162 Persuasive Writing Prompts & Topics: Examples & Tips

persuasive essay writing starters

Writing a persuasive essay can be a challenging task. While it is excellent for improving a student’s critical thinking and rhetoric skills, coming up with a good topic might be difficult.

The easiest way to kickstart the writing process is to find persuasive writing prompts. Are you passionate about some controversial issue? Want to express your opinion? A prompt will help you to start thinking about it critically. It may contain a set of questions or a brief guideline for your discussion.

Our team will help you!

There is plenty of persuasive writing prompts for high school and college that deserve attention. So, we’ve prepared a list of such. Once you choose one to your liking, remember to read a prompt thoroughly. The controversy of an issue is usually apparent. It is crucial to find a prompt that states the main aspects of the topic clearly.

Believe us—writing a persuasive essay is elementary with prompts at your disposal!

  • 🤷 Writing with Prompts
  • 💡 How to Write?
  • ⭐ 12 Best Prompts
  • 🧒 Elementary School
  • 🎒 Middle School
  • 🖊️ High School
  • 🌊 Environment
  • 🕹️ Video Games
  • 🔌 Technology

🤷 Persuasive Writing with Prompts

Before we dive into the prompts, let’s answer a few vital questions.

What is a persuasive essay?

A persuasive essay is a type of academic writing where you try to persuade your reader using arguments and supporting evidence. You provide facts and examples that explain why your position is the correct one. Describe the issue in the introduction, and express your stance on it in your thesis statement.

Remember to include the other side of the argument in your essay. It is essential to consider different perspectives on the problem. You can find numerous examples of persuasive papers in a free essay database . Not only will it serve as a sample, but can act as a source of writing prompts, too.

What is a writing prompt?

A writing prompt is a short passage that describes an idea for an essay, report, article, or some other piece of writing. It can be as short as one sentence, although it is usually more elaborate.

Some prompts can be presented in the form of an image. The most crucial thing is that they give a clear understanding of the topic.

Re-read the writing prompt when to ensure that you should write a persuasive essay.

How does a persuasive writing prompt look like?

The main goal of persuasive writing is to convince the reader that your side of an argument is the most legitimate one. Unlike in expository or descriptive writing, persuasive essay prompts express the duality of a dispute.

Persuasive letter prompts should be pertinent to the audience’s concerns. A prompt should ultimately convey your stance on the subject. Use words like convince , persuade , and why . Avoid using how in a persuasive essay prompt as it distracts from the purpose of such writing.

💡 How to Write a Persuasive Essay Using a Prompt?

Persuasive writing prompts help produce a good quality essay. Here is a list of things you should do to write an essay using a prompt:

  • Read it and learn what issue the prompt states. What should you elaborate on? Look out for words that you find especially important or problematic.
  • Understand what the prompt wants you to do. See whether you should discuss causes and effects or your opinion. In the case of persuasive writing prompt, it asks you to convince your reader in something. In what? Should you discuss both sides of an argument or state your opinion immediately?
  • Divide the prompt. Look deeper into what it’s saying. Write down your initial thoughts on the subject.
  • Compose a thesis statement . Outline the question or the situation the prompt states and elaborate on it in one topic sentence.
  • Write arguments and supporting evidence. Dedicate one body paragraph to describing the opposing argument. Remember to use transition words to ensure good writing flow.
  • Revise if you have time for it. Check with the prompt not to miss anything. That’s why writing drafts is always a good idea. This way, you can change your text without making a mess out of your paper.

⭐ 12 Persuasive Writing Prompts for High School

  • Cooking as art — a delicate craft.
  • 4-Day work week.
  • Facebook vs. Instagram: visual design.
  • Winter holidays — a time for friends.
  • Is living in a village stressful?
  • Beef production.
  • Is kindergarten education importnat?
  • Hobby as a job is a bad idea.
  • High school students and independence.
  • Allowance for kids: how much?
  • Reptiles as pets — a lifelong commitment.
  • Outside classes and fresh air benefits.

✔ 50 Persuasive Essay Writing Prompts

If you have trouble coming up with ideas for writing a persuasive essay, here is our prompts list. Whether you’re in school or college, we’re sure here you’ll find a topic that interests you!

Ask someone to proofread your persuasive essay.

🧒 Persuasive Writing Prompts for Elementary Students

  • Your parents should go to bed at 9 pm every day. They say that it’s your time to fall asleep, but why? This way, they get to have a good night’s rest to feel energized the next morning. And your parents need it as their jobs are tedious and stressful. While you would like to have more spare time before going to bed. Persuade your parents that going to bed at 9 pm is perfect for them, not for you.
  • We should stop wearing a uniform to school. If not every day, at least once a week, students should be allowed to wear casual clothes to school. Discuss why it is a fun and useful initiative.
  • You need to move to another country for a year. Explain why you think that studying abroad is essential for you. Which country would you pick and why? Discuss what made you choose this country.
  • Every child needs a pet. Some parents don’t allow animals at home. Explain why it is vital to have a pet in a family. Convince that a pet of your choice is the perfect option for any kid.
  • Pupils should select their seats in the class . Your teacher always tells you where to sit in class. Would it be better if you get to pick your place? What is your opinion on that?
  • Playing music is an educating activity that is crucial for child development. What musical instrument is the most fun to play? Convince your reader that the music instrument of your choice is the best one.
  • The summer break has to be longer. Do you believe the summer holidays are long or short? Is it enough for you to get rest and find the strength to start a new term? Convince your reader that your point of view is the right one.
  • The ability to read people’s minds in both the worst and best superpower. Imagine that you get to have this superpower. What are its advantages and disadvantages? When can you use it? Is it ethical? Discuss your opinion in your essay.
  • Pupils should select their tutors. In school, you don’t get to choose your teacher. Would it be better if you could? Can students change teachers based on their personal preferences? Discuss why or why not.
  • We should manage our budget from an early age. Do your parents give you pocket money? Well, they’re better to start. Some parents think they should give their kids pocket money even if they misbehaved. Others wouldn’t give allowance to their children if they did something wrong. What position do you think is fairer, and why?

Giving a set budget for a specific task teaches teenagers responsibility.

🎒 Persuasive Writing Prompts for Middle School Students

  • Tutors should wear uniforms to schools, just like students do. Imagine there is an initiative that wants teachers to do so. Some people believe it is a sign of equality and professional attire. Others think that just a formal dress code is enough. What is your opinion on this?
  • Every school has to initiate school trips. Some individuals think they are disruptive to the study process. Other people claim that such trips unite students and are an essential part of education. What do you think? Explain your point of view and why it is the right one.
  • Students should learn from famous people from time to time. There is an opportunity for one famous person to come to your school with a motivational speech. Who would you want to come, and why? Discuss why your school can benefit if a celebrity of your choice gives a speech there.,
  • Single-sex schools are better than mixed ones. Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not? Talk about your point of view using convincing argumentation.
  • Some individuals should lack money. What’s better: enough money to get by or too much money and more problems? Some think that too much money makes you forget about more straightforward and essential things in life. Yes, cash gives more opportunities, but people tend to strive for more money than necessary. What’s the point of millionaires in the 21st century? What is your opinion on this?
  • Fast food damages children’s health and should be excluded from the school meal plan. Do you agree or disagree? What are some benefits of having fast food as a meal option at school? Discuss which opinion is more legitimate.
  • Educational institutions have to support the arts and sciences more. Imagine there is a new building opening up in your school. The school administration hasn’t decided what is going to be there. It could be an art studio, a new sports center, or a computer class. Explain why it should belong to the arts and sciences. Talk about how such disciplines motivate students to evolve.
  • We should study for four days a week. There is a law that considers implementing a more extended weekend. Do you think three days would be too much? Why or why not? Support your point of view with thoughtful arguments.

25 US states have at least one district using a four-day school week.

  • Teachers should be required to turn off their mobiles during the classes. You can’t use your phone during the course (or at school). It’s a law in various educational institutions and for obvious reasons. Should teachers be prohibited from using their phones as well? Is it fair?
  • It is better to have PE lessons as the first classes of the day. Some people think it is an excellent way to kickstart the day. Others believe that students will be physically tired to carry on with other classes. Which opinion is the right one?
  • Plagiarism and cheating should be punished more strictly. Copying others’ works or using crib notes in class is strictly prohibited, yet it happens. Should schools implement more measures to ensure there is no cheating? How can they work?
  • Students should select their courses according to their performance. Some people are better at science, while others excel at arts. Would it be better if we were allowed only to study things we are naturally good at? Why or why not? Convince your reader that your opinion is valid.
  • You shouldn’t eat in class. Teachers generally think that it interrupts the lesson and distracts other students. At the same time, eating a snack can help you concentrate better and stay energized. Discuss your opinion on this in your essay.
  • There should be mixed sports teams at school. Girls often like to play the same sports as boys. Should schools let them play in the same groups? Why or why not? Support your opinion with argumentation.
  • Teachers should treat every student equally. It seems like an obvious thing, but the reality is often different. What would you do to make sure everyone is respected? Why?

🖊 Persuasive Writing Prompts for High School Students

  • In the US, the 18-year-olds should be allowed to drink alcohol. In the country, driving is permitted after age 16, while drinking becomes legal after 21. How fair are these age thresholds? Statistics show that countries with integrated drinking culture (like France or Italy) have lower alcoholism rates. Would it be better to bring the legal drinking age down to 18? Discuss why or why not, using supportive argumentation.
  • The “book of your choice” is fantastic, and here is why. Write a persuasive essay explaining why your favorite book deserves attention. Convince your audience it is worth reading it.
  • Time management skill is vital for a successful adult life. It’s what you acquire in school and use for a job. Why is being organized so important? And why should you learn this already in school? Talk about your opinion on this subject.
  • What’s more important in school – discipline or an ability to self-express? Some think that you come to school to get knowledge and acquire social skills. However, some students thrive in a less harsh environment. Discuss your point of view and why it is valid.
  • Educational institutions should implement anti-bullying policies. School authorities should intervene if a student is bullied by other students, even outside of school. Do you agree or disagree? Convince your reader that your opinion is the most legitimate.

The definition of bullying includes three characteristics.

  • Parents shouldn’t raise their children the same way they’ve been raised. Some people think there are universal values and principles that parents should teach their kids. While this is true, times change tremendously as generations grow up. What do you think is more just? Discuss your point of view in your essay.
  • Your neighborhood requires a renovation. Imagine city authorities are planning on improving your area. What would you change in particular, and why? Write an essay using the appropriate argumentation.
  • The importance of community is overrated. Some people are naturally more outgoing and thrive in such environments. Others often feel pressured and may feel out of place. Talk about your opinion on that subject.
  • Are fictional books useless? Some people believe fiction improves imagination and teaches empathy. Others consider it a waste of time since there is no actual value in it. Which stance is more valid?
  • Life is fair because it is unfair to everyone. Do you think this statement is true? Discuss the issue of class privilege. Do you think modern society gives everyone equal opportunities? Why or why not?
  • Community service should be mandatory for high school students. Do you agree or disagree? What kind of activities would be included? Discuss your point of view in your essay.
  • Classic literature should be an integral part of the high school curriculum. Should students be required to read old texts like Homer’s Odyssey or Shakespeare’s tragedies? Why or why not?
  • You can make a career out of a hobby. True or not? Pick your side of an argument and convince a reader it’s valid.
  • It would be better if all countries in the world switched to one currency. There are many aspects to consider when talking about this argument. Which side of it would you support? Why?
  • Safety on school property should be a primary concern. Some institutions offer inefficient security services, which can result in tragedies. They may lack funds to ensure their students are safe. Should the government prioritize these issues? Discuss your opinion on this.

🎓 Persuasive Writing Prompts for College Students

  • Abortions should be legal in all US states. Some religious communities are vehemently opposed to abortions. People with more liberal beliefs claim that it should be a mother’s personal choice. Discuss your opinion in an essay.
  • The military should be voluntary. Military service is a civic duty is some countries. Should it be obligatory everywhere? Why or why not? Persuade your reader that your opinion is the most legitimate.
  • Veganism and vegetarianism should become a new norm. They start to gain popularity in Western society. Some people consider it beneficial for health and the environment. Others switch to these diets because good meat is often too pricey. What are the real advantages? Or are they a myth? Discuss your opinion.
  • The education system in the Western world has become outdated. Do you agree or disagree? What should be changed to make it more suitable for modern times?
  • Your parents shouldn’t be your buddies. What’s better: a parent who is your mentor or best friend? Choose your stance on the subject and defend it using appropriate reasoning.
  • Soft skills are more important than hard skills. It is thought that employers often prioritize your personal skills over professional ones at first. Do you think this is the right position? Express your opinion and support it with facts.

Technical skills alone are not enough to be truly effective.

  • Social media is a major frustrating factor in the lives of many people. Have you ever gotten FOMO looking at other’s picture-perfect lives? Why is it so easy to succumb to this illusion of ideal life? Discuss your opinion on the subject and support your point of view with pertinent facts.
  • Democracy has proven to be the most sustainable governmental form. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Express your opinion and use relevant argumentation in your essay.
  • United Nations have become inefficient over time. There is an opinion that the UN does not function properly anymore. Would you agree with this statement?
  • Are genderless pronouns a good idea? They have become a crucial tool for transgender and genderfluid people to express their identity. Or does society overthink about words instead of actions? Do you agree or disagree?

💯 Persuasive Essay Writing Topics

If you feel more confident and inspired after reading our prompts list, check out some persuasive writing topics!

🎤 Persuasive writing: Music

  • Hip-hop music objectifies women .
  • Jazz does not exist anymore.
  • Music festivals involve too many drugs.
  • Classical music is the most sophisticated genre.
  • The music culture of other societies does not get enough attention because of Western dominance .
  • Musical therapy is not efficient.
  • Patriotic songs can have a stimulating effect on people.
  • Listening to music can increase one’s productivity.
  • Anyone can learn how to sing.
  • Humanity cannot imagine itself without the art of music.
  • Music is the most influential form of art.
  • Rap should be considered a form of poetry .
  • Jazz sounds the best at a live concert .
  • A piano is the best musical instrument.
  • All children should have musical training at school.
  • Music can unite people from all over the world.
  • Specific lyrics can trigger aggression in people.
  • Queen is the most influential band in Western history.
  • To some extent, all music reflects a creator’s personal experience.
  • Is the bell ringer a musician?

🦙 Persuasive Writing: Animals

  • Wild animals should not be kept in a zoo.
  • Animal fights should be illegal.

Three most common types of animal fighting in the US.

  • Hybrid animals are unnatural.
  • Agricultural production puts endangered species at more significant risk .
  • Slaughtering farm animals for food does not justify their killing .
  • Animal hunts should be illegal everywhere.
  • There is no better alternative than animal experimentation for some medicine.
  • Exotic animals should not be kept as pets.
  • Animals should not be treated as objects—they are meant to cohabitate with humans .
  • Cow milk is terrible for human health.
  • Dolphins are the most intelligent animals.
  • Using animals for medical research is unethical.
  • There are better alternatives than cosmetic testing on animals .
  • Poaching has multiple adverse effects on the economy.
  • Farming is a form of animal abuse .
  • Zoos can help in preserving endangered animals.
  • All makeup brands should switch to cruelty-free policies.
  • The use of elephants in the entertainment industry can lead to their extinction .
  • Children should be taught how to treat animals.
  • A dog is the best animal companion for a human.

🌊 Persuasive Writing: Environment

  • Governments should advocate for the use of renewable energy sources.
  • Garbage recycling should be obligatory.
  • Humanity should take rainforest conservation more seriously.
  • Urban areas should implement environment-friendly design and policies .
  • There is a connection between waste management and global warming.

Fuel buyers in the United States could be convinced to buy back their carbon.

  • If proper measures are not taken, the loss of biodiversity in coral reefs will be devastating .
  • Greta Thunberg is the voice of her generation . The girl’s letter to the UN was one of the most discussed events of 2019. Talk about why her call to enhance environmental protection is more than timely.
  • Sustainable clothing is the best fashion trend in 2023.
  • Poor farming technologies accelerate climate change .
  • Water pollution will soon become a more significant issue than air pollution.
  • Environmental conservation is an essential element of economic growth in developing countries .
  • First-world countries should implement a carbon tax.
  • It is impossible to decrease environmental pollution without severe damage to the world’s economy .
  • Weather forecasts are too inaccurate.
  • Climate change trends have made the risk of natural disasters worse.

🌽 Persuasive writing: Food

  • Parents in America should take better care of their children’s diets . Childhood obesity is a growing concern in the US.
  • Healthy eating is more important than exercise.
  • Overeating junk food affects mental health.
  • Restaurants should be transparent about the nutritional value of the food they serve.
  • There is no harm in consuming GMOs .
  • Addiction to sugar can be worse than drug addiction.
  • The fast-food industry isn’t entirely responsible for consumers’ health . It is up to every individual to take care of their diet.
  • Food is not just fuel; it’s a leisure experience .
  • Schools must provide students with healthy food options.
  • Intuitive eating is the best diet.
  • The downsides of sugar substitutes aren’t thoroughly researched .
  • Being underweight is more dangerous than being overweight.
  • Social and psychological factors have a notable role in obesity development .
  • Eating meat is bad for health.
  • Food supplements are harmful.

🕹 Persuasive Writing: Video Games

  • Violence in video games causes behavioral problems in kids .
  • Board games will never go out of fashion.
  • Playing computer games can develop one’s cognitive skills .
  • Game addiction is a more prominent concern than most of us realize.
  • Virtual reality can disrupt one’s social skills .
  • Children should have limited access to certain video games.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests the time for video games should be limited.

  • There is no place for gaming in education.
  • Certain video games can be beneficial for human health and brains.
  • Hunger Games should not have been turned into a franchise.
  • Gaming will become the most popular leisure activity in 30 years.
  • You can earn a fortune by playing online games.
  • Video games have multiple adverse effects on children .
  • Gaming is just a way to escape reality.
  • First-person shooter games improve one’s reaction and reflexes.
  • Playing video games too much affects one’s academic and life performance.

🔌 Persuasive Writing: Technology

  • Siri is the best example of publicly available Artificial intelligence .
  • Computer science classes at school should incorporate beginner-level software engineering.
  • Internet is humanity’s greatest invention.
  • E-learning in medicine is still too expensive .
  • Nowadays, nobody’s personal data is protected.
  • If World War III happens, it will be a war of modern technology and information, not nuclear power.
  • Genetically modified organisms are science’s big mistake.
  • Cloning should be illegal.
  • Cell phone addiction will soon become humanity’s worst challenge.
  • Cyberbullying leads to drug and alcohol abuse among the youth .
  • Robots will never be able to replace humans .
  • Technology can help individuals with learning disabilities .

Assistive technology is available to help individuals with many types of disabilities.

  • Drones are an invasion of privacy and should be illegal.
  • Apple is the best technology brand on the market.
  • Data mining is an essential part of every company’s marketing strategy .

Thank you for reading the article! Leave a comment below to let us know what you think. Share the page with friends who may find the persuasive writing prompts and topics useful.

