Persuasive Essays

Today, we are going to discuss persuasive essays and take some notes on what makes a good argument. 

 

Persuasive Essays/Debates

Anchor Text(s)/Additional Instructional Resources:

“Doing Nothing is Something” by Anna Quindlen – in textbook page 638

Political Ads – “Daisy” and “America’s Back” – in textbook page 738

“Abolishing the Penny Makes Good Sense” by Alan S. Blinder – in textbook by 646

“A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift

“Writing Workshop: Argument: Persuasive Essay” – page 742

 

Unit Learning goal: Students will be able to research, write and perform an original persuasive essay that takes a side on an issue and successfully argues for that side.    

Scale/Rubric relating to learning goal:

4 – The student can write and perform an original persuasive speech that that takes a side on an issue and successfully argues for that side using all six elements of persuasion.  The writing and performance are both exemplarily effective. 

3 – The student is able to write an original and perform an original persuasive essay that takes a side on an issue and successfully argues for that side.   

2 – With some direction/help from the teacher the student is able to write and perform an original persuasive essay that takes a side on an issue and/or successfully argues for that side.   

 1 – Even with help from the teacher the student is unable to write and/or perform an original persuasive essay that takes a side on an issue and successfully argues for that side.    

Objectives (smaller chunks of overall goal) and suggested time periods

OBJECTIVES:  By the end of this unit students will be able to

1)    Define the following terms: Logos, Ethos, Pathos, Thesis Statement, Order of Development, Conclusion, Transition, Audience, Hook, Purpose, Evidence

2)    List the six traits of writing and the six steps in the writing process.

3)    Properly outline the constructive for a debate and rebut opponents points/arguments

4)    Participate in Spar and Forum debate

5)    Watch a national debate and evaluate and explain who won by keeping a flow chart of arguments and rebuttals

6)    Choose a topic about a controversial issues and take one side of argument

7)    List the Do’s and Don’ts of persuasive argument

8)    Write a clear and precise thesis statement with an order of development

9)    Properly cite sources both in-text and on a works cited page

10) Find evidence from a variety of different sources including Print Sources, Internet Sources, Media Sources, and Personal Sources

11) Use the Internet to properly to conduct research 

12) Create at least 10 Bibliography citations and 10 research entries

13) Use research notes to cite passages from sources

14) Use evidence to back up your position

15) Use your order of development as an organizational tool

16) Use transitions to connect points of argument

17) Use Standard Edited American English

18) Use Proper College Composition Format

19) Use the six steps of the writing process to draft and revise a paper

20) Write three drafts of a persuasive essay using at least three sources of evidence

21) Present the final draft of your essay as an oration to class

 

ASSIGNMENTS: Participate in a Debate Tournament, Watch a National High School Debate and keep a flow chart, create 10 MLA citations and source cards, write a persuasive speech and deliver it as an oration. 

