- Houston Community College
- Eagle Online
- Judy Bouvier
Purdue OWL - Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for an Expository/Persuasive Essay
Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for an Expository/Persuasive Essay
Introduction
The introduction is the broad beginning of the paper that answers three important questions:
- What is this?
- Why am I reading it?
- What do you want me to do?
You should answer these questions by doing the following:
- Set the context – provide general information about the main idea, explaining the situation so the reader can make sense of the topic and the claims you make and support
- State why the main idea is important – tell the reader why s/he should care and keep reading. Your goal is to create a compelling, clear, and convincing essay people will want to read and act upon
- State your thesis/claim – compose a sentence or two stating the position you will support with logos (sound reasoning: induction, deduction), pathos (balanced emotional appeal), and ethos (author credibility).
Thesis Checklist
Your thesis is more than a general statement about your main idea. It needs to establish a clear position you will support with balanced proofs (logos, pathos, ethos). Use the checklist below to help you create a thesis.
This section is adapted from Writing with a Thesis: A Rhetoric Reader by David Skwire and Sarah Skwire:
Make sure you avoid the following when creating your thesis:
- A thesis is not a title: Homes and schools (title) vs. Parents ought to participate more in the education of their children (good thesis).
- A thesis is not an announcement of the subject: My subject is the incompetence of the Supreme Court vs. The Supreme Court made a mistake when it ruled in favor of George W. Bush in the 2000 election.
- A thesis is not a statement of absolute fact: Jane Austen is the author of Pride and Prejudice.
- A thesis is not the whole essay: A thesis is your main idea/claim/refutation/problem-solution expressed in a single sentence or a combination of sentences.
- Please note that according to the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers , Sixth Edition, "A thesis statement is a single sentence that formulates both your topic and your point of view" (Gibaldi 56). However, if your paper is more complex and requires a thesis statement, your thesis may require a combination of sentences .
Make sure you follow these guidelines when creating your thesis:
- A good thesis is unified: Detective stories are not a high form of literature, but people have always been fascinated by them, and many fine writers have experimented with them (floppy). vs. Detective stories appeal to the basic human desire for thrills (concise).
- A good thesis is specific: James Joyce’s Ulysses is very good. vs. James Joyce’s Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with the unconscious.
- Try to be as specific as possible (without providing too much detail) when creating your thesis: James Joyce’s Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with the unconscious. vs. James Joyce’s Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with the unconscious by utilizing the findings of Freudian psychology and introducing the techniques of literary stream-of-consciousness.
Quick Checklist:
_____ The thesis/claim follows the guidelines outlined above
_____ The thesis/claim matches the requirements and goals of the assignment
_____ The thesis/claim is clear and easily recognizable
_____ The thesis/claim seems supportable by good reasoning/data, emotional appeal
Body Paragraphs
Summary: This resource outlines the generally accepted structure for introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions in an academic argument paper. Keep in mind that this resource contains guidelines and not strict rules about organization. Your structure needs to be flexible enough to meet the requirements of your purpose and audience.
Body Paragraphs: Moving from General to Specific Information
Your paper should be organized in a manner that moves from general to specific information. Every time you begin a new subject, think of an inverted pyramid - the broadest range of information sits at the top, and as the paragraph or paper progresses, the author becomes more and more focused on the argument ending with specific, detailed evidence supporting a claim. Lastly, the author explains how and why the information she has just provided connects to and supports her thesis (a brief wrap up or warrant).
The four elements of a good paragraph (TTEB)
A good paragraph should contain at least the following four elements: T ransition, T opic sentence, specific E vidence and analysis, and a B rief wrap-up sentence (also known as a warrant) – TTEB!
- A T ransition sentence leading in from a previous paragraph to assure smooth reading. This acts as a hand off from one idea to the next.
- A T opic sentence that tells the reader what you will be discussing in the paragraph.
- Specific E vidence and analysis that supports one of your claims and that provides a deeper level of detail than your topic sentence.
- A B rief wrap-up sentence that tells the reader how and why this information supports the paper’s thesis. The brief wrap-up is also known as the warrant. The warrant is important to your argument because it connects your reasoning and support to your thesis, and it shows that the information in the paragraph is related to your thesis and helps defend it.
Rebuttal Sections
In order to present a fair and convincing message, you may need to anticipate, research, and outline some of the common positions (arguments) that dispute your thesis. If the situation (purpose) calls for you to do this, you will present and then refute these other positions in the rebuttal section of your essay.
It is important to consider other positions because in most cases, your primary audience will be fence-sitters. Fence-sitters are people who have not decided which side of the argument to support.
People who are on your side of the argument will not need a lot of information to align with your position. People who are completely against your argument - perhaps for ethical or religious reasons - will probably never align with your position no matter how much information you provide. Therefore, the audience you should consider most important are those people who haven't decided which side of the argument they will support - the fence-sitters.
In many cases, these fence-sitters have not decided which side to align with because they see value in both positions. Therefore, to not consider opposing positions to your own in a fair manner may alienate fence-sitters when they see that you are not addressing their concerns or discussion opposing positions at all.
Organizing your rebuttal section
Following the TTEB method outlined in the Body Paragraph section, forecast all the information that will follow in the rebuttal section and then move point by point through the other positions addressing each one as you go. The outline below, adapted from Seyler's Understanding Argument , is an example of a rebuttal section from a thesis essay.
When you rebut or refute an opposing position, use the following three-part organization:
The opponent’s argument – Usually, you should not assume that your reader has read or remembered the argument you are refuting. Thus at the beginning of your paragraph, you need to state, accurately and fairly, the main points of the argument you will refute.
Your position – Next, make clear the nature of your disagreement with the argument or position you are refuting. Your position might assert, for example, that a writer has not proved his assertion because he has provided evidence that is outdated, or that the argument is filled with fallacies.
Your refutation – The specifics of your counterargument will depend upon the nature of your disagreement. If you challenge the writer’s evidence, then you must present the more recent evidence. If you challenge assumptions, then you must explain why they do not hold up. If your position is that the piece is filled with fallacies, then you must present and explain each fallacy.
Conclusions
Conclusions wrap up what you have been discussing in your paper. After moving from general to specific information in the introduction and body paragraphs, your conclusion should begin pulling back into more general information that restates the main points of your argument. Conclusions may also call for action or overview future possible research. The following outline may help you conclude your paper:
In a general way,
- restate your topic and why it is important,
- restate your thesis/claim,
- address opposing viewpoints and explain why readers should align with your position,
- call for action or overview future research possibilities.
Remember that once you accomplish these tasks, unless otherwise directed by your instructor, you are finished. Done. Complete. Don't try to bring in new points or end with a whiz bang(!) conclusion or try to solve world hunger in the final sentence of your conclusion. Simplicity is best for a clear, convincing message.
The preacher's maxim is one of the most effective formulas to follow for argument papers:
- Tell what you're going to tell them (introduction).
- Tell them (body).
- Tell them what you told them (conclusion).
Copyright ©1995-2011 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University .
© Damen , 2002
24. Introduction and Conclusion.
These represent the most serious omission students regularly make. Every essay or paper designed to be persuasive needs a paragraph at the very outset introducing both the subject at hand and the thesis which is being advanced. It also needs a final paragraph summarizing what's been said and driving the author's argument home.
These are not arbitrary requirements. Introductions and conclusions are crucial in persuasive writing. They put the facts to be cited into a coherent structure and give them meaning. Even more important, they make the argument readily accessible to readers and remind them of that purpose from start to end.
Think of it this way. As the writer of an essay, you're essentially a lawyer arguing in behalf of a client (your thesis) before a judge (the reader) who will decide the case (agree or disagree with you). So, begin as a lawyer would, by laying out the facts to the judge in the way you think it will help your client best. Like lawyers in court, you should make an "opening statement," in this case, an introduction. Then review the facts of the case in detail just as lawyers question witnesses and submit evidence during a trial. This process of presentation and cross-examination is equivalent to the "body" of your essay. Finally, end with a "closing statement"—that is, the conclusion of your essay—arguing as strongly as possible in favor of your client's case, namely, your theme.
Likewise, there are several things your paper is not . It's not a murder mystery, for instance, full of surprising plot twists or unexpected revelations. Those really don't go over well in this arena. Instead, lay everything out ahead of time so the reader can follow your argument easily. Nor is a history paper an action movie with exciting chases down dark corridors where the reader has no idea how things are going to end. In academic writing it's best to tell the reader from the outset what your conclusion will be. This, too, makes your argument easier to follow. Finally, it's not a love letter. Lush sentiment and starry-eyed praise don't work well here. They make it look like your emotions are in control, not your intellect, and that will do you little good in this enterprise where facts, not dreams, rule.
All in all, persuasive writing grips the reader though its clarity and the force with which the data bring home the thesis. The point is to give your readers no choice but to adopt your way of seeing things, to lay out your theme so strongly they have to agree with you. That means you must be clear, forthright and logical. That's the way good lawyers win their cases.
A. How to Write an Introduction. The introduction of a persuasive essay or paper must be substantial. Having finished it, the reader ought to have a very clear idea of the author's purpose in writing. To wit, after reading the introduction, I tend to stop and ask myself where I think the rest of the paper is headed, what the individual paragraphs in its body will address and what the general nature of the conclusion will be. If I'm right, it's because the introduction has laid out in clear and detailed fashion the theme and the general facts which the author will use to support it.
Let me give you an example of what I mean. The following is an introduction of what turned out to be a well-written paper, but the introduction was severely lacking:
The role of women has changed over the centuries, and it has also differed from civilization to civilization. Some societies have treated women much like property, while others have allowed women to have great influence and power.
Not a bad introduction really, but rather scant. I have no idea, for instance, which societies will be discussed or what the theme of the paper will be. That is, while I can see what the general topic is, I still don't know the way the writer will draw the facts together, or even really what the paper is arguing in favor of.
As it turned out, the author of this paper discussed women in ancient Egypt, classical Greece, medieval France and early Islamic civilization and stressed their variable treatment in these societies. This writer also focused on the political, social and economic roles women have played in Western cultures and the various ways they have found to assert themselves and circumvent opposition based on gender.
Given that, I would rewrite the introduction this way:
The role of women < in Western society > has changed < dramatically > over the centuries, < from the repression of ancient Greece to the relative freedom of women living in Medieval France. The treatment of women > has also differed from civilization to civilization < even at the same period in history >. Some societies < such as Islamic ones > have treated women much like property, while others < like ancient Egypt > have allowed women to have great influence and power. < This paper will trace the development of women's rights and powers from ancient Egypt to late medieval France and explore their changing political, social and economic situation through time. All the various means women have used to assert themselves show the different ways they have fought against repression and established themselves in authority. >
Now it is clear which societies will be discussed (Egypt, Greece, France, Islam) and what the general theme of the paper will be (the variable paths to empowerment women have found over time). Now I know where this paper is going and what it's really about.
B. How to Write a Conclusion. In much the same way that the introduction lays out the thesis for the reader, the conclusion of the paper should reiterate the main points—it should never introduce new ideas or things not discussed in the body of the paper!—and bring the argument home. The force with which you express the theme here is especially important, because if you're ever going to convince the reader that your thesis has merit, it will be in the conclusion. In other words, just as lawyers win their cases in the closing argument, this is the point where you'll persuade others to adopt your thesis.
If the theme is clear and makes sense, the conclusion ought to be very easy to write. Simply begin by restating the theme, then review the facts you cited in the body of the paper in support of your ideas—and it's advisable to rehearse them in some detail—and end with a final reiteration of the theme. Try, however, not to repeat the exact language you used elsewhere in the paper, especially the introduction, or it will look like you haven't explored all aspects of the situation ( see above, #7 ).
All in all, remember these are the last words your reader will hear from you before passing judgment on your argument. Make them as focused and forceful as possible.
- Departments and Units
- Majors and Minors
- LSA Gateway
Search: {{$root.lsaSearchQuery.q}}, Page {{$root.page}}
- News and Events
- Undergraduates
- Instructors
- Alumni & Friends
- ★ Writing Support
- International Students
- Peer Writing Consultant Program
- Writing Guides
- Minor in Writing
- Transfer Students
- Writing Prizes
- First-Year Writing Requirement
- MWrite Fellows Program
- Upper-Level Writing Requirement
- ★ Writing Workshop
- Dissertation Writing Groups
- Rackham / Sweetland Workshops
- Dissertation Writing Institute
- Teaching Resources & Writing Guides
- Dissertation ECoach
- Fellows Seminar
- Write-Togethers
- Support for FYWR Courses
- Teaching Resources
- M-Write Seminar for Engaged Learning
- Support for ULWR Courses
- Writing Prizes - Nominating Students
- Sweetland Library
- Alumni Gallery
- Giving Opportunities
- How Do I Write an Intro, Conclusion, & Body Paragraph?
- How Do I Make Sure I Understand an Assignment?
- How Do I Decide What I Should Argue?
- How Can I Create Stronger Analysis?
- How Do I Effectively Integrate Textual Evidence?
- How Do I Write a Great Title?
- What Exactly is an Abstract?
- How Do I Present Findings From My Experiment in a Report?
- What is a Run-on Sentence & How Do I Fix It?
- How Do I Check the Structure of My Argument?
- How Do I Incorporate Quotes?
- How Can I Create a More Successful Powerpoint?
- How Can I Create a Strong Thesis?
- How Can I Write More Descriptively?
- How Do I Incorporate a Counterargument?
- How Do I Check My Citations?
See the bottom of the main Writing Guides page for licensing information.
Traditional Academic Essays In Three Parts
Part i: the introduction.
An introduction is usually the first paragraph of your academic essay. If you’re writing a long essay, you might need 2 or 3 paragraphs to introduce your topic to your reader. A good introduction does 2 things:
- Gets the reader’s attention. You can get a reader’s attention by telling a story, providing a statistic, pointing out something strange or interesting, providing and discussing an interesting quote, etc. Be interesting and find some original angle via which to engage others in your topic.
- Provides a specific and debatable thesis statement. The thesis statement is usually just one sentence long, but it might be longer—even a whole paragraph—if the essay you’re writing is long. A good thesis statement makes a debatable point, meaning a point someone might disagree with and argue against. It also serves as a roadmap for what you argue in your paper.
Part II: The Body Paragraphs
Body paragraphs help you prove your thesis and move you along a compelling trajectory from your introduction to your conclusion. If your thesis is a simple one, you might not need a lot of body paragraphs to prove it. If it’s more complicated, you’ll need more body paragraphs. An easy way to remember the parts of a body paragraph is to think of them as the MEAT of your essay:
Main Idea. The part of a topic sentence that states the main idea of the body paragraph. All of the sentences in the paragraph connect to it. Keep in mind that main ideas are…
- like labels. They appear in the first sentence of the paragraph and tell your reader what’s inside the paragraph.
- arguable. They’re not statements of fact; they’re debatable points that you prove with evidence.
- focused. Make a specific point in each paragraph and then prove that point.
Evidence. The parts of a paragraph that prove the main idea. You might include different types of evidence in different sentences. Keep in mind that different disciplines have different ideas about what counts as evidence and they adhere to different citation styles. Examples of evidence include…
- quotations and/or paraphrases from sources.
- facts , e.g. statistics or findings from studies you’ve conducted.
- narratives and/or descriptions , e.g. of your own experiences.
Analysis. The parts of a paragraph that explain the evidence. Make sure you tie the evidence you provide back to the paragraph’s main idea. In other words, discuss the evidence.