🔗 References

  • 15 Awesome Persuasive Writing Prompts: Thoughtful Learning, K-12
  • 200 Prompts for Argumentative Writing: Michael Gonchar, The New York Times
  • English II Persuasive Essay [10th grade]: Brianna Johnson, Trinity College
  • Writing Prompt (Composition): Richard Nordquist, ThoughtCo
  • What Is a Writing Prompt: Karen Frazier, LoveToKnow
  • What Makes a Great Writing Prompt: Laura Davis, Kripalu
  • Writing Prompts for Middle School: Holt McDougal Online
  • Persuasive Essay Outline: Houston Community College Learning Web
  • Tips To Write An Effective Persuasive Essay: Melissa Burns, The College Puzzle
  • Counterargument: Gordon Harvey for the Writing Center at Harvard University
  • Persuasive Essay: EssayInfo, Writing Guides
  • Ten Timeless Persuasive Writing Techniques: Brian Clark, CopyBlogger
  • 31 Powerful Persuasive Writing Techniques: Karri Stover, Writtent
  • A CS Research Topic Generator or How To pick A Worthy Topic In 10 Seconds: Department of Computer Science, Purdue University
  • Share via Facebook
  • Share via Twitter
  • Share via LinkedIn
  • Share via email

PrepScholar

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 113 perfect persuasive essay topics for any assignment.

author image

General Education

feature_essaytopics

Do you need to write a persuasive essay but aren’t sure what topic to focus on? Were you thrilled when your teacher said you could write about whatever you wanted but are now overwhelmed by the possibilities? We’re here to help!

Read on for a list of 113 top-notch persuasive essay topics, organized into ten categories. To help get you started, we also discuss what a persuasive essay is, how to choose a great topic, and what tips to keep in mind as you write your persuasive essay.

What Is a Persuasive Essay?

In a persuasive essay, you attempt to convince readers to agree with your point of view on an argument. For example, an essay analyzing changes in Italian art during the Renaissance wouldn’t be a persuasive essay, because there’s no argument, but an essay where you argue that Italian art reached its peak during the Renaissance would be a persuasive essay because you’re trying to get your audience to agree with your viewpoint.

Persuasive and argumentative essays both try to convince readers to agree with the author, but the two essay types have key differences. Argumentative essays show a more balanced view of the issue and discuss both sides. Persuasive essays focus more heavily on the side the author agrees with. They also often include more of the author’s opinion than argumentative essays, which tend to use only facts and data to support their argument.

All persuasive essays have the following:

  • Introduction: Introduces the topic, explains why it’s important, and ends with the thesis.
  • Thesis: A sentence that sums up what the essay be discussing and what your stance on the issue is.
  • Reasons you believe your side of the argument: Why do you support the side you do? Typically each main point will have its own body paragraph.
  • Evidence supporting your argument: Facts or examples to back up your main points. Even though your opinion is allowed in persuasive essays more than most other essays, having concrete examples will make a stronger argument than relying on your opinion alone.
  • Conclusion: Restatement of thesis, summary of main points, and a recap of why the issue is important.

What Makes a Good Persuasive Essay Topic?

Theoretically, you could write a persuasive essay about any subject under the sun, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should. Certain topics are easier to write a strong persuasive essay on, and below are tips to follow when deciding what you should write about.

It’s a Topic You Care About

Obviously, it’s possible to write an essay about a topic you find completely boring. You’ve probably done it! However, if possible, it’s always better to choose a topic that you care about and are interested in. When this is the case, you’ll find doing the research more enjoyable, writing the essay easier, and your writing will likely be better because you’ll be more passionate about and informed on the topic.

You Have Enough Evidence to Support Your Argument

Just being passionate about a subject isn’t enough to make it a good persuasive essay topic, though. You need to make sure your argument is complex enough to have at least two potential sides to root for, and you need to be able to back up your side with evidence and examples. Even though persuasive essays allow your opinion to feature more than many other essays, you still need concrete evidence to back up your claims, or you’ll end up with a weak essay.

For example, you may passionately believe that mint chocolate chip ice cream is the best ice cream flavor (I agree!), but could you really write an entire essay on this? What would be your reasons for believing mint chocolate chip is the best (besides the fact that it’s delicious)? How would you support your belief? Have enough studies been done on preferred ice cream flavors to support an entire essay? When choosing a persuasive essay idea, you want to find the right balance between something you care about (so you can write well on it) and something the rest of the world cares about (so you can reference evidence to strengthen your position).

It’s a Manageable Topic

Bigger isn’t always better, especially with essay topics. While it may seem like a great idea to choose a huge, complex topic to write about, you’ll likely struggle to sift through all the information and different sides of the issue and winnow them down to one streamlined essay. For example, choosing to write an essay about how WWII impacted American life more than WWI wouldn’t be a great idea because you’d need to analyze all the impacts of both the wars in numerous areas of American life. It’d be a huge undertaking. A better idea would be to choose one impact on American life the wars had (such as changes in female employment) and focus on that. Doing so will make researching and writing your persuasive essay much more feasible.

feature_argumentativeessay-1

List of 113 Good Persuasive Essay Topics

Below are over 100 persuasive essay ideas, organized into ten categories. When you find an idea that piques your interest, you’ll choose one side of it to argue for in your essay. For example, if you choose the topic, “should fracking be legal?” you’d decide whether you believe fracking should be legal or illegal, then you’d write an essay arguing all the reasons why your audience should agree with you.

Arts/Culture

  • Should students be required to learn an instrument in school?
  • Did the end of Game of Thrones fit with the rest of the series?
  • Can music be an effective way to treat mental illness?
  • With e-readers so popular, have libraries become obsolete?
  • Are the Harry Potter books more popular than they deserve to be?
  • Should music with offensive language come with a warning label?
  • What’s the best way for museums to get more people to visit?
  • Should students be able to substitute an art or music class for a PE class in school?
  • Are the Kardashians good or bad role models for young people?
  • Should people in higher income brackets pay more taxes?
  • Should all high school students be required to take a class on financial literacy?
  • Is it possible to achieve the American dream, or is it only a myth?
  • Is it better to spend a summer as an unpaid intern at a prestigious company or as a paid worker at a local store/restaurant?
  • Should the United States impose more or fewer tariffs?
  • Should college graduates have their student loans forgiven?
  • Should restaurants eliminate tipping and raise staff wages instead?
  • Should students learn cursive writing in school?
  • Which is more important: PE class or music class?
  • Is it better to have year-round school with shorter breaks throughout the year?
  • Should class rank be abolished in schools?
  • Should students be taught sex education in school?
  • Should students be able to attend public universities for free?
  • What’s the most effective way to change the behavior of school bullies?
  • Are the SAT and ACT accurate ways to measure intelligence?
  • Should students be able to learn sign language instead of a foreign language?
  • Do the benefits of Greek life at colleges outweigh the negatives?
  • Does doing homework actually help students learn more?
  • Why do students in many other countries score higher than American students on math exams?
  • Should parents/teachers be able to ban certain books from schools?
  • What’s the best way to reduce cheating in school?
  • Should colleges take a student’s race into account when making admissions decisions?
  • Should there be limits to free speech?
  • Should students be required to perform community service to graduate high school?
  • Should convicted felons who have completed their sentence be allowed to vote?
  • Should gun ownership be more tightly regulated?
  • Should recycling be made mandatory?
  • Should employers be required to offer paid leave to new parents?
  • Are there any circumstances where torture should be allowed?
  • Should children under the age of 18 be able to get plastic surgery for cosmetic reasons?
  • Should white supremacy groups be allowed to hold rallies in public places?
  • Does making abortion illegal make women more or less safe?
  • Does foreign aid actually help developing countries?
  • Are there times a person’s freedom of speech should be curtailed?
  • Should people over a certain age not be allowed to adopt children?

Government/Politics

  • Should the minimum voting age be raised/lowered/kept the same?
  • Should Puerto Rico be granted statehood?
  • Should the United States build a border wall with Mexico?
  • Who should be the next person printed on American banknotes?
  • Should the United States’ military budget be reduced?
  • Did China’s one child policy have overall positive or negative impacts on the country?
  • Should DREAMers be granted US citizenship?
  • Is national security more important than individual privacy?
  • What responsibility does the government have to help homeless people?
  • Should the electoral college be abolished?
  • Should the US increase or decrease the number of refugees it allows in each year?
  • Should privately-run prisons be abolished?
  • Who was the most/least effective US president?
  • Will Brexit end up helping or harming the UK?

body-sparkler-us-flag

  • What’s the best way to reduce the spread of Ebola?
  • Is the Keto diet a safe and effective way to lose weight?
  • Should the FDA regulate vitamins and supplements more strictly?
  • Should public schools require all students who attend to be vaccinated?
  • Is eating genetically modified food safe?
  • What’s the best way to make health insurance more affordable?
  • What’s the best way to lower the teen pregnancy rate?
  • Should recreational marijuana be legalized nationwide?
  • Should birth control pills be available without a prescription?
  • Should pregnant women be forbidden from buying cigarettes and alcohol?
  • Why has anxiety increased in adolescents?
  • Are low-carb or low-fat diets more effective for weight loss?
  • What caused the destruction of the USS Maine?
  • Was King Arthur a mythical legend or actual Dark Ages king?
  • Was the US justified in dropping atomic bombs during WWII?
  • What was the primary cause of the Rwandan genocide?
  • What happened to the settlers of the Roanoke colony?
  • Was disagreement over slavery the primary cause of the US Civil War?
  • What has caused the numerous disappearances in the Bermuda triangle?
  • Should nuclear power be banned?
  • Is scientific testing on animals necessary?
  • Do zoos help or harm animals?
  • Should scientists be allowed to clone humans?
  • Should animals in circuses be banned?
  • Should fracking be legal?
  • Should people be allowed to keep exotic animals as pets?
  • What’s the best way to reduce illegal poaching in Africa?
  • What is the best way to reduce the impact of global warming?
  • Should euthanasia be legalized?
  • Is there legitimate evidence of extraterrestrial life?
  • Should people be banned from owning aggressive dog breeds?
  • Should the United States devote more money towards space exploration?
  • Should the government subsidize renewable forms of energy?
  • Is solar energy worth the cost?
  • Should stem cells be used in medicine?
  • Is it right for the US to leave the Paris Climate Agreement?
  • Should athletes who fail a drug test receive a lifetime ban from the sport?
  • Should college athletes receive a salary?
  • Should the NFL do more to prevent concussions in players?
  • Do PE classes help students stay in shape?
  • Should horse racing be banned?
  • Should cheerleading be considered a sport?
  • Should children younger than 18 be allowed to play tackle football?
  • Are the costs of hosting an Olympic Games worth it?
  • Can online schools be as effective as traditional schools?
  • Do violent video games encourage players to be violent in real life?
  • Should facial recognition technology be banned?
  • Does excessive social media use lead to depression/anxiety?
  • Has the rise of translation technology made knowing multiple languages obsolete?
  • Was Steve Jobs a visionary or just a great marketer?
  • Should social media be banned for children younger than a certain age?
  • Which 21st-century invention has had the largest impact on society?
  • Are ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft good or bad for society?
  • Should Facebook have done more to protect the privacy of its users?
  • Will technology end up increasing or decreasing inequality worldwide?

feature_information_technology

Tips for Writing a Strong Persuasive Essay

After you’ve chosen the perfect topic for your persuasive essay, your work isn’t over. Follow the three tips below to create a top-notch essay.

Do Your Research

Your argument will fall apart if you don’t fully understand the issue you’re discussing or you overlook an important piece of it. Readers won’t be convinced by someone who doesn’t know the subject, and you likely won’t persuade any of them to begin supporting your viewpoint. Before you begin writing a single word of your essay, research your topic thoroughly. Study different sources, learn about the different sides of the argument, ask anyone who’s an expert on the topic what their opinion is, etc. You might be tempted to start writing right away, but by doing your research, you’ll make the writing process much easier when the time comes.

Make Your Thesis Perfect

Your thesis is the most important sentence in your persuasive essay. Just by reading that single sentence, your audience should know exactly what topic you’ll be discussing and where you stand on the issue. You want your thesis to be crystal clear and to accurately set up the rest of your essay. Asking classmates or your teacher to look it over before you begin writing the rest of your essay can be a big help if you’re not entirely confident in your thesis.

Consider the Other Side

You’ll spend most of your essay focusing on your side of the argument since that’s what you want readers to come away believing. However, don’t think that means you can ignore other sides of the issue. In your essay, be sure to discuss the other side’s argument, as well as why you believe this view is weak or untrue. Researching all the different viewpoints and including them in your essay will increase the quality of your writing by making your essay more complete and nuanced.

Summary: Persuasive Essay Ideas

Good persuasive essay topics can be difficult to come up with, but in this guide we’ve created a list of 113 excellent essay topics for you to browse. The best persuasive essay ideas will be those that you are interested in, have enough evidence to support your argument, and aren’t too complicated to be summarized in an essay.

After you’ve chosen your essay topic, keep these three tips in mind when you begin writing:

  • Do your research
  • Make your thesis perfect
  • Consider the other side

What's Next?

Need ideas for a research paper topic as well? Our guide to research paper topics has over 100 topics in ten categories so you can be sure to find the perfect topic for you.

Thinking about taking an AP English class? Read our guide on AP English classes to learn whether you should take AP English Language or AP English Literature (or both!)

Deciding between the SAT or ACT? Find out for sure which you will do the best on . Also read a detailed comparison between the two tests .

author image

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

  • For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

persuasive essay writing starters

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”
  • Features for Creative Writers
  • Features for Work
  • Features for Higher Education
  • Features for Teachers
  • Features for Non-Native Speakers
  • Learn Blog Grammar Guide Community Events FAQ
  • Grammar Guide

How to Write a Persuasive Essay: Tips and Tricks

Allison Bressmer

Allison Bressmer

How to write a persuasive essay

Most composition classes you’ll take will teach the art of persuasive writing. That’s a good thing.

Knowing where you stand on issues and knowing how to argue for or against something is a skill that will serve you well both inside and outside of the classroom.

Persuasion is the art of using logic to prompt audiences to change their mind or take action , and is generally seen as accomplishing that goal by appealing to emotions and feelings.

A persuasive essay is one that attempts to get a reader to agree with your perspective.

What is a persuasive essay?

Ready for some tips on how to produce a well-written, well-rounded, well-structured persuasive essay? Just say yes. I don’t want to have to write another essay to convince you!

How Do I Write a Persuasive Essay?

What are some good topics for a persuasive essay, how do i identify an audience for my persuasive essay, how do you create an effective persuasive essay, how should i edit my persuasive essay.

Your persuasive essay needs to have the three components required of any essay: the introduction , body , and conclusion .

That is essay structure. However, there is flexibility in that structure.

There is no rule (unless the assignment has specific rules) for how many paragraphs any of those sections need.

Although the components should be proportional; the body paragraphs will comprise most of your persuasive essay.

What should every essay include?

How Do I Start a Persuasive Essay?

As with any essay introduction, this paragraph is where you grab your audience’s attention, provide context for the topic of discussion, and present your thesis statement.

TIP 1: Some writers find it easier to write their introductions last. As long as you have your working thesis, this is a perfectly acceptable approach. From that thesis, you can plan your body paragraphs and then go back and write your introduction.

TIP 2: Avoid “announcing” your thesis. Don’t include statements like this:

  • “In my essay I will show why extinct animals should (not) be regenerated.”
  • “The purpose of my essay is to argue that extinct animals should (not) be regenerated.”

Announcements take away from the originality, authority, and sophistication of your writing.

Instead, write a convincing thesis statement that answers the question "so what?" Why is the topic important, what do you think about it, and why do you think that? Be specific.

How Many Paragraphs Should a Persuasive Essay Have?

This body of your persuasive essay is the section in which you develop the arguments that support your thesis. Consider these questions as you plan this section of your essay:

  • What arguments support your thesis?
  • What is the best order for your arguments?
  • What evidence do you have?
  • Will you address the opposing argument to your own?
  • How can you conclude convincingly?

The body of a persuasive essay

TIP: Brainstorm and do your research before you decide which arguments you’ll focus on in your discussion. Make a list of possibilities and go with the ones that are strongest, that you can discuss with the most confidence, and that help you balance your rhetorical triangle .

What Should I Put in the Conclusion of a Persuasive Essay?

The conclusion is your “mic-drop” moment. Think about how you can leave your audience with a strong final comment.

And while a conclusion often re-emphasizes the main points of a discussion, it shouldn’t simply repeat them.

TIP 1: Be careful not to introduce a new argument in the conclusion—there’s no time to develop it now that you’ve reached the end of your discussion!

TIP 2 : As with your thesis, avoid announcing your conclusion. Don’t start your conclusion with “in conclusion” or “to conclude” or “to end my essay” type statements. Your audience should be able to see that you are bringing the discussion to a close without those overused, less sophisticated signals.

The conclusion of a persuasive essay

If your instructor has assigned you a topic, then you’ve already got your issue; you’ll just have to determine where you stand on the issue. Where you stand on your topic is your position on that topic.

Your position will ultimately become the thesis of your persuasive essay: the statement the rest of the essay argues for and supports, intending to convince your audience to consider your point of view.

If you have to choose your own topic, use these guidelines to help you make your selection:

  • Choose an issue you truly care about
  • Choose an issue that is actually debatable

Simple “tastes” (likes and dislikes) can’t really be argued. No matter how many ways someone tries to convince me that milk chocolate rules, I just won’t agree.

It’s dark chocolate or nothing as far as my tastes are concerned.

Similarly, you can’t convince a person to “like” one film more than another in an essay.

You could argue that one movie has superior qualities than another: cinematography, acting, directing, etc. but you can’t convince a person that the film really appeals to them.

Debatable and non-debatable concepts

Once you’ve selected your issue, determine your position just as you would for an assigned topic. That position will ultimately become your thesis.

Until you’ve finalized your work, consider your thesis a “working thesis.”

This means that your statement represents your position, but you might change its phrasing or structure for that final version.

When you’re writing an essay for a class, it can seem strange to identify an audience—isn’t the audience the instructor?

Your instructor will read and evaluate your essay, and may be part of your greater audience, but you shouldn’t just write for your teacher.

Think about who your intended audience is.

For an argument essay, think of your audience as the people who disagree with you—the people who need convincing.

That population could be quite broad, for example, if you’re arguing a political issue, or narrow, if you’re trying to convince your parents to extend your curfew.

Once you’ve got a sense of your audience, it’s time to consult with Aristotle. Aristotle’s teaching on persuasion has shaped communication since about 330 BC. Apparently, it works.

Ethos, pathos and logos

Aristotle taught that in order to convince an audience of something, the communicator needs to balance the three elements of the rhetorical triangle to achieve the best results.

Those three elements are ethos , logos , and pathos .

Ethos relates to credibility and trustworthiness. How can you, as the writer, demonstrate your credibility as a source of information to your audience?

How will you show them you are worthy of their trust?

