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Persuasion

Persuasion is generally an exercise in creating a win-win situation. You present a case that others find beneficial to agree with. You make them an offer they can't refuse. It's simply a good deal or a position that makes sense to that particular person.

After you have found your information in all sorts of forms and stating bias and opinions of their own, you must establish your thesis. Your thesis is where you will state your position on an issue and what you will show with reasoning and the evidence you've found to try to argue. This thesis should occur in the first paragraph of your essay. It needs to be clear, concise and defined. This means that it relates to the question posed as well as states how you will go about proving your point. 

In your introduction, it is important to show why the issue you'll be talking about is significant. You should make it clear to the audience why it is important that they care about the topic. The persuasiveness in your essay should really be shown through the evidence you'll be mentioning. This can be brought into the introduction paragraph briefly to entice the reader into reading your body paragraphs. The introduction is used to bring your audience into the context of your topic, get them interested and state your thesis or argument/perspective on the issue and how you'll use evidence to back it up.

The body paragraphs are where you develop the evidence. Make sure that the evidence you use is always tied back to your thesis. 

You can even have a body paragraph that shows "on the other hand" evidence (concession/counter-argument) that goes against your thesis and argument. This provides a great opportunity for you to create a rebuttal paragraph in which to persuade your audience of your thesis further.If you present your case and someone is left thinking "yeah, but…", well, you've lost. Addressing all the potential objections of at least the majority of your readers can be tough, but if you really know your subject the arguments against you should be fairly obvious. If you think there are no reasonable objections to your position, you're in for a shock if you have comments enabled.

Your conclusion is not merely a summary and restatement of your thesis, but it shows a new light on the topic with the inclusion of the evidence.. This is very important because it sums up everything that was mentioned and brings your argument to its fullest form. It is not wise to introduce new information in your conclusion. Analyze why your argument is valid. Make connections to yourself and the world at large. Answer the question "so what?" (why is what you are arguing valuable/important?)  


--Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents or other adult relatives should make important decisions for their older (15 to 18 year-old) teenage children. Argue your point.

Additional Topic Ideas

All DC public middle schools should have student-run disciplinary courts.

The late-night Metrorail service is a failed transportation experiment.
The DC government should provide free wireless internet access.
The United States should ban the importation of all products from China.
All DC public high schools should have childcare facilities for their students on site.
DC should keep its taxi zone fare system.
The United States should launch a preemptive strike against Iran.
Giving money to panhandlers is justified.
The DCPS funds spent to renovate athletic fields in the summer of 2007 did more good than harm.
All DC public schools should adopt a teacher performance bonus program.
Michael Vick's punishment is too severe.
The United States should withdraw all its troops from Iraq by December 31, 2008.
John McCain is the best choice for Commander in Chief.
The United States should end its use of the penny.
On balance, special interests are a positive influence in American politics.
The public's right to know is more important than the privacy of celebrities.
The United States should guarantee health care for its residents.

Ban plastic bags in grocery stores.

Americans should not be allowed to burn the United States flag as an act of free speech.
It should be illegal to sell coffee and coffee products to minors anywhere in the United States.
Organ donation should be compulsory for all United States citizens.
Voting rights of United States felons should be reinstated after they have served their time.
John McCain is the best choice for Commander in Chief.
The United States should end its use of the penny.
On balance, special interests are a positive influence in American politics.
The public's right to know is more important than the privacy of celebrities.
The United States should guarantee health care for its residents.

September 11 should be made a national holiday.
The U.S. should take military actions against Iran.
 Parents should be held legally responsible for their children's actions.
 Celebrities should not be role models
 Letter grades in schools do more harm than good. 
Term limits for state legislators should be eliminated.
The driving age in California should be raised to 18.
Television does more harm than good.
Washington D. C should be made the 51st state
Home schooling does more good than harm. 
John McCain is the best choice for Commander in Chief.
The United States should end its use of the penny.
On balance, special interests are a positive influence in American politics.
The public's right to know is more important than the privacy of celebrities.
The United States should guarantee health care for its residents.
Students should be required to learn a second language for high school graduation.


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