Transition. The part of a paragraph that helps you move fluidly from the last paragraph. Transitions appear in topic sentences along with main ideas, and they look both backward and forward in order to help you connect your ideas for your reader. Don’t end paragraphs with transitions; start with them.
Keep in mind that MEAT does not occur in that order. The “ T ransition” and the “ M ain Idea” often combine to form the first sentence—the topic sentence—and then paragraphs contain multiple sentences of evidence and analysis. For example, a paragraph might look like this: TM. E. E. A. E. E. A. A.
Part III: The Conclusion
A conclusion is the last paragraph of your essay, or, if you’re writing a really long essay, you might need 2 or 3 paragraphs to conclude. A conclusion typically does one of two things—or, of course, it can do both:
- Summarizes the argument. Some instructors expect you not to say anything new in your conclusion. They just want you to restate your main points. Especially if you’ve made a long and complicated argument, it’s useful to restate your main points for your reader by the time you’ve gotten to your conclusion. If you opt to do so, keep in mind that you should use different language than you used in your introduction and your body paragraphs. The introduction and conclusion shouldn’t be the same.
- For example, your argument might be significant to studies of a certain time period .
- Alternately, it might be significant to a certain geographical region .
- Alternately still, it might influence how your readers think about the future . You might even opt to speculate about the future and/or call your readers to action in your conclusion.
Handout by Dr. Liliana Naydan. Do not reproduce without permission.
- Information For
- Prospective Students
- Current Students
- Faculty and Staff
- Alumni and Friends
- More about LSA
- How Do I Apply?
- LSA Opportunity Hub
- LSA Magazine
- Student Resources
- Academic Advising
- Global Studies
- Social Media
- Update Contact Info
- Privacy Statement
- Report Feedback
Purdue Online Writing Lab College of Liberal Arts
Conclusions
Welcome to the Purdue OWL
This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.
Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.
This resource outlines the generally accepted structure for introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions in an academic argument paper. Keep in mind that this resource contains guidelines and not strict rules about organization. Your structure needs to be flexible enough to meet the requirements of your purpose and audience.
Conclusions wrap up what you have been discussing in your paper. After moving from general to specific information in the introduction and body paragraphs, your conclusion should begin pulling back into more general information that restates the main points of your argument. Conclusions may also call for action or overview future possible research. The following outline may help you conclude your paper:
In a general way,
- Restate your topic and why it is important,
- Restate your thesis/claim,
- Address opposing viewpoints and explain why readers should align with your position,
- Call for action or overview future research possibilities.
Remember that once you accomplish these tasks, unless otherwise directed by your instructor, you are finished. Done. Complete. Don't try to bring in new points or end with a whiz bang(!) conclusion or try to solve world hunger in the final sentence of your conclusion. Simplicity is best for a clear, convincing message.
The preacher's maxim is one of the most effective formulas to follow for argument papers:
Tell what you're going to tell them (introduction).
Tell them (body).
Tell them what you told them (conclusion).
How to Write an Engaging Introduction to a Persuasive Essay
A persuasive essay is a special type of academic paper that is aimed at convincing readers to share the author’s point of view. You need to persuade your readers with the information revealed. It can be difficult to prepare an excellent essay. Often, you need to deal with a very complex subject. If you need to write a perfect paper, be careful with every detail. A proper structure of an essay is essential. It defines the final success of your persuasive essay and the way it influences your audience.
Mostly, writers prefer a 5-paragraph essay paper. It means you need to provide your arguments and supporting evidence in about 5 main paragraphs. Writers put every new argument in a separate paragraph. The essay requires a standard structure that includes an introduction, main paragraphs, and a conclusion. It is important to select strong topics for persuasive essays. Choose a brief and concise subject. It will help you to prepare an excellent final paper with every argument properly explained and proven.
Be ready to spend your time checking your completed paper a few times. You must submit an original and flawless written piece. Pay your attention to the opening paragraph since you need to gather your readers’ attention and make them read your entire essay. Assure engaging and interesting beginning of your article. This is the best way to intrigue and to motivate your audience.
Takes only several minutes to buy essay and to hire our experienced authors.
How to Perform a Perfect Persuasive Essay
When you need to perform a perfect persuasive essay, be ready to pay a lot of your time and effort. It can be difficult to write an essay at first. Moreover, you need to pay your attention to every aspect of your paper. In fact, you need to share your point of view where making strong points, use strong words, and convincing conclusions. An attention-grabbing introduction is necessary. It assures the fact that your readers will read the entire essay eventually.
There are many useful tips and guides on how to accomplish an academic task without a glitch. In fact, your writing talents can be very helpful. Be ready to use your analytical abilities as well since the persuasive essay is the type of research paper. This piece of writing requires a profound analysis of a subject. You need to reveal your point of view based on strong arguments and supporting evidence. Further, you must persuade your readers to share your opinion.
You can use various writing tips and guides. The most important is to provide your readers with strong central arguments and relevant up-to-date evidence. You should sound very convincing. Moreover, stay confident with the information you reveal. It will help you to convince your audience that your point of view is the only right one. Be ready to prove all your arguments with strong, relevant, and understandable evidence.
Proper Structure of a Good Persuasive Essay
A persuasive essay has a standard essay structure. Often, writers prefer a 5-paragraph essay format the most. In general, an essay requires a strong and attention-grabbing introduction, informative main body parts, and a short and snappy conclusion.
- Introduction
The opening part of an essay must be attention-grabbing and engaging. You need to announce your topic, provide background information, and a strong thesis statement. Place a central statement in the last sentence of your introductory part. Make it brief and concise. The thesis statement is one of the most significant parts of an essay and remains a central argument of an entire research paper. You need to pay enough attention to prepare a strong key statement.
- Body paragraphs
An essay typically contains from 3 to 5 supporting paragraphs. You need to note down the main arguments and evidence into supporting paragraphs. Write every new argument in a separate paragraph. You should state arguments, important facts, evidence, and additional information in the body part. This is the biggest part of an essay. It contains all the calculations, results of analyses, findings, concepts’ revelation, and full argumentation.
A conclusion is the closing part of an article. You should make it short and concise. There is no need to bring new arguments and relevant evidence in this part of your research paper. Summarize your arguments and findings in order to provide a final message. Avoid reminding the same information from the body part. You should bring all central points to a logical ending in conclusions.
Additional Elements of a Persuasive Essay
An essay outline is an important element of every essay paper. It allows you to bring together the entire paper’s elements properly and assuring a requested essay format . An essay outline can be used as a writing plan. It allows you to deal with every part of an essay accurately. Moreover, an essay outline makes it easier to come up with every separate argument, its supporting evidence, important facts, concepts, and explanations.
You can write down an essay outline, and use it to organize and format your research paper focusing on the central thesis statement throughout an entire paper. Pay enough time to prepare a good essay outline. The accurate structure is one of the most crucial characteristics of your paper. The college professors and school tutors pay a lot of attention to a proper structure and format of an essay while checking every written piece.
An introduction is one of the central elements of an essay. With a strong and appealing opening part, you can assure your essay’s success. A strong intro is aimed at gathering the reader’s attention and making people read an entire essay. It can be problematic to perform an excellent opening part. Still, there are a few useful writing tips you can use.
First, use an attention-grabbing hook sentence. Therefore, provide readers with a hook phrase to gain their full attention. It can be a funny fact, anecdote, previously unknown information, quote, or a certain definition. It must be something to keep readers hooked on your paper. Moreover, add background information into an opening part. The last sentence is always a description and explanation of a thesis statement.
Your briefing must be clear, logical, and concise. You need to pay your time and effort to perform a great opening since it triggers the audience’s attention. You need to motivate your readers to keep reading a paper. Your main argument overview is also included in an introductory part. Make sure to choose a relevant hook sentence. Be very attentive to transition sentences and phrases you use in your written piece.
There is no need to write down all the arguments and supporting evidence into this part. You will write them down into the main body part. State a brief and informative thesis statement. Always check your paper before submitting it to your tutor or college professor.
Persuasive Essay: Useful Writing Tips and Guides
When you need to write a perfect persuasive essay, be very attentive to the structure of your paper. You need to focus on the main argument of an essay. Focus on the main statement and reveal it throughout an entire paper. Be ready to pay attention to the central argument of your persuasive essay. Use various writing techniques to reveal it profoundly. Avoid using superfluous information and insignificant details. Use a rich language to support your arguments. Be ready to reveal different ideas and convincing phrases. Make sure to support every provided argument with an up-to-date and relevant confirmation.
You can use various quotes, anecdotes, interesting facts, or controversial sayings in order to start your essay effectively. Use any available persuasive tools to support your point of view. Do not hesitate to write down your unparalleled ideas even if they look too provocative. Follow the writing requirements when completing an essay. Be very attentive to details and make sure to check an essay a few times before submitting it.
A good persuasive essay is always an appealing written piece with an engaging beginning, informative main body part, and strong summarizing conclusions. The body part can cover from 3 to 5 supporting paragraphs. Use the writing tips and guides to assure the excellent content of your paper. Always stay confident and quite convincing. Your audience must share your point of view as the only right one. This is the main purpose of your entire essay paper.
I was in need to get my paper completed within one day. I place my order at ESSAYUP. I was with hesitation what is going to happen. However, I was relieved of tension when I had got the final paper. They followed all of my instructions within this shorter period.
- High School $10 /page divider
- College $14 /page divider
- University $16 /page divider
- Master $22 /page divider
- PH. D. $29 /page divider
- 98.1% Customer satisfaction rate
- 97.6% Parers delivered in time
- 703 Active writers
- 14489 Orders delivered
Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.
10.9 Persuasion
Learning objectives.
- Determine the purpose and structure of persuasion in writing.
- Identify bias in writing.
- Assess various rhetorical devices.
- Distinguish between fact and opinion.
- Understand the importance of visuals to strengthen arguments.
- Write a persuasive essay.
The Purpose of Persuasive Writing
The purpose of persuasion in writing is to convince, motivate, or move readers toward a certain point of view, or opinion. The act of trying to persuade automatically implies more than one opinion on the subject can be argued.
The idea of an argument often conjures up images of two people yelling and screaming in anger. In writing, however, an argument is very different. An argument is a reasoned opinion supported and explained by evidence. To argue in writing is to advance knowledge and ideas in a positive way. Written arguments often fail when they employ ranting rather than reasoning.
Most of us feel inclined to try to win the arguments we engage in. On some level, we all want to be right, and we want others to see the error of their ways. More times than not, however, arguments in which both sides try to win end up producing losers all around. The more productive approach is to persuade your audience to consider your opinion as a valid one, not simply the right one.
The Structure of a Persuasive Essay
The following five features make up the structure of a persuasive essay:
- Introduction and thesis
- Opposing and qualifying ideas
- Strong evidence in support of claim
- Style and tone of language
- A compelling conclusion
Creating an Introduction and Thesis
The persuasive essay begins with an engaging introduction that presents the general topic. The thesis typically appears somewhere in the introduction and states the writer’s point of view.
Avoid forming a thesis based on a negative claim. For example, “The hourly minimum wage is not high enough for the average worker to live on.” This is probably a true statement, but persuasive arguments should make a positive case. That is, the thesis statement should focus on how the hourly minimum wage is low or insufficient.
Acknowledging Opposing Ideas and Limits to Your Argument
Because an argument implies differing points of view on the subject, you must be sure to acknowledge those opposing ideas. Avoiding ideas that conflict with your own gives the reader the impression that you may be uncertain, fearful, or unaware of opposing ideas. Thus it is essential that you not only address counterarguments but also do so respectfully.
Try to address opposing arguments earlier rather than later in your essay. Rhetorically speaking, ordering your positive arguments last allows you to better address ideas that conflict with your own, so you can spend the rest of the essay countering those arguments. This way, you leave your reader thinking about your argument rather than someone else’s. You have the last word.
Acknowledging points of view different from your own also has the effect of fostering more credibility between you and the audience. They know from the outset that you are aware of opposing ideas and that you are not afraid to give them space.
It is also helpful to establish the limits of your argument and what you are trying to accomplish. In effect, you are conceding early on that your argument is not the ultimate authority on a given topic. Such humility can go a long way toward earning credibility and trust with an audience. Audience members will know from the beginning that you are a reasonable writer, and audience members will trust your argument as a result. For example, in the following concessionary statement, the writer advocates for stricter gun control laws, but she admits it will not solve all of our problems with crime:
Although tougher gun control laws are a powerful first step in decreasing violence in our streets, such legislation alone cannot end these problems since guns are not the only problem we face.
Such a concession will be welcome by those who might disagree with this writer’s argument in the first place. To effectively persuade their readers, writers need to be modest in their goals and humble in their approach to get readers to listen to the ideas. See Table 10.5 “Phrases of Concession” for some useful phrases of concession.
Table 10.5 Phrases of Concession
Try to form a thesis for each of the following topics. Remember the more specific your thesis, the better.
- Foreign policy
- Television and advertising
- Stereotypes and prejudice
- Gender roles and the workplace
- Driving and cell phones
Collaboration
Please share with a classmate and compare your answers. Choose the thesis statement that most interests you and discuss why.
Bias in Writing
Everyone has various biases on any number of topics. For example, you might have a bias toward wearing black instead of brightly colored clothes or wearing jeans rather than formal wear. You might have a bias toward working at night rather than in the morning, or working by deadlines rather than getting tasks done in advance. These examples identify minor biases, of course, but they still indicate preferences and opinions.
Handling bias in writing and in daily life can be a useful skill. It will allow you to articulate your own points of view while also defending yourself against unreasonable points of view. The ideal in persuasive writing is to let your reader know your bias, but do not let that bias blind you to the primary components of good argumentation: sound, thoughtful evidence and a respectful and reasonable address of opposing sides.
The strength of a personal bias is that it can motivate you to construct a strong argument. If you are invested in the topic, you are more likely to care about the piece of writing. Similarly, the more you care, the more time and effort you are apt to put forth and the better the final product will be.
The weakness of bias is when the bias begins to take over the essay—when, for example, you neglect opposing ideas, exaggerate your points, or repeatedly insert yourself ahead of the subject by using I too often. Being aware of all three of these pitfalls will help you avoid them.
The Use of I in Writing
The use of I in writing is often a topic of debate, and the acceptance of its usage varies from instructor to instructor. It is difficult to predict the preferences for all your present and future instructors, but consider the effects it can potentially have on your writing.
Be mindful of the use of I in your writing because it can make your argument sound overly biased. There are two primary reasons:
- Excessive repetition of any word will eventually catch the reader’s attention—and usually not in a good way. The use of I is no different.
- The insertion of I into a sentence alters not only the way a sentence might sound but also the composition of the sentence itself. I is often the subject of a sentence. If the subject of the essay is supposed to be, say, smoking, then by inserting yourself into the sentence, you are effectively displacing the subject of the essay into a secondary position. In the following example, the subject of the sentence is underlined:
Smoking is bad.
I think smoking is bad.
In the first sentence, the rightful subject, smoking , is in the subject position in the sentence. In the second sentence, the insertion of I and think replaces smoking as the subject, which draws attention to I and away from the topic that is supposed to be discussed. Remember to keep the message (the subject) and the messenger (the writer) separate.
Developing Sound Arguments
Does my essay contain the following elements?
- An engaging introduction
- A reasonable, specific thesis that is able to be supported by evidence
- A varied range of evidence from credible sources
- Respectful acknowledgement and explanation of opposing ideas
- A style and tone of language that is appropriate for the subject and audience
- Acknowledgement of the argument’s limits
- A conclusion that will adequately summarize the essay and reinforce the thesis
Fact and Opinion
Facts are statements that can be definitely proven using objective data. The statement that is a fact is absolutely valid. In other words, the statement can be pronounced as true or false. For example, 2 + 2 = 4. This expression identifies a true statement, or a fact, because it can be proved with objective data.
