How to Write a Persuasive Essay and Use Several Sources?

An excellent persuasive essay must have a clear structure and be well-organized. Regardless of how brilliant the concepts, a paper missing a solid introduction, coherent body paragraphs, and a perceptive conclusion is not a successful paper.

The Introduction

Simply said, the introduction introduces the thesis statement of your work. An effective introduction attracts the reader's interest right away and provides pertinent background information regarding the paper's topic. Such a paragraph could incorporate additional details important to your paper's argument as well as a quick review of the concepts to be covered in the body.

Nonetheless, the most crucial role of the introduction paragraph is to clearly establish the paper's thesis. This phrase serves as the paper's thesis. You cannot make a convincing argument if you don't have a thesis. Both the stance you will defend and the format in which you will present and support your argument should be reflected in the thesis statement.

Consider a thesis statement as articulating both the "what" and the "how" of the paper's argument. This is an effective method to approach thesis sentence composition.

Simply said, the "what" is your paper's core thesis statement: what are you arguing? The "how" is the approach you will employ to make this argument.

While creating a thesis statement, it might be useful to think about the following issues −

• What argument am I attempting to persuade the reader to accept?

• How do I plan on persuading the reader that this argument is sound?

• The next stage is to combine your responses to these questions into a single thesis statement, or if required, two thesis statements.

The Body

The true development of your argument is found in the paper's body. Each body paragraph delivers a single topic or a group of ideas that are connected and support the thesis statement of your work. Each body paragraph covers a significant component of your paper's thesis and moves the reader one step closer to agreeing with your argument. Consider the general structure of your body paragraphs because each one should represent a stage in your argument.

The subject sentence, which is the first sentence in this paragraph, should be constructed as the first step in constructing an effective body paragraph. The topic phrase is the glue holding together each individual body paragraph, just as the thesis statement keeps together your essay.

The topic sentence of a body paragraph serves two purposes: It introduces the paragraph's content and the following argument phase. It is critical to remember that the subject sentence's purpose is to advance the argument in your thesis, not just to summarise what is being said in the paragraph.

Making an outline of your paper simply using the thesis statement and topic sentences is a useful approach to gauge the potency of both your subject sentences and the overall argument you are making. The argument of your paper should be logically summarised in this outline, and your thesis statement should be supported by each of the topic sentences throughout your article.

Students might benefit from using the TEEL acronym to help them recall how to organise their paragraphs.

• Topic Statement − The subject phrase identifies the main idea of the paragraph. One of the arguments in favour of the introduction's thesis statement will be this.

• Explain − By illuminating the subject further and frequently by making it more precise, these phrases will expand on the main sentence.

• Evidence − With the use of examples and supporting details, these phrases serve to bolster the paragraph's main idea. This proof might come in the form of numbers, quotes, or personal accounts.

• Link − The last line of the paragraph serves as a bridge to the following point while also making a reference to the main sentence's opening assertion. This section of the paragraph relates the essay as a whole and offers some personal analysis and interpretation of how the student arrived at their findings.

The Conclusion

The main goal of your paper's ending paragraph is to reiterate both the paper's argument and the ways in which its supporting evidence was presented throughout the paper's body. So, you shouldn't just repeat your opening paragraph in your conclusion.

The conclusion connects the dots in your paper's argument and demonstrates the direction it has taken. A compelling conclusion persuades the reader to continue reading your essay. This paragraph's ability to introduce new ideas is among its most crucial features.

While drafting your conclusion, you might want to take the following into account −

• What practical implications does the thesis of this work have?

• Why is the subject of this work significant?

• What are a few queries that this paper's reasoning raises?

• What are the ramifications of the argument in this paper?

Despite the fact that a good persuasive essay must follow the organisation and structure outlined in this handout, remember that writing is a fluid process. While you write, there are no rigid guidelines that you must follow. The introduction does not have to be written before any other paragraphs just because it is the first one in your essay. See writing as a process of thought discovery and allow this mindset to guide you while you compose your essay.

Top recommendations

• Your viewpoint and point of view should always be clear in the introduction.

• Your case will be stronger the more compelling the evidence. Spend some time locating credible evidence.

• Make good use of paragraphs. A new paragraph should begin for each new part of your argument.

• Use your audience's emotions to your advantage. Never get unreasonable while using strong, expressive words.

• Writing persuasive writing always uses the present tense.

Researching with Sources

It is essential to familiarise yourself with all aspects of a subject while conducting research using resources.

• Recognize the subject's past. Reference databases, books, and electronic books

• Anticipate any rebuttals that your audience could raise. Databases and websites: good and bad

• Achieve agreement. (News stories and pieces from magazines)

• Provide a solid case for your viewpoint. Research journals.

Academic journals are produced by experts in a certain area or field of study and focus on that discipline or field. They undergo a peer review procedure, in which other experts in the area evaluate the work before it is published. They often last longer and cover more ground. Journals, as opposed to newspapers and magazines, are written for a specialist or academic audience rather than for a wide readership.

Magazine articles are written for general audiences by non-specialists. Instead of a panel of experts, one editor reviews these pieces. In order to promote the magazine, they typically include copious amounts of advertising, expensive photos, and a vibrant cover. They may or may not cite sources in the content. Examples include The New Yorker, National Geographic, People, Time, Newsweek, and Vogue.

News articles cover recent events, either live or shortly after they've occurred. They concentrate more on the "who," "what," and "where," perhaps less on the "why" or "how." You must trust the author's word that their information and sources are correctly reported in news pieces because they frequently lack citations.

The background information and in-depth study of enduring topics may be found in print sources (books and eBooks). The material in a printed book might not be as up to date as in an online source because it might take a long time for books to be published.

Trade magazines provide information for experts in a certain sector. Normally, articles are written by staff members or experts in the field. These include colour images and adverts for certain industries. The articles provide news and unique content pertinent to a certain sector.

Primary sources give a first-person description of current events since they were written by those who were really there. Blog entries, Twitter feeds, and interviews are examples of primary sources (but check with your instructor to make sure these are acceptable sources for your topic).