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How to Write a Persuasive Essay

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So you've been assigned a persuasive paper and you're staring at a blinking cursor. What do you do first? How do you pick a good topic? Today we're going to learn how to write a persuasive essay, so you can get that assignment done. 

As we continue our back-to-school series on writing essays, today we look at the persuasive essay. 

Today's article is written by guest writer Cora Weems who is a senior at the University of South Carolina. She typically writes narrative poetry, slightly depressing short stories, and effective academic essays. Her hobbies include trying to get through a tall stack of unread books and handcrafts like card-making. Welcome, Cora! 

What is a Persuasive Essay?

A persuasive essay is a piece of writing that aims to convince the reader to adopt a specific viewpoint or take action. To support it, you'll use logical arguments, compelling evidence, emotional appeals, and personalization.

In school, teachers often assign controversial issues, but you can develop your own topic too.

Learning to write a persuasive essay though is terrific practice for all kinds of writing. From public debate to sales letters and marketing, persuasive writing skills can carry you far beyond your school experience.

Let's go through the full process!

How to Write a Persuasive Essay: 6 Steps to Help You Start

Here are six steps to help you get your essay started.

Step 1: Pick a Suitable Topic

Maybe your teacher's already given you a prompt, or a specific topic to follow. Or maybe they've sent you on your way with just the rubric and an example paper to help you with formatting.

When it comes to persuasive writing, you need a position that you develop into a central idea. You'll have to support that position with all your evidence and reasoning.

Ideally, it should be a topic you're already familiar with and interested in. That will give you a better starting position and help keep you motivated to keep researching and writing!

When you are given a topic, you'll still want to develop a debatable position.

Here are three examples of broad persuasive essay topics:

• The Impact of Social Media on Society
• Climate Change and Environmental Responsibility
• The Role of Education in Reducing Income Inequality

It should not be a topic that has a specific single right answer or solution, but rather, a number of positions and solutions that you can take.

Your topic should be one of the very first things you address in your essay, in the topic sentence of your introductory paragraph, so your reader can immediately know what you're writing about. 

To choose a suitable topic, ask yourself if the topic has multiple positions to take, and if you can reasonably research and take one position. That leads us to step 2:

Step 2: Research Both Sides, But Only Pick One

Even though you're only trying to advocate for one side of your argument, you should know the perspectives of both sides. Not only will this give you a better understanding of your topic, but it will help you prepare a counter argument that will make your essay more convincing. 

If you've chosen a controversial topic, then there should be at least two opposing viewpoints that you can read about for supporting evidence. 

Perhaps when you picked your topic, you already had a preferred stance, but researching the other side will give you fresh insight into what you actually believe, rather than relying on what you already knew. 

Strong arguments typically address the opposing side's perspective and acknowledge them, for the purpose of refuting that argument and making your own appear stronger.

Or maybe you think both sides of your argument have valid points, so you think you'll about both and let the reader decide. Don't do that!

Not only is it more work for you, but the reader will be confused about your point.

You can acknowledge the strongest parts of the opposing view while you counter with your own perspective.

Step 3: Craft a Thesis Statement

Writing a thesis statement is a skill that goes beyond just persuasive writing. It's particularly important in this case because it gives both you and the reader a clear vision on how the rest of your paper is going to go. 

You should explicitly state what you position is and what the rest of your paper is going to be about. It's usually a sentence or two long, so don't worry about being thorough or too specific. You'll Expand on it in your body paragraphs.

Typically, your thesis statement is located at the end of your introductory paragraph which allows for a natural transition from introducing your topic to the more specific reasons for your position on that topic. 

You can use this statement to outline the rest of your paper, from what each paragraph is going to addressing the type of evidence you'll be using.

For example, if you choose the topic about the impact of social media on society, you want a thesis statement that covers the position and scope of your paper. Here's an example: 

Social media like Facebook negatively impacts society through the ease of sharing misinformation, and both individuals and social media platforms need to do more to curb the spread of misinformation.

Notice how the position this writer takes is that Facebook negatively impacts society because of how it's used to share misinformation.

Now how would they support that thesis?

Step 4: Use the Right Evidence

Once you take a position, it's the time to show the reader why your viewpoint in particular is the one they should follow.

For academic writing, the most effective evidence is peer-reviewed articles published in academic journals. Peer-reviewed articles are seen as the most credible because they've been viewed and cleared by a number of different people, which means multiple people agreed that this article is reliable. 

If you chose the wrong evidence, your entire argument is at risk of falling apart. You should not be choosing evidence that is false or unreliable, because your evidence is the foundation that your position stands upon. 

Even if you don't want to go searching through databases for jargon-filled journal articles, all the evidence you choose should be from credible sources. It could be an expert opinion or some form of anecdotal evidence that could help personalize the issue for your reader. 

You may have heard the terms “ethos,” “pathos,” and “logos” in class. When crafting something persuasive, you should appeal to authority, emotion, and logic. 

Using evidence from an expert is an appeal to ethos or authority, credibility.

If you cite statistics from a reputable source, that might be an appeal to logic.

A related anecdote that makes the reader angry or sympathetic may be an emotional appeal.

The best persuasive essays use all three.

A persuasive argument is typically supported by a number of different sources that appeal to all parts of the reader, from their logical side to their more heartfelt one. All of those different perspectives will come together to make your argument stronger and more effective. 