Opinions are personal views, or judgments. An opinion is what an individual believes about a particular subject. However, an opinion in argumentation must have legitimate backing; adequate evidence and credibility should support the opinion. Consider the credibility of expert opinions. Experts in a given field have the knowledge and credentials to make their opinion meaningful to a larger audience.
For example, you seek the opinion of your dentist when it comes to the health of your gums, and you seek the opinion of your mechanic when it comes to the maintenance of your car. Both have knowledge and credentials in those respective fields, which is why their opinions matter to you. But the authority of your dentist may be greatly diminished should he or she offer an opinion about your car, and vice versa.
In writing, you want to strike a balance between credible facts and authoritative opinions. Relying on one or the other will likely lose more of your audience than it gains.
The word prove is frequently used in the discussion of persuasive writing. Writers may claim that one piece of evidence or another proves the argument, but proving an argument is often not possible. No evidence proves a debatable topic one way or the other; that is why the topic is debatable. Facts can be proved, but opinions can only be supported, explained, and persuaded.
On a separate sheet of paper, take three of the theses you formed in Note 10.94 “Exercise 1” , and list the types of evidence you might use in support of that thesis.
Using the evidence you provided in support of the three theses in Note 10.100 “Exercise 2” , come up with at least one counterargument to each. Then write a concession statement, expressing the limits to each of your three arguments.
Using Visual Elements to Strengthen Arguments
Adding visual elements to a persuasive argument can often strengthen its persuasive effect. There are two main types of visual elements: quantitative visuals and qualitative visuals.
Quantitative visuals present data graphically. They allow the audience to see statistics spatially. The purpose of using quantitative visuals is to make logical appeals to the audience. For example, sometimes it is easier to understand the disparity in certain statistics if you can see how the disparity looks graphically. Bar graphs, pie charts, Venn diagrams, histograms, and line graphs are all ways of presenting quantitative data in spatial dimensions.
Qualitative visuals present images that appeal to the audience’s emotions. Photographs and pictorial images are examples of qualitative visuals. Such images often try to convey a story, and seeing an actual example can carry more power than hearing or reading about the example. For example, one image of a child suffering from malnutrition will likely have more of an emotional impact than pages dedicated to describing that same condition in writing.
Writing at Work
When making a business presentation, you typically have limited time to get across your idea. Providing visual elements for your audience can be an effective timesaving tool. Quantitative visuals in business presentations serve the same purpose as they do in persuasive writing. They should make logical appeals by showing numerical data in a spatial design. Quantitative visuals should be pictures that might appeal to your audience’s emotions. You will find that many of the rhetorical devices used in writing are the same ones used in the workplace. For more information about visuals in presentations, see Chapter 14 “Creating Presentations: Sharing Your Ideas” .
Writing a Persuasive Essay
Choose a topic that you feel passionate about. If your instructor requires you to write about a specific topic, approach the subject from an angle that interests you. Begin your essay with an engaging introduction. Your thesis should typically appear somewhere in your introduction.
Start by acknowledging and explaining points of view that may conflict with your own to build credibility and trust with your audience. Also state the limits of your argument. This too helps you sound more reasonable and honest to those who may naturally be inclined to disagree with your view. By respectfully acknowledging opposing arguments and conceding limitations to your own view, you set a measured and responsible tone for the essay.
Make your appeals in support of your thesis by using sound, credible evidence. Use a balance of facts and opinions from a wide range of sources, such as scientific studies, expert testimony, statistics, and personal anecdotes. Each piece of evidence should be fully explained and clearly stated.
Make sure that your style and tone are appropriate for your subject and audience. Tailor your language and word choice to these two factors, while still being true to your own voice.
Finally, write a conclusion that effectively summarizes the main argument and reinforces your thesis. See Chapter 15 “Readings: Examples of Essays” to read a sample persuasive essay.
Choose one of the topics you have been working on throughout this section. Use the thesis, evidence, opposing argument, and concessionary statement as the basis for writing a full persuasive essay. Be sure to include an engaging introduction, clear explanations of all the evidence you present, and a strong conclusion.
Key Takeaways
- The purpose of persuasion in writing is to convince or move readers toward a certain point of view, or opinion.
- An argument is a reasoned opinion supported and explained by evidence. To argue, in writing, is to advance knowledge and ideas in a positive way.
- A thesis that expresses the opinion of the writer in more specific terms is better than one that is vague.
- It is essential that you not only address counterarguments but also do so respectfully.
- It is also helpful to establish the limits of your argument and what you are trying to accomplish through a concession statement.
- To persuade a skeptical audience, you will need to use a wide range of evidence. Scientific studies, opinions from experts, historical precedent, statistics, personal anecdotes, and current events are all types of evidence that you might use in explaining your point.
- Make sure that your word choice and writing style is appropriate for both your subject and your audience.
- You should let your reader know your bias, but do not let that bias blind you to the primary components of good argumentation: sound, thoughtful evidence and respectfully and reasonably addressing opposing ideas.
- You should be mindful of the use of I in your writing because it can make your argument sound more biased than it needs to.
- Facts are statements that can be proven using objective data.
- Opinions are personal views, or judgments, that cannot be proven.
- In writing, you want to strike a balance between credible facts and authoritative opinions.
- Quantitative visuals present data graphically. The purpose of using quantitative visuals is to make logical appeals to the audience.
- Qualitative visuals present images that appeal to the audience’s emotions.
Writing for Success by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
Introductions & Conclusions
Introductions.
- Get the audience’s attention with a story, quotation, personal experience, etc.
- Identify the topic and indicate why it is relevant, important, or interesting.
- Establish your credibility through words or behavior.
- Provide context, background, and definitions listeners might need.
- State your purpose, thesis, or research question.
- Preview the body of your speech.
- Make a transition to the first point in the body of the speech.
- Start with “um" or "OK.”
- Apologize for weaknesses in your content, preparation or speaking ability.
- Complain about food, accommodations, equipment, facilities or other speakers.
- Use “humor” that might disparage, offend or alienate your listeners.
- Use cheap tricks to get attention.
- Go on about how hard it was to choose a topic.
Conclusions
Conclusions should reinforce the message and give the speech unity and closure.
- Summarize the main points of your speech.
- Restate your purpose or thesis.
- Create closure, a sense of finality.
- In persuasive speeches, make a final call for commitment or action.
- Open new areas of discussion or argument.
- Change position or viewpoint.
- Resort to feeble closing phrases like “and that's all I have to say.”
- Say “thank you” just because the audience doesn't seem to realize that your speech is over.
Office / Department Name
Oral Communication Center
Contact Name
Amy Gaffney
Oral Communication Center Director
The $400 million campaign to provide students with a life-altering education.
Site Search
- Arts & Music
- English Language Arts
- World Language
- Social Studies - History
- Holidays / Seasonal
- Independent Work Packet
- Easel by TPT
- Google Apps
Interactive resources you can assign in your digital classroom from TPT.
Easel Activities
Easel Assessments
Unlock access to 4 million resources — at no cost to you — with a school-funded subscription..
introduction body conclusion template
All Formats
Resource types, all resource types, results for introduction body conclusion template.
- Price (Ascending)
- Most Recent
Informational Writing: 5 Informative Essays w/Guided Writing Templates 6-8
Also included in: Argumentative Writing, Narrative Writing, & Informational Writing BUNDLE (Print)
Introduction, Body, and Conclusion Paragraphs (Struggling Secondary Students)
Also included in: Essay Writing Bundle (for Struggling Secondary Students)
Argumentative Writing Essay Template for Struggling Learners/ ELLs
- Word Document File
Research Paper Outline Fill-in-the-blank
Research Paper Graphic Organizer
- Easel Activity
Also included in: Informational/Research Writing Graphic Organizers Bundle!
Literary Analysis Essay Unit: High School Response to Literature (2023 Update)
Essay Writing Bundle (for Struggling Secondary Students)
Informational Writing DIGITAL: 5 Informative Essays for Google Distance Learning
- Microsoft OneDrive
Also included in: Argumentative, Narrative, & Informative Writing DIGITAL VERSION Bundle
Research Essay Writing Guide for Students
Also included in: Projects Bundle for any subject
5 Paragraph Essay 6-10: Prewrite, Draft, Edit, Samples, Rubric, Info CCSS
Also included in: Expository Writing BUNDLE for Any Subject
Extended Response Writing Strategy | Response to Reading | Distance Learning
Also included in: RACE Writing Strategy Short Response and Extended Response | ELA Test Prep
Digital Essay Template (Google Slides)
Graphic Organizer for writing Paragraphs
Opinion Writing Template - DIGITAL or PRINT
How to Write an Argument Essay
Writing An Autobiography--Includes Rubric
Persuasive Essay Unit & Writing Resources
Feature Article Template
Inventor Lapbook and Booklet
Essay Writing Template
Persuasive Essay Template
Also included in: Persuasive Writing BUNDLE (Full Week of Resources)
MLA Format Outline/Template for Essays
INFORMATIVE WRITING: Rough Draft of 5-Paragraph Essay Template
Secondary Argumentative Essay Planning Guide (Google Doc)
TPT empowers educators to teach at their best.
- We're Hiring
- Help & FAQ
- Terms of Service
- Trademark & Copyright
- Privacy Policy
- Student Privacy Policy
Keep in Touch!
Are you getting the free resources, updates, and special offers we send out every week in our teacher newsletter?
Have a language expert improve your writing
Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.
- Knowledge Base
- How to write an essay introduction | 4 steps & examples
How to Write an Essay Introduction | 4 Steps & Examples
Published on February 4, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on September 14, 2022.
A good introduction paragraph is an essential part of any academic essay . It sets up your argument and tells the reader what to expect.
The main goals of an introduction are to:
- Catch your reader’s attention.
- Give background on your topic.
- Present your thesis statement —the central point of your essay.
This introduction example is taken from our interactive essay example on the history of Braille.
The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.
Table of contents
Step 1: hook your reader, step 2: give background information, step 3: present your thesis statement, step 4: map your essay’s structure, step 5: check and revise, more examples of essay introductions, frequently asked questions about the essay introduction.
Your first sentence sets the tone for the whole essay, so spend some time on writing an effective hook.
Avoid long, dense sentences—start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.
The hook should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of the topic you’re writing about and why it’s interesting. Avoid overly broad claims or plain statements of fact.
Examples: Writing a good hook
Take a look at these examples of weak hooks and learn how to improve them.
- Braille was an extremely important invention.
- The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.
The first sentence is a dry fact; the second sentence is more interesting, making a bold claim about exactly why the topic is important.
- The internet is defined as “a global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities.”
- The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education.
Avoid using a dictionary definition as your hook, especially if it’s an obvious term that everyone knows. The improved example here is still broad, but it gives us a much clearer sense of what the essay will be about.
- Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a famous book from the nineteenth century.
- Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement.
Instead of just stating a fact that the reader already knows, the improved hook here tells us about the mainstream interpretation of the book, implying that this essay will offer a different interpretation.
Next, give your reader the context they need to understand your topic and argument. Depending on the subject of your essay, this might include:
- Historical, geographical, or social context
- An outline of the debate you’re addressing
- A summary of relevant theories or research about the topic
- Definitions of key terms
The information here should be broad but clearly focused and relevant to your argument. Don’t give too much detail—you can mention points that you will return to later, but save your evidence and interpretation for the main body of the essay.
How much space you need for background depends on your topic and the scope of your essay. In our Braille example, we take a few sentences to introduce the topic and sketch the social context that the essay will address:
Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.
Now it’s time to narrow your focus and show exactly what you want to say about the topic. This is your thesis statement —a sentence or two that sums up your overall argument.
This is the most important part of your introduction. A good thesis isn’t just a statement of fact, but a claim that requires evidence and explanation.
The goal is to clearly convey your own position in a debate or your central point about a topic.
Particularly in longer essays, it’s helpful to end the introduction by signposting what will be covered in each part. Keep it concise and give your reader a clear sense of the direction your argument will take.
As you research and write, your argument might change focus or direction as you learn more.
For this reason, it’s often a good idea to wait until later in the writing process before you write the introduction paragraph—it can even be the very last thing you write.
When you’ve finished writing the essay body and conclusion , you should return to the introduction and check that it matches the content of the essay.
It’s especially important to make sure your thesis statement accurately represents what you do in the essay. If your argument has gone in a different direction than planned, tweak your thesis statement to match what you actually say.
You can use the checklist below to make sure your introduction does everything it’s supposed to.
Checklist: Essay introduction
My first sentence is engaging and relevant.
I have introduced the topic with necessary background information.
I have defined any important terms.
My thesis statement clearly presents my main point or argument.
Everything in the introduction is relevant to the main body of the essay.
You have a strong introduction - now make sure the rest of your essay is just as good.
- Argumentative
- Literary analysis
This introduction to an argumentative essay sets up the debate about the internet and education, and then clearly states the position the essay will argue for.
The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.
This introduction to a short expository essay leads into the topic (the invention of the printing press) and states the main point the essay will explain (the effect of this invention on European society).
In many ways, the invention of the printing press marked the end of the Middle Ages. The medieval period in Europe is often remembered as a time of intellectual and political stagnation. Prior to the Renaissance, the average person had very limited access to books and was unlikely to be literate. The invention of the printing press in the 15th century allowed for much less restricted circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.
This introduction to a literary analysis essay , about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein , starts by describing a simplistic popular view of the story, and then states how the author will give a more complex analysis of the text’s literary devices.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale. Arguably the first science fiction novel, its plot can be read as a warning about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, and in popular culture representations of the character as a “mad scientist”, Victor Frankenstein represents the callous, arrogant ambition of modern science. However, far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to gradually transform our impression of Frankenstein, portraying him in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as.
Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:
- An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
- Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
- A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.
The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .
The “hook” is the first sentence of your essay introduction . It should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of why it’s interesting.
To write a good hook, avoid overly broad statements or long, dense sentences. Try to start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.
A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.
The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:
- It gives your writing direction and focus.
- It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.
Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.
The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.
The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.
Cite this Scribbr article
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
McCombes, S. (2022, September 14). How to Write an Essay Introduction | 4 Steps & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved March 7, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/introduction/
Is this article helpful?
Shona McCombes
Other students also liked, how to write a thesis statement | 4 steps & examples, academic paragraph structure | step-by-step guide & examples, how to conclude an essay | interactive example, what is your plagiarism score.
Introductions and Conclusions
Have you ever read something that you couldn’t put down and then continued to think about it long after you finished? Good writing has that effect in general, but a strong introduction and conclusion are essential to engaging the reader from start to finish.
The introduction of a paper introduces the topic and scope of the discussion to prepare the reader for what follows, and the conclusion offers thoughtful analytic commentary or a synopsis that wraps up the discussion with final thoughts. In other words, the introduction and conclusion depend on everything that comes between them. With this in mind, an effective strategy for composing an introduction and a conclusion is to write everything that comes between them first. With the body of the paper drafted, you will know the topic well enough to introduce it effectively and you can also more readily determine where and how the discussion should end.
Consider the following characteristics of effective introductions and conclusions:
Characteristics of Effective Introductions
Provides relevant background information : Regardless of the topic, readers need a context to understand your remarks. A good introduction will include necessary background information about the topic that enables readers to understand the topic’s importance and why what you have to say about it matters. Providing context such as background information helps the reader feel grounded so that they can easily follow the development of the discussion.
