Writing a Persuasive Essay

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English 52

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We have all had arguments with friends, acquaintances, or even strangers about a variety of subjects--sports, politics, classes, music. Most people usually enjoy hearing the viewpoints of others and expressing our own beliefs. However, some of these conversations leave us feeling frustrated at our inability to convince people that our views are "right." Sometimes we wish we had been quick enough to think of a better response. Sometimes we simply don’t have enough reliable information to argue the issue intelligently.

Written argument gives us the opportunity to learn about the issue, to list the arguments for and against the issue, to develop good examples to prove the thesis, and to arrangement the argument so that it effectively communicates to our audience. Written argument is a formalized written debate. The author must imagine the opposing arguments and then counter the opposition with sound ideas and evidence.

Take the Time To Understand the Issues

Some students approach an argument with such strong attitudes that they ignore evidence that contradicts their thinking. Be careful not to make this mistake. As you research the issue, try to keep an open mind. Then, after carefully researching the topic and analyzing the evidence, choose the position you’ll take. Keep in mind that most issues are not black and white. Often several possible positions exits. The better you understand each of the positions, the better able you will be to avoid a shifting position. In addition, the more you know about and understand the strengths of your opposition, the better able you will be to counter or neutralize them, and thus enhance your argument.

As you investigate various position, as and answer the following questions about each position:

What kinds of evidence support this position?
How substantial is the evidence?
If the evidence includes statistics and authoritative opinions, are they reliable or are they flawed for some reason?
What are the objections to each position? How can the objections be countered?
If the issue involves taking some action, what are the consequences of this action?

Examine Your Position

As you develop your essay, list every reason you can think of to support your view. To develop additional details, answer the following questions:

Why is the issue important?
What would happen if my view was adopted?
What would happen if my view was not adopted?
What are the chief objections to my view?
How can these objections be countered?

Determine the Purpose of Your Essay

As you try to decide what position you will take, consider the purpose of your argument. What do you want people to think or do? The purpose of your argument will in all likelihood affect the strategies you choose to employ as you develop your essay.

Some arguments try to establish that something is a fact. (Prison education significantly lowers the rate of recidivism). This type of essay will rely on assorted evidence, including statistics, authoritative opinion, and perhaps personal experience.

Other arguments defend or oppose some policy. (Prison education is vital to the efforts to rehabilitate prison inmates and prepare them to live successfully outside of the prison environment). In this type of paper, you usually discuss the need for the policy or action, how it can best be met, the cost or feasibility of your recommendation, and the benefits that will result.

Still other arguments assert the greater value of someone or something. (The prison education system in Europe is far superior to the prison education system in the United States because the European program has better support from its governments). To write this type of essay, you would indicate what you’re trying to prove and identity the points on which the items will be compared and evaluated. The, based on details, examples, and statistics you would demonstrate that one of the items has greater worth than the other.

Develop a Clear View of Your Audience

With an argument, as with any essay, purpose and audience are closely linked. Even though you may never convince anyone of your argument, it is best to adopt the attitude that most of your readers are willing to be convinced if your approach is appealing and your evidence is sound. Thus, it is important to analyze your audience to determine what they already believe. Also keep in mind that your paper is directed at those who disagree with you, not those who believe what you believe. Once you have your audience clearly in mind, you can determine how best to convince them to believe or act on your thesis.

Develop Common Ground with Your Audience

When you begin writing your essay, it is usually helpful to begin where you have common ground with your opponents. Common ground is reasonable justification for your ideas that your audience, those who disagree with you, share. (Probably most readers will agree that it is important to lower the number of prisoners who continue to commit crimes after their release from prison.)

Beware of Overgeneralizations and Stereotyping

There are lot of places to start developing common ground, but you must be very careful not to make assumptions or over generalizations about your audience. You must avoid using words like "all," "never," or "every." These words can get you into trouble quickly because your opponent only has to find one exception to prove you wrong.

Here are a few potential trouble spots to keep in mind:

Gender and Age

All woman have a strong maternal instinct.
All the old people voted against the bond initiative because they hate paying for schools.

Ethnic Background

All British people are stuffy

Economic Status

People on welfare really don’t want to work
All rich people are racist

Regional Background

People in the south are prejudice

Watch Religious Assumptions

Religion in particular poses problems. In general, you are wise to steer clear of evidence based on religious views. No matter how strong your religious convictions are, it is simply not a sound basis for a convincing argument essay.

According to Scripture, capital punishment is wrong because the Bible commands us not to kill.

You assume that those in the audience accept the concept of divinely inspired writing as you do.
You assume the scripture you have quoted is the definitive reference on the subject.
You assume that all people in your audience use the same scriptures you are citing.
You assume that all people in your audience put the same weight and emphasis on the scripture you have quoted

Use Personal Experience Thoughtfully

Personal experience can often be used to create an effective argument, but it is important to evaluate your experience carefully. Before using personal experience, ask yourself the following questions:

Will significant numbers of people have had similar experiences?
Am I giving enough information to help my readers understand how I came to my conclusions?
Am I allowing for those who might respond to this situation differently than I did?
Have I been careful not to over generalize the experience?
Have I been careful to take into consideration all possible factors that influence my response to the experience?

Keep in mind that you know how you have your opinion on the topic. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that your audience knows why too.

Developing Your Thesis

As you begin to develop your thesis, ask yourself the following questions:

Do I have enough information to explain my position thoroughly? Am I willing to take the time to gather the information I need?
What is it exactly that I want my audience to conclude from this essay?
Are there knowledgeable people who agree with me?
Are there knowledgeable people who disagree with me?
What proof or evidence do I have to present to my opposition to persuade them of the reasonableness of my position.

Keep in mind that in a persuasive essay, it is not enough for you to simply state your opinion. Your opinions long are not going to be enough to change someone’s mind. You must provide some kind of proof or evidence to back and support the claims you make. The strength of your evidence is what will lead people to respect your opinions.