A+ Guide to Persuasive Writing

by Alison Plus

Overview

Persuasive essays, also called written arguments, are among the most common writing assignments and are used across the curriculum. Yet, despite their common use, many students struggle with the basics of creating a compelling, persuasive argument. Focusing on the four keys to persuasive writing, this booklet uses a step-by-step method to start with an assignment and end with a final draft. By following the clear examples and relying on the included templates, the writer will be able to generate a solid piece of persuasive writing on any topic.

Table of Contents:
How to Use This Booklet
A Special Note about Rogerian Argument
Step One: Understand the Assignment
Step Two: The Working Outline
Step Three: The Thesis Statement
Checklist: Eight Things That Can Change Your Grade
Step Four: The Introductory Paragraph
Step Five: Body Paragraphs
Checklist: How to Test Paragraph Organization and Development
Step Six: Counter-Arguments
Step Seven: Refutations
Step Eight: The Conclusion Paragraph
Step Nine: The Final Draft
The First Layer: Revising Out Loud
The Second Layer: Sentence Triage
The Third Layer: "Find" Searches
Fourth Layer: The Fine Points

Product Details

BN ID:	2940156809059
Publisher:	Four-Ply Publishing
Publication date:	09/12/2016
Series:	A+ Guides to Writing , #5
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	80 KB

About the Author

Hi! I’m Alison Plus, and I’ve spent many years editing books for publication, teaching writing at the college level, and tutoring students in junior high, high school, college, and graduate school. You know how they say that our education system “teaches to the test” now? As a practical matter, this means that many schools no longer teach students how to write papers. Oh, they still teach basic grammar and reading comprehension because standardized testing can measure that. But if they take valuable classroom time to show you how to organize different kinds of paragraphs, what to stress in different kinds of papers, and how to set up a thesis and support, they are possibly endangering their entire school’s test scores. Therefore, many schools no longer teach these basic writing and organization skills.
This is why I decided to write a series of booklets addressing different kinds of writing assignments. Each booklet starts by examining the nature of the assignment type – short answer essays have different goals from five-paragraph essays, which are organized differently from literature reviews, which are set up in a way very different from an argument paper. After we understand the basic purpose of the paper type, we move methodically through the different types of sentences and paragraphs, building a template that you can follow to write your own papers. Each booklet also includes proofreading tips designed for the particular assignment type and word processing software, as applicable.
Take your time going through each booklet the first time! You’re not only writing a paper, but you’re also learning a method that you will be able to transfer to future assignments. Allot enough time to absorb each step in the process, and in the end, you’ll have more than just a finished essay. You’ll have skills to make you a better writer going forward.
And be sure to check out my twitter feed for short tips on academic writing!