How to make your essay credible

  • You show you’ve done your research: you understand the issue, both sides
  • You show respect for the opposing side: if you disrespect your audience, they won’t respect you or your ideas

Logos relates to logic. How will you convince your audience that your arguments and ideas are reasonable?

How to use logic in essays

You provide facts or other supporting evidence to support your claims.

That evidence may take the form of studies or expert input or reasonable examples or a combination of all of those things, depending on the specific requirements of your assignment.

Remember: if you use someone else’s ideas or words in your essay, you need to give them credit.

ProWritingAid's Plagiarism Checker checks your work against over a billion web-pages, published works, and academic papers so you can be sure of its originality.

Find out more about ProWritingAid’s Plagiarism checks.

Pathos relates to emotion. Audiences are people and people are emotional beings. We respond to emotional prompts. How will you engage your audience with your arguments on an emotional level?

How to use emotion in essays

  • You make strategic word choices : words have denotations (dictionary meanings) and also connotations, or emotional values. Use words whose connotations will help prompt the feelings you want your audience to experience.
  • You use emotionally engaging examples to support your claims or make a point, prompting your audience to be moved by your discussion.

Be mindful as you lean into elements of the triangle. Too much pathos and your audience might end up feeling manipulated, roll their eyes and move on.

An “all logos” approach will leave your essay dry and without a sense of voice; it will probably bore your audience rather than make them care.

Once you’ve got your essay planned, start writing! Don’t worry about perfection, just get your ideas out of your head and off your list and into a rough essay format.

After you’ve written your draft, evaluate your work. What works and what doesn’t? For help with evaluating and revising your work, check out this ProWritingAid post on manuscript revision .

After you’ve evaluated your draft, revise it. Repeat that process as many times as you need to make your work the best it can be.

When you’re satisfied with the content and structure of the essay, take it through the editing process .

Grammatical or sentence-level errors can distract your audience or even detract from the ethos—the authority—of your work.

You don’t have to edit alone! ProWritingAid’s Realtime Report will find errors and make suggestions for improvements.

You can even use it on emails to your professors:

ProWritingAid's Realtime Report

Try ProWritingAid with a free account.

How Can I Improve My Persuasion Skills?

You can develop your powers of persuasion every day just by observing what’s around you.

  • How is that advertisement working to convince you to buy a product?
  • How is a political candidate arguing for you to vote for them?
  • How do you “argue” with friends about what to do over the weekend, or convince your boss to give you a raise?
  • How are your parents working to convince you to follow a certain academic or career path?

As you observe these arguments in action, evaluate them. Why are they effective or why do they fail?

How could an argument be strengthened with more (or less) emphasis on ethos, logos, and pathos?

Every argument is an opportunity to learn! Observe them, evaluate them, and use them to perfect your own powers of persuasion.

persuasive essay writing starters

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Allison Bressmer is a professor of freshman composition and critical reading at a community college and a freelance writer. If she isn’t writing or teaching, you’ll likely find her reading a book or listening to a podcast while happily sipping a semi-sweet iced tea or happy-houring with friends. She lives in New York with her family. Connect at linkedin.com/in/allisonbressmer.

Get started with ProWritingAid

Drop us a line or let's stay in touch via :

30 Writing Topics: Persuasion

Writing Prompts for a Persuasive Paragraph, Essay, or Speech

  • An Introduction to Punctuation
  • Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
  • M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
  • B.A., English, State University of New York

When considering topics  for a persuasive paragraph , essay , or speech , focus on those that genuinely interest you and that you know something about. Any one of the 30 issues listed here may serve as a good starting point, but feel free to adapt the topic to meet the needs and concerns of your audience . 

30 Persuasive Writing Topics

  • In an essay or speech addressed to your boss, explain why you deserve a raise in pay. Be sure to provide specific information to justify the proposed pay increase.
  • Some people dismiss science fiction or fantasy as a purely juvenile form of amusement, an escape from problems and issues in the real world. Referring to one or more particular books, movies, or television programs, explain why you agree or disagree with this observation
  • When the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act was put into practice in 2010, it limited the ability of anyone under the age of 21 to qualify for a credit card. Explain why you support or oppose the restrictions that have been placed on students' access to credit cards
  • Though texting is a valuable way of communicating, some people spend too much time sending messages by phone instead of interacting with others face to face. Addressing an audience of your peers, explain why you agree or disagree with this observation.
  • Most of the so-called reality programs on television are highly artificial and bear little resemblance to real life. Drawing on one or more specific programs for your examples, explain why you agree or disagree with this observation
  • Online learning is not only convenient for students and teachers but often more effective than traditional classroom instruction. Addressing an audience of your peers, explain why you agree or disagree with this observation
  • Some educators favor replacing the letter-grade method of evaluating student performance with a pass-fail grading system. Explain why you support or oppose such a change, drawing on examples from your own experience in school or college
  • Laws should be enacted to restrict the bonuses that can be given to the CEOs of companies that are debt-ridden and losing money. With reference to one or more specific companies, explain why you agree or disagree with this proposal
  • Teachers and administrators in many American schools are now authorized to conduct random inspections of students' lockers and backpacks. Explain why you support or oppose this practice
  • Explain why you do or do not favor a major reform of English spelling so that each sound is represented by only one letter or one combination of letters
  • Because electric cars are costly and don't do enough to protect the environment, the government should eliminate subsidies and incentives for manufacturers and consumers of these vehicles. With reference to at least one particular vehicle that has been supported by federal subsidies, explain why you agree or disagree with this proposal
  • To save fuel and money, Friday classes should be eliminated on campus and a four-day work week implemented for all employees. With reference to the effects of reduced schedules at other schools or colleges, explain why you support or oppose this plan
  • In a speech or essay directed at a younger friend or family member, explain why dropping out of high school to take a job before graduation is or is not a good idea
  • Explain why you do or not favor the enforcement of a mandatory retirement age so that more job opportunities can be created for young people
  • Not all recycling projects are cost-effective. Explain why you agree or disagree with the principle that any community recycling project must turn a profit or at least pay for itself
  • In a speech or essay addressed to the head of your school or college, explain why snack and soda vending machines should or should not be removed from all classroom buildings on your campus
  • Over the past 20 years, more and more public schools have implemented policies requiring students to wear uniforms. Explain why you support or oppose mandated school uniforms
  • The city council is now considering a proposal to allow construction of a shelter for homeless individuals and families. The proposed site for the homeless shelter is adjacent to your campus. Explain why you support or oppose this proposal
  • Research has shown that a short afternoon nap can promote physical well-being and improve mood and memory. Explain why you support or oppose a proposal to adjust schedules so that napping will be encouraged at your school or workplace, even if this means a longer work day
  • Many states now require proof of U.S. citizenship before admitting a student to a public college or university. Explain why you support or oppose this requirement
  • Rather than lay off workers in bad economic times, some companies have chosen to reduce the length of the work week (while also reducing pay) for all employees. Explain why you support or oppose a shorter work week
  • The introduction of new digital technologies has radically altered people's reading habits over the past 25 years. In light of this change, explain why students should or should not be required to read lengthy textbooks and novels in their classes
  • In some school districts, children are bused to schools outside their neighborhood in an effort to achieve diversity. Explain whether you favor or oppose compulsory busing of schoolchildren.
  • Explain why doctors and school nurses should or should not be allowed to prescribe contraceptives to children under the age of 16
  • Your state legislature is now considering a proposal to allow drinking by 18- to 20-year-olds after they have completed an alcohol education program. Explain why you support or oppose this proposal
  • Some school authorities have the power to remove from libraries and classrooms any books that they consider inappropriate for children or teens. Pointing to specific examples of how this power has been exercised, explain why you support or oppose this form of censorship
  • To reduce unemployment among young people, legislation has been introduced to repeal all minimum-wage laws. Explain why you support or oppose such legislation
  • There have recently been movements to boycott products imported from countries that tolerate the exploitation of underage workers. Using specific examples, explain why you support or oppose such boycotts
  • In your school or college, instructors have the right to ban cell phones (or mobiles) in their classrooms. Explain why you favor or oppose such a ban
  • In some cities, traffic congestion has been reduced by the creation of toll zones. Explain why you do or do not favor the imposition of mandatory fees on drivers in your city.
  • Preparing an Argument Essay: Exploring Both Sides of an Issue
  • Persuasive Writing: For and Against
  • How to Write a Persuasive Essay
  • Convince Me: A Persuasive Writing Activity
  • 40 Writing Topics for Argumentative and Persuasive Essays
  • The Ultimate Guide to the 5-Paragraph Essay
  • Persuasion and Rhetorical Definition
  • 501 Topic Suggestions for Writing Essays and Speeches
  • Writing Prompts for 5th Grade
  • 4th Grade Writing Prompts
  • Sample Weak Supplemental Essay for Duke University
  • May Writing Prompts
  • How to Write and Structure a Persuasive Speech
  • How to Write an Outstanding College Application Essay
  • Moving Past the Five Paragraph Essay
  • The Law School Applicant’s Guide to the Diversity Statement
  • Link to facebook
  • Link to linkedin
  • Link to twitter
  • Link to youtube
  • Writing Tips

50 Persuasive Essay Topics to Help You Ace Your Next Assignment

50 Persuasive Essay Topics to Help You Ace Your Next Assignment

5-minute read

  • 19th January 2023

Welcome to your ultimate guide to persuasive essay topics! 

In this post, we’ll provide a list of 50 persuasive essay topics to help you get started on your next assignment. 

We’ll also include some tips for writing a persuasive essay to help you craft a strong and effective argument. Whether you’re a student or a professional writer, these persuasive essay topics are sure to inspire and challenge you.

What Is a Persuasive Essay?

Persuasive essays are a type of argumentative essay that encourage the reader to accept a particular point of view or take a specific action.

They typically open with a question, followed by a series of arguments intended to persuade the reader to take the same side as the author.

In a persuasive essay, the author will usually appeal to the readers’ emotions in order to prove that their opinion is the correct one. But this doesn’t mean that persuasive essays ignore evidence , facts, and figures; an effective persuasive essay makes use of a combination of logical argument and emotive language to sway the audience.

A persuasive essay can cover just about anything from pop culture to politics. With that in mind, we’ve put together this list of 50 persuasive essay topics to inspire your next assignment!

Top 50 Persuasive Essay Topics

  • Should the government censor the internet?
  • Should the government regulate the sale of violent video games?
  • Should self-driving cars be banned?
  • Is facial recognition software unethical?
  • Should mental health apps collect users’ personal data?
  • Should children under 13 have cell phones?
  • Should internet access be treated as a human right?
  • Should all paperwork be digitized?

Science and the Environment

  • Should the use of plastic bags be banned?
  • Should genetically modified organisms be labeled?
  • Should we clone human beings?
  • Should animal testing be allowed?
  • Should the government fund space exploration?
  • Should the government regulate the use of pesticides in farming?
  • Should the government regulate the use of antibiotics in livestock?
  • Should the government fine people who drive gas-powered vehicles?
  • Should climate change be declared a national emergency?

Crime and Politics

  • Should the death penalty be abolished?
  • Should all American citizens have to serve a year of community service?
  • Should the US voting age be lowered to 16?
  • Should the government adopt a tougher immigration policy?
  • Should the government cut its military spending?
  • Should the government introduce a national living wage?
  • Should politicians be banned from social media?
  • Should the electoral college be abolished?

Health and Fitness

  • Should the government provide universal healthcare?
  • Should the government ban the use of certain chemicals in cosmetics?
  • Should parents be allowed to choose the gender of their unborn child?
  • Should physical exercise be mandatory at work?
  • Should employees have to disclose health conditions to their employers?
  • Should fast food commercials be banned?
  • Should herbal medicines be better regulated?
  • Should regular mental health checkups be mandatory?
  • Should schools offer fast food options like McDonald’s or Taco Bell?
  • Should students be required to wear uniforms?
  • Should the government provide free college education?
  • Should schools offer comprehensive sex education?
  • Are high school students given too much homework?
  • Should humanities and arts subjects receive more funding?
  • Should military recruiters be allowed on school grounds?
  • Is the school day too long?
  • Should every US citizen be required to learn another language?

Lifestyle and Culture

Find this useful.

Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

  • Should the drinking age be lowered or raised?
  • Should the use of tobacco be banned?
  • Should marijuana be legalized?
  • Should all museums and art galleries be free?
  • Should kids be encouraged to read more?
  • Should public spaces provide unisex bathrooms?
  • Is pet ownership a human right?
  • Should extreme sports be banned?

Tips for Writing a Persuasive Essay

Once you’ve chosen your topic, it’s time to start writing your persuasive essay. Here are our tips:

Choose a Side

When you’ve picked the question you’re going to address in your essay, you also need to choose one side – or answer – that you’re going to write in favor of.

It helps if you’re passionate about the topic, as this will enable you to write from an emotional perspective.

Do Your Research

In order to write persuasively , you need to understand the topic you’re writing about. 

Make sure you know the details of your subject matter, and can provide facts and figures to back up your appeal to your readers’ emotions.

You should also read up about different points of view on the topic, so that you can bring them up in the form of counterarguments and rebuttals .

Keep Your Audience in Mind

When you’re writing your essay, think about who it is you’re trying to persuade. The way you speak to a student, for example, will be different to how you address a parent.

Consider what your potential audience will value, and how you can reach them on an emotional level. 

Outline Your Essay

Now you’ve got all the information you need, it’s time to plan and write your essay.

You should break it down into the follow sections:

  • An introduction, which sets up the question you’re going to answer and what side of the argument you are aiming to persuade the reader of.
  • The body of the essay, with a paragraph for each of the points you want to make.
  • A conclusion, where you summarize your points and main arguments.

Get It Proofread

As with any essay, your finished persuasive essay will need proofreading to make sure it’s the best it can be.

Our academic proofreading team here at Proofed can help with that. You can even get your first 500 words proofread for free !

Share this article:

Post A New Comment

Got content that needs a quick turnaround? Let us polish your work. Explore our editorial business services.

3-minute read

How to Insert a Text Box in a Google Doc

Google Docs is a powerful collaborative tool, and mastering its features can significantly enhance your...

2-minute read

How to Cite the CDC in APA

If you’re writing about health issues, you might need to reference the Centers for Disease...

Six Product Description Generator Tools for Your Product Copy

Introduction If you’re involved with ecommerce, you’re likely familiar with the often painstaking process of...

What Is a Content Editor?

Are you interested in learning more about the role of a content editor and the...

4-minute read

The Benefits of Using an Online Proofreading Service

Proofreading is important to ensure your writing is clear and concise for your readers. Whether...

6 Online AI Presentation Maker Tools

Creating presentations can be time-consuming and frustrating. Trying to construct a visually appealing and informative...

Logo Harvard University

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

How to Write a Persuasive Essay (This Convinced My Professor!)

How to Write a Persuasive Essay (This Convinced My Professor!)

Table of contents

persuasive essay writing starters

Meredith Sell

You can make your essay more persuasive by getting straight to the point.

In fact, that's exactly what we did here, and that's just the first tip of this guide. Throughout this guide, we share the steps needed to prove an argument and create a persuasive essay.

This AI tool helps you improve your essay > This AI tool helps you improve your essay >

persuasive essay

Key takeaways: - Proven process to make any argument persuasive - 5-step process to structure arguments - How to use AI to formulate and optimize your essay

Why is being persuasive so difficult?

"Write an essay that persuades the reader of your opinion on a topic of your choice."

You might be staring at an assignment description just like this 👆from your professor. Your computer is open to a blank document, the cursor blinking impatiently. Do I even have opinions?

The persuasive essay can be one of the most intimidating academic papers to write: not only do you need to identify a narrow topic and research it, but you also have to come up with a position on that topic that you can back up with research while simultaneously addressing different viewpoints.

That’s a big ask. And let’s be real: most opinion pieces in major news publications don’t fulfill these requirements.

The upside? By researching and writing your own opinion, you can learn how to better formulate not only an argument but the actual positions you decide to hold. 

Here, we break down exactly how to write a persuasive essay. We’ll start by taking a step that’s key for every piece of writing—defining the terms.

What Is a Persuasive Essay?

A persuasive essay is exactly what it sounds like: an essay that persuades . Over the course of several paragraphs or pages, you’ll use researched facts and logic to convince the reader of your opinion on a particular topic and discredit opposing opinions.

While you’ll spend some time explaining the topic or issue in question, most of your essay will flesh out your viewpoint and the evidence that supports it.

The 5 Must-Have Steps of a Persuasive Essay

If you’re intimidated by the idea of writing an argument, use this list to break your process into manageable chunks. Tackle researching and writing one element at a time, and then revise your essay so that it flows smoothly and coherently with every component in the optimal place.

1. A topic or issue to argue

This is probably the hardest step. You need to identify a topic or issue that is narrow enough to cover in the length of your piece—and is also arguable from more than one position. Your topic must call for an opinion , and not be a simple fact .

It might be helpful to walk through this process:

  • Identify a random topic
  • Ask a question about the topic that involves a value claim or analysis to answer
  • Answer the question

That answer is your opinion.

Let’s consider some examples, from silly to serious:

Topic: Dolphins and mermaids

Question: In a mythical match, who would win: a dolphin or a mermaid?

Answer/Opinion: The mermaid would win in a match against a dolphin.

Topic: Autumn

Question: Which has a better fall: New England or Colorado?

Answer/Opinion: Fall is better in New England than Colorado.

Topic: Electric transportation options

Question: Would it be better for an urban dweller to buy an electric bike or an electric car?

Answer/Opinion: An electric bike is a better investment than an electric car.

Your turn: Walk through the three-step process described above to identify your topic and your tentative opinion. You may want to start by brainstorming a list of topics you find interesting and then going use the three-step process to find the opinion that would make the best essay topic.

2. An unequivocal thesis statement

If you walked through our three-step process above, you already have some semblance of a thesis—but don’t get attached too soon! 

A solid essay thesis is best developed through the research process. You shouldn’t land on an opinion before you know the facts. So press pause. Take a step back. And dive into your research.

You’ll want to learn:

  • The basic facts of your topic. How long does fall last in New England vs. Colorado? What trees do they have? What colors do those trees turn?
  • The facts specifically relevant to your question. Is there any science on how the varying colors of fall influence human brains and moods?
  • What experts or other noteworthy and valid sources say about the question you’re considering. Has a well-known arborist waxed eloquent on the beauty of New England falls?

As you learn the different viewpoints people have on your topic, pay attention to the strengths and weaknesses of existing arguments. Is anyone arguing the perspective you’re leaning toward? Do you find their arguments convincing? What do you find unsatisfying about the various arguments? 

Allow the research process to change your mind and/or refine your thinking on the topic. Your opinion may change entirely or become more specific based on what you learn.

Once you’ve done enough research to feel confident in your understanding of the topic and your opinion on it, craft your thesis. 

Your thesis statement should be clear and concise. It should directly state your viewpoint on the topic, as well as the basic case for your thesis.

Thesis 1: In a mythical match, the mermaid would overcome the dolphin due to one distinct advantage: her ability to breathe underwater.

Thesis 2: The full spectrum of color displayed on New England hillsides is just one reason why fall in the northeast is better than in Colorado.

