Friday, May 1, 2009

Structure of a Persuasive Essay - YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS!!!

INTRODUCTION: (hook the reader)
1. State/identify topic (I want to find out in the first line what I'll be reading about.)
2. Give background information (Why is this topic important?)
3. Hint at structure (Hint at what you’ll be talking about in the rest of the essay.)
4. Thesis (take a stand)

BODY PARAGRAPH(S): (In a full essay, you usually have at least 3 body paragraphs. This is the meat, the substance of your essay)
1. Topic sentence (Every other sentence in the body paragraph should relate to your topic sentence.)
2. Concrete detail/Example (this is your first point)
3. Commentary/Explanation of example (you explain your example, these are your thoughts)
4. Opposing view (address the other side)
5. Refutation (prove them wrong, or at least point out why the other side is weak. You present the opposing view in order to refute it.)
6. Transition/Concluding Sentence (make your essay flow from one paragraph to the next)

CONCLUSION: (this is the last thing the reader will read, so make it count)
1. Key points in brief/summarize (review your main points)
2. Restate thesis (don't copy it exactly, say it a little differently)
3. Call to action (now what? what do you want the reader to do after they read your essay?)

1 comment:

Oaklie said...

Hey Mrs Merrill
it is Oaklie i don't know if you'll get this but i just wanted to let you know how much this persuasive essay lay out has helped me. I miss you so much! I wish so badly that my English teacher was still you! My teacher now has issues i DO NOT like the way she teaches it is so different and ever way she has told me to write an essay is everything you told me not to do, the thing is i know your right and she is wrong. The way she teaches me is the way i learned to do in 5th or 6th grade. anyway i miss you so much thank for all the knowledge you have given me.
-Oaklie