For example, in our example above on the impact of social media, the thesis statement reads: “Social media like Facebook negatively impacts society through the ease of sharing misinformation, and both individuals and social media platforms need to do more to curb the spread of misinformation.”

To support, this paper would need to show data about misinformation on Facebook, demonstrate the ways that misinformation negatively impacts society, and then offer the best solutions in the form of individual and company interventions.

Step 5: Use Natural Transitions

As you add evidence to your argument, use transitions that help the reader see the connections you're making.

If you've ever felt your eyes begin to glaze over when you see a wall of text or a bunch of graphs and statistics in one place, the writer lost you in making the needed connections and transitions. You don't want to do that to your reader. 

Introduce a point, then use evidence to support that point, and then expand on that evidence. Whether it's by paraphrasing it so the reader can more easily digest it, or by showing the reader exactly how it connects back to what you're trying to persuade them. 

This not only applies to evidence, but also moving between paragraphs. There should be a topic sentence near the beginning of every paragraph to tell the reader what that paragraph is about, and you should use the last sentence of the previous paragraph to lead into it. 

Doing this helps improve the flow of your essay and keeps the reader's attention. If they never have to stop and wonder how you got to a certain point, then you can keep all their attention purely on your argument. 

Step 6: Make It Applicable

As you bring your essay to a close, most persuasive papers end with some call to action. It might be that you are asking the reader to understand an issue differently. Maybe you want to them to change their minds or donate money or take other action.

Make sure your conclusion answers the question, “So what?” Give your reader something to occupy their mind even after they're done reading. You want to tell them why reading your argument was important, and give them a reason to keep thinking about your argument even after you're done. 

Doing so will leave a lasting impression of your paper on your reader, which will make your essay more persuasive and effective. 

Persuade us!

So there you have it. Some ways to help move that blinking cursor.

It's okay to start with a draft that's just you cramming all your ideas onto a document. Don't worry about formal language yet. Reorganizing and rewriting that rough draft is part of what makes a good paper. 

Plus, writing it all out will let you see what you actually thought the most important parts were, and revision allows you to highlight those strong points and focus on what you think the reader should know. 

Here's a question to help you keep going even after you've finished the messy first draft: What makes this essay important to you?

Beyond the grade it will get in class, beyond how it will affect your GPA or academic standing, what about this essay is important? What about this will affect more people than just you?

Throughout your life, you'll constantly find times where you have to use persuasion. Maybe it won't be in essay format or presented in a Power Point, but finding ways to be persuasive is something that will help you in the rest of your life. 

So let's think of this essay as practice, and learn how to be as persuasive as we can. 

What are your best tips for persuasive writing? Share in the comments . 

Set your timer for fifteen minutes . Choose a persuasive topic that you can take a clear position on. Make a list of the reasons for your current view point. Then, do some research and read possible evidence both in support and in opposition to your view. Choose the strongest two to three pieces. 

If you still have time, craft a thesis statement that distills your argument, and begin writing the essay. While it will take you longer than fifteen minutes to write the essay, sometimes just getting started in fifteen minutes is enough to make a difference!

When finished, post your thesis and current direction in the Pro Practice Workshop , and leave feedback for a few other writers. 

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Persuasive Essay Outline – Examples, Templates & Structure

Amanda Green was born in a small town in the west of Scotland, where everyone knows everyone. I joined the Toastmasters 15 years ago, and I served in nearly every office in the club since then. I love helping others gain confidence and skills they can apply in every day life.

Writing a good persuasive essay can help convince others of a point that means a lot to you. It can be anything from an environmental crisis to something as simple as the importance of ebooks to the modern reader. But how do you write a persuasive essay? Where do you even start? Right here! I’ll explain everything you need to know and even show you an example of a persuasive essay.

What Is a Persuasive Essay?

Persuasive essays are meant to convince someone or a group of people to agree with you on a certain topic or point of view. As the writer, you’ll use definitive evidence, simple reasoning, and even examples to support your argument and persuade them to understand the point of the essay.

Why Write a Persuasive Essay?

Believe it or not, you’ll have to form convincing arguments throughout real life. This could be in the form of college essays or academic essays, speeches for debate club that requires a valid argument, or even presenting an idea for change to your town council.

Argumentative vs. Persuasive Essay

An argumentative essay presents an argument on a specific topic and tries to persuade people to accept that argument as valid. It uses evidence, logic, and sometimes counterarguments to support the main point.

A persuasive essay is similar but presents an argument and focuses more on appealing to the reader’s emotions and values to convince them of your point of view. Think of it as convincing vs. persuading. And, yes, persuasive essays can also use evidence, but they often rely more on personal anecdotes and moral appeals to plead their case.

Let me give you an example. I’m a content writer, but I’m also a published author. If I were going to write an argumentative essay, I’d probably choose a topic like “Do you think authors should self-edit their work?”

But if I were doing a persuasive essay with a similar angle, the topic would look more like “The benefits of self-editing for authors.” Make sense?

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Basically, the main difference between argumentative and persuasive essays is all in the emphasis placed on logic and emotion.

How Many Paragraphs in a Persuasive Essay?

A decent persuasive essay should be around five or six paragraphs with double line spacing, depending on the topic, and can range from 500-2000 words in length. This includes your introduction and conclusion.

Introduction of a Persuasive Essay Example

Our world is facing a crisis, and that crisis is plastic pollution! Every day, a disgusting amount of plastic waste is just dumped into our oceans, killing and harming innocent marine life and ultimately affecting the entire food chain, including us.

