounded on academically produced moral philosophy:

According to Mill, “The creed which accepts as the foundation of morals, Utility, or the Greatest Happiness Principle, holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness” (qtd in Crisp 95). Individuals are rational enough to realize whether an event will be favorable or unfavorable to their positions. The pleasure or the pain behind abortion justifies its act. Consider the case being the parents are in a state in which having a baby puts them in a disadvantage position in the course of time. Thus, there is no greatest good if they will not abort the baby. In the end, the event will just bring them pain, and not pleasure. It can therefore be argued that, abortion, being a vehicle to attain the desired pleasure, is considered a moral act.

Other than the aforementioned paragraph, Coffin et al. (2003) prescribe that you may also refer to your own personal or professional experiences, documentary evidences, quantitative and/or qualitative data, etc. (p. 58). The example cited in the fourth guideline can likewise be an example for this guideline. Note that the author in that example has cited the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, the Standing Committee of National People’s Congress’ interpretations of the Basic Law, and the central government’s reported direct or indirect interference with Hong Kong, which are personal/professional experiences and documentary proofs, as the evidences in support of the stand. The point I am driving at in this guideline is that you should place a premium in looking for scholarly produced materials because these are the means for you to attain your goal.

7. Highlight your voice.

You should not forget your voice in your persuasive essay. You are not merely making a stand on a certain issue. You are actually expressing your very own self. Coffin et al. (2001) state that by and large, the style of a persuasive essay is such that you sound authoritative and like “the voice of a professional historian”; and, you speak your “own personal identity and ‘voice’” (p. 59).

This guideline is related with the third one, on stating your perspective. You have to realize that doing a persuasive essay is more than taking a stand and supporting them with researched evidences. You should highlight your voice in your written piece. Otherwise, you are merely just making a perfect paper without a soul. Other than explicitly saying your stand, you can cite your personal and/or professional experiences as one of your supporting statements. This way, the readers are able to encounter you and your experience that has paved the way for writing what you believe in. In convincing your audience, you have to show that you yourself are convinced that this stand is the best.

8. Have a beautiful exit.

Consider the following percentages. Devote 15% of your effort on your persuasive essay’s introduction, 50% on its body, and 35% on its conclusion. You should focus only on developing a good body. You should bear in mind that the conclusion is just as good or significant as the body. The conclusion serves as your essay’s final statement, which will leave a final remark among your readers. Says De La Paz (2001), “Good endings provide resolution to the essay by restating the premise or summing up the writer's beliefs” (p. 234). Apart from this statement however and referring to the previous guideline, I suggest that you state once more your position in your conclusion.

Conclusion

How to write a good persuasive essay? The first move is to briefly investigate on the issue at hand. Secondly, decide on the road you are going to take. Then, write your persuasive essay according to these 8 guidelines: 1) Keep in mind that essays in general are basically structured intro three parts – introduction, body, and conclusion. 2) Make sure that your arguments are logically presented. 3) State clearly your points or premises. 4) State your points. 5) Stick to your goal — to persuade. 6) Use strong evidences. 7) Highlight your voice. 8) Have a beautiful exit. In the course of writing, you should be guided by your end-goal, i.e. to make the readers to stand in similar grounds with you. This is what writing a persuasive essay is all about.

References:

Book:

Coffin, C, Curry, M J, Goodman, S, Hewings, A, Lillis, T M, & Swann, J 2003,

Teaching Academic Writing: A Toolkit for Higher Education. Routledge,

London.

Journal:

De La Paz, S 2001, ‘STOP and DARE: A Persuasive Writing Strategy’,

Intervention in School & Clinic, vol. 36, no. 4, p.234.