Thesis 3: In addition to not adding to vehicle traffic, electric bikes are a better investment than electric cars because they’re cheaper and require less energy to accomplish the same function of getting the rider from point A to point B.

Your turn: Dive into the research process with a radar up for the arguments your sources are making about your topic. What are the most convincing cases? Should you stick with your initial opinion or change it up? Write your fleshed-out thesis statement.

3. Evidence to back up your thesis

This is a typical place for everyone from undergrads to politicians to get stuck, but the good news is, if you developed your thesis from research, you already have a good bit of evidence to make your case.

Go back through your research notes and compile a list of every …

… or other piece of information that supports your thesis. 

This info can come from research studies you found in scholarly journals, government publications, news sources, encyclopedias, or other credible sources (as long as they fit your professor’s standards).

As you put this list together, watch for any gaps or weak points. Are you missing information on how electric cars versus electric bicycles charge or how long their batteries last? Did you verify that dolphins are, in fact, mammals and can’t breathe underwater like totally-real-and-not-at-all-fake 😉mermaids can? Track down that information.

Next, organize your list. Group the entries so that similar or closely related information is together, and as you do that, start thinking through how to articulate the individual arguments to support your case. 

Depending on the length of your essay, each argument may get only a paragraph or two of space. As you think through those specific arguments, consider what order to put them in. You’ll probably want to start with the simplest argument and work up to more complicated ones so that the arguments can build on each other. 

Your turn: Organize your evidence and write a rough draft of your arguments. Play around with the order to find the most compelling way to argue your case.

4. Rebuttals to disprove opposing theses

You can’t just present the evidence to support your case and totally ignore other viewpoints. To persuade your readers, you’ll need to address any opposing ideas they may hold about your topic. 

You probably found some holes in the opposing views during your research process. Now’s your chance to expose those holes. 

Take some time (and space) to: describe the opposing views and show why those views don’t hold up. You can accomplish this using both logic and facts.

Is a perspective based on a faulty assumption or misconception of the truth? Shoot it down by providing the facts that disprove the opinion.

Is another opinion drawn from bad or unsound reasoning? Show how that argument falls apart.

Some cases may truly be only a matter of opinion, but you still need to articulate why you don’t find the opposing perspective convincing.

Yes, a dolphin might be stronger than a mermaid, but as a mammal, the dolphin must continually return to the surface for air. A mermaid can breathe both underwater and above water, which gives her a distinct advantage in this mythical battle.

While the Rocky Mountain views are stunning, their limited colors—yellow from aspen trees and green from various evergreens—leaves the autumn-lover less than thrilled. The rich reds and oranges and yellows of the New England fall are more satisfying and awe-inspiring.

But what about longer trips that go beyond the city center into the suburbs and beyond? An electric bike wouldn’t be great for those excursions. Wouldn’t an electric car be the better choice then? 

Certainly, an electric car would be better in these cases than a gas-powered car, but if most of a person’s trips are in their hyper-local area, the electric bicycle is a more environmentally friendly option for those day-to-day outings. That person could then participate in a carshare or use public transit, a ride-sharing app, or even a gas-powered car for longer trips—and still use less energy overall than if they drove an electric car for hyper-local and longer area trips.

Your turn: Organize your rebuttal research and write a draft of each one.

5. A convincing conclusion

You have your arguments and rebuttals. You’ve proven your thesis is rock-solid. Now all you have to do is sum up your overall case and give your final word on the subject. 

Don’t repeat everything you’ve already said. Instead, your conclusion should logically draw from the arguments you’ve made to show how they coherently prove your thesis. You’re pulling everything together and zooming back out with a better understanding of the what and why of your thesis. 

A dolphin may never encounter a mermaid in the wild, but if it were to happen, we know how we’d place our bets. Long hair and fish tail, for the win.

For those of us who relish 50-degree days, sharp air, and the vibrant colors of fall, New England offers a season that’s cozier, longer-lasting, and more aesthetically pleasing than “colorful” Colorado. A leaf-peeper’s paradise.

When most of your trips from day to day are within five miles, the more energy-efficient—and yes, cost-efficient—choice is undoubtedly the electric bike. So strap on your helmet, fire up your pedals, and two-wheel away to your next destination with full confidence that you made the right decision for your wallet and the environment.

3 Quick Tips for Writing a Strong Argument

Once you have a draft to work with, use these tips to refine your argument and make sure you’re not losing readers for avoidable reasons.

1. Choose your words thoughtfully.

If you want to win people over to your side, don’t write in a way that shuts your opponents down. Avoid making abrasive or offensive statements. Instead, use a measured, reasonable tone. Appeal to shared values, and let your facts and logic do the hard work of changing people’s minds.

Choose words with AI

persuasive essay writing starters

You can use AI to turn your general point into a readable argument. Then, you can paraphrase each sentence and choose between competing arguments generated by the AI, until your argument is well-articulated and concise.

2. Prioritize accuracy (and avoid fallacies).

Make sure the facts you use are actually factual. You don’t want to build your argument on false or disproven information. Use the most recent, respected research. Make sure you don’t misconstrue study findings. And when you’re building your case, avoid logical fallacies that undercut your argument.

A few common fallacies to watch out for:

  • Strawman: Misrepresenting or oversimplifying an opposing argument to make it easier to refute.
  • Appeal to ignorance: Arguing that a certain claim must be true because it hasn’t been proven false.
  • Bandwagon: Assumes that if a group of people, experts, etc., agree with a claim, it must be true.
  • Hasty generalization: Using a few examples, rather than substantial evidence, to make a sweeping claim.
  • Appeal to authority: Overly relying on opinions of people who have authority of some kind.

The strongest arguments rely on trustworthy information and sound logic.

Research and add citations with AI

persuasive essay writing starters

We recently wrote a three part piece on researching using AI, so be sure to check it out . Going through an organized process of researching and noting your sources correctly will make sure your written text is more accurate.

3. Persuasive essay structure

Persuasive essay structure

If you’re building a house, you start with the foundation and go from there. It’s the same with an argument. You want to build from the ground up: provide necessary background information, then your thesis. Then, start with the simplest part of your argument and build up in terms of complexity and the aspect of your thesis that the argument is tackling.

A consistent, internal logic will make it easier for the reader to follow your argument. Plus, you’ll avoid confusing your reader and you won’t be unnecessarily redundant.

The essay structure usually includes the following parts:

  • Intro - Hook, Background information, Thesis statement
  • Topic sentence #1 , with supporting facts or stats
  • Concluding sentence
  • Topic sentence #2 , with supporting facts or stats
  • Concluding sentence Topic sentence #3 , with supporting facts or stats
  • Conclusion - Thesis and main points restated, call to action, thought provoking ending

Are You Ready to Write?

Persuasive essays are a great way to hone your research, writing, and critical thinking skills. Approach this assignment well, and you’ll learn how to form opinions based on information (not just ideas) and make arguments that—if they don’t change minds—at least win readers’ respect. ‍

Share This Article:

How To Prepare For Studying Abroad (From Someone Who’s Done It)

How To Prepare For Studying Abroad (From Someone Who’s Done It)

Strategic Negotiation: How to Ask For A Raise Over Email

Strategic Negotiation: How to Ask For A Raise Over Email

 Metaphor vs. Simile: What’s the Difference? (+ Examples)

Metaphor vs. Simile: What’s the Difference? (+ Examples)

Looking for fresh content, thank you your submission has been received.

Summer Boarding Courses

100 Persuasive Writing Prompts for Writers aged 8 to 18

femal-student-persuasive-writing

Being able to state your ideas and offer evidence for your arguments is an excellent skill to have! If you can convince people that you are right, you will be able to achieve so much more within your job, with your friends and new people that you meet.

Persuasive writing is about trying to get the reader to agree with your opinion or ideas. To be able to express what you want and what you believe to be true, we at Summer Boarding Courses have put together these 100 persuasive writing prompts to help you exercise your tactics!

Persuasive Writing Prompts for Writers

We have 25 fun writing prompts for each age group below that we teach at Summer Boarding Courses in the UK.

Present your arguments like a pro, build upon your critical thinking skills and communicate seamlessly through your writing with these opinion writing prompts.

But first, before you begin to write, you must consider the following…

Which audience are you trying to persuade?

Who are your trying to persuade? Is it your friends, your teachers, the manager of a company or the whole community that you live within? Different groups of people have different wishes, ideas, needs and wants. Think carefully about what appeals to the group you are trying to convince.

For example, if you are student arguing that school break times should be longer to your student friends, they may be easier to persuade than the teachers!

Students love to hang out with their friends, go outside, do sport and eat delicious food.

However, if you are trying to convince the teachers at your school that break times should be longer, they may feel stressed and unsure about this. They have lessons that they need to deliver to you, work goals to meet, and your education and learning is at the forefront of their minds.

If you can convince them that you can complete your learning is less time, they might just agree that longer break times are a good idea!

Always try and appeal to each person’s perspective so that you can convince as best as you can.

male-student-writing-on-whiteboard.j

Be kind and respectful

We can all have different ideas about what is right, wrong, correct and unusual. Be respectful and kind when arguing in your speech or writing about what you are standing for. We are all entitled to our opinion, and for many issues, there are pros and cons for each side that we take.

Here are some key phrases that you can use to help yourself get your point across clearly and politely:

‘In my opinion…’

‘I feel that…’

‘Others must agree that…’

‘It seems to me that…’

‘Some people believe that…’

‘For this reason…’

‘I agree that…’

‘On the other hand…’

Firstly…Secondly….’

two-female-students-in-english-class

Introduce your argument in the first paragraph

Start your piece with an introductory paragraph that states your argument. This paragraph will clearly tell the reader what your opinion is and what you are standing for.

Support your argument with at least three pieces of evidence

Most people will not be convinced of your ideas unless you can show them evidence. This evidence can be qualitative or quantitative.

Qualitative evidence

Qualitative evidence is descriptive information that can come from a personal story, an interview, a drawing or a photograph. You can find this information from personally talking to people about their experiences.

Quantitative evidence

Quantitative evidence is about numbers, statistics and concrete data. This information can come from surveys, official records and experiments which carefully follow methods to try and ensure accurate information. Many people prefer to see quantitative evidence, as personal stories collected for qualitative evidence can sometimes be inaccurate.

Show that you understand the different sides to your argument

A clear and coherent writer who is putting their argument forward will have taken the time to consider other points of view different to their own. Show the reader that you understand and can see what else people may argue. Try and have a good answer back to these thoughts.

If you have evidence to support your counterargument, even better!

Ask questions

Ask your reader questions to get them to think about what you are arguing. This way, you can challenge their point of view.

They will start thinking about other perspectives that they may not have considered before.

If you’re stuck: think about a time where you did convince someone

Has there been a time in the past where you did successfully manage to persuade someone to see your point of view? Think about this time carefully.

How did you manage to convince the person? What strategies and language did you use?

Has there been a time where you were persuaded by someone?

Channel these techniques into your writing to put forward the best argument you can.

group-summer-school-students-watching-tutor.

Finish your argument with a strong closing statement

Summarise your ideas and reinforce your argument so that readers are reminded about why your argument is valid. This is your last chance to sway their opinion!

Find below our 100 essay writing prompts to help you practice your persuasive skills.

25 Persuasive Young Kids Writing Prompts

Are you looking for 4th grade and 5th grade writing prompts? Or prompts for ages a little younger or older for kids? Here are our 20 writing persuasive prompts for students aged 8 to 12!

I should be able to go to bed when I want.

All classrooms should have a class pet.

There needs to a be a non-school uniform day every week.

You can only eat apples or oranges for the next week. Which one will you eat? Why?

I should be allowed to stay home alone.

There should be no homework at school.

Break times at school should be longer.

People should be fined for dropping litter.

I should be allowed to eat ice cream every day.

All students should learn how to cook.

Persuade your family to let you open a birthday present the day before your birthday.

Persuade your family to give you twice as much pocket money.

If you could have any pet, what would it be? Convince your family why you should care for it.

Convince your friend to swap their packed lunch with yours.

Students should be allowed to pick their own seats in class.

Persuade your family to watch the film you want to watch.

Dogs are better than cats.

School holidays should be longer.

Imagine in the future, you can live on land or underwater. Which one would you choose? Why?

You have to live in another country. Which one do you choose? Why?

Convince your family to let you watch your favourite TV programme.

Students should be allowed to choose their teacher.

Students should have 3-day weekends.

You can only play one sport for the next month. What is it? Why?

Students who are late to school should do a chore for their class.

You can choose one superhero power to help others: fly or stop time. Which one do you choose? Why?

Study English Abroad with Summer Boarding Courses

Find out more about how we can help you with your ESL writing, speaking, listening and reading.

25 Prompts for Persuasive Writing for Older Kids

Here are 25 writing persuasive prompts for students aged 11 to 15. If you’re looking for 7th grade and 8th grade writing prompts particularly, these are for you!

Mobile phones should be allowed to be used in the classroom.

It should be made mandatory to eat vegetables every day at school.

The school day should start later and end later in the day.

There should be a computer game room at school.

All students should learn at least 2 languages in school.

Students should be able to wear whatever they want at school.

Students should be taught only how to type; not write with pen and paper.

The first lesson of school every day should be exercise.

Facebook states that you must be at least 13 years old to have a Facebook account. Is this fair?

Persuade your brother/sister to do your house chores for one week.

Smoking should be banned in all public areas.

Teachers must wear a uniform to school. What is the uniform? Why?

Family should only give pocket money if chores are completed.

Persuade your teacher to let you eat your favourite snacks in class.

We should all learn how to grow our own fruit and vegetables.

Persuade your family to take you on holiday to a destination you want to go to.

Persuade your friend who doesn’t like sports to play your favourite sport with you.

Fast food like chips and pizza should be served everyday in the school canteen. Yes or no?

Persuade your family to let you stay at your friend’s house.

Teachers should not be allowed to have their cell phone in the classroom.

There should be one day per week where the whole nation must be vegetarian.

Fizzy drinks should be banned from school.

Students should be paid for getting good grades.

Is it better to have enough money, or too much money?

I should decide what time my bedtime is.

Headington-summer-school-students-in-geogrpahy-lesson

25 Ideas for Argumentative Writing Prompts for Teenagers

These writing prompts are great for students aged 13 to 16!

Teenagers should not do any chores at home.

All students should teach one lesson to their class each term.

Students should be allowed to use their mobile phones at any time in school.

All students should volunteer in their community once every week.

Persuade your friend to help you with your homework.

Imagine you can create a new class to be taught in your school. What subject would it be? Why should it be taught?

Students who commit cyber-bullying should be suspended from school. Yes or no? Why?

The voting age should be lowered to age 13.

Persuade your teacher to have their lessons outside in the Summer.

Persuade your family to let you redecorate your bedroom.

Imagine that you have been granted a ticket to live on Mars. If you go, you are not allowed to come back to Earth. Would you go? Why?

Textbooks should be replaced by tablets or e-readers.

Persuade your teacher to end their class 10 minutes early.

Persuade your teacher to let your class have a party.

Imagine that you are given 1 million pounds to improve your neighbourhood. What would you do with the money? Why are your ideas the right thing to do?

Persuade your teacher to not set your class homework for the next month.

Everyone under the age of 17 should have to stay in after 9pm.

People should only be allowed to drive their cars 4 days a week to minimise pollution.

Country life is better than city life.

All students should be allowed to study abroad once per year.

Teenagers under the age of 15 should not be allowed to have a Facebook page.

The internet should be free for everyone.

Everyone should eat vegan food one day per week.

All school classes should be outdoors in the forest.

25 Young Adult Persuasive Essay Prompts

These quick writing prompts for students aged 15 to 17 will have you scribbling away to get your point across!

All students should learn how to make YouTube videos.

People should pay extra tax when they buy drinks in plastic bottles.

Humans are living longer, to the point where we may become immortal in the future. Would living forever be a good? Argue your point of view.

Students should be allowed to listen to their own music on headphones when working in class. Argue your viewpoint.

Teenagers around the world should not be allowed to drive until they are 18.

You have been given money to hold a major event in your hometown. What would the event be about or for? Why should people come?

Imagine you want to be the next president of your country. Why should people vote for you?

Convince your friend to lend you something special of theirs.

Persuade your family to let you study overseas at a Summer School next year.

Imagine that you have been given the chance to interview for your dream job. Convince the boss that you are the person they should choose.

Persuade your family to watch a movie on Netflix that you want to watch.

You have just started a new business making a phone better than the iPhone. Explain what features your phone has, that makes it much better than Apple’s.

Persuade a friend to come to a new activity group with you that they are feeling anxious about.

Aliens exist. True or false? Argue your point of view.

All young adults should be required by law to volunteer in their community once every week. Yes or no?

Mathematics class is more important than music class. Yes or no? Why?

City life is better than country life.

Driving tests should be mandatory every year after you are 65 years old.

Students who bully others should be suspended from school.

There should be one currency for the whole world.

Recycling should be a legal requirement for every household.

Life is better than it was 10 years ago.

Girls and boys should study separately in school.

You can choose to put one celebrity on your country’s highest-value banknote. Who is the celebrity? Why should they be placed on the note?

Life is better without a computer.

Are you ready to improve your persuasive writing?

We hope you have enjoyed these free writing prompts! This is your chance to change the world in which we live through your thoughts!

If you want to work on your writing in English, try and aim to make these your daily writing prompts! We also recommend using pictures as writing prompts. Looking at pictures with writing prompts, rather than just seeing a sentence, can help you create your arguments and ideas if you are a  visual learner .

And if you are ready to fully immerse yourself in a thriving and educational setting, come and study with us this Summer!

At Summer Boarding Courses, we run many courses for all international students aged 8 to 17 years old and would love for you to join us. We can help you improve your ESL writing as well as your English speaking, listening and reading skills with many other nationalities.

Literacy Ideas

23 Persuasive writing Topics for High School students

' data-src=

Persuasive Writing Topics for High School Students

Writing a persuasive essay can be difficult for teachers and students if you don’t have a great idea to help get those creative juices flowing.  These prompts cover a range of issues and topics that are pertinent to middle school and high school students and can be easily adapted to work with a topic you have been teaching in your own class.

Students really enjoy the opportunity to try and change the world in which they live, and hopefully, these prompts might be a great starting point.

Remember that if you are looking for more excellent free resources and structured guides to teach all aspects of English, especially writing, be sure to visit literacyideas.com and check out our vast collection of prompts here.

Year Long Inference Based Writing Activities

Visual Writing Prompts

Tap into the power of imagery in your classroom to master INFERENCE as AUTHORS and CRITICAL THINKERS .

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (26 Reviews)

This YEAR-LONG 500+ PAGE unit is packed with robust opportunities for your students to develop the critical skill of inference through fun imagery, powerful thinking tools, and graphic organizers.