Even though there is a clear and present danger that plastic presents, there are still a lot of people and corporations that continue to use single-use plastics with zero regards for their impact on our environment. It’s time for people to really look around and take some responsibility.

We can make a change by learning and using environmentally friendly alternatives in our everyday lives. So, in this essay, I’ll argue that using reusable bags, water bottles, and containers is not only necessary for the health of our precious planet but also a simple and effective way to make a real difference.

A Persuasive Essay Structure

As persuasive essay writers, you can write it however you like, but to follow a traditional persuasive essay structure, use this basic layout to get an effective paper:

• An Introduction: You need a good hook to grab the reader’s attention, a thesis statement presenting the main argument, and a roadmap of the essay, so they know what to expect.
• The Body Paragraphs: 2-3 paragraphs should suffice to provide strong evidence, examples, and any reasoning to support the thesis statement. Each paragraph should focus on a single main idea. 
• The Counterargument: This section acknowledges and refutes the opposing viewpoint, strengthening your argument but still without being as forward as an argumentative essay.
• A Conclusion or Closing Statement: Here is where you would summarize the main points of the essay and a restatement of the thesis, including a call to action for the reader and/or a final thought.

In the end, a persuasive essay usually consists of 5-6 paragraphs and needs to be clear, concise, and logically structured to really persuade the reader on the point.

Tips for Persuasive Writing

• Choose a strong, clear thesis statement that presents your argument well.
• Know your audience and tailor your language and arguments to them. You’ll need a different approach if you’re speaking to a group of teenagers versus a team of adults.
• Use credible and reliable sources to support your argument so no one can second guess your point.
• Expect that people will have counterarguments and prepare a few talking points to address them.
• Use strong pieces of evidence and back them up with facts, statistics, examples, and personal anecdotes. Putting a personal touch on it helps ground the essay and lets people know you’re serious about the topic.
• Use an emotional appeal to engage the reader and make a personal connection to your argument. Basically, tug at their heartstrings and play into their guilt.
• Use clear and concise wordage. Try and avoid confusing technical jargon that might confuse people, and maintain a consistent tone throughout the essay.
• Make sure you’re confident and use an assertive tone but avoid being overly aggressive or confrontational. That will just spark a fight.
• Finish up with a powerful call to action or a final thought that leaves a lasting impact on the reader or listener.
• Use the same font throughout your essay, even for headings and titles. Go with easy-to-read fonts like Calibri, Times New Roman, or Garamond.
• Proofread and edit your essay for clarity, grammar, and style. I cannot stress this one enough. If you’re not confident, use programs like Grammarly to help spot typos and inconsistencies.

Persuasive Essay Topic Ideas

If you’re stuck on some ideas of what to form your essay around, here’s a list of some popular topics to inspire you.

• Importance of recycling and reducing waste in today’s climate.
• The need for stricter gun control laws all over the world.
• A paper on abortion rights in today’s age.
• Benefits of alternative energy sources over fossil fuels and how we can be using them.
• How social media has negative impacts on mental health in kids.
• Key benefits of a vegetarian or vegan diet and how it can help the planet.
• The value of a college education.
• Rise of plastic pollution on the environment and sea life and how it is affecting us.
• Why physical exercise and leading an active lifestyle are important.
• The dangers of texting while driving.
• How our public schools need better funding.
• Benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace both online and in-person.

Any of these could be used as logical arguments. Still, to make a persuasive argument from either of them, just follow the basic persuasive essay outline examples I’ve given you.

Example of a Persuasive Essay

Introduction.

In today’s age of ever-changing technology, the way we consume and experience books have changed dramatically in just a short time. While physical books were once the only option, ebooks have grown increasingly popular in recent years. In my essay, I’ll argue that, while we all still love paperbacks and hardcovers, ebooks offer so many benefits over physical books, making them the number one choice for most readers today.

Body Paragraph 1: Convenience

Ebooks are convenient; there’s just no denying it. They’re easily accessible through devices like smartphones, tablets, and e-readers, and they allow readers to carry hundreds of books with them at all times. This makes them perfect for traveling or heading to work, or even going to the gym. Readers can now have an entire library with them without the added weight of physical books. Plus, ebooks are easily bought online with just the click of a button, further adding to their convenience.

Body Paragraph 2: Customization

Ebooks offer a level of customization that physical books just can’t match. For one, the font size can be adjusted for easier reading, which is great for those who have eyesight problems. The background color can also be changed from light to dark to reduce eye strain. Personally, as someone who suffers from Meniere’s disease, this is a great feature. All of these options make ebooks a great choice for people with visual impairments, neurological disorders, or reading difficulties.

Body Paragraph 3: Affordability

Ebooks are often far cheaper than physical books, especially when purchased in bulk. You can get an entire series for a fraction of the cost of one paperback. This makes them a more accessible option for budget-conscious readers and people who simply don’t have the disposable funds for books. Also, tons of ebooks are available for free, which is a great option for readers that are looking for ways to save money but keep up with their reading habits.

Body Paragraph 4: Environmentally Friendly

626,000 tons of paper is used to produce all the books we see published every year. That’s a scary number when you consider the rate of deforestation and the state of our world in terms of global warming. We simply can’t afford to move ahead at a rate like that. Ebooks help tackle the issue because they require zero trees to produce.

