Lecture on how to write an effective persuasive-style essay for high school students

1. NOTE: Parts of this presentation were adapted from California State University,
Bakersfield’s “How to Write an Essay”
https://www.csub.edu/~bhughes/writeessay80.ppt

2. Students will be able to identify the effective components of an essay and demonstrate their
understanding of these components by filling out guided notes during this lecture and completing the
activities.
Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.1
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and
sufficient evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.8
Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively;
assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively
to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

3. Before we begin…
Talk to your partner(s) and discuss…
What are the important parts
of an essay?

4. An essay includes the following:
1. Introduction
1. Contains the thesis statement
2. Supporting (Body) Paragraphs
1. May also include a
counterargument depending on
the type of essay
(Ex: persuasive)
3. Conclusion
1. Wraps up the main and
supporting ideas of the essay
Introduction
Body
Conclusion
Thesis

7.  The first paragraph of your essay
 Introduces the readers to your topic and argument (and why it matters)
 Provides background information of your topic
 Capture your reader’s attention!!
Parts of an Introduction
1. Opening sentence (The Hook or Attention Grabber)
2. Background Information of your Topic
3. Thesis Statement (Final Sentence of the Introduction)

8. The first sentence of your introduction
is your HOOK
That means…your HOOK needs to REEL
in readers to your essay
In other words…it needs to be
interesting!
 Ways to make an effective hook:
 Use an interesting quote
 Needs to relate to your topic
 Relate your essay topic to a truth about
the real world
 Ask a question relating to your essay
topic
Example Quote:
“Heroes are ordinary people that make themselves extraordinary” – Gerard way

9. Your thesis should do these things…
1. Introduce the topic to your readers
2. Reflect your argument/opinion about the topic
3. List the supporting reasons for your argument that also function as sub-topics for your body
paragraphs
Topic Opinion Reasons

10. Gnome-Phobia in America
1. In 2004, the Gnome Liberation Front (GLF) was created. This group of people believes that gnomes
should be free, not prisoners of their owner’s garden. 2. The GLF has now begun gnome-napping, the act of
stealing gnomes and “freeing them” in the wilderness; however, the law is unwilling to do anything. 3. Many
police state that the gnomes are not a serious enough offense to deal with and that they have larger crimes
to deal with. This is not acceptable. The law should be taking the gnome-napping more seriously because
people are committing a crime. 4. Gnome-napping is stealing personal property, and is illegal, morally
wrong, and disrespectful.
 1. Attention getter
 2. State your problem.
 3. Bridge or transition sentences
 4. Thesis statement
 **NOTE: This doesn’t mean your intro is 4 sentences long. It just has 4 parts.

12. If the thesis statement is a “skeleton”, then the body paragraphs are the “meat” of
your essay
 The body paragraphs of an essay take a main idea from the thesis statement and
expand upon it.
 Each body paragraph contains one main idea
 Contains details/supporting evidence to strengthen the main idea
 Provided evidence must be followed with an analysis that relates back to the main idea
 Arrange the main ideas in logical order (time, place, importance)
 Ends with a concluding sentence that transitions into the next main idea

13. Thesis Statement
Gnome-napping is stealing personal property, and is illegal, morally wrong, and disrespectful.
Body Paragraph 1
Topic Sentence: Gnome-napping is stealing someone’s personal property, and stealing is illegal.
Main Points: 1.
2.
3.
Body Paragraph 2
Topic Sentence: It is morally wrong to take anyone’s property, whether it is a gnome or a car.
Main Points: 1.
2.
3.
Body Paragraph 3
Topic Sentence: The GLF is incredibly disrespectful because they take items that don’t belong them.
Main Points: 1.
2.
3.

15.  Restate your thesis but in different words
 Sums up all of your arguments from the body paragraphs
 No new information should be introduced
 Leave the reader thinking about your topic. Leave an impression on them!
 Should follow logically from the body of the essay
 End with a “call to action”
 What do you want your readers to be inspired to do after reading your essay?

16. 1. What are some ways of writing an effective introduction?
2. What are some things that a thesis statement needs to do?
3. Each body paragraph begins with what?
4. What is a “call to action”?

17. Those whom we love immensely and wish to be by our side forever can be gone from our lives in an instant. Norwegian
Wood, a story that tells of this tragedy, is a famous novel written by renowned author Haruki Murakami in 1987. Murakami grew up in
Japan, a country with high rates of depression and suicide, and he has written other famous novels such as 1Q84, Kafka on the Shore, and
After Dark. It was not until he wrote Norwegian Wood, however, that he caught the world’s attention with his depiction of the impact of
losing a loved one. The novel tells the story of and is narrated by a college student, Toru, and how he reunites with an old friend, Naoko,
after the death of their best friend, Kizuki, years prior. As they spend time together and mourn over the loss of their best friend, their
relinquished connection slowly develops into a romantic relationship, but it is evident from the start that Kizuki’s death has a lasting
negative effect on their romance. Norwegian Wood is a novel that realistically portrays the intense emotions that follows the tragedy of a
loved one committing suicide and demonstrates how one individual’s death has serious and sometimes fatal effects for those involved
with the victim. The characters of Norwegian Wood, when faced with death and suicide, fall into despair in the event of losing a loved
one, and while some individuals may be strong enough to cope with this loss and move on, others sink deeper into despair, which leads to
fatal consequences.
Working with your partner(s)
1. Identify the hook, background information, and thesis statement in this introduction
2. Discuss whether this is an effective introduction or not, and why