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Meaning of a Persuasive Essay
As the name suggests, a persuasive essay is defined as the form of writing where you try to prove that your point of view is logical and makes sense compared to any other. In this formal writing style, the author tries to convince the reader that a certain point of view is correct by providing conclusive facts and logical reasons.
In most cases, these essays start with a question that supports a statement or against it. However, such statements must be factual and accurate.
Features of a Persuasive Essay
According to philosopher Aristotle, a good persuasive essay should have three main features:
- Ethos: This is where you prove to the reader that your argument is coming from an ethical point of view. The author can use reputation, authority, empathy, or similarity to prove their points.
- Logos: here, you will present your facts, data, and any other form of research logically. One can use demos, examples, expert opinions, research, statistics, facts, data, or figures to support their standpoint.
- Pathos: In this case, you will try to connect with your audience by triggering their emotions. Using devices like vision, metaphor, senses, or stories allows you to spark emotions among the readers.
Persuasive Essay Topics
Persuasive essays are commonly based on social issues, early childhood education, environmental aspects, health, nursing, and politics.
Social Issues
- Should social media platforms regulate hate speech more strictly?
- Is the influence of celebrities on teenagers mostly negative?
- Should there be universal basic income for all citizens?
- Is the gender pay gap still a significant issue in modern workplaces?
- Should animal testing be completely banned?
- Should a woman change her surname after marriage?
- Should Cannabis be decriminalised in the United States?
- Should the government ban the use of tobacco in the USA?
- Should abortion be legalized in the world?
- Should we install surveillance Cameras everywhere?
- Is smoking bad to humans?
Education
- Should homework be abolished for school children?
- Are standardized tests an accurate measure of student performance?
- Is online learning more effective than traditional classrooms?
- Should college education be free for everyone?
- Do school uniforms promote equality or suppress individuality?
- Should early childhood teachers have a higher salary?
- Should Developing Countries Promote Education First?
- Should young children with negative behavioral patterns be expelled from preschools?
- Should schools assess their efforts to address teacher shortages?
- Should early childhood teachers replace hands-on learning with modern technologies?
Environment
- Should plastic bags be banned worldwide?
- Is climate change the biggest threat to humanity today?
- Should electric cars be mandatory by 2030?
- Should deforestation be punishable by law on a global scale?
- Is the "meatless" movement necessary for environmental sustainability?
- Is fashion good or bad to the environment?
Technology
- Is AI a threat to jobs or a boon for the economy?
- Should there be tighter regulations on data privacy for tech companies?
- Does technology isolate us more than it connects us?
- Is space exploration worth the cost?
- Should there be age limits for smartphone usage?
Health
- Should the government have a say in our diets?
- Is it ethical to genetically modify humans to prevent diseases?
- Should healthcare be universal and free?
- Is mental health just as important as physical health?
- Should vaccination be mandatory for everyone?
Politics
- Is democracy the best form of government?
- Should voting be mandatory in every country?
- Should there be stricter immigration laws?
- Are stricter gun control laws needed to reduce violence?
- Is censorship justified in certain cases for national security?
How to Write a Persuasive Essay
Writing a persuasive essay differs from person to person, but there are a few guidelines to use, especially if you are trying to convince your audience. Let us take a look at some of them.
Include an Outline
An outline helps a writer save time and stay within the topic.
- Introduction: This is where you introduce the topic and the thesis statement
- Body: Where you write your facts and provide evidence about your arguments
- Conclusion: summarize everything about your essay
Pick a Topic You Love
Many writers make the mistake of picking a topic they don’t understand and lose the reader’s trust. Remember you are at your best when speaking about something you are passionate about.
Know Your Target Audience
There is no better feeling than speaking to an audience you know inside out. Knowing whom you are talking to puts you in a better position to persuade your audience.
Write a Compelling Introduction
Any form of writing, regardless of the target audience, must have a good introduction. It’s the first thing your audience comes into contact with when reading your essay. A good intro should be short and straight to the point. Try to connect with your reader in the first few sentences as much as possible.
Do Thorough Research
Only make vague statements by backing them up with verified sources. For example, if you use figures to convince your readers to agree with you on a particular topic, ensure those figures are accurate. Failure to verify your sources will raise concerns about your argument.
Use Facts and Real-life Examples
When an argument arouses someone’s feelings, they are likely to act, change their behavior, or stop something. Always use facts to convince emotional readers and justify your suggestions or a certain lifestyle.
With facts presented in the persuasive essay, a more emotional reader would have enough evidence to determine whether taking a step is okay for them and make informed choices premised on your recommendations.
Even with proven statistics, indisputable facts, expert quotes, and logical examples, the reader would feel convinced. For instance, supporting an argument on the downsides of smoking with real-life scenarios would prompt a smoker to reflect on their behavior and take further action to mitigate the risks of health issues.
Such a person would contemplate their personal experience and the negative consequences of their habit, making a turning point decision.
Use Body Paragraphs
Body paragraphs are where you present your arguments using data-backed facts, counterarguments, and opposing opinions. A perfect body paragraph should have an opening statement (also known as a topic sentence), a supporting statement, and a closing statement.
Proofread Your Work
This is simply reading your essay a few times to see if every sentence makes sense. Remove words that don’t add value to your essay. Make sure there are no spelling mistakes and any other form of grammatical errors. Also, make sure all your sentences are in active voice. Don’t use passive voice in your essay.
Conclusion
Persuasive writing is the most common form of academic writing in most colleges because it helps students become problem solvers when faced with adversities in their future careers. Writing a good persuasive essay shouldn’t be challenging for students if they follow the steps explained in this article.
