Persuasive Essay WritingStrategy: The Game Plan

USE YOUR IDEAS!!!

Step one

• Deconstructing the Prompt…• You need to separate the expository (or given)

information in a prompt from the question the testers are asking you to answer.

• Why? Because the scorers only care whether or not you can answer the question and persuasively argue your main points.

• They want your IDEAS!!!• They want you to stay on track!

Ideas…ideas…ideas….

• You need to think about what you are going to write about!• You need to organize your ideas about

what’s asked of you.• You need to argue the point and use

your ideas to persuade the reader!• IDEAS! IDEAS! IDEAS!• Ramen NoOdLes says…

Example Prompt

• Supernatural creatures have varying powers and abilities. All are forsaken and have the forces of evil on their side. In a battle to the end, which supernatural creature would be supreme: vampires or zombies?

Use a T-Chart to see which argument would be the best to use.

Powers and Abilities of Vampires Powers and Abilities of Zombies

StrengthInsatiable bloodlustTaste for bloodSpeedAgilityCunningLonerHave a will

StrengthInsatiable bloodlustTaste for human flesh and gray matterSlow, yet work in numbersNo will automatonsEasily grouped

I’m going with Vampires

• Now marshal your arguments for why you chose your answer to the question.

• I chose vampires because in my T-chart I found that they have superior abilities opposed to zombies.

• My main factors I will argue are that vampires have speed, cunning, and a will where zombies do not possess such strengths.

Second Pre-writing strategy. The Mind Map

Vampires would win

Vampire Advantages-speed

Strength

Will

Intro

Paragraph

Lack of Speed.

Not as powerful as vampires.

No will-Slave to their bloodlust.

P2-Zombie Disadvantages

In a battle between zombies

and vampires, vampires would

win.

Vampires not only have speed and agility on their side, they

also have a will.

This will to beat and kill zombies is what makes them better.

Zombies clearly have the

disadvantage when fighting

with a vampire.

Even their bigger numbers for an

attack would not be good against

vampires.

A zombie’s enslavement to his

or her bloodlust renders no will of

their own, and they wouldn’t beat

a vampire.

Put the first couple paragraphs together to see if you like the results!

This is the beginning to your rough draft. By putting your ideas from your T-Chart down into a bubble map pre-writing strategy, you can see how your first two paragraphs follow the logic of the prompt given.

STAY ON POINT!

My rough draft has poor word choice…

• In a battle between zombies and vampires, vampires would win. Vampires not only have speed and agility on their side, they also have a will. This will to beat and kill zombies is what makes them better.

• Zombies clearly have the disadvantage when fighting with a vampire. Even their bigger numbers for an attack would not be good against vampires. A zombie’s enslavement to his or her blood lust shows no will of their own, and they wouldn’t beat a vampire.

I’ve improved my word choice in paragraphs one and two though revision.

• In a battle between zombies and vampires, vampires would win. Vampires not only have speed and agility on their side, they also have a will. This will to defeat and kill zombies is their advantage.

• Zombies clearly have the disadvantage when engaged in battle with a vampire. Even their superior numbers for an attack would be useless against vampires. A zombie’s enslavement to his or her bloodlust renders no will of their own, thus an inability to execute a battle plan to defeat a vampire.

How to write your conclusion.

Main points in intro-paragraph.

Main points in body paragraph.

Combine for your conclusion.

Connect the dots of your essay to come up with your conclusion paragraph then put them all together.

Vampires are clearly superior on the evil power chain hierarchy.

Zombies lack of will, the inability to outsmart the vampire, and their constant distraction toward human prey would render them incapable of defeating the deadly cunning of a vampire.

When it comes to strength, speed, mental agility, and will, vampires will always defeat zombies in battle.

Ask yourself… “Did I answer the question? In a battle to the end, which supernatural creature would be supreme? Vampires or Zombies? “

• In a battle between zombies and vampires, vampires would be victorious. Vampires not only have speed and agility on their side, they also have a conscious will. This conscious will is their advantage to defeat and kill zombies. Vampires can make the choice, while zombies cannot.

• Zombies clearly have the disadvantage when engaged in battle with a vampire. Even their superior numbers for an attack would be useless against vampires. A zombie’s enslavement to his or her bloodlust renders no will of their own, thus an inability on the zombie’s part to execute a battle plan to defeat the vampire.

• Vampires are clearly superior on the evil power-chain hierarchy. Zombies lack of will, the inability to outsmart the vampire, and their constant distraction toward human prey would render them incapable of defeating the deadly cunning of a vampire. When it comes to strength, speed, mental agility, and will, vampires will always defeat zombies in battle.

What to write…

• You state your main essay point • You give details to why it is your

point. IDEAS!

Paragraph 1

• You extend your thoughts on why you are arguing your main point.

• You give more details to why. Stick with your ideas!

Paragraph 2

• You say your thesis again. Just don’t say it the same exact words you used in your introduction. You need to say it a different way.

• You reinforce your thesis by listing why.

Paragraph 3

Assignment :Brain blast your ideas! Break down the above prompt, use a T-chart, mind-map, and start your rough draft. Revise it, edit it, and turn this essay in on Friday. This prompt was used on a proficiency exam.

•Some people believe that boys and girls should go to different schools. Decide whether you think it is a good idea or not and persuade your readers to agree with your decision.

Ramen NoOdLes andBouillabaisse