 TOP PERSUASIVE WRITING TOPICS

  • Some parents give children a weekly or monthly allowance regardless of their behavior because they believe an allowance teaches children to be financially responsible. Other parents only give children an allowance as a reward for completing chores or when they have behaved properly. Explain what you think parents should do and why.
  • Many schools now require teenagers to spend a certain number of hours each term doing volunteer work or community service. Some people believe this is an excellent idea as it promotes good citizenship and cultivates compassion. Others feel that forced volunteerism is not volunteering at all. How do you feel about this issue? Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.
  • Some parts of the world allow people to get a driver’s license at age sixteen. Many feel this age is much too young for the responsibility that comes with driving a car and that teenagers should not be allowed to drive until the age of 18. In your opinion, at what age should people be allowed to drive, and why?
  • What is your all-time favorite book or movie and why? Write an essay persuading readers to watch this film or read this book.
  • Have you ever made a life changing action that has had a positive effect on you or the lives of others? Write an essay that convinces readers to make a change for the better.
  • You have been asked to write a letter that would convince a organizers of a major event to be hosted in your hometown. Write an essay that convinces these delegates that your town would be great host.
  • Top professional athletes often have salaries and bonuses in the tens of millions of dollars. Do you think these athletes deserve this type of income? Why or why not? Explain your position and use specific reasons and examples.
  • Humans have always wondered about the possibility of life on other planets in the universe. Do you believe extraterrestrial life exists? Write an essay persuading others to share your point of view .
  • If someone discovered the ‘Elixir of life’ that would enable us to live forever, would it be a blessing or a curse? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
  • If you have you ever traveled to a place that you found very meaningful and rewarding? Write an essay that persuades others to visit this important place.
  • Nearly all private schools require students to wear uniforms. Should public school students wear uniforms too? Argue for or against school uniforms for public school students. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.
  • You are to select one item from the twenty-first century to place in a time capsule for future generations, what would you choose? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice, explaining both the item’s significance and the reasons why it embodies the culture of the early twenty-first century.
  • What would improve your town or city? Write an essay convincing officials to make a change that would improve your neighborhood.
  • Some studies have shown students often perform better on exams if music is played softly in the background. However, some students may find the music distracting. Should schools play classical music during exams and/or allow students to listen to headphones whilst working? Take a position and explain your answer.
  • Should parents be a child’s disciplinarian, or their best friend?
  • Take a position and explain your answer using specific reasons and examples.
  • Millions of people visit zoos around the world. But some people believe that zoos are inhumane and that animals should not be kept in captivity. Do you agree? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.
  • In most countries people pay taxes based upon how much they earn: the higher their income, the higher the percentage of that income they must pay in taxes. Many people argue that a flat tax, in which everyone pays the same rate regardless of income, would be a more equitable and desirable tax system. Which of these two tax systems do you think is best, and why? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
  • Is it wise to devote time and money to building a space station on the moon or Mars? Why or why not? Explain your answer.
  • An ancient Greek proverb states, “All things good to know are difficult to learn.” Do you agree? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.
  • Imagine that you know someone who is unfamiliar with computers and has never been on the Internet. Write an essay convincing this relative to get a computer and get online.
  • Imagine that you have made it to the final round of interviews for your dream job. Convince your prospective employers that you are the one who most deserves the position.
  • Is there something that you believe is truly worth fighting for? Write an essay persuading others that this cause is worth a fight.

If you have any other great ideas for persuasive prompts please post them in the comments section below. 

A COMPLETE TEACHING UNIT ON PERSUASIVE WRITING SKILLS

Persuasive Writing Topics, essay, essay writing, prompts | opinion writing unit 1 | 23 Persuasive writing Topics for High School students | literacyideas.com

Teach your students to produce writing that  PERSUADES  and  INFLUENCES  thinking with this  HUGE  writing guide bundle covering: ⭐ Persuasive Texts / Essays ⭐ Expository Essays⭐ Argumentative Essays⭐ Discussions.

A complete 140 PAGE unit of work on persuasive texts for teachers and students. No preparation is required.

  • Grades 6-12
  • School Leaders

Free printable Mother's Day questionnaire 💐!

40 Strong Persuasive Writing Examples (Essays, Speeches, Ads, and More)

Learn from the experts.

The American Crisis historical article, as an instance of persuasive essay examples

The more we read, the better writers we become. Teaching students to write strong persuasive essays should always start with reading some top-notch models. This round-up of persuasive writing examples includes famous speeches, influential ad campaigns, contemporary reviews of famous books, and more. Use them to inspire your students to write their own essays. (Need persuasive essay topics? Check out our list of interesting persuasive essay ideas here! )

  • Persuasive Essays
  • Persuasive Speeches
  • Advertising Campaigns

Persuasive Essay Writing Examples

First paragraph of Thomas Paine's The American Crisis

From the earliest days of print, authors have used persuasive essays to try to sway others to their own point of view. Check out these top persuasive essay writing examples.

Professions for Women by Virginia Woolf

Sample lines: “Outwardly, what is simpler than to write books? Outwardly, what obstacles are there for a woman rather than for a man? Inwardly, I think, the case is very different; she has still many ghosts to fight, many prejudices to overcome. Indeed it will be a long time still, I think, before a woman can sit down to write a book without finding a phantom to be slain, a rock to be dashed against. And if this is so in literature, the freest of all professions for women, how is it in the new professions which you are now for the first time entering?”

The Crisis by Thomas Paine

Sample lines: “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value.”

Politics and the English Language by George Orwell

Sample lines: “As I have tried to show, modern writing at its worst does not consist in picking out words for the sake of their meaning and inventing images in order to make the meaning clearer. It consists in gumming together long strips of words which have already been set in order by someone else, and making the results presentable by sheer humbug.”

Letter From a Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Sample lines: “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct action campaign that was ‘well timed’ in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word ‘Wait!’ It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This ‘Wait’ has almost always meant ‘Never.’ We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that ‘justice too long delayed is justice denied.'”

Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau

Sample lines: “Even voting for the right is doing nothing for it. It is only expressing to men feebly your desire that it should prevail. A wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance, nor wish it to prevail through the power of the majority. There is but little virtue in the action of masses of men.”

Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Roger Ebert

Sample lines: “‘Kindness’ covers all of my political beliefs. No need to spell them out. I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime.”

The Way to Wealth by Benjamin Franklin

Sample lines: “Methinks I hear some of you say, must a man afford himself no leisure? I will tell thee, my friend, what Poor Richard says, employ thy time well if thou meanest to gain leisure; and, since thou art not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour. Leisure is time for doing something useful; this leisure the diligent man will obtain, but the lazy man never; so that, as Poor Richard says, a life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things.”

The Crack-Up by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Sample lines: “Of course all life is a process of breaking down, but the blows that do the dramatic side of the work—the big sudden blows that come, or seem to come, from outside—the ones you remember and blame things on and, in moments of weakness, tell your friends about, don’t show their effect all at once.”

Open Letter to the Kansas School Board by Bobby Henderson

Sample lines: “I am writing you with much concern after having read of your hearing to decide whether the alternative theory of Intelligent Design should be taught along with the theory of Evolution. … Let us remember that there are multiple theories of Intelligent Design. I and many others around the world are of the strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. … We feel strongly that the overwhelming scientific evidence pointing towards evolutionary processes is nothing but a coincidence, put in place by Him. It is for this reason that I’m writing you today, to formally request that this alternative theory be taught in your schools, along with the other two theories.”

Open Letter to the United Nations by Niels Bohr

Sample lines: “Humanity will, therefore, be confronted with dangers of unprecedented character unless, in due time, measures can be taken to forestall a disastrous competition in such formidable armaments and to establish an international control of the manufacture and use of the powerful materials.”

Persuasive Speech Writing Examples

Many persuasive speeches are political in nature, often addressing subjects like human rights. Here are some of history’s most well-known persuasive writing examples in the form of speeches.

I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Sample lines: “And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

Woodrow Wilson’s War Message to Congress, 1917

Sample lines: “There are, it may be, many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us. It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts—for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free.”

Chief Seattle’s 1854 Oration

Sample lines: “I here and now make this condition that we will not be denied the privilege without molestation of visiting at any time the tombs of our ancestors, friends, and children. Every part of this soil is sacred in the estimation of my people. Every hillside, every valley, every plain and grove, has been hallowed by some sad or happy event in days long vanished. Even the rocks, which seem to be dumb and dead as they swelter in the sun along the silent shore, thrill with memories of stirring events connected with the lives of my people, and the very dust upon which you now stand responds more lovingly to their footsteps than yours, because it is rich with the blood of our ancestors, and our bare feet are conscious of the sympathetic touch.”

Women’s Rights Are Human Rights, Hillary Rodham Clinton

Sample lines: “What we are learning around the world is that if women are healthy and educated, their families will flourish. If women are free from violence, their families will flourish. If women have a chance to work and earn as full and equal partners in society, their families will flourish. And when families flourish, communities and nations do as well. … If there is one message that echoes forth from this conference, let it be that human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights once and for all.”

I Am Prepared to Die, Nelson Mandela

Sample lines: “Above all, My Lord, we want equal political rights, because without them our disabilities will be permanent. I know this sounds revolutionary to the whites in this country, because the majority of voters will be Africans. This makes the white man fear democracy. But this fear cannot be allowed to stand in the way of the only solution which will guarantee racial harmony and freedom for all. It is not true that the enfranchisement of all will result in racial domination. Political division, based on color, is entirely artificial and, when it disappears, so will the domination of one color group by another. … This then is what the ANC is fighting. Our struggle is a truly national one. It is a struggle of the African people, inspired by our own suffering and our own experience. It is a struggle for the right to live.”

The Struggle for Human Rights by Eleanor Roosevelt

Sample lines: “It is my belief, and I am sure it is also yours, that the struggle for democracy and freedom is a critical struggle, for their preservation is essential to the great objective of the United Nations to maintain international peace and security. Among free men the end cannot justify the means. We know the patterns of totalitarianism—the single political party, the control of schools, press, radio, the arts, the sciences, and the church to support autocratic authority; these are the age-old patterns against which men have struggled for 3,000 years. These are the signs of reaction, retreat, and retrogression. The United Nations must hold fast to the heritage of freedom won by the struggle of its people; it must help us to pass it on to generations to come.”

Freedom From Fear by Aung San Suu Kyi

Sample lines: “Saints, it has been said, are the sinners who go on trying. So free men are the oppressed who go on trying and who in the process make themselves fit to bear the responsibilities and to uphold the disciplines which will maintain a free society. Among the basic freedoms to which men aspire that their lives might be full and uncramped, freedom from fear stands out as both a means and an end. A people who would build a nation in which strong, democratic institutions are firmly established as a guarantee against state-induced power must first learn to liberate their own minds from apathy and fear.”

Harvey Milk’s “The Hope” Speech

Sample lines: “Some people are satisfied. And some people are not. You see there is a major difference—and it remains a vital difference—between a friend and a gay person, a friend in office and a gay person in office. Gay people have been slandered nationwide. We’ve been tarred and we’ve been brushed with the picture of pornography. In Dade County, we were accused of child molestation. It is not enough anymore just to have friends represent us, no matter how good that friend may be.”

The Union and the Strike, Cesar Chavez

Sample lines: “We are showing our unity in our strike. Our strike is stopping the work in the fields; our strike is stopping ships that would carry grapes; our strike is stopping the trucks that would carry the grapes. Our strike will stop every way the grower makes money until we have a union contract that guarantees us a fair share of the money he makes from our work! We are a union and we are strong and we are striking to force the growers to respect our strength!”

Nobel Lecture by Malala Yousafzai

Sample lines: “The world can no longer accept that basic education is enough. Why do leaders accept that for children in developing countries, only basic literacy is sufficient, when their own children do homework in algebra, mathematics, science, and physics? Leaders must seize this opportunity to guarantee a free, quality, primary and secondary education for every child. Some will say this is impractical, or too expensive, or too hard. Or maybe even impossible. But it is time the world thinks bigger.”   

Persuasive Writing Examples in Advertising Campaigns

Ads are prime persuasive writing examples. You can flip open any magazine or watch TV for an hour or two to see sample after sample of persuasive language. Here are some of the most popular ad campaigns of all time, with links to articles explaining why they were so successful.

Nike: Just Do It

Nike

The iconic swoosh with the simple tagline has persuaded millions to buy their kicks from Nike and Nike alone. Teamed with pro sports-star endorsements, this campaign is one for the ages. Blinkist offers an opinion on what made it work.

Dove: Real Beauty

Beauty brand Dove changed the game by choosing “real” women to tell their stories instead of models. They used relatable images and language to make connections, and inspired other brands to try the same concept. Learn why Global Brands considers this one a true success story.

Wendy’s: Where’s the Beef?

Today’s kids are too young to remember the cranky old woman demanding to know where the beef was on her fast-food hamburger. But in the 1980s, it was a catchphrase that sold millions of Wendy’s burgers. Learn from Better Marketing how this ad campaign even found its way into the 1984 presidential debate.

De Beers: A Diamond Is Forever

Diamond engagement ring on black velvet. Text reads "How do you make two months' salary last forever? The Diamond Engagement Ring."

A diamond engagement ring has become a standard these days, but the tradition isn’t as old as you might think. In fact, it was De Beers jewelry company’s 1948 campaign that created the modern engagement ring trend. The Drum has the whole story of this sparkling campaign.

Volkswagen: Think Small

Americans have always loved big cars. So in the 1960s, when Volkswagen wanted to introduce their small cars to a bigger market, they had a problem. The clever “Think Small” campaign gave buyers clever reasons to consider these models, like “If you run out of gas, it’s easy to push.” Learn how advertisers interested American buyers in little cars at Visual Rhetoric.

American Express: Don’t Leave Home Without It

AmEx was once better known for traveler’s checks than credit cards, and the original slogan was “Don’t leave home without them.” A simple word change convinced travelers that American Express was the credit card they needed when they headed out on adventures. Discover more about this persuasive campaign from Medium.

Skittles: Taste the Rainbow

Bag of Skittles candy against a blue background. Text reads

These candy ads are weird and intriguing and probably not for everyone. But they definitely get you thinking, and that often leads to buying. Learn more about why these wacky ads are successful from The Drum.

Maybelline: Maybe She’s Born With It

Smart wordplay made this ad campaign slogan an instant hit. The ads teased, “Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline.” (So many literary devices all in one phrase!) Fashionista has more on this beauty campaign.

Coca-Cola: Share a Coke

Seeing their own name on a bottle made teens more likely to want to buy a Coke. What can that teach us about persuasive writing in general? It’s an interesting question to consider. Learn more about the “Share a Coke” campaign from Digital Vidya.

Always: #LikeaGirl

Always ad showing a young girl holding a softball. Text reads

Talk about the power of words! This Always campaign turned the derogatory phrase “like a girl” on its head, and the world embraced it. Storytelling is an important part of persuasive writing, and these ads really do it well. Medium has more on this stereotype-bashing campaign.   

Editorial Persuasive Writing Examples

Original newspaper editorial

Newspaper editors or publishers use editorials to share their personal opinions. Noted politicians, experts, or pundits may also offer their opinions on behalf of the editors or publishers. Here are a couple of older well-known editorials, along with a selection from current newspapers.

Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus (1897)

Sample lines: “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias.”

What’s the Matter With Kansas? (1896)

Sample lines: “Oh, this IS a state to be proud of! We are a people who can hold up our heads! What we need is not more money, but less capital, fewer white shirts and brains, fewer men with business judgment, and more of those fellows who boast that they are ‘just ordinary clodhoppers, but they know more in a minute about finance than John Sherman,’ we need more men … who hate prosperity, and who think, because a man believes in national honor, he is a tool of Wall Street.”

America Can Have Democracy or Political Violence. Not Both. (The New York Times)

Sample lines: “The nation is not powerless to stop a slide toward deadly chaos. If institutions and individuals do more to make it unacceptable in American public life, organized violence in the service of political objectives can still be pushed to the fringes. When a faction of one of the country’s two main political parties embraces extremism, that makes thwarting it both more difficult and more necessary. A well-functioning democracy demands it.”

The Booster Isn’t Perfect, But Still Can Help Against COVID (The Washington Post)

Sample lines: “The booster shots are still free, readily available and work better than the previous boosters even as the virus evolves. Much still needs to be done to build better vaccines that protect longer and against more variants, including those that might emerge in the future. But it is worth grabbing the booster that exists today, the jab being a small price for any measure that can help keep COVID at bay.”

If We Want Wildlife To Thrive in L.A., We Have To Share Our Neighborhoods With Them (Los Angeles Times)

Sample lines: “If there are no corridors for wildlife movement and if excessive excavation of dirt to build bigger, taller houses erodes the slope of a hillside, then we are slowly destroying wildlife habitat. For those people fretting about what this will do to their property values—isn’t open space, trees, and wildlife an amenity in these communities?”   

Persuasive Review Writing Examples

Image of first published New York Times Book Review

Book or movie reviews are more great persuasive writing examples. Look for those written by professionals for the strongest arguments and writing styles. Here are reviews of some popular books and movies by well-known critics to use as samples.

The Great Gatsby (The Chicago Tribune, 1925)

Sample lines: “What ails it, fundamentally, is the plain fact that it is simply a story—that Fitzgerald seems to be far more interested in maintaining its suspense than in getting under the skins of its people. It is not that they are false: It is that they are taken too much for granted. Only Gatsby himself genuinely lives and breathes. The rest are mere marionettes—often astonishingly lifelike, but nevertheless not quite alive.”

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (The Washington Post, 1999)

Sample lines: “Obviously, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone should make any modern 11-year-old a very happy reader. The novel moves quickly, packs in everything from a boa constrictor that winks to a melancholy Zen-spouting centaur to an owl postal system, and ends with a scary surprise. Yet it is, essentially, a light-hearted thriller, interrupted by occasional seriousness (the implications of Harry’s miserable childhood, a moral about the power of love).”

Twilight (The Telegraph, 2009)

Sample lines: “No secret, of course, at whom this book is aimed, and no doubt, either, that it has hit its mark. The four Twilight novels are not so much enjoyed, as devoured, by legions of young female fans worldwide. That’s not to say boys can’t enjoy these books; it’s just that the pages of heart-searching dialogue between Edward and Bella may prove too long on chat and too short on action for the average male reader.”

To Kill a Mockingbird (Time, 1960)

Sample lines: “Author Lee, 34, an Alabaman, has written her first novel with all of the tactile brilliance and none of the preciosity generally supposed to be standard swamp-warfare issue for Southern writers. The novel is an account of an awakening to good and evil, and a faint catechistic flavor may have been inevitable. But it is faint indeed; novelist Lee’s prose has an edge that cuts through cant, and she teaches the reader an astonishing number of useful truths about little girls and about Southern life.”

The Diary of Anne Frank (The New York Times, 1952)

Sample lines: “And this quality brings it home to any family in the world today. Just as the Franks lived in momentary fear of the Gestapo’s knock on their hidden door, so every family today lives in fear of the knock of war. Anne’s diary is a great affirmative answer to the life-question of today, for she shows how ordinary people, within this ordeal, consistently hold to the greater human values.”   

What are your favorite persuasive writing examples to use with students? Come share your ideas in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, the big list of essay topics for high school (120+ ideas) ..

Find strong persuasive writing examples to use for inspiration, including essays, speeches, advertisements, reviews, and more.

