Introduction to Chapter 13

Have you ever tried to persuade or convince a reader to do something? This chapter explores persuasive writing. The chapter will help you understand how to write a persuasive piece that addresses opposing ideas while recognizing your own personal bias.

13.1     Understanding Persuasive Writing

Persuasion is a common purpose in writing. When a writer develops a persuasive piece, their goal is to convince, motivate, or move readers toward a certain point of view, or opinion. The act of trying to persuade tells us that more than one opinion on the subject can be argued. This means persuasion often connects to opposing viewpoints or multiple perspectives. When someone writes a persuasive piece, they are presenting an opinion on a subject.

The idea of an argument often brings to mind the images of two people yelling and screaming in anger. In writing, however, an argument is different. An argument is a reasoned opinion supported and explained by evidence. To argue in writing is to advance knowledge and ideas in a positive way. Written arguments often fail when they employ ranting rather than reasoning.

Most of us feel inclined to try to win the arguments we engage in. On some level, we all want to be right, and we want others to see the error of their ways. More times than not, however, arguments in which both sides try to win end up producing losers all around. The more productive approach is to persuade your audience to consider your opinion as a valid one, not simply the right one.

13.2     How to Write a Persuasive Piece

There are many ways to write a paper that involves persuasive writing. The following list will assist you in developing a persuasive piece. 

1. Write about a subject you feel passionate about. If your instructor requires you to write about a specific topic, approach the subject from an angle that interests you.
2. Read and prepare as much as you can about the topic. Search for sources and evidence that both supports and counters your argument.
3. Begin your paper with an engaging introduction. Your main point should typically appear somewhere in your introduction, in which you identify your main ideas and then outline the argument that will follow.
4. Begin with the most important points, because this will immediately captivate your readers and compel them to continue reading. Provide explanations and evidence to support your points: use sound, credible evidence. Use a balance of facts and opinions from a wide range of sources, such as scientific studies, expert testimony, statistics, and personal anecdotes. Each piece of evidence should be fully explained and clearly stated.
5. Identify opposing points of view and provide a thorough, evidence-informed, convincing argument challenging these views. Acknowledging and explaining points of view that may conflict with your own helps build credibility and trust in your audience. You should also state the limits of your argument. This demonstrates that you are reasonable and honest to those who may naturally be inclined to disagree with your view. By respectfully acknowledging opposing arguments and conceding limitations to your own view, you set a measured and responsible tone.
6. Write a conclusion that effectively summarizes the main argument and reinforces your thesis. You will want to leave the reader with a strong impression or a call to action, which encourages them to take action after reading.

13.3     More about Acknowledging Opposing Ideas

Because an argument implies differing points of view on the subject, you must be sure to acknowledge those opposing ideas. Avoiding ideas that conflict with your own gives the reader the impression that you may be uncertain, fearful, or unaware of opposing ideas. Thus it is essential that you not only address counterarguments but also do so respectfully.

Try to address opposing arguments earlier rather than later in your essay. Ordering your positive arguments last allows you to better address ideas that conflict with your own, so you can spend the rest of the essay countering those arguments. This way, you leave your reader thinking about your argument rather than someone else’s. You have the last word.

Acknowledging points of view different from your own also has the effect of fostering more credibility between you and the audience. They know from the outset that you are aware of opposing ideas and that you are not afraid to give them space.

It is also helpful to establish the limits of your argument and what you are trying to accomplish. In effect, you are conceding early on that your argument is not the ultimate authority on a given topic. Such humility can go a long way toward earning credibility and trust with an audience. Audience members will know from the beginning that you are a reasonable writer, and audience members will trust your argument as a result.

For example, in the following concessionary statement, the writer advocates for stricter gun control laws, but she admits it will not solve all of our problems with crime:

Such a concession will be welcome by those who might disagree with this writer’s argument in the first place. To effectively persuade their readers, writers need to be modest in their goals and humble in their approach to get readers to listen to the ideas. Words and phrases to show concession include although, though, granted that, of course, still, and yet.

13.4     Bias in Writing

Everyone has various biases on any number of topics. For example, you might have a bias toward wearing black instead of brightly colored clothes or wearing jeans rather than formal wear. You might have a bias toward working at night rather than in the morning, or working by deadlines rather than getting tasks done in advance. These examples identify minor biases, of course, but they still indicate preferences and opinions.

Handling bias in writing and in daily life can be a useful skill. It will allow you to articulate your own points of view while also defending yourself against unreasonable points of view. The ideal in persuasive writing is to let your reader know your bias, but do not let that bias blind you to the primary components of good argumentation: sound, thoughtful evidence and a respectful and reasonable address of opposing sides.

The strength of a personal bias is that it can motivate you to construct a strong argument. If you are invested in the topic, you are more likely to care about the piece of writing. Similarly, the more you care, the more time and effort you are apt to put forth and the better the final product will be.

The weakness of bias is when the bias begins to take over the essay—when, for example, you neglect opposing ideas, exaggerate your points, or repeatedly insert yourself ahead of the subject by using I too often. Being aware of all three of these pitfalls will help you avoid them.

Licenses and Attributions

CC Licensed Content, Shared Previously:

• Introduction to chapter 13 and sections 13.1 and 13.3  were adapted from Writing for Success authored by the University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing through the eLearning Support Initiative. License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0;
• Section 13.2 was adapted from The Scholarship of Writing in Nursing Education: 1st Canadian Edition by Jennifer Lapum, Oona St-Amant, Michelle Hughes, Andy Tan, Arina Bogdan, Frances Dimaranan, Rachel Frantzke, and Nada Savicevic, license: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
• Sections 13.4  was adapted from Writing for Success authored by the University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing through the eLearning Support Initiative. License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0; Writing for Success by University of Minnesota, license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License,
• Image titled “Politican Holding Loudspeaker” by Mikhail Nilov, free use permitted