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Opinion vs. Argument vs. Persuasion

“Opinion” is the Common Core label given to

argument writing in Grades K-5. It is the stepping
stone to argument.

“Argument” is the label used in Grades 6-12. It

refers to logical arguments which are convincing
because of their merit and reasonableness, rather
than emotion or the credentials of the writer.

“Persuasion” conveys an appeal to the reader’s

self-interest or emotions.
 Forms of Persuasive Writing
• Advertisements
• Editorials
• Speeches
• Propaganda
• Reviews
• Blogs
• Persuasive Essays
 Persuasive Writing can be used
to…
Purpose Persuasive Statement
• Support a cause • “Please support my
football team by buying
discount coupons.”
• Urge people to action • “Vote for Sarah!”

• Make a change • “The principal should let

us wear hats.”
• Prove something wrong • “Cell phones don’t cause
brain cancer.”
Persuasive Writing can be used
to…
Purpose Persuasive Statement
• Stir up sympathy • “If you don’t adopt this dog, it
could have to live in a shelter.”
• Create interest • “Better grades get you a
better job and more money.”

• Get people to agree • “I am sure you’ll agree that

with you Milky Way is the best candy
bar.”
The Persuasive Essay
 First…Know Your Audience…
• Before you start writing, you should know your
audience:
– Who will read your writing? Who do you need to
convince?
– The audience may be your friends, your teacher, your
parents, your principal, the readers of a newspaper or
the President of the United States!
– Will you be graded? On What?
– Should you be casual or professional?
 Second… Pick a side!
• The writer must clearly state his/her position and
stay with that position. Pick a side!

• Generally, the position is stated in the opening

paragraph or introduction.
Three: Do Your Research…
In order to convince
the reader you need
more than just an
opinion; you need
facts or examples (the
text provided) to back
your opinion. So, be
sure to do the
research! Then use
text evidence you find! Walsh Publishing Co. 2009
 Four: MAKE A PLAN, then write!
The 6 Paragraph Essay:
1. Introduction/Hook/Thesis
2. Argument 1 with support
3. Argument 2 with support
4. Argument 3 with support
5. Show the counter-argument
and make an argument against it
6. Conclusion
More Practice
Use the Opinion/ Argumentative Map to
complete the activity on Frozen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4tp4nB
HG1E
Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer

Richard Roeper thought Frozen was a good

movie.

Gorgeous animation
Memorable characters
Filled with action, heart, and energy
http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=f4tp4nBHG1E
Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer

Richard Roeper thought Frozen was a good

movie.
Gorgeous animation
Vibrant colors
3-D Animation

Memorable characters
Anna, is Elsa’s adoring sister
Anna’s sister, Elsa is the Ice Queen
Snowman Olaf is scene stealer & comic relief
Filled with action, heart, and energy
Adventure story
Show stopping songs
 DOs and DON’Ts of Persuasive
Writing:
• Do: • Don’t :
• Divide into 5 paragraphs • Don’t begin with “Hello my
• Have a thesis statement in name is___ and I’m going
your introduction to write about____”
• Come up with 3 main • Don’t use the word “I “
points to support your (Instead of “I think we
argument—these will be shouldn’t wear uniforms”
your 3 body paragraphs say “Uniforms shouldn’t be
• Show the “counter - required.”
argument” • Don’t be wishy-washy.
• Have a conclusion that Pick a side!
has a “clincher statement” • Don’t forget to support
• Come up with a catchy your opinions with facts
title and example s
Text Structure of a Persuasive Essay
 The Great Introduction…
What makes an good introduction?
• It grabs or “hooks” the reader’s attention by
using one or more of the following strategies:
– An anecdote or scenario
– A quotation
– An interesting fact or statistic
– A question
• It tells how the writing will be organized.
• The author’s position is clearly stated in a thesis
statement.
 Lead / Hook
Grab the Reader’s Attention
I walked proudly through the hallways of AMS,
Anecdote (narrative my new blue mohawk glistening magnificently in
the florescent lighting of the hallway, but then I
vignette) saw Mr. Caruthers. I felt the wax in my hair start
to melt.
Do schools have the right to tell kids how to
Question dress?