You Might Also Like

Persuasive Essay Topics: Should we allow little kids to play competitive sports?

101 Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

Use your words to sway the reader. Continue Reading

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

Illustration

  • Essay Guides
  • Main Academic Essays

How to Start a Persuasive Essay: Best Tips and Tricks

  • Speech Topics
  • Basics of Essay Writing
  • Essay Topics
  • Other Essays
  • Research Paper Topics
  • Basics of Research Paper Writing
  • Miscellaneous
  • Chicago/ Turabian
  • Data & Statistics
  • Methodology
  • Admission Writing Tips
  • Admission Advice
  • Other Guides
  • Student Life
  • Studying Tips
  • Understanding Plagiarism
  • Academic Writing Tips
  • Basics of Dissertation & Thesis Writing

Illustration

  • Research Paper Guides
  • Formatting Guides
  • Basics of Research Process
  • Admission Guides
  • Dissertation & Thesis Guides

thumbnail@2x.png

Table of contents

Illustration

Use our free Readability checker

Here’s a dilemma: you work so hard on your persuasive essay, do in-depth research, develop strong arguments, but in the end, you get a low grade. And all this happens because your introduction isn’t convincing enough. As you can see, understanding how to start a persuasive essay in an effective manner is crucial. Fortunately, you are in the right place. Keep reading our guide to find useful tips on beginning a persuasive essay. From crafting an irresistible hook to formulating your main statement, you will find plenty of helpful suggestions. By the way, we’ve got some good examples to share. So let’s get started.  

Importance of Knowing How to Start a Persuasive Essay

Before discussing how to start off a persuasive essay, you should keep in mind that you must hook your audience from the very beginning. Your reader should understand what you are going to say and why it is important. Still, you shouldn’t lay all your cards on the table and reveal your arguments. Your main thesis statement should be presented after some context. An introduction is used to convince the reader not just of your opinion, but of the entire paper being worth reading. Therefore, one should take an especially reasonable approach. Further, we will share some helpful tips on drawing up a good introduction and give real examples.  But first, be sure to prepare a persuasive essay outline template .

How to Start a Good Persuasive Essay: Main Elements

Before starting a persuasive essay, you should think about its structure in detail. An introduction will be effective if you compile it based on our scheme. When drawing up an introductory part, you should include such elements:

  • Background information (context)
  • Main definitions (if there are any)
  • Topic-related thesis.

This structure makes it possible to convey any idea in a concise way. Remember: An opening paragraph should be short while writing a persuasive essay . All you need is to present a clear idea which will potentially hook the reader. Giving some hint on the gist of writing will be enough.

Starting a Persuasive Essay with a Hook

One idea that always works is starting a persuasive essay with a hook. You should make it clear about your topic in advance. Thus, you will attract reader’s attention. You should choose a strong sentence that will hook your addressee and may give them a particular idea. You can start persuasive essays with any question related to your topic or with an interesting fact. Quite often students use statistical data or quotes of some experts in their field of knowledge. This is the first step towards persuasion. It demonstrates that the subsequent text won’t be inferior. But just having an effective hook won’t be sufficient, so you should gradually prepare your reader. And we will learn more about this in the next section. In the meantime, have you already considered hiring a persuasive essay writer ? Our writers are academic-savvy and can create a great persuasive essay quickly and efficiently. 

Background Information in Persuasive Essay

In an introductory paragraph of a persuasive essay after the hook, we recommend outlining some topic’s context. Focus reader’s attention on background information. Here’s what you can include to develop your topic further:

  • Historical or geographical facts
  • Key characteristics.

This section should not only familiarize your readers with some background facts that you have researched. You also should smoothly lead to a thesis statement.

How to Write a Persuasive Essay Thesis

Your writing should begin with a strong persuasive essay thesis statement. Your thesis should introduce the topic and offer your viewpoint on some matter. Besides, it should list several arguments you are going to discuss in the main body. This statement will complete an introduction. Then, you will proceed to presenting the gist of an essay. Keep in mind several things that make a persuasive essay thesis stronger. First of all, a claim that you make should be debatable. This means that other people may have an opposing viewpoint. Secondly, your thesis statement should have a reasonable scope. Don’t make it too narrow, and, yet, this statement should be focused. Now that you know what elements should be included in your persuasive essay introduction, let’s discuss some writing tips.  

How to Start a Strong Persuasive Essay: Main Tips

While working on your text, you will surely need tips on how to start a persuasive essay. By following our hacks, you will be able to convey important information to readers. Based on our experience in preparing academic texts, we have developed some recommendations. Our writing tips will make your persuasive essay introduction as informative and attractive as possible. Meanwhile, some of these suggestions may be applied to other types of academic writing.  

Tip 1: Brainstorm Your Topic Before Starting a Persuasive Essay

Don’t rush to start writing right away – you should think about some good persuasive essay topics to begin your essay. The most effective way is to work on any topic in line with the purpose that you have set for yourself. Focus on any subject that you are genuinely interested in and do preliminary research. Make sure you have enough supporting facts that prove your opinion. Follow these steps to make your persuasive essay topic irresistible:  

  • Summarize well-known facts on your topic.
  • Highlight controversial points.
  • Prepare points for further argumentation.

This way, you will know whether you should conduct any additional research. Besides, you will know if there is enough information that can convince readers of your point of view.

Tip 2: Provide a Hook for Your Persuasive Essay Introduction

An introduction of persuasive essay won’t be complete without a hook. If you fail to include it, such paper will unlikely captivate reader’s attention. A catchy hook helps to break the ice between your writing and readers. In turn, an increased attention ensures that your audience understands your topic well. Here are several things you may include in your hook to make it more effective:  

  • Quotes It’s a good idea if they relate to the topic and bring readers to the main subject.
  • Joke It is a great opportunity to dilute this formal environment and create some positive vibe.
  • Question It is good when it’s rhetorical and makes readers think. In fact, this will help you involve readers in an action or some kind of dialogue.
  • Statistics It works, if numbers are related to your research. Choose the most relevant data.
  • Counterargument Starting with an opposite opinion is a great way to refute this counterargument from the very beginning. This technique helps you intrigue readers at an early stage.

These recommendations may help you create a good hook that will attract readers, so use them wisely.

Tip 3: Create a Context for Your Persuasive Essay

When working on your persuasive essay introduction, be sure that you provide some background on the topic. Put readers in some context. You are more than welcome to use any statistical facts, numbers or in-depth definition. Historical or biographical details will work as well. Your task is to set an exact direction of thoughts. But don’t reveal any arguments and proofs in this section – you will do that later. Mention why this problem should be investigated, with more precise explanations being provided in body paragraphs. With the clear context, it will be much easier to perceive any idea. On top of that, given the proper background, there should be no doubts about your argument. Consider our best college essay writing services to speed the process up.

Tip 4: Write a Thesis Statement for Your Persuasive Essay Intro

How to start a persuasive essay thesis? It is easy: just write 1-2 sentences that clearly describe your main claim. Remember that your whole essay will be based on this statement. So, when crafting the thesis statement, make sure that you will be able to prove it. Make it sound logical – your statement shouldn’t be based on some blind guesses. Readers should understand your point and what they will find in the following paragraphs. Feel free to list your arguments, but don’t overdo it with extra details. Save more room for in-depth thoughts that will be covered in body paragraphs.  

Tip 5: Start Persuasive Essay Briefly

Start a persuasive essay with some brief information on what one will learn from the text. Choose the main theses, provide them in a concise way, so as not to overload the reader’s mind. Mention the importance of your topic – your reader should be convinced that this essay is worth reading. Although your opinion should be arguable, this doesn’t mean that you can write vague sentences. Refer to those facts that resonate with your central statement. Long story short, be concise and stay on point. Buy essay online  that may be of help to you if anything seems too vague right now.  

Tip 6: Be Convincing in Your Persuasive Essay Introduction

When you try to start a persuasive essay, chances are that you will come across advice to use credible references. While this is all good and well, we suggest focusing more on the convincing arguments – your personal opinion. Indicate that your paper has been written based on personal experience and resulted from your own research. With this approach, the fact that it includes your thoughts won’t surprise anyone. You shouldn’t write about the truths known to everyone interested in this topic. You should better provide your ideas on why your thesis is correct. Explain why you have decided on this position. This is a polemical style that will trigger a number of debates.  

Persuasive Essay Introduction Examples

If you don’t know how to start a persuasive essay, examples will surely be useful for you. After all, this is a good opportunity to get acquainted with successful patterns and include the best of them in your text. For instance, you can see ways of structuring arguments in an actual example and use it as the basis for your own essay. Still, you should choose your own arguments related to the topic. It all may sound complicated. For this reason, we will introduce an example of what a convincing introduction structure may be like.  

How to Start a Persuasive Essay About a Book: Example

Before finding out how to start a persuasive essay about a book, decide on the literature. However, regardless of any genre and author, your topic will be dedicated to providing your opinion. Focus on your position and provide 3 arguments that you will discuss further. Our example will help you make it clear.

Persuasive Essay Introduction on Gun Control: Example

Your opinion on such an important topic as gun control should sound convincing. Before deciding on how to start a persuasive essay on gun control, make readers believe you have chosen some weighty thesis to develop further. Let’s look at an example.  

How to Start Off a Persuasive Essay About Debates: Example

It is not difficult to work out the topic of debates. But before you find out how to start off a persuasive essay about debates, highlight the thesis that you support. You should specify the purpose of an essay in an introduction and avoid unsupported value judgments.  

Starting a Persuasive Essay on Too Much Homework: Example

Before deciding on how to  write a persuasive essay  on too much homework, you should keep in mind that this topic is quite unusual. To define your position, you should prepare strong arguments; statistics will make an especially good hook.  

Writing a Persuasive Essay on Starting a Colony: Template

To write an introduction of a persuasive essay on starting a colony, you should take on a strong stance on this matter. Be clear and convey the need for this action. Give general arguments, referring to historical practice – this will convince an audience to accept your point.

Final Thoughts

An introduction of a persuasive essay should be effective. After all, it’s the first thing that the readers will see. So, to make a persuasive essay introduction informative and convincing, you should make arguments clear and prepare your arguments. Include such elements in your introduction:

  • Hook to attract the readers’ attention
  • Personal opinion and proprietary research
  • Thesis statement.

By using the above-listed recommendations, you will create a really high-quality introduction for an essay, where you will specify your position and convince readers of the topic's importance. BTW, a free essay maker might help you generate a persuasive essay. Use it to simplify the process.

Illustration

If you are struggling with your persuasive essay, entrust this task to our academic writers. Share your requirements and our experts will work miracles in a timely manner.

Daniel_Howard_1_1_2da08f03b5.jpg

Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.

Illustration

You may also like

thumbnail@2x.png

FAQ About Persuasive Essay Introductions

1. what comes first in a persuasive essay.

When writing a persuasive essay introduction, you should indicate the problem you are going to cover. Specify some types and characters that are important to readers. Don’t forget about presenting your personal achievements and opinions. But make sure that you don’t dilute your first paragraph. An introduction should be to the point, just like the rest of writing.

2. How to start a persuasive essay about littering?

Before deciding on how to start a persuasive essay about littering, you should  outline  the issue. In our case, this is litter that pollutes our planet, with its influence having already been proven by hundreds of studies. Highlight the fact that litter doesn’t only harm our planet in general, but also does affect us directly. Prove it by an argument that it accumulates in the environment. These can be the places we work, live and have fun in, which is harmful to our health.  

3. How can I create a hook for an essay about refugees?

Many people ask how to start a persuasive essay with a hook when it comes to writing a paper about refugees. We recommend describing some feelings and loneliness that this category of people experiences. Make an emotional hook to evoke the readers’ moral side. This will work, and you will get readers interested. After all, this is the most important aspect of any type of writing.

Home

Reading & Math for K-5

  • Kindergarten
  • Learning numbers
  • Comparing numbers
  • Place Value
  • Roman numerals
  • Subtraction
  • Multiplication
  • Order of operations
  • Drills & practice
  • Measurement
  • Factoring & prime factors
  • Proportions
  • Shape & geometry
  • Data & graphing
  • Word problems
  • Children's stories
  • Leveled Stories
  • Context clues
  • Cause & effect
  • Compare & contrast
  • Fact vs. fiction
  • Fact vs. opinion
  • Main idea & details
  • Story elements
  • Conclusions & inferences
  • Sounds & phonics
  • Words & vocabulary
  • Reading comprehension
  • Early writing
  • Numbers & counting
  • Simple math
  • Social skills
  • Other activities
  • Dolch sight words
  • Fry sight words
  • Multiple meaning words
  • Prefixes & suffixes
  • Vocabulary cards
  • Other parts of speech
  • Punctuation
  • Capitalization
  • Narrative writing
  • Opinion writing
  • Informative writing
  • Cursive alphabet
  • Cursive letters
  • Cursive letter joins
  • Cursive words
  • Cursive sentences
  • Cursive passages
  • Grammar & Writing

Breadcrumbs

  • Persuasive prompts

Grammar and Writing Workbook for Grade 5

Download & Print Only $6.89

Persuasive writing prompts for grade 5

Writing with a purpose.

These writing prompts ask students to write a persuasive essay for a particular audience . 

persuasive essay writing starters

A pet snake

Comic book studies

Learning levels

An end to snacktime?

The 4 day school week

Cash for grades  

Members only:

A school garden

Solo singing

Banning phones

What is K5?

K5 Learning offers free worksheets , flashcards  and inexpensive  workbooks  for kids in kindergarten to grade 5. Become a member  to access additional content and skip ads.

persuasive essay writing starters

Our members helped us give away millions of worksheets last year.

We provide free educational materials to parents and teachers in over 100 countries. If you can, please consider purchasing a membership ($24/year) to support our efforts.

Members skip ads and access exclusive features.

Learn about member benefits

This content is available to members only.

Join K5 to save time, skip ads and access more content. Learn More

  • Forgot Password?

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Welcome to the Purdue Online Writing Lab

OWL logo

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

The Online Writing Lab at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue. Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects. Teachers and trainers may use this material for in-class and out-of-class instruction.

The Purdue On-Campus Writing Lab and Purdue Online Writing Lab assist clients in their development as writers—no matter what their skill level—with on-campus consultations, online participation, and community engagement. The Purdue Writing Lab serves the Purdue, West Lafayette, campus and coordinates with local literacy initiatives. The Purdue OWL offers global support through online reference materials and services.

A Message From the Assistant Director of Content Development 

The Purdue OWL® is committed to supporting  students, instructors, and writers by offering a wide range of resources that are developed and revised with them in mind. To do this, the OWL team is always exploring possibilties for a better design, allowing accessibility and user experience to guide our process. As the OWL undergoes some changes, we welcome your feedback and suggestions by email at any time.

Please don't hesitate to contact us via our contact page  if you have any questions or comments.

All the best,

Social Media

Facebook twitter.

வற்புறுத்தும் கட்டுரை எழுதுவது எப்படி?

வற்புறுத்தும் கட்டுரை எழுதுவது எப்படி?

  • ஸ்மோடின் ஆசிரியர் குழு
  • புதுப்பித்தது: 5 மே, 2024

முதல் பார்வையில், வற்புறுத்தும் கட்டுரையை உருவாக்குவது பூங்காவில் நடப்பது போல் தோன்றலாம். நீங்கள் ஒரு நிலைப்பாட்டை தேர்வு செய்து, ஆதாரங்களை சேகரித்து, உங்கள் பார்வையாளர்களுக்கு வழங்குகிறீர்கள். ஆனால் அது உண்மையில் அவ்வளவு எளிமையானதா?

எந்தவொரு மாணவரும் அல்லது ஆசிரியரும் அறிந்தது போல, ஒவ்வொரு தூண்டுதலான கட்டுரையும் நேராக A அல்ல. உங்கள் வாதம் குறைபாடுள்ளது அல்லது நம்பத்தகாதது என்ற கருத்தைப் பெறுவதற்காக மட்டுமே உயர் தரத்தை எதிர்பார்த்து உங்கள் வேலையைச் சமர்ப்பித்திருந்தால், அது கொண்டு வரக்கூடிய விரக்தியை நீங்கள் அறிவீர்கள்.

உண்மை என்னவென்றால், ஒரு வற்புறுத்தும் வாதத்தை உருவாக்குவதற்கு உண்மைகளை முன்வைப்பதை விட அதிகம் தேவைப்படுகிறது. உங்கள் வாசகர்களின் தர்க்கத்திற்கு நீங்கள் மேல்முறையீடு செய்ய வேண்டும் உணர்வுகளை . உங்கள் கதை அர்த்தமுள்ளதாக இருக்க வேண்டும், படிக்க சுவாரஸ்யமாகவும், தனித்துவமாகவும் இருக்க வேண்டும்.

இன்று, உங்கள் வற்புறுத்தும் கட்டுரைகளை அடுத்த கட்டத்திற்கு கொண்டு செல்வதற்கான ஆறு எளிய வழிகளை நாங்கள் காண்போம், இதன் மூலம் நீங்கள் வீட்டிற்கு கொண்டு வரலாம். எந்த நீங்கள் விரும்பும் தரம்.

1. செயல்முறையை அவசரப்படுத்த வேண்டாம்

உனக்கு அதை பற்றி தெரியுமா ஒவ்வொரு வார்த்தையும் வெளியிடப்பட்ட உள்ளடக்கம் பல திருத்தங்களுக்கு உட்பட்டதா? கட்டுரைகள், வலைப்பதிவுகள், புத்தகங்கள், பருவ இதழ்கள் மற்றும் கட்டுரைகளுக்கு இது பொருந்தும்.

ஒரு கல்வி அமைப்பில், பல மாணவர்கள் தரவரிசைக் குவியலுக்குச் செல்லும் ஒன்று அல்லது இரண்டு வரைவுகள் மட்டுமே முக்கியமானவை என்று கருதுகின்றனர், ஆனால் அது அப்படியல்ல.

நல்ல எழுத்தை சரியாகப் பெறுவதற்கு பல திருத்தங்கள் தேவை. உங்கள் வற்புறுத்தும் கட்டுரை மற்றவற்றிலிருந்து தனித்து நிற்க வேண்டுமெனில், தரவரிசைக்கு சமர்ப்பிக்கும் முன் குறைந்தபட்சம் ஒரு வரைவையாவது எழுதுவது நல்லது.

அதிர்ஷ்டவசமாக, உயர்தர கட்டுரையை உருவாக்குவது ஒருபோதும் எளிதாக இருந்ததில்லை. போன்ற கருவிகள் ஸ்மோடின் கட்டுரை எழுத்தாளர் ஒரு சில சிறிய வார்த்தைகள் மூலம் உள்ளடக்கத்தை உருவாக்க உங்களுக்கு உதவ முடியும்.

பல AI கருவிகளைப் போலல்லாமல், ஸ்மோடின் செயல்முறையின் முழுமையான கட்டுப்பாட்டை உங்களுக்கு வழங்குகிறது. உங்கள் ஆசிரியர் அல்லது பேராசிரியரைப் படிப்பதில் மகிழ்ச்சியைத் தரும் தெளிவான ஓட்டத்துடன் ஈர்க்கக்கூடிய கட்டுரையை உங்களால் உருவாக்க முடியும்.

