Course: Persuasive Writing - MS ELA

What is Persuasive Writing?

In persuasive writing you must choose a position and make a thesis statement with supporting arguments about your choice. You must also consider and refute alternative arguments, and prove to the undecided reader that the choice you present is the best one. You must be aware of other sides and be fair to them; dismissing them completely will weaken your own argument.

It is always best to take a position that you believe in, preferably with the most supporting evidence. However it can often be educational to adopt a different position from what you might normally choose (debating requires this kind of flexibility).

Picture Credit: dolphins. dolphin51.jpg. confidential. Pics4Learning. 15 May 2008 <http://pics.tech4learning.com>

In class you read and discussed two persuasive writing samples. Click on the links below to read some more examples. While you are reading, look for the thesis statements and supporting arguments for the position taken by the author(s).