For the past 300 years in this country, schools

Hyperbole have been crushing the artistic freedom of
students with oppressive dress codes!
At Centerville Middle School, a controversy is
Setting brewing. Walk down the hallways, and amidst a
tranquil sea of khaki pants and navy blue polo
shirts, the blades of a fuchsia mohawk cut
through the peaceful learning environment.
Timeless. Tasteful. Tried and true. The
Alliterative Phrase traditional school uniform is the foundation of a
true learning environment.
“Give me liberty or give me death.”
Quotation
 You Could Start with a Riddle:
• Get your reader’s attention with a challenging
thought.
• “What’s plain, and boring? What makes all
students in a school building look the same and
lose their individuality? If you guessed
UNIFORMS, you’re correct!”
 You Could Begin with a Strong
Statement:
• Example:
• Fast food consumption has risen 500
percent since 1970 and today reaches
nearly every part of society, including
some public school cafeterias.
 You Could Open with a
Quotation:
• Example:
University of Delaware professor states:

“Advertising, including television ads, billboards, and other advertising,

including toys in boxed meals, has had an effect upon children as
never before.
Children these days are growing up with low concern for their health
and
more concern for what tastes good.”
 You Could Open with a interesting
fact:
• Example:
• “Did you know that a typical child needs 2,000 calories
for an entire day and Burger King’s Whopper with triple
cheese has 1,230 calories?”
 You Could Open with an
Anecdote:
• An anecdote can provide an amusing and attention-getting
opening if it is short and to the point.

• “My hands felt sticky after pulling open the doors to “Big Bobby’s
Boisterous Burger Hut”. The odor smelled of fried everything. I
ordered a Big Bobby Combo #2. There was enough food to serve
a small third world country on my tray. I nibbled at the ¾ pound
burger and my chin was covered in a mayonnaise and ketchup
concoction. I asked the server if I could have a few fries with my
salt. I left the place feeling like my stomach was mad at me.”
 You Could Open with a Fact or
Statistic:
• Example:

• Thirty percent of the children in the survey ate fast food

on any given day during the survey, and they ate an
average of 187 calories a day more than those who did
not eat fast food. These additional calories could account
for an extra six pounds of weight gain per year,
according to Ludwig.
 You Could Open with a
Question:
• I wonder how many times I have eaten
fast food this month?
 Open with an Outrageous
Statement:
• Example:
• “Fast food is killing America!”
 Next: Creating a Thesis
Statement
• A thesis statement is one sentence at the end of your
introduction that states your opinion. It needs to be strong.
• First, choose 3 main focus points to discuss in your essay.
These points will become the focus of three paragraphs in
the body of your paper.
Let’s use fast food as an example again.
Fast food…(3 Discussion Points)
• rapidly increases weight
• causes high blood pressure
• leads to sluggishness
 A thesis statement should
• contain a topic (main idea of
what you are writing about)
• contain an opinion about the
topic (what your attitude is
toward the topic)
 A thesis statement should not be
too broad.

• Too Broad
• The world is a magnificent place to live.

• Better
• Good teachers make Highlands Middle
School a fantastic school.
Which sentence is too broad to be
a good thesis statement?

A. One reason to live in White

Plains is because it is very close
to New York City.
B. Mountain City is a great place to
live.
 Too Board

• White Plains is a great place to

live.
 A thesis statement should not be
too wordy.
Wordy
• Some problems with Highlands Middle School
are that it needs a larger playground, an air
conditioned gym,, restrooms connected to each
classroom, running water in the classrooms, and
a number of other physical changes to the
building.

Better
• Highlands Middle School needs several changes
to its facility to make it a better school.
Which sentence is too wordy to be
a good thesis statement?
A. Abe Lincoln was one of the best
presidents the United States has ever
known.
B. Abe Lincoln was an excellent speaker, the
16th President of the United States, a
liberator of slaves, and united the North
and South at the end of the American Civil
War.
 Too Wordy
• Abe Lincoln was an excellent speaker, the
16th President of the United States, a
liberator of slaves, and united the North
and South at the end of the American Civil
War.
 A thesis statement should not be
too general.
• Too general
• Highlands Middle School is a good school.

• Better
• Daily writing practice has led to improved
writing skills for the students at Highlands
Middle School.
 Which sentence is too general to
be a good thesis statement?

A. Music makes people happy.

B. Music therapy is useful in
relieving stress and other
conditions.
A thesis statement should not be a
title.
• A title
• Cost of Living

• Better
• The cost of living in White Plains is higher
than in many other cities in the United States.
 Which sentence would not be a
good thesis statement because it is
a title?

A. Good teaching has led to an

increase in ELA scores at
Highlands Middle School.
B. Rising ELA Scores at Highlands
Middle School.
 A Title

• Rising ELA Scores at Highlands

Middle School
A thesis statement should not be a
a fact.
• A fact
• The average temperature for White Plains in
winter is in the 20’s and in summer is in the
80’s.

