Persuasive Paper

What is a Persuasive Paper?

A persuasive paper (also known as an argumentative paper) includes an author's opinion or argument. This argument will be backed up by reasoning and research to influence the readers to side with the author.

Writing a Call-to-Action

A call-to-action is a statement that directs immediate action. It is typically used for marketing, but it can also be used to persuade individuals to make social change. Your call-to-action statement should be in your introduction and one of the last, if not the last, sentences in your conclusion. Normally starting with a verb, a call-to-action should be motivating and simple; adding too many words can derail the audience’s attention.

Examples of a call-to-action:

Follow this daily routine for a healthier lifestyle.
Act now to save an animal in need.
Don't wait to make a change!

3 Components of persuasion

The Component

Definition

Examples

The ComponentLogos

DefinitionLogos target the readers’ rationality behind a subject. Logos introduces a series of logical reasons as to why the readers should side with the author.

Examples“Studies have shown that dogs provide many health benefits to their owners. In a Harvard study, ‘Dog owners have lower blood pressure…and a lower risk of heart disease, than non-owners (source).’ Heart disease is the leading cause of death; it would be foolish to not do everything you can to prevent it, so start today by adopting a dog!”

The ComponentPathos

DefinitionPathos is when an argument targets the reader’s emotions to create strong feelings towards a topic. Pathos is used to help readers connect to the author through vulnerable moments.

Examples“Over 3 million dogs are put in shelters each year. Nearly 700,000 of them are put down. Dogs have only ever wanted to love and be loved, why do they deserve this harsh treatment? Could you imagine being put in a cold, lonely place when your only goal was to feel at home in someone’s arms (source).”

The ComponentEthos

DefinitionEthos is when the author reveals their credibility and knowledge towards their argument. Ethos is used because individuals often trust those who have experienced something firsthand.

Examples“As I glance at my dog of ten years, examples flood my mind of the emotional, physical, and mental benefits of owning such an unconditionally loving animal.”

Steps to writing a persuasive paper

1. Pick a topic you are passionate about.

With any essay, you’ll always want to make sure you choose a topic with enough research to back up your points. For a persuasive essay, it’s important that you are passionate about the topic, especially for the ethos and pathos appeal. If you cannot convince yourself to side with an argument or opinion, convincing others will be even harder.

2. Research both sides to your argument.

With every argument, there will be at least two sides. As the persuader, you must understand where opposers will question your beliefs and you should be confident in your skills to counter your opponent.

3. Outline your argument.

Think critically about the flow you want your paper to have. Understand your own research and the reasons you want to stand out. It is common in persuasive writing to put your strongest argument in the last body paragraph; putting the strongest argument last will often leave readers leaning towards your position.

4. Write your introduction.

Just like any introduction, you should create an attention grabber connected to your topic (i.e. an anecdote, a statistic). The introduction should outline what the paper will entail and provide background on the topic. Most importantly, your introduction should include your thesis which will state your stance and the main points.

5. Form your body paragraphs.

Your body paragraphs should use evidence from credible research to sway your audience to agree with you. In your body paragraphs is where you will utilize logos, pathos, and ethos. It’s important to acknowledge opposing arguments to prove that you have knowledge on many sides but still find your side to be the best one. You should always explain to the reader why they should disregard your opponents.

For example, “It is true that homework can help improve test scores, however, it was found students’ physical health is negatively affected as they experience more exhaustion and headaches (source). The fatigue a student feels while doing homework will roll over into school days consequently resulting in the lack of attention during lessons leading to missed information and eventually lower test scores.”

6. Finish off with a strong conclusion.

Your conclusion should include a version of your thesis, a summary of the main points, and your concluding thoughts to your argument. Additionally, your call-to-action, which urges for change, should be in the conclusion as a final point. This will stick with readers as they go throughout their day.

7. Revise your paper.

After you have completed your paper, make sure to go through and proofread to make sure you touched on all the points you wanted to. If something doesn’t feel right, add or omit sentence/s.