Persuasive writing aims to convince readers to agree with a position, commonly used in advertising and school essays. It includes facts, contrapuntal arguments, anecdotes, and hypothetical situations. The structure includes an introduction, body, and conclusion. Learning to write persuasively improves critical thinking and communication skills, useful in various situations.
Persuasive writing is a form of writing in which someone tries to get readers to agree with a position. This type of writing is very common in advertising copy, which is written in an effort to get consumers to buy specific products, and persuasive essays are commonly assigned in school to get people to use critical thinking skills. Learning to recognize persuasive writing can be a valuable skill, as can mastering the art.
A well-written persuasive piece is backed up with a number of facts that help the author make his or her point. Many authors also include contrapuntal arguments in their pieces that they can debunk, showing readers that they have considered both sides of the argument at hand and that any argument that might be made against the essay side might be dismissed. In addition to facts, authors may include anecdotes and hypothetical situations to build a stronger case.
It’s possible to write a persuasive essay both for and against something, and sometimes people like to argue for the opposite side as they’re composing their ideas, so they have an idea of the kinds of arguments that could be used against them. In a sense, this paper is like the opening statement in a debate, except that the author hopes to present his opinion so well that people are reluctant to argue with the piece.
As a general rule, persuasive writing has an introduction, body, and conclusion, which can vary in length. The introduction almost always includes a thesis statement of some sort to orient readers so they know what to expect, while the body contains the meat of the piece, including facts that support the paper’s argument. In the conclusion, the author reiterates the main points and tries to leave a high note, impressing readers with the validity of the ideas in the paper.
Learning to write persuasively is important, because it helps sharpen written communication and critical thinking skills. Many people find themselves writing a persuasive piece at some point, such as a letter to the editor or a complaint to a company. These skills can also carry over to speech, helping people build stronger and more coherent oral arguments so they can hold their own in an argument.
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