WHAT IS A PERSUASIVE/ARGUMENT ESSAY?

Persuasive writing, also known as the argument essay, utilizes logic and reason to
show that one idea is more legitimate than another idea. It attempts to persuade
a reader to adopt a certain point of view or to take a particular action. The
argument must always use sound reasoning and solid evidence by stating facts,
giving logical reasons, using examples, and quoting experts.

STEPS IN WRITING PERSUASIVE ESSAY:

Take a stance. What do you think about the issue? What side will you take? Be aware of any
prejudices you might have that could color your argument. What resolution will you suggest?
Know your audience. Determine if your audience will agree with your position and why they
may not. You must be able to understand both sides of the issue in order to successfully argue
your point of view.
Thoroughly research your topic. The point of a persuasive essay is to provide detailed and
compelling evidence—you should be able to disprove the opposing argument. It will likely be
necessary to undertake library-based research in order to accomplish this.
Think about the structure of your essay. Determine what evidence you will include and the
order in which you will present it. Remember, it must be logical.
Support your argument. Use hard facts. You can gather these from your research, observations,
or personal experiences. But be careful! In order to avoid plagiarism, you must cite your
sources. You should always use verifiable statistics. It is important to be able to back up your
argument with data. In order to further strengthen the argument in your persuasive essay, try
using one or two direct quotes from experts on the topic. Finally, provide meaningful examples
to enhance and clearly illustrate your argument.

SOME PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES IN WRITING:

Adjective. Describing words, often used to make the reader feel a particular way about an issue.
e.g. “Reality shows allow us to feel a bland, artificial version of that incredible thrill you get
from having a crack and chasing your ambitions.”
Adverbs. Adverbs are words that modify adjectives or verbs. Like adjectives, they are selected
to make a reader think or feel about something in a particular way.
e.g. “In a recent article, I wrote about my dogs, a kelpie and a blue heeler, dying from 1080 fox
bait. They had eaten it during a weekend trip to the high country and died horribly.”
Alliteration. The repetition of words starting with the same to create emphasis.
e.g. ”And I can tell you it is distressing beyond words to watch an animal suffer like that and not
be able to alleviate its agony.”
Appeals. Writers often appeal to different emotions, such as a reader’s sense of fairness, justice
or patriotism.
Anecdotes. Short, personal stories that help to illustrate a point.
e.g. “For my three most recent books, on motherhood, cancer and nursing, I interviewed more
than 300 people about the nuts and bolts of what our incredibly short time on this planet is really
about – life, death, family and love. If there is one thing I can guarantee, it’s that there will never
be a person who lies on their deathbed, shaking with rage, sobbing, ‘Dear God, I wish I’d spent
more time watching MasterChef.'”
Everyday language. Writers will often use everyday language, sometimes called colloquial
language, to make themselves seem down-to-earth.
e.g. “Fairness is the cornerstone of our constitution and our national identity. But as we head into
an election year, I think we need to ask ourselves whether we really believe in a fair go for all.”
Cliches. An overused expression. Although they should be avoided, cliches give writers an
opportunity to express an idea to their readers quickly.
Here are some examples of cliches:
• Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
• Alls well that ends well.
• As light as a feather.
• Time will tell.
Connotations. All words have connotations or associations. Some words, for example, may have
the same literal meaning but very different connotations. Connotations may be negative or
positive. Think about the word ‘thin’. There are lots of words that share this meaning—slender,
lithe, slim, skinny, lean, slight, lanky, undernourished, wasted, gangly, rake-like, anorexic,
spindly. If someone was describing your body, you would probably prefer to be called ‘slender’
or ‘slim’ rather than ‘lanky’ or ‘anorexic’. When people are writing an argument, they think very
carefully about the words that they select and the impact these words will have on their audience.
Emotive words. Words that provoke an emotional reaction from the audience.
e.g. “But no, people from the bush were saying it is cruel to kill foxes with a poison that causes a
slow, agonisingdeath.”
Exaggeration. Writers often exaggerate or overstate something to help persuade readers of their
point of view.
e.g. “Our experts will tell you a million reasons why it can’t or shouldn’t be done here. They
have turned excuse-making into an art form.”
Evidence. Writers will often use evidence – which might take the form of facts, figures, quotes
or graphs – to help support their argument.

SAMPLE OF PERSUASIVE ESSAY ABOUT CYBER BULLYING:

Introduction examples
Thesis: It is important to stop cyber bullying because everyone should have the right to use social media
without being harassed.

Thesis: Cyber bullying has lasting effects on the lives of both the bullied person and the bully and can
indeed lead to suicide or murder if steps are not taken swiftly to intervene.

Hook & Thesis: If you think your child couldn’t be a bully, think again. Now more than ever, it’s likely
that the average student is involved in cyber bullying, whether bullying, being bullied, or witnessing
bullying take place. The solutions lie with you as a parent to intervene before it’s too late.

As you move into the body of your essay, look back at your thesis. You want to defend all the statements
you made within it, so quickly outline your arguments and the evidence that goes along with them, before
you start writing. Then take your arguments one by one, making sure that if you have any concessions to
make to another point of view, you’re also including that in the essay.

Body paragraphs example

Body: Cyber bullying often isn’t only taking place on the internet but in ‘real life’ as well. Bullies may be
engaging in similar behaviour on the playground as they do online, so if you are a teacher or a parent,
it’s important to watch for visible signs of physical abuse as well as emotional. If a student appears to be
shunned by nearly the whole class, or if your child has always been positive and upbeat but suddenly
appears to withdraw or will not show you what he or she is doing on their phone, there’s a good chance
bullying may be involved. Cyber bullying, however, isn’t just opportunistic bullying, but aimed and
targeted, often with the goal of completely destroying the person it is aimed at by driving them to suicide.
It’s vital that you intervene to stop this while you can.

As you come to a conclusion, remind your audience of the points you want them to remember, and close
by asking them to consider what action they can take.
Conclusion example
Conclusion: Cyber bullying goes beyond the school yard in an attempt to harm every part of a child’s life.
Intervene as soon as you can when you see the signs, and you may save your student or child a great deal
of distress, and perhaps even their life.