In conclusion, ebooks offer endless benefits over physical books, including convenience, customization, and affordability. While physical books will always hold a special place in our hearts, you have to admit that the benefits of ebooks just can’t be ignored. For modern, busy, on-the-go readers, ebooks are the preferred choice. It’s time to embrace the digital age and make the switch to ebooks.

Now Write Your Persuasive Essay!

I hope this guide has helped you figure out persuasive essay writing and how to put together powerful arguments. Just stick to the facts and ease the reader into your point with gentle arguments that continue to prove your point. Don’t be afraid to get personal if it can help the essay and convince the reader.

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The Lost Tools of Writing is more than just a writing program: it challenges students to think analytically and to form opinions which they will discuss in the context of a persuasive essay. Focusing on the first three Canons of Classical Rhetoric, The Lost Tools of Writing addresses common obstacles that all writers often face, whether it be finding topics to write about, how to organize their thoughts, or how to creatively and effectively express their ideas. During the one-year course, students will read nine novels, short stories, or Bible stories, spending three weeks per selection creating a persuasive essay or address which challenges cultural norms and follows models designed to teach structure and style skills, skills which--when mastered--can be effectively applied to any type of writing. Class tuition includes grading (with detailed feedback) and quarterly progress reports. Registration fee extra (see Registration page for more info.)

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Persuasive Essay Writing

Persuasive Essay Outline

The Basics of Crafting an Outstanding Persuasive Essay Outline

Published on: Jan 6, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 29, 2024

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Are you gearing up to write a persuasive essay but feeling lost? It's normal to feel overwhelmed when it comes time to tackle such an important assignment. 

But don't worry! CollegeEssay.org is here to help you understand and perfect the art of writing a persuasive essay outline. 

You can create an outline that will help you write a compelling essay by following a few simple steps. 

So what are you waiting for? Read on for tips on how to get started!

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Writing a Persuasive Essay Outline

Are you writing a persuasive essay but don’t know where to start? Drafting an outline before you begin your persuasive essay can be incredibly helpful.

An outline acts as a roadmap for your paper and helps ensure that your ideas are organized logically. It also helps you determine how much research is needed and what evidence should be included in the essay. 

What is a Persuasive Essay Outline? 

A persuasive essay outline is an organized list of arguments and evidence to persuade someone on a specific topic or issue. 

It follows the same basic structure as most essays: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. 

The key difference is that each point should provide evidence or reasons to support the thesis statement. This type of essay requires critical thinking skills and the ability to form clear arguments that support your point of view. 

Creating an outline before starting your paper will save time in the long run because it gives you a structure to follow. It also allows you to see if any points need further research or clarification before beginning the writing process. 

Additionally, an outline helps ensure that all relevant points are covered in the paper, and none are overlooked or forgotten. By setting an outline for your essay, your writing process will be quite easy.

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Persuasive Essay Outline Format

There are different ways of writing the outline, but preparing and conveying your idea to the audience is necessary.  A persuasive essay outline is easier to write if you follow the proper steps. The persuasive essay outline contains three main components:

• Introduction
• Body Paragraphs

Persuasive Essay Introduction

The persuasive essay outline starts with the introduction paragraph. This part is important in the essay to grab the reader’s attention. It should engage the reader throughout the essay. The essay introduction should be attention-grabbing and encourage the reader to read further.  

The following elements must be included in an introductory paragraph:

• Know Your Topic 

The first step in writing the introduction is to think about the persuasive essay topic . It will help to understand your essay’s purpose and give you a clear idea about your topic. 

• Start with an Interesting Hook Statement  

It is the part where you start your writing with a hook. Writing the essay introduction with an interesting hook is the main skill of the writer. A hook is a captivating phrase that captures the reader’s attention. The writer can add quotes, memorable stories, or anything that attracts the audience.

• Know Your Audience 

It is the writer’s job to explain the issue and its importance in the introduction part. The writer's objective is to convince the reader to read the essay and support your side. 

After understanding the topic of the essay, the writer knows its audience. Understanding your audience before writing is better because a persuasive essay aims to convince the reader.

• State the Thesis Statement    

A thesis statement is the last component of the introduction part. It is written at the end of the introduction and summarizes the essay's main idea.

The thesis statement conveys the right message to the reader that you are trying to support. It is the whole essay’s base and includes all the points discussed in the body paragraphs.  

Persuasive Essay Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs explain the reasoning of the thesis statement by facts or examples. The number of body paragraphs in the essay depends on the scope of the topic. 

Here are some tips to keep in mind while writing a body paragraph.

• Explain Your Main Idea 

Each body paragraph in the essay explains a single idea with proof and evidence. This part decides whether the audience supports your idea or not.

• Support Your Perspective

The content in the body paragraphs proves your main argument. All the ideas provided in the essay should be supported using relevant facts. In the body paragraphs, include opposite viewpoints and counter-arguments. 

Through body paragraphs, you will establish your position. 

You will easily persuade your reader through body paragraphs by presenting facts about the particular topic. 

Use statistics in your essay and strongly prove your argument. But make sure that all the facts and statistics you use are authentic.

• Transition Words

Use transition words and connect all your ideas in an essay. To maintain the flow between paragraphs, use these words like, however, thus, etc. Also, keep the word count in your mind.    

• Concluding Sentences

End body paragraphs with concluding sentences. Describe how the point supports your argument.  Use transitioning sentences and concluding phrases to summarize your essay.