• Better
• The climate in White Plains is ideal for
outdoor sports almost all year round.
 Which sentence would not be a
good thesis statement because it is
a fact?

A. The recycling of one aluminum

can saves enough energy to run
a TV for three hours.
B. Recycling is one of the most
important jobs a person can do to
protect our environment.
 A Fact

• The recycling of one aluminum

can saves enough energy to run
a TV for three hours.
More Practice
Directions:
1) Find the opinion words in the statement. If there
are no opinion words, it is not a thesis statement.
2) Tell if the statement is a good thesis statement.

• Although most people believe

otherwise, bats are harmless and
highly beneficial.
Directions:
1) Find the opinion words in the statement. If there
are no opinion words, it is not a thesis statement.
2) Tell if the statement is a good thesis statement.

• In this essay I will discuss the

crime rate in Mountain City.
Directions:
1) Find the opinion words in the statement. If there
are no opinion words, it is not a thesis statement.
2) Tell if the statement is a good thesis statement.

• Energetic exercise is a good way

to help relieve stress.
 Writing the Thesis Statement
• Now take your three main focus points and
summarize them. Put your completed thesis
statement at the end of your first paragraph.

THREE MAIN FOCUS POINTS

• I believe fast food is harmful because it rapidly increases
weight, causes high blood pressure, and leads to
lethargy.

COMPLETED THESIS STATEMENT

• I believe fast food has negative health effects.
 Thesis and Forecast

A thesis statement is always one sentence

that states your assertion (belief) about a
topic. A thesis statement usually includes
a forecast (brief preview of your
arguments).

(I believe) ____________________
because of argument 1, argument 2, and
argument 3.
 Which of the following is a good
thesis statement?
• I believe we must stop wasting food now!
• The problem of food waste can easily be solved by
implementing three simple steps: reduce, reuse,
recycle.
• If you aren’t reducing, reusing, and recycling, you
should.
• I believe wasting food is a huge problem. We need to
reduce our food waste. For example, make a shopping
list before you go to the store, and only buy things you
truly need. You shouldn’t buy a gallon of milk if you are
only going to drink a quart of it during the week. Who
cares if the gallon size is on sale?
 Our Introductory Paragraph:
CATCHY TITLE

Fast Food Is Killing America!

HOOK THE READER

Did you know that a typical child needs 2,000 calories

for an entire day and Burger King’s Whopper with triple
cheese has 1,230 calories? That is far more calories than
anyone needs in one day! Fast food consumption has risen
500 percent since 1970 and today reaches nearly every part
of society, including some public school cafeterias. Fast
food is harmful because it rapidly increases weight, causes
high blood pressure, and leads to sluggishness. Fast food is
bad for your health!
YOUR THREE ARGUMENTS
THESIS STATEMENT Walsh Publishing Co. 2009
Let’s Practice
 Pair Up!

• With your shoulder partner or teacher assigned

partner, read the article “Bag Battle.” As you
read, highlight information that could be used to
support an argument.
• Using the graphic organizer supplied by your
teacher and your writing folder information on
introductions, create an introduction with a hook
and well-structured thesis together. Write this in
the “My Opinion” section of your map.
 Let’s Share!
• Several pairs will read their introductions
to the class to check for accuracy and
feedback.
 A persuasive essay convinces readers to
agree with the writer’s opinion
• The lead/hook captures the reader’s attention
• The thesis states the writer’s assertion (belief)
about the topic
• The supporting arguments (logos, pathos, ethos)
convince the reader that the thesis is correct
• Optional counter arguments respond to reader
concerns and objections
• The conclusion restates the thesis (comes back
to the point)
 Elaboration
• Elaboration is like the skeletal system of
the body. Without it, your paper is just a
blob of an idea.
 Supporting Arguments
Logical Appeal (Logos)—Does the author’s
proposal make sense?
Ethical Appeal (Ethos)– Is the author’s
proposal the right thing to do?
Emotional Appeal (Pathos)—Will accepting
the author’s proposal make me feel
better?
 Types of Supporting Arguments
Logos—an appeal to logic

• Often contain expert testimony

• Often contain statistical information
• Suggest that the product is the “logical” or “right” choice
 Types of Supporting Arguments

Ethos-an appeal to do the “right” thing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Sam http://marvel.com/images/gallery/story/15172/images_from_own_a_piece_of_the_captain_america_movie/image/857368
Types of Supporting Arguments

Pathos-an appeal to the emotions

http://46664.net/56/aspca-the-american-society-for-the-prevention-of-cruelty-to-animals/
 Not all emotional arguments are sad!

http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1912454,00.htm lhttp://www.heroestheseries.com/masi-oka-and-hayden-panettiere-got-milk-ads/
 Three Supporting
Paragraphs:
• Use each of the main arguments you used
in your introductory paragraph and expand
on each giving facts and reasons.
• In our example, you would write one
paragraph on how fast food increases
weight, one paragraph on how it causes
high blood pressure and one on how it
leads to sluggishness.

Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

 You’ll Need to Show “The Other
Side…”
• How many of you have been in a discussion
with someone and you remember saying,
“Yeah, that’s true, but…” This is called a
counter-argument. It’s the “other side” of the
argument.
• You’ll need to tell your reader what the counter-
argument is and prove why it shouldn’t matter.
• Let’s take a look using our example of fast
food…
Let’s Practice!
 Pair Up!
• Once again with your shoulder partner or
designated partner, look at the information you
highlighted earlier. Decide which information
supports your position. Then use that
information to help you develop three main
arguments to elaborate on in regards to your
claim.
• Write each reason in the spaces provided on
your map. Make sure your points are
completely varied/different than the other to
avoid redundancy.
 Textual Evidence
• Now record the textual evidence in the
spaces provided that will be used to
support the argument for each paragraph

• Then in the how is it relevant box explain

the relevance/connection between the
reason and the supporting detail
 The Other Side of the Story
• This is where you should explain why your opposition
believes what they believe.

• For example:

• “A fast food company wouldn’t agree with the points in

this essay. They would have lots of reasons why fast
food is good. They may say…”it’s convenient” or “It’s
fine if eaten in moderation.” These arguments just don’t
hold up when you take all the facts into consideration!

Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

 Counter Arguments
Address Reader Objections
• Oil companies should • Schools should make
not be allowed to drill overweight students
for oil in Alaska. eat diet meals for
school lunch.

http://factbank.blogspot.com/2012/05/alaska-facts.html http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/Overweight-in-Children_UCM_304054_Article.jsp
Let’s Practice!
 Pair Up!
• Once again with your shoulder partner or
designated partner, look at the information
you highlighted earlier. Decide on which
one of your points you can turn into a
counter claim.
• Place an check by that reason to remind
you to this in the draft.
 Conclude or End Your Essay…
What makes an good conclusion?
 Last paragraph summarizes your main point.
 End using one or more of the following strategies:
– Call the reader to action
– Anecdote or scenario
– Make a Prediction
 The last paragraph wraps up the writing and gives
the reader something to think about.

Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Strategies for Conclusions
• Call to Action
– Ask the reader to do something or to make something
happen “I challenge you to watch what you eat and to
avoid fast food.”
• Provide a solution
– Provide an answer to the problem “Fast food doesn’t
have to be “bad food.” Make better choices like salads,
fruit and low fat treats.”
• Make a Prediction
– Explain what might be the consequences of action or
inaction “If people continue to eat lots of fast food, they
put their health at risk. If kids don’t make better choices
today, they won’t grow into healthy adults.”
Walsh Publishing Co. 2009
 Concluding Paragraph:
Restate your thesis.

In closing, it’s important to remember that too much

fast food can have negative effects on your health. If not
eaten in moderation, you can gain weight, suffer from high
blood
End with… pressure and become slow and sluggish. Is it worth
– A comment (Don’t make your body suffer!)
the
– A risk to (Are
question your body?
you willing to riskEat Healthy and Make good choices!
your health?)
– A call to action (I highly recommend you consider your options the next time your faced with a
decision about what to eat.)

Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

 Conclusion
Restate the Thesis and Commentary
• But one hundred years later, • And when this happens, when
the Negro still is not free. One we allow freedom to ring, when
hundred years later, the life of we let it ring from every village
the Negro is still sadly crippled and every hamlet, from every
by the manacles of state and every city, we will be
segregation and the chains of able to speed up that day
discrimination. One hundred when all of God's children,
years later, the Negro lives on black men and white men,
a lonely island of poverty in the Jews and Gentiles, Protestants
midst of a vast ocean of and Catholics, will be able to
material prosperity. One join hands and sing in the
hundred years later, the Negro words of the old Negro
is still languishing in the spiritual, "Free at last! free at
corners of American society last! thank God Almighty, we
and finds himself an exile in are free at last!"
his own land. So we have
come here today to dramatize
a shameful condition.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/16/i-have-a-dream-speech-text-martin-luther-king-jr_n_1207734.html
Let’s Practice!
 Pair Up!
• Once again with your shoulder partner or
designated partner, use the strategies
discussed to formulate an effective
conclusion to your essay.
• Write your conclusion in the space provided
on the map.
• Also, go back and add transitions over the
box for each reason and over the summary
box. Use your transition in your writing
folder.
Review: The Persuasive Essay:
• A Catchy Title
• Introductory paragraph with a “hook”, three
main arguments and a thesis statement.
• One paragraph for each of your
three arguments.
• Address the “counter-argument”
• Closing paragraph that re-states your thesis
and challenges the reader to think about it.

Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

 Don’t Forget…
• Make sure to read over your work
and edit for mechanics and
spelling.
• Use transitions for fluidity.
• Write neatly!
• Include detail and great
vocabulary.(strong verbs & vivid
adjectives).
• Follow proper format:
Indent between paragraphs, no
slang, formal tone.

Walsh Publishing Co. 2009

Let’s Review!
 What are the purposes of
argument writing?

• To change the reader‘s point of view

• To bring about some action on the
reader’s part
• To ask the reader to accept the writer’s
point of view on a concept, issue, or
problem
Argument Essay Model: Should schools
stop serving chocolate milk to their
students?
Schools should keep serving chocolate milk because kids
like it, it gives vitamins, and it gets kids in good habits.
Many kids are happy to see it in the cafeteria, their lunch
boxes, at their kitchen tables. Research shows that,
overall, chocolate milk is pretty good for kids.
It’s especially important that kids like chocolate milk. It
turns out that more kids drink milk, when they can get
chocolate milk. When you interview a lot of parents, like
Katie Couric did, they’ll say that their kids only drink milk
if they can get chocolate milk. So at least they’re drinking
milk. In a survey of students in this school, 84% said that
they would drink more milk if they had chocolate milk
available. Of those same students, 28% said that they
wouldn’t drink any milk at all unless it were chocolate.
Surprisingly, chocolate milk turns out to have vitamins.
A nutritionist from the Dairy Association, demonstrates
that chocolate milk is a good source of vitamin A, D, E,
and calcium. That’s a lot of vitamins and they’re in
something kids actually like to drink! In her information
session, the nutritionist is with kids who drink chocolate
milk. Their bright teeth and glossy hair illustrates that
kids who love chocolate milk will be that healthy.
There’s one more reason why chocolate milk should be
served in schools. A famous nutritionist argued that
chocolate milk has a lot less sugar and carbohydrates
than soda and power drinks like Gatorade. So if kids get
in the habit of drinking milk in school, then they’ll
probably skip the sodas outside of school. The
chocolate milk that is served in our school, for instance,
is low fat. So it is a lot better for kids than soda.
 Counter Claim
• It’s true that Jamie Oliver, a chef and enemy of chocolate milk,
argued that chocolate milk does have added sugar. Jamie is a
famous English chef who is involved with lunch for kids in schools in
Los Angeles. In a shocking video, Jamie shows a school bus filled
with sugar to show how much sugar school kids get from chocolate
milk. But there are a lot of school kids in the US, and if you divide
that busload up between all the kids, it will not be such a shocking
amount. And if you put next to it a bus filled with the vitamins A,D,E
and calcium that kids get, the picture might seem very different.
 Clearly, schools should keep serving
chocolate milk: it gets kids to drink milk, it gives
them vitamins, and it builds good habits. Personal
insider experience supports this claim. As a seventh
grader, this investigator was part of an experiment
to ban chocolate milk in his cafeteria. Seventh
graders, though, are allowed to go out for lunch.
With no chocolate milk, this luncheon seeker
started going out for pizza and coke. Gone were all
the vitamins and calcium. Jamie Oliver doesn’t
necessarily know what happens inside schools.
When something is taken away at lunch that is even
a little good for students, it’s not always replaced by
something better, or worse, anything at all. In fact,
the vitamins from chocolate milk may possibly be
the only ones some kids get in school lunch. So
keep chocolate milk, kids’ main source of vitamins,
good habits, and happiness.
Text Structure of a Persuasive Essay
 Audience and Author’s Purpose

• When writing persuasively, always remember the

interaction between the writer and the reader.
Specifically,
• The writer is trying to persuade a reader who
may be enthusiastic or resistant or simply
disinterested. Therefore,
• Persuasive writing must be well organized, but it
must also hook the reader, and then keep him or
her engaged with creative and authentic word
choice.