How to Write a Persuasive Paper in a Middle School Language Arts Class
- 1). Choose a topic or issue that has at least two sides. The topic should be something the writer cares about to make the paper easier to write. Students who have trouble thinking of a topic can brainstorm a list of all the problems they see in school or things at home or in the world they wish they could change and choose a topic from that list.
- 2). Create a list of the pros and cons of the issue. Students should list the evidence that supports their claim and the evidence that does not support their claim on a piece of paper. From that list, students should choose at least two pros to include in their papers and one con to refute in the paper.
- 3). Write the opening paragraph or introduction. The introduction to the paper should include at least two sentences. The first sentence is called the hook and should contain an interesting fact, quote or thought-provoking question related to the topic of the paper. For example, a student writing to persuade the principal to change the school's dress code could begin the paper with a fact about how uniforms affect student performance, a quote from a fellow classmate, or a question asking the principal to consider what would happen if students could not express themselves. The second sentence of the introduction should state what the student is trying to prove and the reasons behind that position. For example, "Students should not have to wear uniforms, because it denies them the right to be individuals and hurts school spirit." Any additional sentences a student wishes to include should be used to further introduce and provide background information on a topic.
- 4). The next two paragraphs should address evidence that supports the student's position. At the beginning of each paragraph, the student should state the evidence in one sentence. The student should then write at least two more sentences that provide facts and examples to back up that evidence.
- 5). In the fourth paragraph, students should address an opinion that is counter to their own. Students begin this paragraph by stating the counterargument. Following the counterargument, students should write two or three sentences that include facts or examples to refute the counterargument.
- 6). Students should conclude the essay by restating the position and reasons for that position, briefly summarizing the history of the issue and ending with a thought-provoking question, call to action or witty statement for the reader to take away from the paper. For example, a call to action for a paper on the school's dress code would be "I urge you to allow students to express themselves."