Persuasive Essay Conclusion

The conclusion is the essay's final part. Summarize all the main points without adding new information. The conclusion is the closure of the main arguments mentioned in the body paragraphs.

Try to make your conclusion more effective by adding personal comments about the essay.

The main purpose of the conclusion is to reestablish what you already mentioned in the essay. Close the conclusion part with a question, action call, or prediction.

In conclusion, convince the reader to do further research on the topic.  

Persuasive Essay Outline Template

Here is a detailed outline for a persuasive essay. Follow this to make a perfect outline for your essay. 

A. Hook: Start with an interesting fact or statement to capture the reader’s attention  B. Background Information: Provide context for your argument and introduce the topic of the essay  C. Thesis Statement: Clearly state your opinion on the issue and provide a brief outline of your main points   A. First Point: Introduce and explain your first main point  B. Second Point: Introduce and explain your second main point  C. Third Point: Introduce and explain your third main point  D. Fourth Point: Introduce and explain your fourth main point  E. Fifth Point: Introduce and explain your fifth main point  A. Summary of Main Points: Summarize your main points to reinforce your argument  B. Call to Action: Encourage the reader to take action on the issue discussed in the essay  C. Final Statement: Make a final statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader  D. Final Thought: End your essay with an interesting thought that makes the reader reflect on their views of the issue. A. Include any sources used in your essay here  B. Be sure to follow correct MLA or APA citation guidelines when applicable  C. If applicable, provide a link to the sources used in the essay for further research  D. Acknowledge any images or other visuals used in your essay as well and provide appropriate credits/links

Persuasive Essay Outline Examples

Outlining your persuasive essay is a great way to make sure you have all the necessary points and facts in order. 

Below are some examples of persuasive essay outlines that can be used to help create an effective paper:

Persuasive Essay Outline Worksheet

Persuasive Essay Outline PDF

Persuasive Essay Outline 5th Grade

Persuasive Essay Outline Middle School

Persuasive Essay Outline High School

Argumentative Persuasive Essay Outline

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Abortion Persuasive Essay Outline

Summing up, the persuasive essay outline format examples we have shared are a great start for you.

Check out some more interesting  persuasive essay examples ! They might inspire you for your next essay.

However, they only scratch the surface of what our team can do for you. 

Contact us today if you want help writing an amazing essay that will persuade your readers. Our expert essay writer online has years of experience crafting essays that get results.

With the help of our college essay writing service , you’ll be able to achieve the grades you deserve. Our persuasive essay writing service has the best persuasive essay writer. 

So what are you waiting for? Contact us today and try our AI essay writing tools to experience excellence!    

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i write an effective persuasive essay outline.

An essay outline should include a thesis statement, evidence, and a conclusion reiterating the essay's main points. Additionally, persuasive writers can use different strategies to strengthen their persuasive arguments.

What should I consider when creating my persuasive essay outline?

When creating a persuasive essay outline, you should consider the essay's purpose, audience, and context. You should also ensure the persuasive essay is written clearly and concisely.

How can a persuasive essay writer help me create a persuasive essay?

At CollegeEssay.org, our persuasive essay writers can help you create an effective outline. It includes arguments, evidence, examples, a conclusion, and persuasive techniques tailored to your needs.

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For more than five years now, Cathy has been one of our most hardworking authors on the platform. With a Masters degree in mass communication, she knows the ins and outs of professional writing. Clients often leave her glowing reviews for being an amazing writer who takes her work very seriously.

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The Persuasive Essay

When you start teaching  The Lost Tools of Writing , you notice early that almost all of level one is devoted to teaching the persuasive essay. You might think this rather odd—even boring. After all, aren’t students much more interested in writing stories and exploring their own ideas than they are in writing about irrelevant things, like whether the Roman Senate should have assassinated Julius Caesar, or whether Scout should have crawled under her neighbor’s fence?

Well, maybe. But writing isn’t that simple. When you teach a child to write, you aren’t trying to get him excited; you are trying to help him write well. Excitement follows.  Writing is a skill, and a stunningly complex skill at that.  Nobody has yet plumbed the depths of what makes a person a good writer or even a good teacher of writing. Many students are intimidated by writing.

What’s Your Point?

But we have discovered one thing over the centuries:  many students are intimidated by writing, and those that aren’t should be.  Both groups, the fearful and the fearless, need to learn something fundamental about writing: when you write, what matters first is the point you are trying to make, not how you or your audience feel about it.

In fact, the ultimate point of writing is the same as the first:  when you write, what matters first and last is the idea you are trying to reveal.

In the Christian, classical tradition, we call this idea the  logos , which is Greek for “word,” “idea,” or “message.” Thus we read in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Logos,” and in Revelation 1:17, we read, “I am the first and the last.”

When you write, you, the Image of God the Creator, have a logos to reveal. When you write more sophisticated things (like a poem or a novel), you drop hints about your logos, so the reader has to search it out. This creates the adventure of reading novels and poems.

Writing a Persuasive Essay Takes Skill

But when you begin to learn how to write, more basic skills need your attention. First of all, you need to learn how to identify and express your logos clearly and vividly. In a persuasive essay, it sits on the page, so to speak, dressed in the black and white garments of a simple proposition.  You call it the thesis statement.  Then, and only then, does your student move on to organize supporting thoughts around that thesis, and then to choose the words and turns of phrase that will make that thesis persuasive, memorable, and beautiful. It begins, however, with the logos.