	4	3	2	Not Evident
Thesis Statement, Ideas, Defining your argument	Ideas are fresh and original.  Thesis is narrow and manageable. Order of development clear and precise and helps development one clear main idea.  Hook and thesis connect.   Clear important details for support	Ideas are clear but might be overused.  Topic/ Thesis is fairly board.  Order of develop may ramble and may not back up thesis.  Hook is present but may not connect with thesis.  Support is attempted but not quite fulfilled with specifics.	Paper lacks a central idea or purpose.  Ideas are not developed or seem to go in several directions.  Information is limited or unclear.  Details are missing.	Not Evident
Organization	Original title. Transitions connect main ideas. Effective opening and ending.  Easy to follow.  Important ideas stand out.  Clear beginning, middle and end.  Details fit where placed.	Appropriate title.  Transitions connect sentence to sentence but not necessary idea to idea.  Good beginning.  Attempted ending.  Logical sequencing.  Key ideas are beginning to surface.  Readable.	Paper is hard to follow because transitions are weak or absent.  There is no clear beginning or ending.  Ideas may not fit together or ramble.  Paragraph structure might not be evident.	Not Evident
Voice	Point of view is evident Clear sense of audience Enthusiastic about topic.  Says more than is expected.  Words elicit both ideas and emotions.  Work is engaging and persuades	Personal treatment of standard topic.  Perspective becomes evident.  Some sense of audience.  Conveys ideas to reader.  The writer likes the topic, but is not passionate about it.  Writing persuades in some places	Paper is lifeless, mechanic, stilted.  Predictable treatment of topic.  Energy lacking.  Audience could be anyone.  Writer is indifferent to the topic.  Does not persuade at all.	Not evident
Word Choice	Precise, fresh, original words.  Vivid images.  Avoids repetitions, clichés, and vagueness.  Use of figurative language.  Everyday words are used well.	Uses favorite words correctly.  Experiments with new words.  Attempts to use descriptive words to create images.	Ordinary and recognizable words.  Language is generic or cliché.  Uses repetitions or relies on slang.  Overuse of “to be” verbs.	Not Evident
Sentence Fluency	Consistent use of sentence variety.  Sentence structure is correct and creative.  Varied beginnings, varied structures, and varied lengths.  Natural flow and rhythm.  Writing is not wordy. Rhetorical strategies such as parallelism used effectively.	Sentences are usually correct, but some may not flow smoothly.  Simple and compound sentences are present.  Varied beginning.  Sections have rhythm and flow.  Writing could be cut to avoid wordiness. Rhetorical strategies such as parallelism attempted.	Sentences are choppy, incomplete, rambling or awkward.  Meanings are not always clear.  Words are strung together.  Sentences could be extremely wordy.	Not Evident
Mechanics	There may be occasional errors in mechanics (spelling, fragments, run-ons, punctuation, capitalization, usage, etc.).  However, it is hard to find errors.	Errors in writing mechanics are noticeable but do not impair readability.	Numerous errors in usage, grammar, spelling, capitalization, and/or punctuation distract reader and impair readability.	Not Evident
Uses of Persuasive Tools/Evidence Expert Testimony Personal Connection Statistics, Facts, and Logic Counter Argument (Counter claims) Audience Self-Interest	Essay cites at least two experts in a field related to the topic.  Evidence is relevant to thesis.  Analysis makes clear how the evidence connects to the thesis.  (Ethos and Logos) Student uses personal experience to connect to the topic (ethos).  Experience is relevant and analyzed in relation to the topic. Student uses statistics, facts, and logical argumentation in essay.  The evidence is relevant to the thesis.  Analysis makes clear how the evidence connects and defends the thesis. (Logos) Student has at least two counter arguments that refutes or contends an argument of the opposition, or concedes a point.  The counterarguments are relevant, analyzed and connect evidence with thesis. (Logos and Ethos) Student uses HARMS and BENEFITS of adopting his/her position to influence audience self-interest (Pathos).  The harms/benefits are relevant and reinforce the thesis.	Essay cites at least two experts.  Evidence is relevant to thesis.  The analysis makes some connections between evidence and thesis. Student uses personal experience relevant to the topic.  Experience offers some insight into the topic and position of the writer. Student uses statistics and/or facts and/or logical argumentation in the essay.  The evidence is relevant to the thesis.  The analysis makes some connections between evidence and thesis. Student has at least one counter argument that refutes or concedes an argument of the opposition.  The counterargument is relevant, and analyze. Student uses HARMS or BENEFITS of adopting his/her or her position to influence audience self-interest.  The harm or benefit is relevant and might connect to the thesis.	Essay cites at least one expert.  Evidence might not be relevant to thesis.  No analysis or no connection made between evidence and thesis Student attempts to use personal connection.  Connection may not be relevant to the topic. Student attempts to use statistics and/or facts.  Evidence may not be relevant to thesis or the analysis is confusing or oversimplified. Student attempts a counter argument.  The counter argument might not be relevant to the thesis or the analysis might be confusing or oversimplified. Student attempts to use HARMS or BENEFITS to influence audience.  The harm or benefit might not be relevant or the analysis might be confusing or oversimplified. .	Not Evident Not Evident Not Evident Not Evident Not Evident
References and Sources	More than five sources.  All sources of information are noted in correct in-text citation (MLA format) and correct Works Cited page.	Three to five sources. Some sources of information are noted incorrectly or not in MLA format.  Minor problems with Works Cited page.	Less than three sources.  Most information noted incorrectly.  MLA format completely missing.  Many problems with Works Cited page.	Not Evident