FORMAT, EXAMPLES, AND TIPS

Persuasive Essay

Introduction“Setting up your essay”

The introduction provides the reader the necessary information so that they can know what to expect in your argument.

Step 1:Hook

Begin by creating interest with a hook or attention grabber. This keeps the reader interested in reading further. An unusual detail: (Although tomatoes are thought of as

vegetables, they are actually fruit.) A strong statement: (Many wrestlers participate in

dangerous diets in order to compete in their weight category.) A quotation: (Elbert Hubbard once said, “truth is stranger

than fiction.”) A statistic or fact: (At this point in time, the legal driving

age is sixteen.) A question: (Have you ever considered how many books we’d

read if it were not for television?)

Gone fishin’

Step 2: Give relevant background info

This is the part of the essay where you tell the reader ONLY what they need in order to understand your thesis in relation to the story.

State your background information concisely!

Step 3: Thesis/Argument

The thesis of an essay states the main points. It presents the purpose of the writing and sets up the organization of what is to come.

You must include at arguments for your opinion: George was justified in killing Lennie because

__________. George had no right to kill Lennie because

____________.

Body“Explain your argument”

The body of the essay is where the writer explains the arguments for and against the issue. The writer then provides evidence to back up his or her argument.

Body paragraphs must follow the same order that the writer listed in the thesis.

Step 1: Transition

Transitions guide the reader from one idea to the next.

The transition in a thesis paragraph should guide the reader from an introduction of the topic to the explanation of the first listed reason. To better illustrate the need for Lennie’s death, one

must understand the reasons behind the argument.

Step 1/2: Topic Sentence

The topic sentence tells the reader what the paragraph will be about.

This sentence is a great place to provide the counter argument. There are many arguments that suggest that killing

Lennie was unnecessary; however, this is not true.

Step 2: Concrete detail

Concrete detail is the proof the writer provides to back up the argument. Give evidence in the form of a quote that explains why

it was/was not justified for George to kill Lennie.

It was clear Lennie was dangerous because “he tossed her body like a doll” (34).

Step 3: Commentary

Commentary is a statement that tells the reader what the concrete detail means to their argument. Throwing someone around like a doll is a violent

action. Despite Lennie’s innocence, it is clear that his strength is beyond his understanding and could potentially hurt others.

Step 4: Transition

Transitions guide the reader from one idea to the next.

The transition in the body guides the reader from one argument to the next. While violence is reason enough to have Lennie killed,

there are several other compelling arguments that influenced George’s decision.

Step 5: Building your argument

Each paragraph should include at least 2 quotes with analysis to support your TS.

TSCD/EXCMCD/EXCMCS

Conclusion“Explain why your argument is significant to understand”

The concluding paragraph of an essay is a review of the arguments the writer established in the body of the paper.

Step 1: Restate the thesis

By restating the thesis, the writer begins reviewing the main points of the paper.

Do not restate the thesis verbatim. The previous explanations provide evidence which

suggests that killing Lennie was something that George had to do.

Step 2: Review the arguments

A review of the arguments includes counter arguments.

Be careful not to make a list. The conclusion should review the arguments, not give the thesis paragraph again. While some may argue that Lennie may have been

able to live a life elsewhere, it seems impossible to prevent him from committing another violent action.

Step 3: Concluding sentence

The concluding sentence in an essay should leave the reader with a strong impression about your argument.

The best way to do this is by referring back to the hook. A friend is someone who does what is best for you.

While it seems unfair that Lennie was killed, George was doing what was best for his friend.