Thus, by writing the persuasive essay, not only will your student practice writing the basic document that he will need to succeed in college or to make his point at work; not only will he develop habits that will help him make decisions, read books, and communicate with friends and foes; not only will he learn skills that transfer to debate, public speaking, law, medicine, or ministry.

More primary than all of these (and laying the foundation for them),  he develops the habit of identifying clearly what his point is.

Imagine what that could do for dinner table conversations!

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LOST TOOLS OF WRITING

Lost Tools of Writing is a high school-level classical rhetoric curriculum that teaches the art of the persuasive essay. But it is more than a writing program; it is at heart a thinking program. Students learn to ask questions about decisions made by literary figures using the common topics to help them gather and arrange ideas and information from which they are able to derive and express thesis statements and supporting points. These skills can be applied to every other kind of writing (and decision-making) they'll ever have to do.

Literature is read and discussed alongside, but Lost Tools is not a literary analysis program. However, by being introduced to the craft of clear, balanced, and well-structured expression of opinions about decisions made by literary figures, they’ll be well on their way to being more attentive and discerning readers, enriching both their future classes and their own reading life.

Level One students build on the simple structure of a very rudimentary Essay One and add new elements to each subsequent one. The foundational rhetorical canons of Invention, Arrangement, and Elocution are practiced together through lively class discussion and written exercises and then incorporated into each essay.

In eight essay cycles, Level One students learn to invent, arrange, and write a complete persuasive essay consisting of an exordium, narration, division, thesis, proofs, subproofs, refutation, and amplification. Figures of speech are practiced and gradually incorporated into the essays, including parallelism, antithesis, metaphor, simile, alliteration, and assonance. Along the way, the building blocks of phrases, clauses, and sentences are considered, compared, and crafted, thus integrating a deeper grammatical sense into the art of wordsmithing.

Lost Tools of Writing Level One with Narnia will take a 30-week tour through both Lost Tools Level One and the entire Chronicles of Narnia, in which we will read, write about, and reflect upon characters and their decisions as well as C.S. Lewis’s masterful  craftsmanship.

The Lost Tools of Writing Student Workbook Level One

The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis

Recommended Ages: 12 and up

Prerequisites: Some prior grammar and the ability to write a simple paragraph

Day and time: Wednesdays, 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. (Central time)

Cost: $595 (includes a nonrefundable $75 deposit paid at time of registration)

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Persuasive Essay Outline Writing Help

Outlining an essay is a very important task when it comes to writing an essay. Without a good persuasive essay outline it will be rather very difficult to organise and develop a superb content. Each one who really wants to work out the best of essays will definitely agree with the outlining part to leave no loopholes whatsoever and create an impressive, informative, strong English essay.

Persuasive Essay Page Navigation

• Persuasive Essay Outline Format
• Persuasive Essay Outline Template Writing

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Persuasive essay sample, using the right persuasive essay outline format for effective writing.

Follow the link to view an essay outline template available at ProfEssays.com . Writing involves more than stranding words together to come up with an understandable statement. Writing requires discipline, while incorporating creativity and resourcefulness. In addition to this, becoming an effective writer means that one must understand that exceptional academic papers are attained if the essay writer effectively synthesizes creativity and order. These last two qualities may seem entirely opposite from each other – thus, providing any writer confusion with the writing task at hand. Many artists find themselves restrained once order is implemented upon them. With restraint, creativity is discouraged.

In writing a persuasive essay , one effective tool that ensures the fusion of creativity and order is a persuasive essay outline. Essay outlines provide order as it requires the writer to draft his ideas into three parts, as seen in a persuasive essay outline format . Meanwhile, it encourages creativity because at this early stage of academic writing, a writer identifies areas that need further exploration, discussion or explanation. Aside from serving this purpose, an outline becomes the basis and foundation of the academic paper. Need essay help? ProfEssays.com is the name to trust when in need of custom essays. We write exceptional essays, coupled with quality service for reasonable rates.

Persuasive Essay Outline Template: Your Guide to Easy Essay Writing

Templates are created by professionals and academics for the purpose of assisting another. Commonly searched by those students who are not well equipped with writing skills, persuasive essay outline template can be easily found online. The use of these templates can be very beneficial. For a writer who is not well trained, learning the basic essay parts – which are the core components of a template – will help you create a cohesive academic paper. Aside from the basic format which can be learned from a template, one must also understand the purpose of the writing activity.

Each type of essay is unique and as such, every style and attack to be employed must vary. It is apparent that the main purpose of a persuasive essay is to convince or influence your readers. To persuade someone is a task that may to be too big for some – more so when one has to do it on paper. When writing this essay, research and templates can only do so much as all of the ideas and arguments have to come from you. If you find writing a difficult task to handle, ProfEssays.com is here to assist you. We write custom essays in as fast as 8 hours for rates that are unbelievably reasonable.

ProfEssays.com is a professional custom research paper writing service provider. Our writers understand the sole aim of outlining and despite of an experienced staff each essay is first thoroughly researched outlined, scrutinised and then developed. Outlining helps a writer to organise arguments and also considers important segment over the lesser significant ones.