Engages the reader : A good introduction will capture the attention of readers so that they want to read the paragraphs beyond the introduction. Enough specific information is presented so that readers are interested in the topic and what the writer plans to do with it. An engaging introduction invites readers into the world of the writing.
Sets the appropriate tone : The opening paragraph establishes the tone – the spirit and attitude behind the words – that the writer will use in a piece of writing. The tone should be a conscious choice as it reflects how the writer feels about the subject and about the audience, as well as the degree of formality of the writing. In most academic writing, the general tone is formal, but it may be more or less formal depending on the exact purpose of the writing. For example, a piece of writing with the purpose of introducing a new employee will probably be less formal and more personable than, say, a persuasive essay.
Establishes the focus and purpose : The introduction must make the focus and purpose of the paper clear to readers. Many writers include a thesis statement that establishes the focus and purpose and forecasts the main points. Even without an explicit thesis statement, the focus and purpose of the paper need to be just as clear. If readers do not understand the focus or what the writer hopes to accomplish, subsequent paragraphs may not make sense to readers.
Options for Introductions
The following is collection of some rhetorical strategies for writing introductions. Oftentimes an introduction will have characteristics of more than one strategy, so you should treat this list as a compilation of possibilities, not as a prescription of how certain types of beginnings must look. Try out a number of options to get a sense of the possibilities and then determine which would work best for your topic, purpose, and audience. The more you work on your introduction and think about what you are trying to say in your paper as a whole, the easier it will be to write an effective introduction.
Establish the Issue
Use the introduction to help make the case that the topic you are writing about is important and relevant and to provide context for your readers.
In the last decade or so, American culture has become increasingly tolerant of teenage sexuality. Many parents, too busy in their lives, are not proactive in educating their teens on issues related to sexuality. Educators are often left with the role of providing basic information about the subject even as more and more sexual education classes are cut from the curriculum. Where does this leave curious teens? Statistics show that 75 percent of teens have had sex by the time they are nineteen years old. The teenage birth rate continues to climb as do reported cases of sexually transmitted diseases (Healy, 2008). Cleary, it is imperative to develop intervention programs that teach adolescents the effective skills in delaying early sexual behaviors. Early education on delaying sexual activity for teens can drastically decrease teenage pregnancies, prevent the spread of STDs, and help teens to make the right choices that can impact the rest of their lives.
Asking relevant questions can be an excellent way to engage readers and get their attention. In the example below, the writer begins with a universal question that most readers can relate to.
Did you ever think that your life would change dramatically in a matter of twenty-four hours? One day you have a certain kind of life – a home, nearby schools for your kids, a wonderful neighborhood, good job, friends – and the next day it is all gone, irreversibly changed. As a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, I had always known that a major hurricane could strike, but even knowing this fact could not prepare me for what happened in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Katrina demonstrated the need for residents to evacuate when mandated, for local and state authorities to work more efficiently together, and for the federal government to respond in a timely and responsible manner.
Use a narrative Most people enjoy reading a good story, so beginning with a narrative can be an effective way to connect with your readers.
It was a dark and stormy night. The wind whipped through the trees while lightening flashed and thunder boomed. Up ahead on a hill, a rickety old house stood. In an upstairs window, a single, solitary light shone, casting an eerie shadow across the yard. I was in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on business, and was driving to the outskirts of the city to visit my aunt, an old woman I hadn’t seen in nearly twenty years. According to my directions, that rickety old house was my aunt’s house, but I didn’t know if I had the nerve to knock on the door. In fact, I couldn’t remember a time I had been more scared. Everyone experiences fear just as everyone experiences happiness or sadness. Fear is a natural human emotion to the unknown and is characterized by physical changes to the body, an innate need to escape, and acute awareness of one’s surroundings.
Use an Attention Getter
Begin with a statement that will catch your readers’ attention and makes them want to continue reading.
Some children cannot sit still. They appear distracted by every little thing and do not seem to learn from their mistakes. These children disregard rules, even when they are punished repeatedly. It’s simple—their parents must not know how to control them. The truth is that attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD is not understood appropriately. In fact, ADHD is a growing problem that requires more research to understand the issue, better intervention programs to help afflicted children, and improved training and support programs to help parents and educators.
Use an Extended Example or Series of Examples
Providing anecdotal examples can be a very effective way to capture your readers’ attention. Choose relevant, memorable examples.
According to the Federal Highway and Transportation Agency (2008), the majority of Americans, some 57%, do not regularly wear seat belts. Teddy Biro didn’t wear one when the car he was driving skidded on an icy road and hit a utility pole; Biro was catapulted through his front windshield and died of blood loss from a severed jugular vein. The coroner reported he had no other injuries besides minor abrasions. Bob Nettleblatt wasn’t wearing a seat belt when a car rear-ended him at a stop sign. Nettleblatt slammed his head into his front windshield and required 137 stitches to close up the laceration; investigators at the scene said if he had been wearing a seat belt, he would have been virtually unhurt from the 2 mph rear end collision (Fischer, 2007). Despite what is known about the safety of wearing seatbelts, too many Americans still do not buckle up, resulting in enormous emergency medical costs and fatalities that could be avoided. Despite what some people think, wearing a seatbelt is not a choice nor does it violate one’s personal rights. Wearing a seatbelt is the law and more needs to be done to enforce the law, punish those who break it, and educate young drivers to the dangers of not buckling up.
Define an Essential Term
To use this strategy, choose a term that is central to your paper and define it. This will help to engage your readers and make them want to continue reading. In the example below, the writer uses an extended example to define the term “collect.”
My friend George is a record fiend. Every room of his house contains floor-to-ceiling shelves filled entirely with record albums organized alphabetically regardless of genre. Stack after stack of record albums are piled high in the center of rooms, in corners, and in hallways. They are stacked under tables and in cupboards. One entire closet contains by George’s estimation over twenty-five hundred unsorted albums he purchased at flea markets, estate sales, and record shows. The parts of walls exposed contain framed original album covers—the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Muddy Waters’ Electric Mud, John Coltrane’s Giant Steps. He owns commercially released albums, limited edition releases, reviewer copies, test pressings, and bootlegs. On most weekends, George travels to record shows and collectors conventions. He writes a weekly blog devoted to obscure records and another on the art of record collecting. His obsession with record collecting has cost him jobs, friends, and a wife. And still he collects.
Dramatize a Scene
Crafting a dramatic scene can go a long way toward making your readers want to read your work!
4 AM, March 28, 1979 and the floor of the control room at Three Mile Island nuclear power station jumps to life. The two control room operators are jolted from their mid-shift doldrums as alarms begin to sound, and the pounding in the auxiliary room is deafening. What those at the station did not know was that the “worst crisis yet experienced by the nation’s nuclear power industry” (Kemeny, 1979, p. 37) had just begun, and its impact wouldn’t be realized for years to come, if ever. Three Mile Island nuclear power station was located on an island in the middle of the Susquehanna River near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It contained two separate nuclear power plants, TMI 1 and TMI 2. TMI 1 had been shut down for maintenance, but TMI 2 was operating at 97% of rated power providing electricity to the area (Carraway, 2000). Within seconds of the first alarm, a chain of events would commence to destroy the nuclear reactor and with it, the future of the nuclear power industry in this country.
Use a Quote
Using a relevant quotation, whether it is direct or indirect, can also help engage your reader.
An observer once said that New Orleanians are either having a party, recuperating from a party, or planning a party. The biggest and best party of all and the city’s most famous celebration is Mardi Gras, the greatest free show on earth. Despite the image the popular media displays to outsiders, Mardi Gras is a yearly celebration that is much tamer than most realize, brings family and friends together, and promotes unity among diverse groups of people.
Shocking but true statements or statistics can help draw your readers in.
McDonald’s has sold over 100 billion burgers. One hundred billion burgers with bun, stacked on top of one another would extend over 2.9 million miles into space–twelve times as far as the moon (Grimes, 2007). What is the secret of McDonald’s incredible success? To use the words of Ray Kroc, McDonald’s founder, the secret to McDonald’s success is that the fast-food giant produces “consistently mediocre food” (as cited in Thomas, 2001). The McDonald’s corporation has become a model of success due to its understanding of its market niche, its ability to redefine its image over time, and its ability to remain stable and produce a profit even in difficult economic times.
Characteristics of an Effective Conclusion
Brings the writing to a logical close : A conclusion provides the necessary signal to readers that the business of the essay is winding down, and the reader is being returned to the world outside of the essay. This transition should be fluid and the parting content thoughtful so that readers are prepared for and satisfied with the ending.
Reinforces the main idea in an engaging manner : Just as the introduction provides a first impression, the conclusion provides the last impression. The conclusion should reinforce the main idea of the work in a way that is fresh and not merely a perfunctory rehashing of what the essay discussed. Use the ending as your last chance to reach your audience and make sure the main point, its significance and/or its larger implications, are understood.
Leaves readers with something to think about : Ideally, a conclusion will bring the world of the essay to a close in such a way that even though the business of reading has ended, the audience does not stop thinking about what the essay said – its ideas. You don’t want an audience to end reading an essay, thinking “So what?” Provide some content that engages readers with what is important about the topic and your discussion of it so that the meaning of the writing stays with readers.
Options for Conclusions
What follows is a list of possible ways to conclude your writing. Depending on the purpose of the writing, some endings are more appropriate than others, so give careful thought to these techniques and try out a number of appropriate possibilities. Please also keep in mind that these options, like the offerings for introductions, can be combined so that a conclusion may have characteristics of more than one type of ending.
Most of the options for introductions can also be used for conclusions as well. Recall the introduction in which the writer was telling the story of the dark and stormy night he went to visit an aunt he hadn’t seen in decades. The conclusion could pick up where the introduction left off, or it could tell the story of another fearful situation the writer experienced, but the same general technique, a narrative in this case, could be used.
What follows is a list of additional ways in which you can compose a conclusion for your writing.
The idea of the echo is to repeat key words or phrases to create an “echo” that gets at a particular meaning or emphasizes a certain idea important to the writing. In the example below, note how the repetition of “Too many drivers” emphasizes the idea and, in essence, creates an echo readers will hear.
Too many drivers act in inappropriate ways when they get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. Too many drivers are unnecessarily aggressive, darting in and out of traffic, running stop lights, putting everyone else on the road in peril. Too many drivers are just plain inconsiderate as if they are the only ones on the road. And too many of those drivers are just like you and me – good, decent people until we get in our cars.
Audience Appeal
The writer shows or points out directly to the audience how things are or the likely consequences if certain conditions remain the same. The content is presented in such a way that the burden of responsibility lies with the audience. This approach is well suited for writing that has a persuasive purpose.
The current political culture allows for staggering sums of money to be spent on campaigns. The basic idea is not so much about content as it is about getting the word out and creating a buzz. The more one hears about a candidate, the greater the buzz. And, of course, creating a buzz costs money, but, as advertisers have known for a long time, it is money well spent. Getting elected is a lot like selling laundry detergent, and until American citizens let their governmental advertisers know that they’ve had enough, that spending millions of dollars – even if it’s a candidate’s own money – to hold an office is ludicrous, then they have no one but themselves to blame.
State the “So What?”
With this ending, the writer essentially states the deeper meaning of the piece of writing so that the idea is not only clear, but it is also emphasized.
Today, Maine is one of only ten states that has not passed public charter school legislation. Maine’s current public school choice offerings are slim at best. Current choices include only traditional public schools or private schools. Whether the reason for wanting other alternatives is personal or educational, Maine families should be afforded another choice in public education. It’s time for Maine to recognize that public charter schools are a valuable choice in free public education.
Clinching Statement
With this type of conclusion, the writer uses a thought-provoking final statement that communicates the essence of the piece of writing and stays with readers.
For most residents living in hurricane-prone New Orleans, the first of June simply marks the beginning of another local season—hurricane season. The media quickly saturate the airwaves with hurricane season predictions, hurricane preparedness reminders and checklists, evacuation routes and guidelines, mini-lessons on the benefits of super Doppler imagery, and, certainly up until Katrina, doomsday predictions of what could happen if a major hurricane hit New Orleans. The information delivered was such standard fare that few gave it much thought. Hurricane Katrina changed all that. Katrina taught New Orleanians to be mindful of hurricane season and to pay attention—really pay attention—to what was swirling out near or in the Gulf. And even though by meteorological standards, Katrina was not the Big One, the apocalyptic aftermath of the storm and the physical and psychological damage it caused added up to something far greater than anyone expected.
Back to the Beginning
This ending uses content that in some way refers back to the beginning of the essay, not in a redundant way but in a manner that makes an important connection.
While friends will drift in and out of our lives, disappearing and maybe reappearing, some will be as constant as the stars in the sky. These friends – the essence of true friends – we will keep forever. These few friends will always be around, will see us through thick and thin, good and bad, no matter what, because that is what true friends do.
While the tendency when writing a conclusion is to offer a summary of what came before, now you have options for a conclusion that will move beyond a mere summary and bring the writing to a thoughtful and graceful exit.
Ernest Hemingway, the great 20th century American writer, claimed to have written 256 different endings for his short novel The Old Man and the Sea . According to Hemingway, he needed to get it right. While you may not have the time to try so many different conclusions, do keep in mind what Hemingway clearly knew: For a conclusion to be successful, it needs to be satisfying. Good endings create a sense of closure, a sense that the business of the essay has come to a completion; the reader is not expecting more. Like an introduction that makes a good first impression, the conclusion makes the final impression, and you want it to be lasting.
Share this:
- Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
- Click to print (Opens in new window)
Follow Blog via Email
Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive email notifications of new posts.
Email Address
- RSS - Posts
- RSS - Comments
- COLLEGE WRITING
- USING SOURCES & APA STYLE
- EFFECTIVE WRITING PODCASTS
- LEARNING FOR SUCCESS
- PLAGIARISM INFORMATION
- FACULTY RESOURCES
- Student Webinar Calendar
- Academic Success Center
- Writing Center
- About the ASC Tutors
- DIVERSITY TRAINING
- PG Peer Tutors
- PG Student Access
Subscribe to Blog via Email
Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.
- College Writing
- Using Sources & APA Style
- Learning for Success
- Effective Writing Podcasts
- Plagiarism Information
- Faculty Resources
- Tutor Training
Twitter feed
- Celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day purdueglobalwriting.center/2023/02/17/cel… 2 weeks ago
- How to be SMART About Goal-setting purdueglobalwriting.center/2023/01/20/how… 1 month ago
- Happy 2023! purdueglobalwriting.center/2023/01/06/hap… 1 month ago
- Happy Holidays! purdueglobalwriting.center/2022/12/23/hap… 2 months ago
- Page Content
- Sidebar Content
- Main Navigation
- Quick links
- All TIP Sheets
- Writing a Summary
- Writing Paragraphs
- Writing an Analogy
- Writing a Descriptive Essay
- Writing a Persuasive Essay
- Writing a Compare/Contrast Paper
- Writing Cause and Effect Papers
- Writing a Process Paper
- Writing a Classification Paper
- Definitions of Writing Terms
- How to Write Clearly
- Active and Passive Voice
- Developing a Thesis and Supporting Arguments
Writing Introductions & Conclusions
- How to Structure an Essay: Avoiding Six Weaknesses in Papers
- Writing Book Reports
- Writing about Literature
- Writing about Non-Fiction Books
- Poetry: Meter and Related Topics
- Revising and Editing
- Proofreading
TIP Sheet WRITING INTRODUCTIONS & CONCLUSIONS
Even when you know everything about your paper's topic, it's hard to know how to create a "hook" that makes a reader want to read it. And how in the world do you end satisfactorily? The fact is that many of us anguish over our intros and conclusions. The problem of introductions and conclusions is really one problem. They are linked, not only in anguish but in content; they are almost mirror images of each other.
