Steps for Writing Argumentation-Persuasion Essay

Steps for Writing Argumentation-Persuasion

1. Select a topic. Be careful that you choose a topic that is actually debatable. An excellent strategy is to watch the news at night or review the topics in a reputable newspaper to find current issues.
2. Analyze your purpose and audience. First, figure out what you want to accomplish with your essay. What is your stand on the issue? Do you want your reader to adopt your ideas, or do you want to cause your audience to think about your topic in a different way? Second, try to determine what type of audience will be reading your essay. Will you have an agreeable, uncertain or opposing audience? Does your purpose fit well with your audience?
3. Planning your essay. Consider logos, pathos, and ethos and how you want to balance them in your essay. What types of details could you use for each one? Regarding logos, what type of research should you conduct to strengthen your ideas? Have you considered potential objections and worked to counter them? Write an outline so you have an idea of your introduction, thesis, main points, and conclusion. Then, draft your essay based on your outline and the details you have generated.
4. Revise your draft. Workshop your essay with a classmate so that s/he can detect any flaws in your logic and determine if your essay is appropriate for your audience.

Revision Checklist for Argumentation-Persuasion Essays

1. Is your purpose appropriate to your audience?
2. Have you utilized logos, pathos, and ethos appropriately?
3. Have you determined if the supporting details that relate to logos, pathos, and ethos are suitable for your audience?
4. Have you raised and countered potential objections to your argument?
5. Have you used either inductive reasoning or deductive reasoning to support your claims?
6. Do you have an interesting and suitable introduction?
7. Have you included a specific thesis statement that establishes your topic and demonstrates your attitude toward your topic?
8. Have you used a clear organizational pattern for the essay?
9. Do you have a conclusion that is appropriate to the organizational pattern of the essay?
10. Do you have a topic that is debatable?