How To Write A Persuasive Essay: Step-By-Step Guide

Academic writing assignments come in all shapes and sizes – there are certain standards like uniqueness or structure to keep in mind when completing such tasks but besides, each assignment also has an individual set of requirements that have to be met. These tasks are what causes the biggest confusion and stress among college students. Many students never stop struggling with their papers.

One of the most widespread assignments learners from all around the globe face at all stages of their lives is an essay. This short paper is often assigned at school, college, university, and is also an integral part of many examinations, contests, and even applications for jobs or educational institutions. Thus, an essay and all its forms are something we deal with on a daily basis. There are four main types of this paper and in this post, we are going to define one of the most popular and also the most challenging types – a persuasive essay.

Definition Of A Persuasive Essay

Writing a persuasive essay, you are supposed to define a particular topic (it can be a problem, event, subject or another), give your opinion on the stated problem, and the ultimate goal of your paper is to convince the audience in the validity of your perspective on a topic. This essay is much different from all the others. Such texts have to provide a logical, valid, and compelling opinion on a particular topic that you have shaped in the course of conducting research and it has to support your opinion with some strong arguments. Thus, persuasion is the main goal of this task.

Step-By-Step Guide On How To Write A Persuasive Essay

There are several key steps to take to create a high-quality paper:

• Defining a topic

Many students get stuck on this step because they do not know where to look for good persuasive essay topics and how to choose one. There are a few tips that can help you out in this matter – look for a list of interesting topics related to the subject you study online and find something you are interested in. Also, make sure you have enough knowledge on a particular subject. The last tip is to adjust the topic in accordance to your needs. You can rephrase it however you want but most important is to ensure it is not too simple or complicated, and also ensure that its focus is not too broad or narrow – try to keep a fine line here.

• Getting familiar with the basic requirements

Every academic paper has a number of specific requirements in addition to some universal rules of writing, which is why you have to get familiar with these requirements. Also, note that a particular university or teacher may also have some additional, unique demands that also have to be taken into account – thus if you were given a guide or a set of rules, make sure you read and comprehend them.

• Conducting research

Unlike other essays, a persuasive paper always requires conducting extensive research to collect the required facts and arguments for the text. How to do research? You are free to use any resources you can find on the Internet or in a library including:

• Scholarly or non-scholarly books;
• Surveys;
• Articles published in trusted scientific or non-scholarly journals or magazines;
• Articles from technical or scholarly journals;
• Statistical databases;
• Interviews with experts;
• Government websites, etc.

However, use them wisely. If you take sources from the Internet, make sure they are valid and trustworthy – the wisest way is to take information from official scientific databases or government websites. Keep in mind that your paper’s purpose is both to make a particular topic clear for the audience and to provide a number of valid arguments to support your personal opinion.

• Creating a persuasive essay outline

Writing an outline is a must because even the most experienced students can’t write the whole paper at once without missing something or making mistakes. Thus, it simply saves time on editing and proofreading. Besides, an outline helps you to adhere to the right persuasive essay format and structure. Before going on to this step, we recommend finding a high-quality outline sample to ensure you are on the right track.

• Write your paper

Once you have collected all the data for your text and have a detailed outline, it is time to move to the most important stage of your work – writing. This process should not take too much time if you have created a good outline. However, it is one of the most responsible steps you have to make, which is why we have prepared a list of the most effective writing tips you can find as you continue reading this article.

• Polish the text

The last step consists of two important actions – proofreading and editing your final draft, which is done to detect and eliminate any mistakes you have made.

Tips On Writing A Top-Notch Persuasive Essay

If you are not sure how to write an essay of high quality or simply lack experience in this matter, the tips below should come in handy and make this process simpler for you.

Don’t neglect the easy way

What comes in mind when you think of the most straightforward way of getting an essay? Of course, somehow get a premade essay. But when it comes to free essay samples, oftentimes they are used more than one time, which means that you can’t use them due to plagiarism policy. But there is another method – buy persuasive essay online! Simple as that. Just order it and get a paper that’ll fit all the requirements.

Write a strong and arguable thesis statement

In this paper, a good thesis statement is as important as ever as it is the main component of your text – it is your opinion that you are going to prove. For this paper, make a thesis statement that defines your strong, active position regarding a particular topic – it has to be clear, logical, and you have to ensure you can find enough materials to defend it.

Make a good persuasive essay introduction

The intro is one of the most important parts of every paper because its goal is to attract the reader’s attention and make the reader want to continue reading your work. However, a poorly written intro loses the readers’ attention and negatively influences the perception of your text, which is why writing a good introductory paragraph is important. How to make a good intro? Here are a few tips:

• Start with a hook to attract attention;
• Provide an insight into your topic;
• Add a clear thesis statement.

Write the body paragraphs

As a rule, you will be required to create a minimum of three body paragraphs, each should be devoted to a single point related to your main argument. The body paragraphs aim to justify your thesis and present your arguments for its support. Here are a few considerations to keep in mind:

• Open each paragraph with a clear and logical topic sentence that specifies the main point of the paragraph;
• Provide valid, clear, and accurate evidence;
• Use facts, examples, statistics, and other valid sources as your main arguments;
• Make your paragraphs look like harmonic pieces;
• Add counterarguments and rebuttals;
• Make logical transitions between paragraphs.

Write a logical persuasive essay conclusion

Your goal is to make a conclusion that brings together all of the arguments you have provided in your essay and to leave a long-lasting impression. As a rule, you have to restate your main ideas and thesis here. Also, it is a good idea to answer the following questions in your conclusion:

• What are the ways to apply your argument to a broader context?
• Why do you believe the described issue matters (quick tip: here you can also explain why a particular opinion or argument means something to you)?
• What other questions have arisen after the research?

Final Words

A step-by-step guide and tips provided in this article should help you create a high-quality persuasive paper easily and avoid making some of the most common mistakes. Writing it is not too difficult if you choose the right approach. However, sometimes, if you have no time to finish the work or face any major difficulties with it, it is better to ask for some help, for example, to find an assistant at a reliable writing service for persuasive essays.