First, however, there are two common misconceptions to dispel. Your thesis is not an introduction. An introductory paragraph starts with a "hook," which leads into the thesis. You do need an introduction as well as a thesis. Second, a simple restatement of your thesis is not a conclusion. To create that satisfying sense of finality in your conclusion, you must revisit the stuff of your introduction. If you start with a story, return to the story. If you start with a definition, return to the definition, even if only to contradict it.
From the TIP Sheet "How to Start (and Complete) a Research Paper," you already know to start writing your paper in the middle, with the thesis statement and body. When you are ready to finish with the introduction and conclusion, choose from several strategies:
- Illustrate : Show instead of tell.
- Challenge : Raise reader expectations.
- Quote : Make use of the wordsmiths.
- Compare/contrast: Evoke familiarity by comparing or create tension and expectation by contrasting.
- Define : Define-or redefine in a unique way.
- Make a provocative statement : Offer an amazing statistic or personal insight.
Illustrate An illustration can be as simple as a personal story or anecdote . It's natural to think of a personal anecdote as an introduction to a personal narrative, but stories and anecdotes can be effective introductions to any kind of paper. The following anecdote introduces a research paper on vegetarian and vegan diets. The conclusion returns briefly to the story:
Introduction: We took our sons fishing in the spillway next to the dam one moonlit night. In the hush of the night, one of them hooked a small trout. But when the landed fish screamed aloud, my son fled the scene in horror and has never eaten flesh since.
Conclusion: People adopt vegetarian and vegan diets for different reasons, not all of them out of horror, as my son did. Whatever their reasons, they are finding more options in grocery stores, restaurants, and cookbooks than ever before.
An example taken from local or world news events is another kind of illustration. This is the introduction and conclusion to a paper on urban growth problems in California:
Introduction: The Chico city council recently approved six hundred new homes to go in on the east side of the city. The impacts this development will have are likely to be extreme, illustrating the problems all California cities face in managing growth.
Conclusion: How well Chico will cope with the increased traffic, pressure on schools, and impacts to the watershed is yet to be seen. But Chico is not alone in having to find solutions soon.
A composite illustration is a fiction that you create in order to make a point. (Composite means including a bit of this and a bit of that.) The advantage of a composite illustration is that it can be perfectly crafted to fit your point. A composite can illustrate extreme examples that are possible though not likely ("Suppose that..."), or distant consequences that are possible but not yet observed.
An analogy is an extended comparison between one thing and another (the development of a balanced state budget compared with a shopping list, perhaps). If you come up with an apt analogy, it can be very effective; however, a so-so analogy is better abandoned sooner than later. You are better off with a good story than with a mediocre analogy. For more on analogies, see the TIP Sheet, "Writing an Analogy."
Challenge A challenge raises reader expectations and creates tension. A challenging opening statement is effective for a thesis that calls for changes to be made in public policies or personal actions, such as in persuasive essays and argument or analysis papers:
Introduction Chances are, if you live outside city limits in any of California's twenty-one rural counties, you couldn't use public transportation if you wanted to. There isn't any.
Conclusion: Sure, Californians need to get over their love affairs with their cars, but having a better system of public transportation in place would help. Then, perhaps, I could get from rural Durham to rural Oroville, where I live, without putting yet another car on the road.
A question is another type of challenge:
Introduction: Does it make sense to prohibit minors from carrying calamine lotion with them at school without two kinds of written permission, and yet allow them to leave campus without parental knowledge or consent for invasive medical procedures?
Conclusion: Even more than many of the zero-tolerance laws in place in our schools, this one should be ditched. Does it make sense? Clearly it doesn't.
Note that a question is an introductory strategy , not a thesis statement. A thesis statement should answer the question, and in some detail-not just "yes" or "no."
Quote Make good use of the wordsmiths of history. Online quotation banks, usually searchable by topic, are a great source for quotations on practically any subject. You have some latitude in how you choose a quote for an introduction; it can be offbeat or unexpected. In the following example, an unusual quote by Albert Einstein is used to introduce an essay on restricting cell phone use while driving:
Introduction: Albert Einstein once said, "Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves."
Conclusion: It doesn't take an Einstein to realize that cell phones are not the first, nor will they be the last, driving distraction. We don't need more restrictions on cell phones; we just need better drivers.
Song lyrics or familiar sayings sometimes make good introductions, but avoid clichés such as "Haste makes waste." If a familiar saying draws on jargon or sayings familiar only to a particular group, you have to provide the context for those who are unfamiliar with that group:
Introduction: Computer programmers have a saying: "Garbage in, garbage out."
Conclusion: The next time you read the results of the latest poll, consider the polling method, the sample, and the source, and remember, "Garbage in, garbage out."
Compare or contrast Comparison shows similarities and creates a sense of familiarity. Contrast shows differences and creates tension and expectation. You do not have to be writing a compare/contrast paper to use this as an introduction strategy. For example, this is a contrast intro to a personal narrative:
Introduction: When I was seven, I thought my father was all-powerful and could do no wrong. When I was seventeen, I thought he was a jerk.
Conclusion: My father wasn't the god he seemed when I was seven, but he was sure a lot better and wiser than I thought he was when I was seventeen.
Define A definition can make a good introduction. You don't have to be writing a definition paper to use definition as an introduction strategy. You can use a standard dictionary if you want, but consider using books of quotations or online quotation banks for more interesting definitions:
Introduction: Here is how Ambrose Bierce defines a conservative: " Conservative. noun. A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from a liberal, who wishes to replace them with others. "
Conclusion: In the matter of agricultural subsidies, we are better off sticking with existing evils than replacing them with others that promise far worse results.
Another interesting use of definition is to use it as a starting point to re-define something in your own terms:
Introduction: Webster says friendship is mutual feelings of trust, affection, assistance, and approval between people. However, I say friendship sometimes is knowing when to walk away.
Conclusion: Walking away that day was the biggest favor Mai ever did for me.
Make a provocative or startling statement If the provocative statement is someone else's, treat it as a quotation. If the provocative statement is statistical , make sure you cite the source. If you have a way with words or an insight all your own, by all means use that:
Introduction: It is ridiculous and immoral to allow congressmen to give themselves pay raises.
Conclusion: Restricting the ability of congressmen to vote themselves raises would go a long way to restoring morality and a sense of public service to public servants.
As you can see, introductions and conclusions are closely linked. Once you decide on a strategy, try simply over-writing the introduction (as one student we know regularly did) and then split off part of it to use as the conclusion. When you begin to think of introductions and conclusions as two pieces of a single puzzle, you will probably find them much easier to write.
Home | Calendars | Library | Bookstore | Directory | Apply Now | Search for Classes | Register | Online Classes | MyBC Portal MyBC -->
Butte College | 3536 Butte Campus Drive, Oroville CA 95965 | General Information (530) 895-2511
- EXPLORE Coupons Tech Help Pro Random Article About Us Quizzes Contribute Train Your Brain Game Improve Your English Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
- HELP US Support wikiHow Community Dashboard Write an Article Request a New Article More Ideas...
- EDIT Edit this Article
- PRO Courses New Tech Help Pro New Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Coupons Quizzes Upgrade Sign In
- Browse Articles
- Quizzes New
- Train Your Brain New
- Improve Your English New
- Support wikiHow
- About wikiHow
- Easy Ways to Help
- Approve Questions
- Fix Spelling
- More Things to Try...
- H&M Coupons
- Hotwire Promo Codes
- StubHub Discount Codes
- Ashley Furniture Coupons
- Blue Nile Promo Codes
- NordVPN Coupons
- Samsung Promo Codes
- Chewy Promo Codes
- Ulta Coupons
- Vistaprint Promo Codes
- Shutterfly Promo Codes
- DoorDash Promo Codes
- Office Depot Coupons
- adidas Promo Codes
- Home Depot Coupons
- DSW Coupons
- Bed Bath and Beyond Coupons
- Lowe's Coupons
- Surfshark Coupons
- Nordstrom Coupons
- Walmart Promo Codes
- Dick's Sporting Goods Coupons
- Fanatics Coupons
- Edible Arrangements Coupons
- eBay Coupons
- Log in / Sign up
- Education and Communications
- Communication Skills
- Public Speaking
- Speechwriting
How to Write an Introduction for a Persuasive Speech
Last Updated: March 7, 2023 References Approved
This article was co-authored by Gale McCreary and by wikiHow staff writer, Kyle Hall . Gale McCreary is the Founder and Chief Coordinator of SpeechStory, a nonprofit organization focused on improving communication skills in youth. She was previously a Silicon Valley CEO and President of a Toastmasters International chapter. She has been recognized as Santa Barbara Entrepreneurial Woman of the Year and received Congressional recognition for providing a Family-Friendly work environment. She has a BS in Biology from Stanford University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 81% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 127,734 times.
A persuasive speech is meant to convince an audience to agree with your point of view or argument relating to a specific topic. While the body of your persuasive speech is where the bulk of your argument will go, it’s important that you don’t overlook the introduction. A good introduction will capture your audience’s attention, which is crucial if you want to persuade them. Fortunately, there are some simple rules you can follow that will make the introduction to your persuasive essay more engaging and memorable.
Organizing Your Introduction
- For example, if your speech is about sleep deprivation in the workplace, you could start with something like “Workplace accidents and mistakes related to sleep deprivation cost companies $31 billion every single year.”
- Or, if your speech is about animal rights, you could open with a quote like “The English philosopher Jeremy Bentham once said, ‘The question is not, Can they reason? Nor, Can they talk? But, Can they suffer?’”
- For a speech about unpaid internships, you could start with a relevant anecdote like “In 2018, Tiffany Green got her dream internship, unpaid, working for a rental company. Unfortunately, a few months later Tiffany returned home from work to find an eviction notice on the door of her apartment, owned by that same rental company, because she was unable to pay her rent.
- For example, your thesis statement could look something like “Today, I’m going to talk to you about why medical marijuana should be legalized in all 50 states, and I’ll explain why that would improve the lives of average Americans and boost the economy.”
- For example, if you’re a marine biologist who’s writing a persuasive speech about ocean acidification, you could write something like “I’ve studied the effects of ocean acidification on local marine ecosystems for over a decade now, and what I’ve found is staggering.”
- Or, if you’re not an expert on your topic, you could include something like “Earlier this year, renowned marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson published a decade-long study on the acidification of our oceans, and what she found is deeply concerning.”
- For example, you could sum up your conclusion by writing something like, “To show you that a shorter work week would benefit not only employees but also their employers, first I will touch on the history of the modern average work week. Then, I’ll discuss the mental and physical toll that a long work week can take on a person. Finally, I’ll wrap up by going over fairer, better systems that we as a society could implement.”
- For example, if you time yourself giving your speech (introduction included) and it takes you 5 minutes, your introduction should only take up about 45 seconds of your speech.
- However, if you were giving a speech that’s 20 minutes long, your introduction should be around 3 minutes.
- On average, you’ll want about 150 words for every 1 minute you need to speak for. For example, if your introduction should be 2 minutes, you’d want to write around 300 words.
Tip: If you know how long your speech is going to be before you write it, make the first draft of your introduction the right length so you don’t have to add or delete a lot later.
Polishing Your Writing
- To make your writing more conversational, try to use brief sentences, and avoid including jargon unless you need it to make your point.
- Using contractions, like “I’ll” instead of “I will,” “wouldn’t” instead of “would not,” and “they’re” instead of “they are,” can help make your writing sound more conversational.
Tip: An easy way to make your writing more concise is to start your sentences with the subject. Also, try to limit the number of adverbs and adjectives you use.
- For example, if your audience will be made up of the other students in your college class, including a pop culture reference in your introduction might be an effective way to grab their attention and help them relate to your topic. However, if you’re giving your speech in a more formal setting, a pop culture reference might fall flat.
- For example, you could write something like, “I know a lot of you may strongly disagree with me on this. However, I think if you give me a chance and hear me out, we might end up finding some common ground.”
- Or, you could include a question like “How many of you here tonight have ever come across plastic that's washed up on the beach?” Then, you can have audience members raise their hands.
- You can even record yourself reading your introduction to get a sense of how you'll look delivering the opening of your speech.
Example Introduction for a Persuasive Speech
Community Q&A
You Might Also Like
- ↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/communication/chapter/11-2-persuasive-speaking/
- ↑ https://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/public-speaking-practice-and-ethics/s12-introductions-matter-how-to-be.html
- ↑ https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/ace/downloads/tipsheets/persvsargu.pdf
- ↑ https://www.speechanddebate.org/wp-content/uploads/Tips-for-Writing-a-Persuasive-Speech.pdf
- ↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/publicspeaking/chapter/14-1-four-methods-of-delivery/
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/argumentative_essays.html
- ↑ https://www.gvsu.edu/speechlab/connecting-with-the-audience-26.htm
- ↑ https://www.gvsu.edu/speechlab/practicing-presentations-33.htm
About This Article
To write an introduction for a persuasive speech, start with a hook that will grab your audience's attention, like a surprising statistic or meaningful quote. Then, introduce your thesis statement, which should explain what you are arguing for and why. From here, you'll need to demonstrate the credibility of your argument if you want your audience to believe what you're saying. Depending on if you are an expert or not, you should either share your personal credentials or reference papers and studies by experts in the field that legitimize your argument. Finally, conclude with a brief preview of the main points you'll cover in your speech, so your audience knows what to expect and can follow along more easily. For more tips from our co-author, including how to polish your introduction, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No
- Send fan mail to authors
Reader Success Stories
Jun 6, 2021
Did this article help you?
Noela Ebaneck
Dec 30, 2019
Imani Wilson
May 12, 2019
Mila Del Giudice
Nov 24, 2020
Bethsheba Kwago
Jun 1, 2019
Featured Articles
Trending Articles
Watch Articles
- Terms of Use
- Privacy Policy
- Do Not Sell or Share My Info
- Not Selling Info
wikiHow Tech Help Pro:
Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve
13 Strategies of Effective Persuasive Essay Writing
As an avid reader, we’re sure you have encountered countless essays that have attempted to persuade you on one topic or another. However, have you ever stopped to wonder what makes a persuasive essay truly effective?
In this blog post, we’ll share some writing techniques and tips that will help you create a persuasive essay that captivates your audience.
Choose Your Topic Carefully
Choosing the right topic is critical when it comes to persuasive essay writing. You should select a topic that is interesting to you and your readers. The topic should also be relevant and have a clear argument that you can defend. It’s essential to research your topic thoroughly and gather facts and arguments that support your position. Additionally, it’s important to ensure that your topic is not too broad or too narrow, as this can make it difficult to write it persuasively.
Craft a Clear and Compelling Thesis Statement
Your thesis statement is the most critical part of your persuasive essay. It should be clear, concise, and placed at the end of your introduction. Your thesis statement should communicate your position and provide a roadmap for your essay. A strong thesis statement will guide the rest of your writing and help you stay on track.
On that note, if you need serious help with essay writing, then we’ve got your back. Studyfy offers a custom essay writing service for tired and struggling college students. Need help with making a persuasive essay? You’re in the right place. Hire a professional writer on the website, and relax right now.
Now let’s move on to the next point. There are still plenty of techniques you can use to make your persuasive essay better.
Use Emotional Appeals
Using emotional appeals is a powerful technique to persuade your readers. By using vivid language and storytelling, you can create an emotional connection with your readers. This can help them empathize with your position and understand your perspective better. To use emotional appeals effectively, use examples and anecdotes that illustrate your point and appeal to your readers’ emotions.