மென்பொருளின் AI-இயங்கும் வழிமுறைகள் கூகுள் ஸ்காலர் மற்றும் பிற தேர்ந்தெடுக்கப்பட்ட ஆதாரங்களில் இருந்து துல்லியமான குறிப்புகளை உருவாக்குகின்றன.

உங்கள் மேசையில் உட்கார்ந்து, விரக்தியில் இருந்து உங்கள் தலைமுடியை வெளியே இழுப்பதற்குப் பதிலாக, ஸ்மோடின் நம்பிக்கையுடன் கட்டுரை எழுதும் செயல்முறையின் மூலம் உங்களை வழிநடத்தட்டும்.

2. உங்கள் பார்வையாளர்களை அறிந்து கொள்ளுங்கள்

கட்டுரை எழுதுவதில் ஒரு முக்கியமான மற்றும் அடிக்கடி குறைத்து மதிப்பிடப்பட்ட அம்சம் உங்கள் பார்வையாளர்களைப் புரிந்துகொள்வது. இதன் பொருள் உங்கள் வாசகர்கள் யார் என்பதை அறிந்துகொள்வது மற்றும் அவர்களின் முக்கிய உணர்ச்சிகளை எதிரொலிக்கும் வகையில் உங்கள் எழுத்தை வடிவமைக்க வேண்டும்.

உதாரணமாக, நீங்கள் ஒரு வரலாற்று வகுப்பிற்கு கட்டுரை எழுதும் மாணவராக இருந்தால், உங்கள் பார்வையாளர்கள் எளிமையானவர்கள்: அது உங்கள் பேராசிரியர்.

இதேபோல், நீங்கள் ஒரு அறிவார்ந்த பத்திரிகை அல்லது வெளியீட்டிற்காக ஒரு கட்டுரை எழுதுகிறீர்கள் என்று வைத்துக்கொள்வோம். அப்படியானால், கட்டுரையை வெளியிடுவதற்கு ஒப்புதல் அளித்தவர்களும், பொதுவில் பகிரப்பட்டவுடன் இறுதியில் அதைப் பார்க்கும் வாசகர்களும் உங்கள் பார்வையாளர்களில் அடங்குவர்.

பலர் தங்கள் முக்கிய பார்வையாளர்களைப் படிக்காததால் கட்டுரை எழுதுவதில் தோல்வியடைகிறார்கள். 

உங்கள் வாசகர்கள் மனிதர்கள் என்பதை நீங்கள் நினைவில் கொள்ள வேண்டும், மேலும் எல்லா மனிதர்களுக்கும் சில சார்புகளும் விருப்பங்களும் உள்ளன.

இந்த சார்புகள் மற்றும் விருப்பங்களைப் புரிந்துகொள்வது உங்கள் வாசகரின் ஆர்வங்கள் மற்றும் நம்பிக்கைகளுக்கு நேரடியாக ஈர்க்கும் வகையில் உங்கள் கட்டுரையை வடிவமைக்க உதவும்.

Do எல்லாம் உங்கள் பார்வையாளர்களைப் படிக்க முடியும். அவர்களின் தலையில் நுழைந்து, அவர்கள் எப்படி நினைக்கிறார்கள் என்பதைக் கண்டுபிடிக்கவும், பின்னர் அவர்களின் முக்கிய உணர்ச்சிகளை ஈர்க்க இந்த அறிவைப் பயன்படுத்தவும்.

பொருட்கள் அல்லது சேவைகளை விற்கும் போது அவர்களின் வாசகர்களின் உணர்ச்சிகளைப் புரிந்து கொள்வதற்காக தொழில்முறை நகல் எழுத்தாளர்கள் பெரும் பணத்தைப் பெறுகிறார்கள். நீங்கள் பண அர்த்தத்தில் எதையும் "விற்காமல்" இருக்கலாம், ஆனால் விரும்பிய முடிவை அடைய உங்கள் எழுத்தை விற்கிறீர்கள்.

ஒரு வெற்றிகரமான கட்டுரை எழுத்தாளராக மாற, விற்பனையாளரைப் போல சிந்திக்கத் தொடங்குங்கள். எது உங்கள் வாசகரை ஈர்க்கும்? யாரும் எழுதாததை நீங்கள் என்ன எழுத முடியும்?

நீங்கள் அதைக் கண்டறிந்ததும், நீங்கள் ஏற்கனவே பாதி வேலையை முடித்துவிட்டீர்கள்.

3. வற்புறுத்தலின் முறைகளைப் புரிந்து கொள்ளுங்கள்

இப்போது உங்கள் பார்வையாளர்களை நீங்கள் முழுமையாகப் புரிந்து கொண்டீர்கள், அடுத்த கட்டம் ஒரு அழுத்தமான வாதத்தை உருவாக்குவது. இங்கே, பகுத்தறிவின் மூன்று வடிவங்களைப் புரிந்துகொள்ள சிறிது நேரம் ஒதுக்குங்கள்.

Ethos என்பது ஒரு எழுத்தாளராக உங்கள் நம்பகத்தன்மை அல்லது தன்மையை நிறுவுவதைக் குறிக்கிறது. உங்கள் பார்வையாளர்களை திறம்பட சம்மதிக்க வைக்க, வாசகர்(கள்) உங்களை நம்பகமானவராகவும், உங்கள் தலைப்பைப் பற்றி அறிந்தவராகவும் பார்க்க வேண்டும்.

விஷயத்தைப் பற்றிய உறுதியான புரிதலையும், அதில் தேர்ச்சி பெறுவதற்கு நீங்கள் நேரத்தையும் முயற்சியையும் செலவிட்டுள்ளீர்கள் என்பதை நிரூபித்தல்.

இரக்கக் குணத்தை

மறுபுறம், பாத்தோஸ் உங்கள் வாசகர்களின் உணர்ச்சிகளை ஈர்க்கிறது. உங்கள் வாசகர்களுக்கு அவர்களின் முன்னோக்கு அல்லது முடிவெடுக்கும் செயல்முறையை பாதிக்கச் செய்வதே இதன் நோக்கம்.

மாணவர்களைப் பொறுத்தவரை, இது தலைப்பின் உணர்ச்சிகரமான உள்நோக்கங்களைத் தட்டுவது அல்லது ஆசிரியர் அல்லது பேராசிரியரை ஈடுபடுத்துவதற்கு சில சார்புகளைக் கோருவதைக் குறிக்கலாம்.

லோகோக்கள்

இதன் பொருள் உங்கள் கட்டுரையை தர்க்கரீதியான அர்த்தமுள்ள வகையில் கட்டமைத்தல் மற்றும் புள்ளிவிவரங்கள், உண்மைச் சான்றுகள் மற்றும் உங்கள் கூற்றுகளை காப்புப் பிரதி எடுக்க சரியான காரணங்களைப் பயன்படுத்துதல். அனைத்து வாதங்களும் வலுவான, பகுத்தறிவு அடித்தளத்தைக் கொண்டிருக்க வேண்டும்.

ஒரு வற்புறுத்தும் கட்டுரையை திறம்பட எழுத, நீங்கள் வேண்டும் நெறிமுறைகள், பாத்தோஸ் மற்றும் லோகோக்களை இணைக்கவும்.

ஆசிரியர்கள், பேராசிரியர்கள், ஆசிரியர்கள் மற்றும் மறுஆய்வு வாரிய உறுப்பினர்கள் படிக்க நூற்றுக்கணக்கான கட்டுரைகள் உள்ளன என்பதை நினைவில் கொள்க. தனித்து நிற்க அனைத்து பொத்தான்களையும் அழுத்தும் ஒரு விரிவான வாதத்தை நீங்கள் உருவாக்க வேண்டும்.

உங்கள் வரவிருக்கும் கட்டுரையில் A ஐப் பெற நீங்கள் ஆசைப்பட்டால், அதைப் பயன்படுத்தவும் ஸ்மோடினின் AI கிரேடர் உங்கள் கட்டுரை அல்லது கட்டுரையில் தனிப்பட்ட கருத்துக்களைப் பெற.

இந்த வழியில், நீங்கள் உங்கள் கட்டுரையை எடுத்து அதைச் சமர்ப்பிக்கும் முன் அதைத் திருத்தலாம். ஒரு ஆசிரியர் அல்லது பேராசிரியரிடம் மீண்டும் எழுதுவதற்கு கெஞ்சுவதை விட இது சந்தேகத்திற்கு இடமின்றி சிறந்தது.

4. எதிர் வாதங்களை நேரடியாகச் சொல்லுங்கள்

ஒரு நிலையைத் தேர்ந்தெடுத்து அதில் ஒட்டிக்கொள்வது ஒன்றுதான்; எதிர் கருத்துகளை முற்றிலும் புறக்கணிப்பது மற்றொரு விஷயம்.

ஒரு அழுத்தமான வாதத்தை உருவாக்கும் போது, ​​நீங்கள் ஒரு கட்டத்தில் - மாறுபட்ட கருத்துக்கள் மற்றும் கண்ணோட்டங்களைக் குறிப்பிட வேண்டும். இதைச் செய்யத் தவறினால் உங்கள் சொந்த வாதத்தை பலவீனப்படுத்தத்தான் செய்யும். இதை உங்கள் எழுத்தில் திறம்பட இணைக்க சில குறிப்புகள் இங்கே உள்ளன.

எதிர் வாதங்களை அறிந்து கொள்ளுங்கள்

நீங்கள் முதலில் அவற்றை ஆராய்ந்தால் மட்டுமே எதிர் வாதங்களை நீங்கள் தீர்க்க முடியும். உங்கள் நிலையைப் படிப்பதைப் போலவே ஒரு தலைப்பின் எதிர் வாதங்களையும் படிக்கவும்.

நியாயமாக இருங்கள்

எதிர் வாதங்களைப் பற்றி விவாதிக்கும் போது, ​​நீங்கள் புறநிலை மற்றும் சார்பு இல்லாமல் இருக்க வேண்டும். இந்த விஷயங்களை நீங்கள் தவறாக சித்தரித்தால் அல்லது மிகைப்படுத்தினால், உங்கள் நம்பகத்தன்மையை குறைமதிப்பிற்கு உட்படுத்தி, உங்கள் கட்டுரையை பலவீனப்படுத்துவீர்கள்.

மறுப்பு நுட்பங்களைப் பயன்படுத்தவும்

எதிரெதிர் பார்வையை நீங்கள் உரையாற்றியவுடன், தர்க்கரீதியான பகுத்தறிவு, சான்றுகள் மற்றும் பிற வற்புறுத்தும் நுட்பங்களைப் பயன்படுத்தி நீங்கள் அதை மறுக்க வேண்டும். (ஒரு வழக்கறிஞரைப் போல சிந்தியுங்கள்.) இங்கே சில பொதுவான உத்திகள் உள்ளன.

  • சான்று அடிப்படையிலான நுட்பங்கள்: எதிர் வாதத்தின் செல்லுபடியை சவால் செய்ய மிகச் சமீபத்திய தரவு அல்லது ஆய்வுகளைப் பயன்படுத்தவும்.
  • தர்க்க நுட்பங்கள்: எந்த வாதமும் 100% இல்லை (உங்களுடையது கூட). எதிர் வாதத்தில் உள்ள தவறுகளைக் கண்டறிந்து, முடிவு ஏன் பிழையானது என்பதை விளக்குங்கள்.
  • ஒப்பீட்டு நுட்பங்கள்: கடைசியாக, உங்கள் ஆய்வறிக்கையை நேரடியாக ஒப்பிட்டு, உங்கள் பார்வை ஏன் மிகவும் உறுதியானது என்பதை விளக்குங்கள். சரியாகச் செய்தால், இது உங்கள் கட்டுரையின் மிகவும் சரிபார்க்கும் புள்ளியாக இருக்கும்.

உங்கள் ஆய்வறிக்கையில் அனைத்தையும் மீண்டும் இணைக்கவும்

ஒரு தலைப்பை ஆராயும் போது, ​​நீங்கள் புற வாதங்களின் குவியலில் புதைந்திருப்பதைக் காணலாம், அது தலைப்புடன் தொடர்புடையதாக இருக்கலாம் அல்லது இல்லாமல் இருக்கலாம். உங்கள் ஆய்வறிக்கையில் ஒரு வாதத்தையோ எதிர்வாதத்தையோ நேரடியாக இணைக்க முடியாவிட்டால் அதை வெட்டுங்கள்.

ஒப்புக்கொள்ள பயப்பட வேண்டாம்

எதிர் வாதத்தின் வலிமையை ஒப்புக்கொள்வது உங்கள் நம்பகத்தன்மையை மேம்படுத்தும். சலுகைகளைப் பொருட்படுத்தாமல் உங்கள் ஆய்வறிக்கை இன்னும் உள்ளது என்பதைக் காட்டுவதன் மூலம் உங்கள் ஒட்டுமொத்த நிலையை குறைமதிப்பிற்கு உட்படுத்தாமல் ஒரு புள்ளியை நீங்கள் ஒப்புக் கொள்ளலாம்.

நிச்சயமாக, டஜன் கணக்கான கல்விக் கட்டுரைகள் அல்லது கட்டுரைகளைப் பிரிப்பது நேரத்தை எடுத்துக்கொள்ளும். ஆராய்ச்சி செயல்முறையை பெரிதும் விரைவுபடுத்த, நீங்கள் பயன்படுத்தலாம் ஸ்மோடினின் உரை சுருக்கம் உரையின் பெரிய பகுதிகளை பகுப்பாய்வு செய்து அவற்றை மேலும் ஜீரணிக்கக்கூடியதாக சுருக்கவும்.

5. உங்கள் குரலில் எழுதுங்கள் - மேலும் உங்கள் எழுத்தை எப்போதும் சத்தமாகப் படியுங்கள்

ஆடம்பரமான வார்த்தைகள் அல்லது சிக்கலான வாக்கியங்களைப் பயன்படுத்துவதற்கு அதிக நேரத்தை செலவிட வேண்டாம். ஆம், இலக்கணம், தொடரியல் மற்றும் நிறுத்தற்குறி ஆகியவை அவசியம், ஆனால் உங்கள் முக்கிய கவனம் எப்போதும் தெளிவான மற்றும் உண்மையான தொடர்பு இருக்க வேண்டும்.

எப்போதாவது ஒரு சொற்களஞ்சியத்தை ஆலோசிப்பது பெரிய விஷயமல்ல, ஆனால் நீங்கள் தொடர்ந்து இயற்கைக்கு மாறான வார்த்தைகளால் உங்கள் உரையைப் பிசைந்து கொண்டிருந்தால், உங்கள் கட்டுரையின் செய்தியிலிருந்து நீங்கள் விலகி இருக்கலாம்.

உங்கள் கட்டுரையை சத்தமாக வாசிப்பது அதன் ஓட்டத்தை சரிபார்க்க ஒரு சிறந்த வழியாகும். நீங்கள் உங்கள் சொந்த வார்த்தைகளை படித்து தடுமாறினால், ஏதோ தவறு நடக்க வாய்ப்புள்ளது.

நல்ல எழுத்து ஒரு வார்த்தையில் இருந்து அடுத்த வார்த்தைக்கும், ஒரு வாக்கியத்திலிருந்து அடுத்த வாக்கியத்திற்கும், ஒரு பத்தியிலிருந்து அடுத்த பத்திக்கும் தடையின்றி பாய வேண்டும்.

வெறுமனே, நீங்கள் சிறிது நேரம் உங்கள் கட்டுரையில் அமர்ந்திருக்க வேண்டும் - மூன்று நாட்கள் அல்லது ஒரு வாரம் வரை சொல்லுங்கள் - பின்னர் உங்கள் மனம் புத்துணர்ச்சியுடன் திரும்பவும்.

உங்கள் வார்த்தைகளை தெளிவான மனதுடன் படித்து, உங்கள் சொந்த வாதத்தின் தர்க்கத்தை நீங்கள் பின்பற்ற முடியுமா என்று பாருங்கள். அது சரியாக இல்லை என்றால், பயன்படுத்தவும் ஸ்மோடினின் AI மறு எழுத்தாளர்.

இந்தக் கருவி உங்களின் சொந்த எழுத்தை ஆய்வு செய்து, புதியதாக ஒலிக்க அல்லது ஏற்கனவே உள்ள உள்ளடக்கத்தை எடுத்து, முற்றிலும் தனித்துவமாக ஒலிக்க அதைத் திருத்தலாம்.

6. எப்போதும் கல்வி நேர்மையை பேணுங்கள்

இது அநேகமாக சொல்லாமல் போகலாம், ஆனால் உங்கள் எழுத்தில் கல்வி ஒருமைப்பாட்டைப் பராமரிக்க நீங்கள் எப்போதும் உங்களால் முடிந்த அனைத்தையும் செய்ய வேண்டும். நீங்கள் விரும்பும் கடைசி விஷயம், திருட்டு அல்லது AI-உருவாக்கிய உள்ளடக்கத்திற்காக கொடியிடப்பட வேண்டும்.

அதிர்ஷ்டவசமாக, ஸ்மோடின் உதவக்கூடிய இரண்டு பகுதிகள் இவை. நமது AI உள்ளடக்கக் கண்டறிதல் உங்கள் எழுத்தில் AI-உருவாக்கப்பட்ட உள்ளடக்கம் உள்ளதா என்பதை எளிதாகக் கண்டறிய முடியும். அதே நேரத்தில், எங்கள் கருத்துத் திருட்டு சரிபார்ப்பு உங்கள் கட்டுரையில் வெளியிடப்பட்ட கல்விக் கட்டுரைகளில் இருந்து எந்த நேரடி உரையும் இல்லை என்பதை உறுதிப்படுத்த முடியும்.

ஒன்றாக எடுத்துக்கொண்டால், ஸ்மோடினின் AI ஒரு விரிவான கருவித்தொகுப்பை வழங்குகிறது, இது மாணவர்கள் மற்றும் கல்வியாளர்களுக்கு அவர்கள் வற்புறுத்தும் கட்டுரையை எழுதத் தேவையான அனைத்தையும் வழங்குகிறது.

இன்றே ஸ்மோடினை இலவசமாக முயற்சிக்கவும் உங்கள் எழுத்தை மேம்படுத்த வேண்டுமா என்று பார்க்க.

அடிக்கடி கேட்கப்படும் கேள்விகள்

கே: எனது வற்புறுத்தும் கட்டுரைக்கு வலுவான நிலைப்பாட்டை எவ்வாறு தேர்வு செய்வது.

நீங்கள் ஆர்வமாக உள்ள ஒரு தலைப்பைத் தேர்ந்தெடுக்கவும், அதற்குப் போதுமான ஆதாரங்களை நீங்கள் காணலாம். எதிர் தரப்புக்கு எதிராக தெளிவான வாதத்தை அனுமதிக்கும் தலைப்பையும் நீங்கள் தேர்ந்தெடுக்க வேண்டும்.

