Overview

Advertisements, movie reviews, and editorials are all intended to influence the reader's opinion. They are all examples of persuasive writing.

Persuasive writing presents a point of view supported by an argument or a body of evidence. To write persuasively, first assert your central claim. Then, to support your claim with evidence, ask yourself questions and look for answers. Keep in mind that, unless the link is obvious, you will need to explain how the evidence supports your claim. Finally, reaffirm your claim in the conclusion by suggesting that it is the logical one to reach or that it should be put into action.

For your evidence to be effective, it must be strong, accurate, and relevant. Verify it in up-to-date sources and check to make sure that your reasoning is free of "red herrings," oversimplifications, or cause-and-effect errors. Your word choices also affect the strength of your persuasive writing. Therefore, use limiting words to avoid generalities and use specific words for precision. Also pay attention to the emotional meanings, or connotations, of words in order to present your argument effectively.

After you practice the skills involved in persuasive writing, you will be able to take a stand in your writing, support it, and possibly influence your readers.