Employ Persuasive Language
Using persuasive language is crucial in writing an effective persuasive essay. The words you use can make a big difference in how persuasive your essay is. Use strong, active verbs and avoid passive voice. Use powerful adjectives and adverbs to create vivid descriptions. Additionally, try to use rhetorical devices like:
- Parallelism
- Rhetorical questions
These will enhance your paper.
Address Counterarguments
Addressing counterarguments is a crucial part of writing a persuasive essay. It shows that you have considered multiple perspectives and have thoughtfully arrived at your conclusion. However, it’s important to refute these counterarguments with strong evidence and logical reasoning.
This will help you make a more compelling argument and show that you have considered all possible angles.
Have writing difficulties? We remind you that if you need help with writing complicated papers and homework, help is there. You’re not alone. There are tons of professional writers ready to help you so you can relax and focus on other things. If you’ve wondered, “Can someone help and do my homework for me online?” you’re in the right place. Try it out now and invest in a great long-term academic resource. Now, let’s move along.
Identify Your Audience
To persuade your readers, you should know who they are exactly. Know your audience. Simple and easy. Consider what values and beliefs your readers hold and use this information to tailor your argument to their interests. Use language and tone that will resonate with your audience, and consider their age, gender, education level, and cultural background.
Research Thoroughly
To write a persuasive essay, you need to be knowledgeable about the topic you’re writing about. Using credible sources usually works. Use sources such as academic journals, books, and credible websites to gather knowledge and use them as references. Use multiple sources to build a strong argument, and make sure to cite your sources correctly.
Organize Effectively
An organized essay is easier to follow and more persuasive. Use headings and subheadings to divide your essay into clear sections. Use transitions between paragraphs to ensure that your essay flows smoothly, and use topic sentences to introduce each new idea.
Use Statistics and Data
Statistics and data can provide powerful evidence to support your argument. Use reputable sources to gather statistics and data that support your position. Use these facts and figures to show that your argument is supported by evidence.
Use Expert Quotes
Quotes from experts can lend credibility to your argument. Use quotes from people who are respected in their field, and make sure to provide context for the quote. Expert opinions can also be used to back up your position, especially when they come from people who are well-respected in their field.
Use Real-life Examples
Real-life examples and anecdotes can help your readers understand your argument in a more relatable way. Use personal stories, case studies, or news stories to illustrate your point. These stories should be relevant to your argument and should be used to support your position.
Anticipate Objections
Anticipating objections to your argument can help you make a more persuasive case. Consider what objections someone might have to your position, and address these objections directly in your essay. Use evidence and logical reasoning to counter these objections and strengthen your argument.
Use a Strong Conclusion
A strong conclusion is critical to persuading your readers. Summarize your main points and restate your thesis statement in a way that leaves a lasting impression. End with a call to action, encouraging your readers to take action based on your argument.
Final Thoughts
Writing an effective persuasive essay requires careful consideration of your audience, thorough research, and strong organization. By using statistics, data, quotes, and examples, you can build a strong argument and persuade your readers to see things from your perspective.
Remember, writing a persuasive essay is not about winning an argument but about persuading others to see the value of your perspective. By following these tips and techniques, you can write a compelling, persuasive essay.
Related Posts
How to Put on Your Own Backyard Fireworks Show
How to Sign PDF Documents Electronically?
5 Alternatives To Bank Overdraft Fees
How to Get Over Writer’s Block to Write Essay: 6 Handy Tips From an Expert
5 Fail-Proof Ways to Cut the Dissertation Writing Time in Half
Is Work-Study-Life Balance Actually Possible for a Student?
Write a comment cancel reply.
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Join the Premium Student Club @Zero Cost!
Get Assignment Done by MAS Certified Experts
Flat 50% Off on Assignment Bookings
- Assignments
- Dissertations
- Research Proposal
- Report Writing
- Literature Review
- CDR Writing
- Resume Writing
- Engineering
- IT & Computer Science
- Value Added Services
- Plagiarism Check
- Proofreading & Editing
- Expert Consultation
- Live Session 1-On-1
- Quality Check
- By University
- By Subject Codes
- Reviews 4.5/5
- Help & Support
- Certified Experts
- Our Policies
- Ask your Question
- Request Callback
- Get $50 Off
- Get 500 Words Free
- Premium Membership
Quick Searches
- Samples/Resources - e.g. Management Assignment Resources
- Services - e.g. MATLAB Assignment Help
- Questions - e.g. Management Assignment Questions
- Support : FAQs , Policies, Ordering Support
How To Write a Conclusion For a Persuasive Essay?
Author : Kristy
- Essay Writing
“The only thing more disappointing than completing an essay assignment on a weekend is reading essays with an anti-climatic ending!”
Unsatisfactory essay conclusions are a real bummer to read. If you are someone who writes stellar essays but still scores low, the way you are ending your essays might be the reason behind those poor grades. Not only improper conclusions can disappoint a reader, but it can also negate the hard work that you put in the rest of your essay. But what is the solution? Well, one easy solution is to avail essay writing help from essay veterans at My Assignment Services. The other way is to read this article, understand what are dos and don’ts of writing a persuasive essay conclusion, and leverage that expert knowledge to write flawless essay conclusions.
Here, at My Assignment Services, we can connect you to essay writing experts that can write your essays for you. With us, You get high scoring essays written at student-friendly prices by veterans in essay writing.
Dos and Don'ts of Writing conclusions
Let’s start with the Don’ts, shall we?
Don’ts
Don’t simply summarize; conclude.
Imagine reading an essay full of facts, opinions, and quotes from famous literature and then having to read all of it again in the conclusion. How is that for an anti-climatic ending? If your essay is a dough, then conclusions are the gluten that binds everything together.
Try to imagine every argument presented in the body of the essay as a morsel of flour. Without gluten in the mix, it wouldn’t bind with each other. Your conclusions should bind together all the elements and opinions discussed in the body of the essay, together.
Don’t Start a New Debate in The Essay Conclusions
One way to annoy a reader, fast, is to start a new debate in the conclusion without concluding the earlier ones. It confuses the reader and deters them away from reading your piece.
Don’t Be Pretentious
Although this is uncommon with university students, sometimes, when authors try to be modest about their essay or opinions presented in the essay, they try to apologize to people in advance for the events when their opinions hurt someone. But it does not reflect your modesty, it reflects that you're unsure of what you have presented in your essay and don’t think that the reader should have invested time reading it anyway.
Dos of Writing Conclusive Essays
Make everything fit like a jigsaw puzzle.
All those opinions that you present in the body of the essay need to be connected to each other. Everything mentioned in an essay should fit together like the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle. Establishing context between the different arguments and opinions presented in the body is an accredited way to conclude an essay.
Conclude the Present and Reveal the Future
It especially works for essays on nursing, technology, or politics. While you can discuss the present developments and models available on a particular subject in the existing literature in your conclusion, you can also link the current developments and the arguments presented in the essay to answer how these developments can paint a new picture of the world in the future.
Quote to Amplify Your Voice
Quotes and essays go hand in hand. Quotes are an amazing match for the introduction of the essay as well as for concluding it. A relevant quote can amplify your message. Not only they substantiate your text, but the clever wordplay of a quotation can help the reader digest your content in an easy manner.
Don’t Be Greedy, Provide Tangible Take-Aways
The best kinds of essay conclusions are the ones where a reader gets some tangible take-home information. Especially if your essay represents or states complicated facts and opinions, be sure to mention a tangible take-away conclusion of the essay
Ignite a Fire and Extinguish It!
Well, don’t literally start a fire. What it means is to light up the fire of curiosity. Ask a question in the end and answer it. But make sure that the question is relevant to the subject matter presented in the essay.
Now that we have discussed how to conclude a persuasive essay, should we quickly revise the concepts of persuasive essays ?
Let’s Revise With the Help of an Infographic Below
A persuasive essay revolves around a particular opinion and aims to present facts and information to persuade the reader into buying that argument or opinion. In other words, a persuasive essay is an advertisement for the author’s opinion and authors leverage previously published literature to reinforce their hypothesis, opinion, or theory.
What are Some Impressive Persuasive Essay Topics?
Should Protestors be allowed to block Roads?
Should people under 18 be eligible to vote?
Should Humans be banned from beaches to help restore corals?
Should Plastic be banned entirely around the globe?
Should the world switch to E-mobility? Is it ready?
Should countries dispose of their Nukes and sign a treaty?
Should private ownership of diesel vehicles be banned?
Should Fortune Companies be Taxed More?
Looking for Essay Writing Services? Here Is an Excerpt from a Previously Written Essay By Our Experts!
Top Reasons to Avail Our Essay Writing Services
Our essay writing experts in USA are fully equipped to deliver high-quality and impressive solutions to you. If you have been feeling overwhelmed by an ever-growing pile of essay assignments, get them all written by our experts.
How Do We Write High Scoring essays?
First, our experts conduct exhaustive research and skim through academic libraries to refer to only high-brow resources and journals. Then they leverage their knowledge and decades of experience of essay writing to frame an impressive essay solution with mesmerizing introductions and conclusions.
Additionally, our essay, writing services come coupled with 24*7 customer care, plagiarism-free solution guarantee, and 21 rounds of quality check. But hey, the list of good things does not stop here. You get a plethora of freebies and services with our essay writing help. To have your essay conclusion written by our teams, simply fill the form and we will call you to discuss further!
Related Study Materials
- Engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sample
- Enterprise Information Systems
- ACF320 Mad Max: Fury Road Review Analysis Assignment Sample
- LML6004 Migration Rules Assignment Sample
- CIV4ID Pavement Design Analysis Assignment Sample
- HI6006 Understanding Business Strategy Assignment Sample
- HEA515 Radio Frequency Identification System Assignment Sample
- HI5017 Tik Tok Company Analysis Assignment Sample
- Aquatic Physical Habitat Assessment Assignment Sample
- MGMT1011 Assessing Generosity and Gender Equality Assignment Sample
Our Experts can answer your Assignment questions instantly.
Loved reading this Blog? Share your valuable thoughts in the comment section.
About the Author
Hi! I am a passionate writer with 3 years of experience in academic writing and over 2 years of experience as a professional blogger. I aim to provide academic solutions which add to the grades of the students as well as to their learning. I’m working with My Assignment Services since 3 years, during which I have always worked for the benefit of the students by providing them quality work.
How to Write Better English Homework that Fetch Good Grades?
Hey you yes, you. rise and engage. 12th august is the international youth day, related posts.
Your Ultimate Guide to the Best Source of Argumentative Essay Topics
January 25, 2023.
How to Write an Informative Essay?
June 15, 2022.
How and Where to Buy Essays Online in Canada: My Personal Experience
June 18, 2022.
Trending now
How to write a Reflection Paragraph in an Assignment?
Project management assignment sample online, impact of western systems and structures on aboriginal and torres strait islander cultures, how to solve cubic equation ax^3+ bx^2+ cx+d = 0, how to write an executive summary (see our sample), best digital marketing assignment sample online, marketing assignment sample online, how to write gibbs reflective cycle, project proposal assignment sample online, business management assignment sample online, why are ethics important in research, looking for nursing leadership essay samples.
The Student Corner
Subscribe to get updates, offers and assignment tips right in your inbox.
Popular Posts
- Assignment Help How to write a Reflection Paragraph in an Assignment? Mike Carey June 16, 2018
- Management Project Management Assignment Sample Online Charles Hill October 04, 2017
- General Impact of Western Systems and Structures on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures Celina January 15, 2020
- Engineering How To Solve Cubic Equation Ax^3+ Bx^2+ Cx+D = 0 Chloe Kirner March 22, 2019
- Marketing How to Write an Executive Summary (See Our Sample) Celina May 11, 2018
- Marketing Best Digital Marketing Assignment Sample Online Andy Johnson July 20, 2018
Download Guide Book
- Australia(+61)
- Germany(+49)
- Hong kong(+8)
- Ireland(+353)
- Jordan(+962)
- Kenya(+254)
- Malaysia(+60)
- New zealand(+64)
- Nigeria(+234)
- Pakistan(+92)
- Saudi arabia(+966)
- Singapore(+65)
- South africa(+27)
- Sweden(+46)
- United arab emirates(+971)
- United kingdom(+44)
- United states america(+1)
Searching across 1 Million Resources...
Doing your Assignment with our resources is simple, take Expert assistance to ensure HD Grades. Here you Go....
Select Coupon
How to Write a Persuasive Essay
The ancient art of rhetoric dates back to the Classical period of ancient Greece, when rhetoricians used this persuasive form of public speaking to address their fellow citizens in the Greek republics. As time went on, rhetoric remained at the center of education in the western world for nearly 2,000 years. In our modern world, rhetoric is still an integral part of human discourse, utilized by world leaders and students alike to argue their points of view.
Write persuasive essays with confidence. Grammarly can help. Get Grammarly
The definition of rhetoric is the “art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing,” where language is used to have a convincing or impressive effect on the audience being addressed.
At some point in every student’s academic career, instructors will deliver the assignment to write a persuasive essay that argues for or against a certain topic. Whether or not you’ve taken a course in rhetoric, students can apply the principles of rhetoric to write an effective persuasive essay that convinces the audience to accept a certain viewpoint.
To be as convincing as Aristotle on the stand, your persuasive essay must be based on sound logic and factual evidence that support the overall argument. As you begin to think about writing a persuasive essay, here are several tips that will help you argue your topic like a true rhetorician.
Choose a position you’re passionate about
The first step in writing a persuasive essay is choosing a topic and picking a side. If the topic is something you believe in, it will make the entire experience of researching, writing, and arguing your perspective more personal. Choosing a topic that appeals to you on an emotional or sentimental level will make its defense easier. Plus, chances are you’ll already know a good deal of information about the topic, so you won’t be left scrambling when it’s time to start your research.
Thoroughly research both sides
Every argument has a counterargument—this is one of the staples of rhetoric. To convince your reader to agree with you, you must be knowledgeable of the opposing side. As important as it is to thoroughly research your topic, identifying and studying both sides of the argument will help you develop the strongest supporting evidence possible. During the research process, gather as much information as you can about the topic at hand. Use your school’s resources like the library, academic journals, and reference materials. With a full understanding of your topic, you’ll be able to readily counter the opposition and assuage any follow-up questions that might cast doubt on your claims.
>>READ MORE: 7 Essay Writing Tips
Draft your thesis statement
One of the most important elements of your persuasive essay is your thesis statement , which should tell readers exactly what your stance encompasses. Without a forceful thesis, you won’t be able to deliver an effective argument. The construction of your thesis statement should include the “what” and the “how” of your argument—what is the argument you are trying to convince your readers to accept? And how will I convince my readers that the argument is sound? While the “how” may become clearer as your essay progresses, your thesis statement should set up the organizational pattern of your essay while presenting your position.
Create a working structure or outline
Outlining your paper will give you a clear view of your argument and the way it develops. Think critically about the strengths and weaknesses of your argument—where would it be most effective for you to introduce your strongest supporting evidence? For rhetoric’s sake, it’s probably not wise to save the best for last. Instead, use your outline to get organized from the outset, anchoring each point in evidence, analysis, and counterargument. List out all of your major claims and the research that supports each point. Creating a working structure will allow you to break down your argument in a logical and concise order, which will make the writing process more straightforward.