கே: எனது கட்டுரைக்கான ஆதாரங்களைத் தேட சிறந்த இடங்கள் யாவை?

அறிவார்ந்த பத்திரிகைகள், செய்தி நிறுவனங்கள் அல்லது மரியாதைக்குரிய மற்றும் நன்கு அறியப்பட்ட கல்வி ஆசிரியர்களின் புத்தகங்கள் எப்போதும் தொடங்குவதற்கு ஒரு நல்ல இடம். கல்வி ரீதியாக ஏற்றுக்கொள்ளப்பட்ட கட்டுரைகள் மற்றும் தரவைக் கண்டறிய Google Scholar அல்லது JSTOR போன்ற கருவிகளைப் பயன்படுத்தலாம்.

கே: எனது உறுதியான கட்டுரை படிக்க எளிதானது என்பதை நான் எப்படி உறுதியாகக் கூறுவது?

நீங்கள் எப்போதும் தெளிவான மற்றும் ஈர்க்கக்கூடிய எழுத்து நடையைப் பயன்படுத்த விரும்புகிறீர்கள். வெறுமனே, நீங்கள் மற்ற கட்டுரைகளிலிருந்து தனித்து நிற்க உதவும் தனித்துவமான வழியில் எழுத வேண்டும். தர்க்கரீதியான மற்றும் பின்பற்ற எளிதான முறையில் சுவாரஸ்யமான உண்மைகள் அல்லது நிகழ்வுகளை உள்ளடக்கியது மற்றும் வாக்கிய அமைப்பு மற்றும் சொற்களஞ்சியத்தில் பல்வேறு வகைகளைப் பயன்படுத்துவது வாசிப்புத்திறனை மேம்படுத்தும். சும்மா வற்புறுத்தாதே.

கே: எதிர் வாதங்களுக்கு எனது மறுப்பை எவ்வாறு வலுப்படுத்துவது?

எதிர்வாதங்களைப் புரிந்துகொள்வது அவற்றைக் கடப்பதற்கான முதல் படியாகும். ஒரு சிறந்த தீர்வை அல்லது முன்னோக்கை முன்வைக்கும் நன்கு ஆய்வு செய்யப்பட்ட ஆதாரங்களுடன் ஒரு வாதத்திற்கு நீங்கள் பதிலளிக்கும் போது, ​​உங்கள் வழக்கை உறுதிப்படுத்தி, உங்கள் வாசகருக்கு (கள்) மிகவும் கட்டாயமாகவும் நம்பகத்தன்மையுடனும் இருக்கிறீர்கள்.

கே: நான் எழுதத் தொடங்கிய பிறகு எனது ஆய்வறிக்கையை மாற்ற விரும்பினால் என்ன செய்வது?

உங்கள் ஆராய்ச்சியின் போது ஒரு வாதத்திற்கான சிறந்த ஆதாரத்தை நீங்கள் கண்டால், எழுதும் செயல்முறையின் பாதியிலேயே உங்கள் ஆய்வறிக்கையை மறுபரிசீலனை செய்வது மிகவும் நல்லது. இந்த தகவமைவு உங்கள் எழுத்தை நீண்ட காலத்திற்கு வலுப்படுத்தும்.

கே: நான் எவ்வளவு காலம் ஆராய்ச்சிக்கு செலவிட வேண்டும்?

பொதுவாக, அதிக நேரத்தை வீணாக்காமல், தலைப்பைப் புரிந்துகொள்ள உங்களுக்குத் தேவையான நேரத்தைச் செலவிடுங்கள். ஒரு வார்த்தை கூட எழுதாமல் ஆராய்ச்சிக்காக மணிநேரம் அல்லது நாட்களை வீணாக்குவது பொதுவானது. மீண்டும், ஸ்மோடின் போன்ற AI கருவிகள் நடைமுறைப் பணிகளுக்கு உதவுவதோடு மேலும் உற்சாகமான பணிகளுக்கு உங்கள் மனதை விடுவிக்கும்.

கே: வற்புறுத்தும் கட்டுரையை முடிக்க சிறந்த வழி எது?

ஒரு வலுவான முடிவு அதிக வார்த்தைகளால் இல்லாமல் முழுமையாக இருக்க வேண்டும். நீங்கள் முன்வைத்த வாதங்களின் வெளிச்சத்தில் உங்கள் ஆய்வறிக்கையை மறுபரிசீலனை செய்ய விரும்புகிறீர்கள் மற்றும் உங்கள் கட்டுரையின் முக்கிய புள்ளிகளை சுருக்கவும். கடைசி பத்தியில் ஒரு செயலுக்கு அழைப்பு அல்லது சிந்தனையைத் தூண்டும் கேள்வியை விட்டுவிடுவதைக் கவனியுங்கள், அது வாசகருக்கு நீடித்த தாக்கத்தை ஏற்படுத்தும்.

நீக்கங்களையும்

வெற்றிகரமான தூண்டுதல் கட்டுரையை எழுதுவது வாதங்கள் மற்றும் உண்மைகளை முன்வைப்பதை விட அதிகம். உங்கள் வாசகரின் தர்க்கம், உணர்ச்சிகள் மற்றும் நெறிமுறை மதிப்புகளை ஈர்க்கும் ஒரு கதையை நீங்கள் கவனமாக வடிவமைக்க வேண்டும்.

Smodin AI போன்ற AI கருவிகளைத் தட்டுவதன் மூலம், நீங்கள் உத்திகளை கோடிட்டுக் காட்டலாம், ஆராய்ச்சி நடத்தலாம் மற்றும் உங்கள் நேரத்தின் சில எளிய தூண்டுதல்கள் மற்றும் நிமிடங்களுடன் எழுதும் செயல்முறையை விரைவுபடுத்தலாம்.

உங்கள் கட்டுரைகள் நெறிப்படுத்தப்பட்டதாகவும், சக்தி வாய்ந்ததாகவும், அதிக ஈடுபாடு கொண்டதாகவும் இருப்பதை உறுதிசெய்ய நீங்கள் நன்கு முயற்சி செய்ய வேண்டும். இந்த வகை எழுத்து கல்வி வாசகர்களிடம் எதிரொலிக்கும் மற்றும் நீங்கள் விரும்பிய தரத்தைப் பெறுவதை உறுதி செய்யும்.

எழுதும் செயல்முறையை ரசிக்க உங்களால் முடிந்த அனைத்தையும் செய்யுங்கள் மற்றும் அதை வேடிக்கையாகக் கற்றுக்கொள்ளுங்கள். இந்த புதிய AI-மேம்படுத்தப்பட்ட தொழில்நுட்ப முன்னேற்றங்கள் உங்கள் விரல் நுனியில் இருப்பதால், கட்டுரை எழுதுவது முன்பை விட அணுகக்கூடியதாக இருக்கும். எந்தவொரு கல்வி அமைப்பிலும் உங்கள் எழுத்து தனித்து நிற்க அவர்களின் வரம்பற்ற சக்தியைத் தட்டவும்!

Advertisement

Supported by

A Modern Mom Finds an Ancient Outlet for Feminist Rage

In Alexis Landau’s ambitious new novel, “The Mother of All Things,” the frustrations of modern parenting echo through the ages.

  • Share full article

The cover shows what appears to be ancient Greek sculpture, the marble figure of a woman shown from behind and set against a bright blue sky. It is surrounded by a border of bright pink and orange, as if seen through a doorway.

By Eliza Minot

Eliza Minot is the author of the novels “The Tiny One,” “The Brambles” and, most recently, “In the Orchard.”

  • Barnes and Noble
  • Books-A-Million

When you purchase an independently reviewed book through our site, we earn an affiliate commission.

THE MOTHER OF ALL THINGS, by Alexis Landau

What is the source of maternal rage? The answer is as infinite as it is ancient. In 1965, the poet and essayist Adrienne Rich, with small children underfoot, captured a possible explanation for this abyss in her journal when she described it as “a sense of insufficiency to the moment and to eternity.”

But where — for moms, for women — does this nagging feeling of insufficiency come from? From the misogyny that we grow up with? From the helpless outrage we bear as our messy, gorgeous, individual maternal experiences are flattened by society into a weirdly infantilized stereotype that’s placed, like a paper doll, into a two-dimensional dollhouse called “Motherhood”? Or does it come from the profound feeling of helplessness that accompanies the ability to give life to a human being, but be unable to ensure that life’s safety?

Ava Zaretsky, the diligent heroine of Alexis Landau’s ambitious and engaging new novel, “The Mother of All Things” (her third after “Those Who Are Saved” and “The Emperor of the Senses”), simmers with a steady rage that never fully erupts toward her kids (Sam, 10, and Margot, 13, who’s at the edge of “adolescence’s dark tunnel”) or her husband, Kasper, a preoccupied Los Angeles film producer. Rather, Ava’s rage burns beneath the surface, “so white and hot it blurred the contours of her body.” She is angry that, in a marriage of supposed equals circa 2019, Kasper can relocate to Sofia, Bulgaria, for a six-month film shoot without a second thought, while her own work as an adjunct art history professor is smudged out by the needs of her family. Her fury is also embedded, we later learn, in the powerlessness that comes with profound loss.

When the family joins Kasper in Sofia for the summer, the kids enroll in a day camp, allowing Ava to wander this mysterious city. Her curiosity and creativity bubble to the surface. She begins writing about an ancient Greek woman whose life parallels and dovetails with her own, and whose narrative is interspersed throughout the pages of the novel. By coincidence, Ava also reconnects in Sofia with an intimidating former professor named Lydia Nikitas and becomes involved in a group of women who participate in re-enactments of ancient rites and rituals, most notably the Eleusinian Mysteries.

Despite some moments that feel forced and overly earnest, particularly in the ancient narrative and the Nikitas story line, Landau’s writing is accessible, specific, lush and transporting. Her research is rigorous and full of elegant effort. The great success of this novel is the author’s sustained exploration of a woman in early midlife who, seething quietly on the inside but operating gracefully on the outside, bravely re-evaluates how her life has unfolded in order to progress as a mother to herself. Renderings of Ava’s childhood — a heartbreaking recollection of a favorite red belt, memories of a father’s girlfriend entering her life and then leaving it — are especially astute and rich.

At times, the novel’s disparate parts compete with rather than complement one another; some characters seem predictable, and certain ideas redundant. When things are meant to get weird, as in the rituals, it can feel more Scooby-Doo than genuinely haunting. For this reason, more than once, I felt like shaking the book like a snow globe, as if its fascinating contents, suspended, might set free more of its wildness.

Landau’s prose can also lift off the page, as it does in a prolonged memory of Ava’s first childbirth and its aftermath. Here, Landau’s writing is intimate, tender and full of terror. The sentences breathe with the softness of shared human experience across time — absolutely sufficient to the moment, and to eternity, too.

THE MOTHER OF ALL THINGS | By Alexis Landau | Pantheon | 336 pp. | $29

Explore More in Books

Want to know about the best books to read and the latest news start here..

The complicated, generous life  of Paul Auster, who died on April 30 , yielded a body of work of staggering scope and variety .

“Real Americans,” a new novel by Rachel Khong , follows three generations of Chinese Americans as they all fight for self-determination in their own way .

“The Chocolate War,” published 50 years ago, became one of the most challenged books in the United States. Its author, Robert Cormier, spent years fighting attempts to ban it .

Joan Didion’s distinctive prose and sharp eye were tuned to an outsider’s frequency, telling us about ourselves in essays that are almost reflexively skeptical. Here are her essential works .

Each week, top authors and critics join the Book Review’s podcast to talk about the latest news in the literary world. Listen here .

COMMENTS

  1. 162 Persuasive Writing Prompts & Topics: Examples & Tips

    50 Persuasive Essay Writing Prompts. If you have trouble coming up with ideas for writing a persuasive essay, here is our prompts list. Whether you're in school or college, we're sure here you'll find a topic that interests you! 🧒 Persuasive Writing Prompts for Elementary Students. Your parents should go to bed at 9 pm every day.

  2. 113 Perfect Persuasive Essay Topics for Any Assignment

    A better idea would be to choose one impact on American life the wars had (such as changes in female employment) and focus on that. Doing so will make researching and writing your persuasive essay much more feasible. List of 113 Good Persuasive Essay Topics. Below are over 100 persuasive essay ideas, organized into ten categories.

  3. 100 Persuasive Essay Topics

    Learning how to write a persuasive essay is an essential skill people use every day in fields from business to law to media and entertainment. English students can begin writing a persuasive essay at any skill level. You'll surely find a sample topic or two from the list of 100 persuasive essays below, sorted by degree of difficulty.

  4. 130 New Prompts for Argumentative Writing

    Try our student writing prompts. In 2017, we compiled a list of 401 argumentative writing prompts, all drawn from our daily Student Opinion column. Now, we're rounding up 130 more we've ...

  5. How to Write a Persuasive Essay: Tips and Tricks

    TIP 1: Be careful not to introduce a new argument in the conclusion—there's no time to develop it now that you've reached the end of your discussion! TIP 2: As with your thesis, avoid announcing your conclusion. Don't start your conclusion with "in conclusion" or "to conclude" or "to end my essay" type statements.

  6. 120+ Good Persuasive Essay Topics From Easy to Unique

    If you need to prove your point in a persuasive essay, you'll need to start with a great prompt. Check out these ideas for easy, challenging, and unique persuasive prompts in different categories.

  7. Over 170 Prompts to Inspire Writing and Discussion

    During the 2020-21 school year, we asked 176 questions, and you can find them all below or here as a PDF. The questions are divided into two categories — those that provide opportunities for ...

  8. 30 Prompts for a Persuasive Paragraph, Essay, or Speech

    30 Persuasive Writing Topics . In an essay or speech addressed to your boss, explain why you deserve a raise in pay. Be sure to provide specific information to justify the proposed pay increase. Some people dismiss science fiction or fantasy as a purely juvenile form of amusement, an escape from problems and issues in the real world.

  9. 50 Persuasive Essay Topics to Help You Ace Your Next Assignment

    Tips for Writing a Persuasive Essay. Once you've chosen your topic, it's time to start writing your persuasive essay. Here are our tips: Choose a Side. When you've picked the question you're going to address in your essay, you also need to choose one side - or answer - that you're going to write in favor of.

  10. Persuasive Essay Guide: How to Write a Persuasive Essay

    Persuasive writing begins with a writer forming their own opinion on a topic, which they then attempt to convince their reader of this opinion by walking them through a number of logical and ethical arguments. Articles. Videos. Instructors. The last time you wrote a persuasive essay may have been in high school or college, but the skill of ...

  11. How to Write a Persuasive Essay (This Convinced My Professor!)

    The 5 Must-Have Steps of a Persuasive Essay. If you're intimidated by the idea of writing an argument, use this list to break your process into manageable chunks. Tackle researching and writing one element at a time, and then revise your essay so that it flows smoothly and coherently with every component in the optimal place. 1.

  12. 310 Prompts for Argumentative Writing

    You can use these prompts however you like, whether to inspire an entry for our new Open Letter Contest, to hone your persuasive writing skills or simply to share your opinions on the issues of ...

  13. 101 Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

    40 Strong Persuasive Writing Examples (Essays, Speeches, Ads, and More) Learn from the experts. Read More. 100 Thought-Provoking Argumentative Writing Prompts for Kids and Teens. Practice making well-reasoned arguments using research and facts. Read More. Author spotlight. Posted By Jill Staake, ...

  14. 100 Persuasive Writing Prompts for Writers aged 8 to 18

    25 Young Adult Persuasive Essay Prompts. These quick writing prompts for students aged 15 to 17 will have you scribbling away to get your point across! All students should learn how to make YouTube videos. People should pay extra tax when they buy drinks in plastic bottles.

  15. PDF Strategies for Essay Writing

    Harvard College Writing Center 5 Asking Analytical Questions When you write an essay for a course you are taking, you are being asked not only to create a product (the essay) but, more importantly, to go through a process of thinking more deeply about a question or problem related to the course. By writing about a

  16. Persuasive Essay Prompts for High School Students

    You may want to share the following five steps with your class to teach them how to write this style of essay—and then use the 23 persuasive essay topics for high school students listed below to help them get started! 1. Choose a Clear Position. Before you begin writing and researching, choose the position you want to take.

  17. 23 Persuasive writing Topics for High School students

    Year Long Inference Based Writing Activities. Tap into the power of imagery in your classroom to master INFERENCE as AUTHORS and CRITICAL THINKERS. This YEAR-LONG 500+ PAGE unit is packed with robust opportunities for your students to develop the critical skill of inference through fun imagery, powerful thinking tools, and graphic organizers.

  18. 40 Persuasive Writing Examples (Essays, Speeches, and More)

    Teaching students to write strong persuasive essays should always start with reading some top-notch models. This round-up of persuasive writing examples includes famous speeches, influential ad campaigns, contemporary reviews of famous books, and more. Use them to inspire your students to write their own essays. (Need persuasive essay topics?

  19. How to Start a Persuasive Essay: Tips & Examples

    How to Start a Strong Persuasive Essay: Main Tips. Tip 1: Brainstorm Your Topic. Tip 2: Provide Hook. Tip 3: Create Context. Tip 4: Write a Thesis Statement. Tip 5: Start Briefly. Tip 6: Be Convincing. Persuasive Essay Introduction Examples. How to Start Off a Persuasive Essay About Debates: Example.

  20. Sentence Starters for Persuasive Writing

    Persuasive writing is a type of non-fiction writing that aims to persuade the reader to agree with a point of view outlined in a text or complete an action based on what they have read. There are many different forms of persuasive writing seen within our daily lives, including newspaper articles, essays, brochures, and reviews.

  21. Persuasive Writing Prompts

    What is K5? K5 Learning offers free worksheets, flashcards and inexpensive workbooks for kids in kindergarten to grade 5. Become a member to access additional content and skip ads. These writing prompts ask students to write a persuasive essay for a particular audience.

  22. Welcome to the Purdue Online Writing Lab

    The Online Writing Lab at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue. Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects. Teachers and trainers may use this material for in-class and out ...

  23. How to Write a Persuasive Essay?

    Writing a winning persuasive essay involves more than presenting arguments and facts. You need to carefully craft a narrative that appeals to your reader's logic, emotions, and ethical values. By tapping into AI tools like Smodin AI, you can outline strategies, conduct research, and expedite the writing process with just a few simple prompts ...

  24. Mastering Formal Tone in Persuasive Essays

    Finally, consistency is the linchpin of maintaining a formal and persuasive tone throughout your essay. This applies to all aspects of your writing—tone, tense, point of view, and style.

  25. Aithor: Online essay and paper

    To write a perfect essay, you should start by thoroughly researching your topic, organizing your ideas, drafting your essay, and rigorously proofreading and revising your work. You can also use Aithor.com's AI-powered writing service to help you generate high-quality content quickly and easily.

  26. Book Review: 'The Mother of All Things,' by Alexis Landau

    Despite some moments that feel forced and overly earnest, particularly in the ancient narrative and the Nikitas story line, Landau's writing is accessible, specific, lush and transporting.