4.1. Persuasive Essay http://www.ck12.org
FIGURE 4.1
Representation of the organization of a
persuasive essay.BodyParagraphs:
- Begin with a topic sentence that reflects the argument of the thesis statement.
- Support the argument with useful and informative quotes from sources such as books, journal articles, etc.
- Provide 1-2 sentences explaining each quote.
- Provide 1-3 sentences that indicate the significance of each quote.
- Ensure that the information in these paragraphs is important to the thesis statement.
- End each paragraph with a transition sentence which leads into the next body paragraph.
ConcludingParagraph:
- Begin with a topic sentence that reflects the argument of the thesis statement.
- Briefly summarize the main points of the paper.
- Provide a strong and effective close for the paper.
Introductory Paragraphs
A strong introductory paragraph is crucial to the development of an effective persuasive essay. Without an introduc-
tory paragraph that properly introduces both the topicandthe writer’s argument, persuasive essays fail to convince
the reader of the validity of the argument. Since the introductory paragraph contains the thesis statement, or the core
argument and purpose of the essay, introductory paragraphs are essential to the overall success of the paper.