Write with integrity and empathy
The most successful rhetorical arguments draw on three main elements: ethos (ethical reasoning) , logos (logical reasoning) , and pathos (passionate reasoning). If amassed perfectly, these three components will make your argument so powerfully robust that nobody could disagree. However, this is easier said than done; even master rhetoricians struggle to find a balance of these three elements. Ethically, you’ll want to make sure you aren’t misleading or manipulating your argument. Logically, your points must be based in fact and progress in a way that makes sense. Passionately, you should emphasize your evidence and use strategic repetition to compel your audience. The key is to find a harmony or balance among these three elements, writing with integrity and empathy.
>>READ MORE: How to Write Better Essays
As Eben Pagan said, “You can’t convince anyone of anything. You can only give them the right information, so that they can convince themselves.” In the spirit of the ancient Greek rhetoricians, knowing how to write a persuasive essay is an essential function of human discourse—and a true art form when done correctly.
How to Write Perfect Persuasive Essays in 5 Simple Steps
WHAT IS A PERSUASIVE ESSAY?
A persuasive text presents a point of view around a topic or theme that is backed by evidence to support it.
The purpose of a persuasive text can be varied. Maybe you intend to influence someone’s opinion on a specific topic, or you might aim to sell a product or service through an advertisement.
The challenge in writing a good persuasive text is to use a mix of emotive language and, in some cases, images that are supported by hard evidence or other people’s opinions.
In a persuasive essay or argument essay, the student strives to convince the reader of the merits of their opinion or stance on a particular issue. The student must utilise several persuasive techniques to form a coherent and logical argument to convince the reader of a point of view or to take a specific action.
PERSUADING PEOPLE REQUIRES A CONSISTENT APPROACH…
Persuasive texts are simple in structure. You must clearly state your opinion around a specific topic and then repeatedly reinforce your opinions with external facts or evidence. A robust concluding summary should leave little doubt in the reader’s mind. ( Please view our planning tool below for a detailed explanation. )
TYPES OF PERSUASIVE TEXT
We cover the broad topic of writing a general persuasive essay in this guide, there are several sub-genres of persuasive texts students will encounter as they progress through school. We have complete guides on these text types, so be sure to click the links and read these in detail if required.
- Argumentative Essays – These are your structured “Dogs are better pets than Cats” opinion-type essays where your role is to upsell the positive elements of your opinions to your audience whilst also highlighting the negative aspects of any opposing views using a range of persuasive language and techniques.
- Advertising – Uses persuasive techniques to sell a good or service to potential customers with a call to action.
- Debating Speeches – A debate is a structured discussion between two teams on a specific topic that a moderator judges and scores. Your role is to state your case, sell your opinions to the audience, and counteract your opposition’s opinions.
- Opinion Articles, Newspaper Editorials. – Editorials often use more subtle persuasive techniques that blur the lines of factual news reporting and opinions that tell a story with bias. Sometimes they may even have a call to action at the end.
- Reviews – Reviews exist to inform others about almost any service or product, such as a film, restaurant, or product. Depending on your experiences, you may have firm opinions or not even care that much about recommending it to others. Either way, you will employ various persuasive techniques to communicate your recommendations to your audience.
- Please note a DISCUSSION essay is not a traditional persuasive text, as even though you are comparing and contrasting elements, the role of the author is to present an unbiased account of both sides so that the reader can make a decision that works best for them. Discussions are often confused as a form of persuasive writing.
A COMPLETE TEACHING UNIT ON PERSUASIVE WRITING SKILLS
Teach your students to produce writing that PERSUADES and INFLUENCES thinking with this HUGE writing guide bundle covering: ⭐ Persuasive Texts / Essays ⭐ Expository Essays⭐ Argumentative Essays⭐ Discussions.
A complete 140 PAGE unit of work on persuasive texts for teachers and students. No preparation is required.
THE STRUCTURE OF A PERSUASIVE ESSAY
1. Introduction
In the introduction, the student will naturally introduce the topic. Controversial issues make for great topics in this writing genre. It’s a cliche in polite society to discourage discussions involving politics, sex, or religion because they can often be very divisive. While these subjects may not be the best topics of conversation for the dinner table at Thanksgiving, they can be perfect when deciding on a topic for persuasive writing. Obviously, the student’s age and abilities should be considered, as well as cultural taboos, when selecting a topic for the essay. But the point holds, the more controversial, the better.
Let’s take a look at some of the critical elements of the introduction when writing a persuasive essay:
Title: Tell your audience what they are reading.
This will often be posed as a question; for example, if the essay is on the merits of a vegetarian lifestyle, it may be called something like: To Eat Meat or Not?
Hook : Provide your audience with a reason to continue reading.
As with any genre of writing, capturing the reader’s interest from the outset is crucial. There are several methods of doing this, known as hooks. Students may open their essays with anecdotes, jokes, quotations, or relevant statistics related to the topic under discussion.
Background: Provide some context to your audience.
In this introductory section, students will provide the reader with some background on the topic. This will place the issue in context and briefly weigh some opinions on the subject.
Thesis statement: Let the audience know your stance.
After surveying the topic in the first part of the introduction, it is now time for the student writer to express their opinion and briefly preview the points they will make later in the essay.
2. Body Paragraphs
The number of paragraphs forming this essay section will depend on the number of points the writer chooses to make to support their opinion. Usually three main points will be sufficient for beginning writers to coordinate. More advanced students can increase the number of paragraphs based on the complexity of their arguments, but the overall structure will largely remain intact.
Be sure to check out our complete guide to writing perfect paragraphs here .
The TEEL acronym is valuable for students to remember how to structure their paragraphs. Read below for a deeper understanding.
Topic Sentence:
The topic sentence states the central point of the paragraph. This will be one of the reasons supporting the thesis statement made in the introduction.
These sentences will build on the topic sentence by illustrating the point further, often by making it more specific.
These sentences’ purpose is to support the paragraph’s central point by providing supporting evidence and examples. This evidence may be statistics, quotations, or anecdotal evidence.
The final part of the paragraph links back to the initial statement of the topic sentence while also forming a bridge to the next point to be made. This part of the paragraph provides some personal analysis and interpretation of how the student arrived at their conclusions and connects the essay as a cohesive whole.
3. Conclusion
The conclusion weaves together the main points of the persuasive essay. It does not usually introduce new arguments or evidence but instead reviews the arguments made already and restates them by summing them up uniquely. It is important at this stage to tie everything back to the initial thesis statement. This is the writer’s last opportunity to drive home their point, to achieve the essay’s goal, to begin with – persuade the reader of their point of view.
Ending an essay well can be challenging, but it is essential to end strongly, especially for persuasive essays. As with the hooks of the essay’s opening, there are many tried and tested methods of leaving the reader with a strong impression. Encourage students to experiment with different endings, for example, concluding the essay with a quotation that amplifies the thesis statement.
Another method is to have the student rework their ending in simple monosyllabic words, as simple language often has the effect of being more decisive in impact. The effect they are striving for in the final sentence is the closing of the circle.
Several persuasive writing techniques can be used in the conclusion and throughout the essay to amp up the persuasive power of the writing. Let’s take a look at a few.
TIPS FOR WRITING A GREAT PERSUASIVE ESSAY
PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES
In this article, we have outlined a basic structure that will be helpful to students in approaching the organization of their persuasive writing. It will also be helpful for the students to be introduced to a few literary techniques that will help your students to present their ideas convincingly. Here are a few of the more common ones:
Repetition: There is a reason why advertisements and commercials are so repetitive – repetition works! Students can use this knowledge to their advantage in their persuasive writing. It is challenging to get the reader to fully agree with the writer’s opinion if they don’t fully understand it. Saying the same thing in various ways ensures the reader gets many bites at the ‘understanding’ cherry.
Repetition Example: “The use of plastic bags is not only bad for the environment, but it is also bad for our economy. Plastic bags are not biodegradable, meaning they will not decompose and will continue to take up space in landfills. Plastic bags are also not recyclable, meaning they will not be reused and will instead end up in landfills. Plastic bags are not only bad for the environment, but they are also bad for our economy as they are costly to dispose of and take up valuable space in landfills.”
In this example, the phrase “not only bad for the environment but also bad for our economy” is repeated multiple times to reinforce the idea that plastic bags are not just a problem for the environment but also the economy. The repetition of the phrase emphasizes the point and makes it more persuasive.
It is also important to note that repetition could be used differently, such as repeating a word or phrase to create rhythm or emphasis.
Storytelling: Humans tend to understand things better through stories. Think of how we teach kids important values through time-tested fables like Peter and the Wolf . Whether through personal anecdotes or references to third-person experiences, stories help climb down the ladder of abstraction and reach the reader on a human level.
Storytelling Example: “Imagine you are walking down the street, and you come across a stray dog clearly in need of food and water. The dog looks up at you with big, sad eyes, and you cannot help but feel a twinge of compassion. Now, imagine that same scenario, but instead of a stray dog, it’s a homeless person sitting on the sidewalk. The person is clearly in need of food and shelter, and their eyes also look up at her with a sense of hopelessness.
The point of this story is to show that just as we feel compelled to help a stray animal in need, we should also feel compelled to help a homeless person. We should not turn a blind eye to the suffering of our fellow human beings, and we should take action to address homelessness in our community. It is important to remember that everyone deserves a roof over their head and a warm meal to eat. The story is designed to elicit an emotional response in the reader and make the argument more relatable and impactful.
By using storytelling, this passage creates an image in the reader’s mind and creates an emotional connection that can be more persuasive than just stating facts and figures.
Dissent: We live in a cynical age, so leaving out the opposing opinion will smack of avoidance to the reader. Encourage your students to turn to that opposing viewpoint and deal with those arguments in their essays .
Dissent Example: “Many people argue that students should not have to wear uniforms in school. They argue that uniforms stifle creativity and individuality and that students should be able to express themselves through their clothing choices. While these are valid concerns, I strongly disagree.
In fact, uniforms can actually promote individuality by levelling the playing field and removing the pressure to dress in a certain way. Furthermore, uniforms can promote a sense of community and belonging within a school. They can also provide a sense of discipline and structure, which can help to create a more focused and productive learning environment. Additionally, uniforms can save families money and eliminate the stress of deciding what to wear daily .
While some may argue that uniforms stifle creativity and individuality, the benefits of uniforms far outweigh the potential drawbacks. It is important to consider the impact of uniforms on the school as a whole, rather than focusing solely on individual expression.”
In this example, the writer presents the opposing viewpoint (uniforms stifle creativity and individuality) and then provides counterarguments to refute it. By doing so, the writer can strengthen their own argument and present a more convincing case for why uniforms should be worn in school.
A Call to Action: A staple of advertising, a call to action can also be used in persuasive writing. When employed, it usually forms part of the conclusion section of the essay and asks the reader to do something, such as recycle, donate to charity, sign a petition etc.
A quick look around reveals to us the power of persuasion, whether in product advertisements, newspaper editorials, or political electioneering; persuasion is an ever-present element in our daily lives. Logic and reason are essential in persuasion, but they are not the only techniques. The dark arts of persuasion can prey on emotion, greed, and bias. Learning to write persuasively can help our students recognize well-made arguments and help to inoculate them against the more sinister manifestations of persuasion.
Call to Action Example: “Climate change is a pressing issue that affects us all, and it’s important that we take action now to reduce our carbon footprint and protect the planet for future generations. As a society, we have the power to make a difference and it starts with small changes that we can make in our own lives.
I urge you to take the following steps to reduce your carbon footprint:
- Reduce your use of single-use plastics
- Use public transportation, carpool, bike or walk instead of driving alone.
- Support clean energy sources such as solar and wind power
- Plant trees and support conservation efforts
It’s easy to feel like one person can’t make a difference, but the truth is that every little bit helps. Together, we can create a more sustainable future for ourselves and for the planet.
So, let’s take action today and make a difference for a better future, it starts with minor changes, but it all adds up and can make a significant impact. We need to take responsibility for our actions and do our part to protect the planet.”
In this example, the writer gives a clear and specific call to action and encourages the reader to take action to reduce their carbon footprint and protect the planet. By doing this, the writer empowers the reader to take action and enables them to change.
Now, go persuade your students of the importance of perfecting the art of persuasive writing!
A COMPLETE UNIT ON TEACHING FACT AND OPINION
This HUGE 120 PAGE resource combines four different fact and opinion activities you can undertake as a WHOLE GROUP or as INDEPENDENT READING GROUP TASKS in either DIGITAL or PRINTABLE TASKS.
20 POPULAR PERSUASIVE ESSAY TOPICS FOR STUDENTS
Writing an effective persuasive essay demonstrates a range of skills that will be of great use in nearly all aspects of life after school.
In essence, if you can influence a person to change their ideas or thoughts on a given topic through how you structure your words and thoughts, you possess a very powerful skill.
Be careful not to rant wildly. Use facts and other people’s ideas who think similarly to you in your essay to strengthen your concepts.
Your biggest challenge in getting started may be choosing a suitable persuasive essay topic. These 20 topics for a persuasive essay should make this process a little easier.
- WHY ARE WE FASCINATED WITH CELEBRITIES AND WEALTHY PEOPLE ON TELEVISION AND SOCIAL MEDIA?
- IS IT RIGHT FOR SCHOOLS TO RAISE MONEY BY SELLING CANDY AND UNHEALTHY FOODS TO STUDENTS?
- SHOULD GIRLS BE ALLOWED TO PLAY ON BOYS SPORTING TEAMS?
- IS TEACHING HANDWRITING A WASTE OF TIME IN THIS DAY AND AGE?
- SHOULD THERE BE FAR GREATER RESTRICTIONS AROUND WHAT CAN BE POSTED ON THE INTERNET?
- SHOULD PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE TO TAKE DRUG TESTS?
- ARE TEENAGE PREGNANCY SHOWS A NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON VIEWERS?
- SHOULD GAMBLING BE PROMOTED IN ANY WAY IN SPORTS EVEN THOUGH IT BRINGS IN LARGE AMOUNTS OF REVENUE?
- SHOULD SPORTING TEAMS THAT LOSE BE REWARDED BY RECEIVING INCENTIVES SUCH AS HIGH DRAFT PICKS AND / OR FINANCIAL BENEFITS?
- SHOULD SHARKS THAT ATTACK PEOPLE BE DESTROYED? SHOULD WE GET INVOLVED IN FOREIGN CONFLICTS AND ISSUES THAT DON’T DIRECTLY AFFECT OUR COUNTRY?
- SHOULD WE GET INVOLVED IN FOREIGN CONFLICTS AND ISSUES THAT DON’T DIRECTLY AFFECT OUR COUNTRY?
- COULD VIDEO GAMES BE CONSIDERED AS A PROFESSIONAL SPORT?
- IF YOU WERE THE LEADER OF YOUR COUNTRY AND HAD A LARGE SURPLUS TO SPEND, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH IT?
- WHEN SHOULD A PERSON BE CONSIDERED AND TREATED AS AN ADULT?
- SHOULD SMOKING BECOME AN ILLEGAL ACTIVITY?
- SHOULD THE VOTING AGE BE LOWERED?
- DOES PROTECTIVE PADDING IN SPORTS MAKE IT MORE DANGEROUS?
- SHOULD CELL PHONES BE ALLOWED IN THE CLASSROOM?
- IS TEACHING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE A WASTE OF TIME?
- SHOULD WE TEACH ETIQUETTE IN SCHOOLS?
PERSUASIVE PROMPTS FOR RELUCTANT WRITERS
If your students need a little more direction and guidance, here are some journal prompts that include aspects to consider.
- Convince us that students would be better off having a three-day weekend . There are many angles you could take with this, such as letting children maximize their childhood or trying to convince your audience that a four-day school week might actually be more productive.