To accomplish and deliver quality essays only professionals and certified academic writers are appointed at ProfEssays.com . Here experts perceive and then work according to client’s parameters to deliver extremely professional and client satisfactory work. We at ProfEssays.com maintain communication with clients at all stages to include their viewpoints and meets expectations always. As per the globally accepted five paragraph essay and APA essay format , outlining help a writer organise the content within the paragraphs. Also outlining allows the writer to adjudge the content required within the given word limits and other instructions. It is a sheer waste of words within the limited periphery to keep explaining just one or two issues completely ignoring others or else just mentioning them without an impact.

Experienced team of writers at ProfEssays.com understand the outlines significance and work to deliver the best of essays. Not to forget our company policies that set us apart from others in the field of custom essay writing services. Timely delivery of all assignments with facility to deliver within 8 hours in case of emergency is our area expertise.

To leave no scope of any loopholes or miss outs we offer unlimited number of free revisions of the paper with on hand customer support team that too at reasonable prices. So whatever the writing challenge it may be we do it all at affordable prices.

Are you writing a persuasive essay and you find yourself lost? One of the key tools in effective writing is an essay outline. Outlines are usually presented in three parts, which include essay introduction, body and essay conclusion. This outline allows the writer to draft his ideas in bulleted points to easily lay his ideas without much concern or regard for grammar and other linguistic elements. If you are at lost, even with persuasive essay outline , then better look for persuasive essay outline example to serve as your reference.

There are many places where you can find a valid outline sample but the best reference you can consult is your professor. As the person who will grade your essay is your instructor, seeking his opinion will always be your best bet. However, not all instructors can be accommodating or available – pushing many students to seek persuasive essay outline sample over the internet. This is a good option, as well, so long as you find a credible resource. If you are seeking comprehensive essay writing help online – try ProfEssays.com . We are the primary choice of students because we go beyond the basics of essay provision by guaranteeing quality service.

When Persuasive Essay Outline Example Fails to Help you

Even academics would advise new essay writers not to hesitate using persuasive essay outline sample as reference materials in essay writing. It provides insight on how a persuasive essay is drafted and how the line of thought and reasoning is developed. Despite the benefits that it provides, consulting numerous persuasive essay outline example can be useless if the student lacks the basic skills necessary for writing an academic paper. Research, analysis and organization are just few of the elements that can help you write an effective essay.

If you do not have these, then you are better off seeking professional help. ProfEssays.com is a company dedicated in providing well written custom essay. For more than 7 years, we have exemplified our ability to meet the demands of our customers through the academic excellence of our professional and highly skilled writers. Moreover, we have gone beyond essay delivery as we do it with your concerns in mind. Our company guarantees quality customer service by ensuring prompt delivery, 24/7 customer service , 100% confidentiality , free revision and risk free credit card use. Enjoy these benefits and more from the best provider of custom written paper online.

Tips to persuasive essay outline The following are a few tips followed by ProfEssays.com each time while writing an essay outline:

• Put forward the exact argument or explanation for which the writer is persuading the reader
• Make an impressive thesis: this should always include the major argument of the argumentative essay with clear cut writers notion about it
• Put forward your strong points supporting the writer’s thesis
• Always state some realistic facts or evidences to prove or else support your statements
• Never forget to discuss the side the writer is not supporting and why. The writer should notify the reader within the content of his not believing in the opposite statement
• Defend your statements and reveal the facts related to the opposite side
• Here one can too learn how to start a compare and contrast essay, as the outline needs a strong comparison within the content
• After the persuasive essay outline is complete, a writer maintain synch should write an organised complete content

note: “ ProfEssays.com is an outstanding custom writing company. We have over 500 expert writers with PhD and Masters level educations who are all ready to fulfill your writing needs no matter what the academic level or research topic. Just imagine, you place the order before you go to sleep and in the morning an excellent, 100% unique essay ! or term paper, written in strict accordance with your instructions by a professional writer is already in your email box! We understand the pressure students are under to achieve high academic goals and we are ready to take some of it off you because we love writing. By choosing us as your partner, you achieve more academically and gain valuable time for your other interests. Place your order now !”

Looking for an exceptional company to do some custom writing for you? Look no further than ProfEssays.com! You simply place an order with the writing instructions you have been given, and before you know it, your essay or term paper, completely finished and unique, will be completed and sent back to you. At ProfEssays.com, we have over 500 highly educated, professional writers standing by waiting to help you with any writing needs you may have! We understand students have plenty on their plates, which is why we love to help them out. Let us do the work for you, so you have time to do what you want to do!

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Saturday, January 24, 2015

Our basic persuasive essay outline.

The second morning, Levi and I worked on sorting the ANI chart and writing parallel proofs. The third morning, we talked through the exordium and amplification and typed up the essay outline. Again, we’ll have more time for these tasks and discussions for the upcoming literature selections as long as we are prioritizing our morning meetings each day! The forth morning we turned the outline into a basic persuasive essay.

For a perfect ending to a great week, we attended a local play production of The Secret Garden with a total of 35 of Levi’s classmates and family members after we all enjoyed a potluck dinner together. There is so much to be said for educating our children within a community. I love these people .

Here is our outline, for those of you who might be interested!

The Secret Garden

Basic persuasive essay outline [ the lost tools of writing ].

