Persuasive Writing

Thesis
• Dependent clause, independent clause
– Although…it is actually true that…blah and
blah

– While it may seem to some that…, it is actually

true that blah and blah
 Thesis example
• Although George Washington High School
is touted as a school of self-direction, its
students actually depend on the
administration to guide them and readily
accept that controlling leadership.
 Paragraph One - Introduction
• Explain grounds for your thesis
– Don’t discuss the thesis itself but clarify the
circumstances that give rise to the thesis
• End with thesis
 Paragraph Two
• Sum up and dismiss the idea contained in
the subordinate clause of the thesis
– Show that the idea is not true OR that it is not
important OR logical
• Explain and discuss this position
• Good beginning phrases
– To be sure
– One cannot disregard
 Paragraph Three
• Present the less important ideas of the main clause
of your thesis
• Explain and discuss
• Give Examples
• Use quotations
• Good beginnings
– Nevertheless
– But
– However true all these ideas may be
 Paragraph Four
• Present the most important point in defense
of the point stated in the main clause of the
thesis
• Develop the idea fully
• Give examples
• Use quotations
 …continued…
• Beginnings
– In addition
– Even more important
– Moreover
– Certainly
– Besides all these ideas
 Paragraph Five – Conclusion
• Show why it matters that you be believed
• Don not summarize
• Generalize to some universally important
idea