- Which is the best season? And why? You will really need to draw on the benefits of your preferred season and sell them to your audience. Where possible, highlight the negatives of the competing seasons. Use lots of figurative language and sensory and emotional connections for this topic.
- Aliens do / or don’t exist? We can see millions of stars surrounding us just by gazing into the night sky, suggesting alien life should exist, right? Many would argue that if there were aliens we would have seen tangible evidence of them by now. The only fact is that we just don’t know the answer to this question. It is your task to try and convince your audience through some research and logic what your point of view is and why.
- Should school uniforms be mandatory? Do your research on this popular and divisive topic and make your position clear on where you stand and why. Use plenty of real-world examples to support your thoughts and points of view.
- Should Smartphones be banned in schools? Whilst this would be a complete nightmare for most students’ social lives, maybe it might make schools more productive places for students to focus and learn. Pick a position, have at least three solid arguments to support your point of view, and sell them to your audience.
VISUAL JOURNAL PROMPTS FOR PERSUASIVE WRITING
Try these engaging, persuasive prompts with your students to ignite the writing process. Scroll through them.
Persuasive Essay Examples (Student Writing Samples)
Below are a collection of persuasive essay samples. Click on the image to enlarge and explore them in greater detail. Please take a moment to read the persuasive texts in detail and the teacher and student guides highlight some of the critical elements of writing a persuasion.
Please understand these student writing samples are not intended to be perfect examples for each age or grade level but a piece of writing for students and teachers to explore together to critically analyze to improve student writing skills and deepen their understanding of persuasive text writing.
We recommend reading the example either a year above or below, as well as the grade you are currently working with, to gain a broader appreciation of this text type.
VIDEO TUTORIALS FOR PERSUASIVE WRITING
OTHER GREAT ARTICLES RELATED TO PERSUASIVE ESSAY WRITING
Teaching Resources
Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills through proven teaching strategies.
WHERE CAN I FIND A COMPLETE UNIT OF WORK ON HOW TO WRITE PERSUASIVE ESSAYS?
We pride ourselves on being the web’s best resource for teaching students and teachers how to write a persuasive text. We value the fact you have taken the time to read our comprehensive guides to understand the fundamentals of writing skills.
We also understand some of you just don’t have the luxury of time or the resources to create engaging resources exactly when you need them.
If you are time-poor and looking for an in-depth solution that encompasses all of the concepts outlined in this article, I strongly recommend looking at the “ Writing to Persuade and Influence Unit. ”
Working in partnership with Innovative Teaching Ideas , we confidently recommend this resource as an all-in-one solution to teach how to write persuasively.
This unit will find over 140 pages of engaging and innovative teaching ideas.
PERSUASIVE ESSAY WRITING CHECKLIST AND RUBRIC BUNDLE
The Ultimate Guide to Opinion Writing for Students and Teachers
Top 5 Persuasive Writing Techniques for Students
5 Top Persuasive Writing Lesson Plans for Students and Teachers
23 Persuasive writing Topics for High School students
How to write an advertisement: A Complete Guide for Students and Teachers
How to Start an Essay with Strong Hooks and Leads
The content for this page has been written by Shane Mac Donnchaidh. A former principal of an international school and English university lecturer with 15 years of teaching and administration experience. Shane’s latest Book, The Complete Guide to Nonfiction Writing , can be found here. Editing and support for this article have been provided by the literacyideas team.
NO PREP REQUIRED A ready-made unit on Persuasive Writing awaits you.
- Writing services
- Proofreading
- Math/Science
- Copywriting
- Dissertation services
- Admission services
- Resume/CV services
- Our Writers
How to Write a Perfect Persuasive Essay
Table of contents:
- Structure and format
Persuasive vs. argumentative essay
- Persuasive essay introduction
- Persuasive essay body part
- Persuasive essay conclusion
Writing tips
A persuasive essay is an important tool in an Australian student’s repertoire. It will be useful not only for your assignments, but sets a good foundation for your life outside of high school, VET, or university as well, when you may have to negotiate with bosses, persuade customers to purchase your amazing goods, or even calm down an upset child.
But how do you write a 5 paragraph persuasive essay which will get you that coveted high grade? Your teacher or professor will be using a specific rubric to set your grades for these kinds of assignments. Let’s take a look.
Persuasive essay structure and format
The basic structural persuasive essay outline is, indeed, 5 paragraphs. It can be more, of course, and often will be, as you should try to keep each point supporting your main argument, or thesis , to one paragraph.
Typical structure for a persuasive essay:
- Introduction
- Body paragraphs (3 or more)
This is the fundamental layout: you will start with one paragraph as an introduction, then go on to write three or more paragraphs containing the body of your essay, then finally your conclusion, wrapping everything up with a neat little bow on top.
You may have also heard of argumentative essays and wonder what the difference is from a persuasive essay. Simply put, an argumentative essay must be based on cold hard facts which have been researched and are verifiable. It must be an essay devoted to the arguments in favour of a particular topic.
However, a persuasive essay has a wider range of resources available, as its only goal is to persuade the reader of the thesis. You can use appeals to emotion, social validation, stories and anecdotes, as well as of course facts and logic to persuade your audience. Think of the difference between a politician trying to persuade people to vote for him or her versus a scientist laying out the evidence they have gathered.
Part 1: Persuasive essay introduction
You begin with a hook , grabbing your audience’s attention from the start with your very first sentence. This can take the form of a relevant quote, or perhaps a personal anecdote, an interesting statistic or fact, an outrageous statement, or a question.
Having seized your reader’s attention, you will need to define who that reader should be. Make the definition of your intended audience clear, whether that’s your teacher, your fellow students, cat owners, fans of Star Wars, or Pokémon collectors.
The third and final part of the intro should consist of your thesis . This is a clear, strong, focused sentence that tells the reader the specific topic or purpose you’re writing about. It is your essay’s foundation, and everything else you will say in the essay rests on it. This is not the time to be wishy-washy or half-hearted; you must take an active, bold stance on the issue of your choice.
If you are not sure how to start persuasive essay, or feel you need prompts or samples of ideas, try looking at the news, whether local to your college or high school, or Aussie news in general. Use the techniques of making a checklist of questions or opinions you have about the world or about Australia, then proceed step by step through your worksheet. Do some research about your topics and find out which one inspires you the most.
Once you’ve made your thesis statement you can continue onward and write the body of your essay.
Part 2: Persuasive essay body paragraphs
Your essay’s body is the meat of the essay. It’s where you do the actual persuading to convince people to believe in your thesis. You should have at least three paragraphs’ worth of evidence for your argument, and if you do not, it’s likely that your thesis isn’t strong enough. If that’s the case, take a step back, and come up with ideas for a statement you feel strongly about, and take your topic from there.
Each separate point you make in defence of your thesis should be contained in a body paragraph of its own, and any facts, examples, stats, or quotes backing up that point included in the same paragraph. Take the time to fully examine each of your points and their meaning. You will also need to consider what someone who disagreed with your thesis might say in response and try to counteract their argument before they can make it.
If appropriate, it may well be worth conceding to, or finding common ground with, any opponents. Anticipating their arguments and agreeing where necessary is a show of strength and confidence on your part. On the other hand, a failure to address an obvious opposing argument looks weak and unprepared, so make sure you’ve got all your ducks in a row.
Part 3: Persuasive essay conclusion
Once you reach the conclusion of your essay, your audience should be at the point of agreeing with you. The conclusion is just to reinforce what they have already been told and leave them with a call to action so that they will carry on with their day in a somewhat different frame of mind than they were when they started reading your essay.
Begin your conclusion by restating your thesis, then your main points. This is important to keep the information fresh in their minds. Once you’ve done this, then close with the idea of the action you want them to take, whether that’s a question for them to think about, a prediction of what might happen in the future, or a literal call for them to do something, like donate to a particular charity or sign a petition.
Now you know how to write a persuasive essay, and are hopefully on your way to great grades. If you still need help, see the writing tips below.
- As you move between points on towards the inevitable conclusion, use transition words and phrases as sentence starters, as they serve as cues for the audience that the argument is moving onward. Some examples of these words are: however , therefore , consequently , in fact , on the other hand , instead , thus , and still .
- If you are truly stuck, why not consider if you can buy persuasive essay online? Another writer’s pages or papers can provide you with a template for the structure or serve as a generator for your own thoughts.
- Persuasive essay writing is like planning a house somewhere in Australia. Think of your thesis as the roof of a building, and each of your supporting points as pillars underneath it. Like a real roof, it has to have at least three pillars to stay up, and the more, the sturdier the whole argument is.
- The titles of your persuasive essays should be a pared-down version of your thesis statements.
- Essay samples
- Infographics
- Essay writing
- Oral Health Overview Essay: Preventing Tooth Decay in Australia
- How to Write a Good Expository Essay About Macbeth
- How to Write An Expository Essay About Love
- How to Write a Great Expository Essay About Life
- Writing an Expository Essay About Marijuana
Price per page
Total price:
Limitless Amendments
Bibliography
Plagiarism Report
Get all these features for $93.12 FREE
If you don't know exactly what type of paper you need or can't find the necessary one on the website - don't worry! Contact us and we'll help you out!
- Terms of Use
- Money Back Guarantee
- Cookie Policy
- Privacy Policy
- Write My Essay
- Custom Essay
- Essay Writer
- Do My Essay
- Type My Essay
- Pay For Essay
- Cheap Essay
- Write My Paper
- Write My Assignment
- Assignment Writer
- Buy Assignment
- Assignment Help
- Do My Assignment
- Nursing Essay
- Management Essay
- Business Essay
- Education Essay
- Marketing Essay
- Accounting Essay
- Sociology Essay
Before continuing to use our service please make sure you got acquainted with our Cookie Policy and accepted it by clicking OK
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Conclusions wrap up what you have been discussing in your paper. After moving from general to specific information in the introduction and body paragraphs, your conclusion should begin pulling back into more general information that restates the main points of your argument. Conclusions may also call for action or overview future possible research.
Introductions and conclusions are crucial in persuasive writing. They put the facts to be cited into a coherent structure and give them meaning. Even more important, they make the argument readily accessible to readers and remind them of that purpose from start to end. Think of it this way.
Persuasive writing is any written work that tries to convince the reader of the writer's opinion. Aside from standard writing skills, a persuasive essay author can also draw on personal experience, logical arguments, an appeal to emotion, and compelling speech to influence readers.
The goal of your introduction is to let your reader know the topic of the paper and what points will be made about the topic. The thesis statement that is included in the introduction tells your reader the specific purpose or main argument of your paper. These can be achieved by taking your introduction from "general" to "specific."
A conclusion is the last paragraph of your essay, or, if you're writing a really long essay, you might need 2 or 3 paragraphs to conclude. A conclusion typically does one of two things—or, of course, it can do both: Summarizes the argument. Some instructors expect you not to say anything new in your conclusion.
Conclusions Conclusions wrap up what you have been discussing in your paper. After moving from general to specific information in the introduction and body paragraphs, your conclusion should begin pulling back into more general information that restates the main points of your argument.
The essay requires a standard structure that includes an introduction, main paragraphs, and a conclusion. It is important to select strong topics for persuasive essays. Choose a brief and concise subject. It will help you to prepare an excellent final paper with every argument properly explained and proven.
The following five features make up the structure of a persuasive essay: Introduction and thesis Opposing and qualifying ideas Strong evidence in support of claim Style and tone of language A compelling conclusion Creating an Introduction and Thesis The persuasive essay begins with an engaging introduction that presents the general topic.
Conclusions. Conclusions should reinforce the message and give the speech unity and closure. Do: Summarize the main points of your speech. Restate your purpose or thesis. Create closure, a sense of finality. In persuasive speeches, make a final call for commitment or action. Don't: Open new areas of discussion or argument. Change position or ...
Persuasive essays introduce a hypothesis in the introduction and set out to prove it within the body of the text. [1] A good concluding paragraph for a paper should summarize your hypothesis and all your key arguments in about 3-5 sentences. Use parallel sentences and simple language, and avoid being obvious.
4.7. (18) $2.19. Word Document File. A 5 paragraph argumentative writing essay template with an intro, 2 body paragraphs counterclaim paragraph and conclusion. For struggling students and ELLs where graphic organizers may not be enough of a scaffold. Can be used with a graphic organizer for more support.
Just like the introduction, the conclusion of the persuasive essay is equally important. It is considered as the last impression of your writing piece to the audience. A good conclusion paragraph must include the following aspects. Restate the thesis statement or hypothesis Summarize the key arguments Avoid being obvious Include a call to action
When you've finished writing the essay body and conclusion, you should return to the introduction and check that it matches the content of the essay. It's especially important to make sure your thesis statement accurately represents what you do in the essay.
The introduction of a paper introduces the topic and scope of the discussion to prepare the reader for what follows, and the conclusion offers thoughtful analytic commentary or a synopsis that wraps up the discussion with final thoughts. In other words, the introduction and conclusion depend on everything that comes between them.
The conclusion returns briefly to the story: Introduction: We took our sons fishing in the spillway next to the dam one moonlit night. In the hush of the night, one of them hooked a small trout. But when the landed fish screamed aloud, my son fled the scene in horror and has never eaten flesh since. Conclusion:
Persuasive writing is utilized by writers to take a stance on an issue, convincing readers to agree with a certain opinion or idea. Persuasive writing appears across media in many different forms, such as op-eds, reviews, and advertisements. A good persuasive argument uses a combination of thorough research and careful word choice in order to present the writer's opinion strongly and get the ...
A good introduction will capture your audience's attention, which is crucial if you want to persuade them. Fortunately, there are some simple rules you can follow that will make the introduction to your persuasive essay more engaging and memorable. Method 1 Organizing Your Introduction 1 Start off with a hook to grab the audience's attention.
Employ Persuasive Language. Using persuasive language is crucial in writing an effective persuasive essay. The words you use can make a big difference in how persuasive your essay is. Use strong, active verbs and avoid passive voice. Use powerful adjectives and adverbs to create vivid descriptions. Additionally, try to use rhetorical devices ...
Then they leverage their knowledge and decades of experience of essay writing to frame an impressive essay solution with mesmerizing introductions and conclusions. Additionally, our essay, writing services come coupled with 24*7 customer care, plagiarism-free solution guarantee, and 21 rounds of quality check.
The first step in writing a persuasive essay is choosing a topic and picking a side. If the topic is something you believe in, it will make the entire experience of researching, writing, and arguing your perspective more personal. Choosing a topic that appeals to you on an emotional or sentimental level will make its defense easier.
Thesis statement: Let the audience know your stance. After surveying the topic in the first part of the introduction, it is now time for the student writer to express their opinion and briefly preview the points they will make later in the essay. 2. Body Paragraphs.
The three parts of a persuasive essay are Introduction, Body, and Conclusion. The introduction needs to grab the reader's attention with a hook statement. The body -must provide evidence that supports the topic and thesis statement. In conclusion, ask the reader to perform a specific action by providing a call to action.
Part 1: Persuasive essay introduction You begin with a hook, grabbing your audience's attention from the start with your very first sentence. This can take the form of a relevant quote, or perhaps a personal anecdote, an interesting statistic or fact, an outrageous statement, or a question.
Example of Persuasive Essay Conclusion EXAMPLE 1 "My position was defended by the multiple credible sources - related studies of the field's authorities. Banning smoking is a bad idea. This action means a limitation of human rights, a negative impact on the
Persuasive essay conclusion example Violence was not created by television. The links between television and juvenile violence is clear, but we must beware of drawing false conclusions from this correlation. If television is permitted to be the sole influence on a child and if there