A. [Exordium] “While the secret garden was coming alive and two children were coming alive with it, there was a man wandering about certain far-away beautiful places in the Norwegian fiords and the valleys and mountains of Switzerland and he was a man who for ten years had kept his mind filled with dark and heart-broken thinking. He had not been courageous; he had never tried to put any other thoughts in the place of the dark ones…He had forgotten and deserted his home and his duties.“ ( The Secret Garden , pp 223-224)

B. [Thesis] Archibald Craven should not have purposefully stayed away from his son, Colin.

C. [Enumeration] 3

D. Exposition

     1. To fulfill his duties as a man, father

     2. To meet Colin’s needs for a relationship

     3. To experience true joy, rather than misery

A. [Proof 1] To fulfill his duties as a man, father

     1. [Support 1.1] Brave

     2. [Support 1.2] Face responsibilities

     3. [Support 1.3] Father responsible for care of child

B. [Proof 2] To meet Colin’s needs for a relationship

     1. [Support 2.1] Spoiled, needed father’s discipline

     2. [Support 2.2] Needed father’s love and attention, especially since mother was dead

     3. [Support 2.3] Needed father to show him how to be a man--strong, brave, loving

C. [Proof 3] To experience true joy, rather than misery

     1. [Support 3.1] Colin not a hunchback

     2. [Support 3.2] Alone and in prolonged grief rather than loving relationship

     3. [Support 3.3] Delayed reward of happiness greater than hope of immediate comfort or convenience

A. One sentence recapitulation

     1. [Thesis] Archibald Craven should not have purposefully stayed away from his son, Colin.

     2. Summary of Proof

          a. [Proof 1] To fulfill his duties as a man, father

          b. [Proof 2] To meet Colin’s needs for a relationship

          c. [Proof 3] To experience true joy, rather than misery

B. Amplification

     1. [To whom it matters] Children

     2. [Why] Children whose honorable fathers are present and have a relationship with them have a better chance at living a happy, healthy life.

9 comments:

Bless you Heidi for posting LToW with Levi. I am 5 months in with my 13 yr. old son and need encouragement.

I'm glad it encouraged you!

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Comparison Essay , Lost Tools of Writing

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$ 37.00

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What You’ll Find in LTW: Comparison Essay

• A focus on the common topic of comparison

• Comparing for understanding or for assessment

• Understanding a new kind of writing after the persuasive essay

• Foundational metaphor plus more complex metaphors

• Plenty of review

All-in-one combination Student Workbook/Teacher Guide. LTW: Comparison Essays does not have a separate teacher guide.

Click Here to View a Sample Chapter

Welcome to The Lost Tools of Writing: Comparison Essay . This semester-long program provides a way for students to gain more practice in foundational thinking skills plus practice in writing a different kind of essay. Through LTW: Comparison Essays , students will solidify the foundations laid in LTW I, develop deeper thinking skills, master an additional form of essay-writing, and delve more deeply into analogical thinking with different kinds of metaphor-writing. The skills students gain through LTW: Comparison Essay  extend beyond academics to life in the world, cultivating more refined and careful thinking about people, things, ideas, and their own decisions.

LTW: Comparison Essays fulfills the purpose of understanding people, things, or ideas more deeply, or assessing whether one is better or in some way more desirable than another. The bigger purpose of these thinking and writing skills is to grow in wisdom and prudence by practicing making finer distinctions and better decisions. Students can learn and practice principles and habits of decision-making for their own lives.

Deeper Thinking  

The goal of using the common topics is not to think about the topics, but to think with them. Just as repeated practice allows a player to throw a football without thinking about how to grip it or a musician to play a piece of music without thinking of where to put her fingers, repetition allows us to internalize thinking skills so that we can put our focus where it needs to be: on the people and things in our decisions. Internalizing the means of thinking frees us to think about about our decisions and the people, places, and things that are in them—to think with the tools and not about them.

A Different Kind of Writing

By writing comparison essays after persuasive essays, students will be able to compare the two kinds of writing to each other. They will find that all writing requires coming up with something to say (invention), organizing the material (arrangement), and expressing ideas in a fitting way (elocution). Further, they will see that the common topics and elocution tools they learned in Level I have prepared them to complete any kind of writing. As long as they are given an outline (those forms that come to us by tradition and make each kind of writing what it is) they can execute any kind of writing.

The Overall Picture of a Comparison Outline 

When we compare two items we can do so for different reasons. Sometimes we want to assess which one is better than the others. But sometimes, as is often the case with studies in history and literature (and friendships), we simply desire to gain a deeper understanding of both people. Comparison essays can help us gain understanding.

Sometimes we compare because we do need to choose one thing over the other. We can only attend one college, play a limited time in a recital, and eat one meal for lunch. Comparing can help us find the similarities and differences we need to know in order to decide which choice is best. Also, deciding repeatedly about our writing hones our ability to make wise decisions when they matter in our lives. Comparison essays cultivate that skill.

Three outlines are presented in this book of comparison essays. The first is simple; then complexity builds with each successive outline. The third outline is repeated in Essay Four to allow for more practice with the most difficult form. You will find the block outline used when comparing is for the purpose of further understanding. The point-by-point outline is used when we make an assessment about which item is better.

Elocution begins with a review of Level I’s metaphor lesson. Succeeding lessons build on that foundation, leading the students to create the more complex expanded metaphor, leading them into more and more analogical thinking.

All the skills that students learned in every canon of Level I can be applied in these comparison essays since Level I skills are universal thinking, organizing, and writing skills. Sometimes the review will be more obvious and sometimes less so. But in LTW: Comparison Essay  you will be led through a way to expand on Level I skills through a different kind of writing with many lessons and benefits of its own.

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