How To Start Off A Persuasive Essay: A Simple Tutorial
A persuasive essay is meant to get the reader to believe what you are saying to them. You have to try and get them on your side by the end of the paper. In the end, they should feel like you made good points in defense of your position and that you are correct, or at least that you could be correct. If you fail to accomplish this, then you have not persuaded them so your work has failed to do its job. Here are the first things you have to do when starting an essay like this.
What to Do
- Pick a topic
- Pick your position
- Think of 3 things that support your position
Pick a Topic
The first things you are going to want to do it pick out a topic that you like. The more passionate you are about the topic or, the more you enjoy it, the more you can write on it easily and make it seem persuasive to the reader. It is easier to persuade people on a topic you already know a lot about and have a strong opinion on. This will also connect you to the reader better often making them more responsive to you.
Pick Your Position
Once you have a good topic in mind, you have to decide if you are going to fight for the pro or con side of the argument. Again, if you have a strong opinion on which is right, then you should choose that side so that you can argue it firmly. The more you believe what you are saying, the more they will believe it too. Which side you are on will also decide what facts you use to defend your position. Keep this in mind when picking your side.
Think of 3 Things That Support Your Position
If you are working with the standard five paragraph essay, then you will need three points for the three body paragraphs to make and prove your point. You need to find three good reasons why your position is the right one of the two. You also need three facts to support your position as well. This is where you prove your point and make your argument for your position stable enough that the reader sides with your interpretation of the facts on the topic.
Doing these three things will help you in order to begin your paper and make it a good one as well. You need to be able to pick the right topic, side and facts to make the reader side with you by the end of your paper. Doing so is the whole point of a persuasive essay. The more you believe in the topic and position the more the reader will believe in what you are telling them so keep all of this in mind while you write and pick out your topic and position.