Organizing the Persuasive Essay

 

Organizing your persuasive essay will depend greatly on the type of thesis you plan to present. Using the Thesis and Research Questions Worksheet from this week, you can begin to outline and organize the content of your Week 4 Persuasive Essay.

This assignment has two parts,

Part A

and

Part B

.

• In Part A, choose either Option 1 or Option 2. Respond to the questions for the option you select.
• After you finish Part A, complete Part B of the assignment.

Part A

Read “Organizing the Material,” on pp. 374-384 in Ch. 12 of Elements of Argument. 

Consider the thesis and research question you are creating for your Week 4 Persuasive Essay.

Review Option 1 and Option 2 below for organizing an essay.

Choose one of the following options as your strategy for organizing your Persuasive Essay:

Option 1: Organization Strategies

• Which of the four organizational strategies (defending the main idea, refuting an opposing view, finding the middle ground, or presenting the stock issues) will you use, and why have you selected that strategy?
• How does the strategy you selected align with your thesis statement? 

Option 2: Contention

• In what order will you unfold your essay’s main contentions?
• What is your strongest and most persuasive contention?
• Why is it more appropriate to place your strongest contention in the emphatic position (either first or last)?

Write a response of at least 350 words total to the corresponding questions from the option you selected above.

Part B

You will now start your Persuasive Essay, due in Week 4, by beginning with an outline.

Outline your paper in at least 350 words, using the 

Persuasive Essay Instructions

 as a template. Be sure to use complete sentences for each component of the paper (i.e., introduction, body, and conclusion).

Format any citations within your assignment according to appropriate 

course-level APA guidelines

.

Title ABC/ 1 23 Version X

1

1

Persuasive Essay Instructions ENG/200 Version 1

University of Phoenix Material

Persuasive Essay Instructions

Introduction

· Hook: How will I grab the reader’s attention?

· Transition: How will I transition from my hook into my thesis?

· Thesis statement

Body for Option 1

If you selected Option 1 in the Week 3 Assignment: Organizing the Persuasive Essay, use the following to guide you in writing the body of your Persuasive Essay. Only complete the body for the organizational strategy that you selected in your Week 3 Assignment: Organizing the Persuasive Essay. Do not complete the body for all four organizational strategies.

Organizational Strategy 1: Defending the Main Idea

· Paragraph 1: Discuss the main idea (at least two to three main points)

· Paragraphs 2 and beyond: Present evidence to support your main idea

· Develop your two to three main points

Organizational Strategy 2: Refuting an Opposing Idea

· Paragraph 1: Summarize the opposing view (at least two to three main points)

· Paragraphs 2 and beyond: Refute the opposing view

· Develop your two to three main points

Organizational Strategy 3: Finding the Middle Ground

· Paragraph 1: Present various viewpoints (at least two to three main points)

· Paragraphs 2 and beyond: Propose the middle ground

· Develop your two to three main points

Organizational Strategy 4: Presenting the Stock Issues

· Paragraph 1: Establish the problem (need)

· Paragraph 2: Propose the solution (plan)

· Paragraph 3: Explain the advantages of the plan

Body for Option 2

If you selected Option 2 in the Week 3 Assignment: Organizing the Persuasive Essay, use the following to guide you in writing the body of your Persuasive Essay.

· Paragraph 1: Present your essay’s main contentions

· Paragraphs 2 and beyond: Support your main contentions

Conclusion

· Restate your thesis.

· Discuss the significance of your argument.

· Issue a call to action – what should people do about the topic you are discussing?

· Close the hook – link back to your hook and make your paper memorable.

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