What steps must be taken prior to writing an effective persuasive essay? How will those steps contribute to the effectiveness of your final paper?

I think your teacher wants to know what you've learned from your text materials.

However, these sites have some useful ideas for writing persuasive essays.

http://www.persuasiveessayguide.com/

http://www.creativewriting-prompts.com/persuasive-essay-graphic-organizer.html

http://www.wyckoffschools.org/eisenhower/teachers/perrotta/persuasiveoutline.html

Thank you for all the research!!

Here is my answer so far. Do you know of anything else I can add to it??

The steps that must be taken prior to writing and effective persuasive essay is to build an outline of ideas and thoughts, elaborate those thoughts and ideas, do some research on the topic, define your attitude regarding the matter of the essay and finally study your prospective audience. There are many people who have a difficult time planning a persuasive essay, but by following these steps it will help with the process. You should design your essay by figuring out the order in which you will be presenting your evidence. All the arguments in a persuasive essay should be backed up by reliable evidence. You should take time to brainstorm and write down all of your thoughts about the topic.

Good answer!

Do you know of anything I have left out?

The only think I would add is to always keep in mind what you want your audience to think and what you want it to do.

Prior to writing an effective persuasive essay, there are several steps that you should take. These steps will not only help you organize your thoughts but also ensure that your final paper is persuasive and convincing. Here is a recommended approach:

1. Understand the Purpose and Audience: Firstly, clearly define the purpose of your persuasive essay. Are you aiming to change someone's opinion or convince them to take a particular action? Understanding your audience is crucial as it allows you to tailor your arguments and appeals to their interests, values, and beliefs.

2. Choose a Strong Topic: Selecting a compelling topic is essential for persuading your readers. Choose a subject that you feel passionate about and one that has enough supporting evidence to build a solid argument. Consider both sides of the issue and evaluate which stance is more persuasive.

3. Conduct Thorough Research: Gathering relevant and credible information is essential for building a strong persuasive essay. Use reputable sources such as academic journals, books, scholarly articles, and reputable websites to gather evidence to support your claims. Take notes on key points, statistics, and quotes that you can include in your essay.

4. Analyze and Evaluate: Once you have conducted research, critically analyze and evaluate the collected information. Determine which arguments are the most compelling, valid, and provide robust evidence. Ensure that your sources are trustworthy and represent various perspectives to present a balanced argument.

5. Create an Outline: Organize your thoughts by creating a detailed outline. Identify the main points and arguments, and arrange them logically and coherently. A well-structured outline serves as a roadmap for your essay and helps maintain a clear flow of ideas.

6. Craft a Persuasive Thesis Statement: The thesis statement declares your main argument and provides a clear direction for your essay. Ensure it is concise, specific, and assertive. It should reflect the purpose of your essay and effectively capture your stance.

7. Develop Strong Arguments: Based on the research conducted, develop strong arguments to support your thesis. Each argument should be supported by credible evidence, examples, or expert opinions. Anticipate counterarguments and address them effectively to strengthen your position.

8. Use Persuasive Appeals: Utilize persuasive techniques such as ethos (ethical appeal), pathos (emotional appeal), and logos (logical appeal) to convince your readers. Ethos involves establishing credibility, pathos appeals to emotions, and logos relies on logical reasoning.

9. Draft and Revise: Write an initial draft of your essay, focusing on presenting your arguments and supporting evidence. Once completed, revise and refine your essay for clarity, coherence, and effectiveness. Ensure that your arguments are well-structured and that there is a logical progression of ideas.

10. Proofread and Edit: Carefully review your essay for grammar, punctuation, spelling errors, and sentence structure. Remove any ambiguous or irrelevant information, and ensure your essay flows smoothly. Check if your arguments are compelling and if your persuasion techniques are effectively employed.

By following these steps, you can enhance the effectiveness of your persuasive essay. Thorough research helps build a solid foundation and credibility, while analyzing and evaluating sources ensure that you present the most convincing arguments. Creating an outline ensures a clear and logical structure, and crafting a persuasive thesis statement guides your essay's focus. Finally, incorporating persuasive appeals and revising/editing for clarity and coherence enhance the overall persuasiveness of your final paper.