Free Persuasive Essays

Students often have a basic grasp of argumentation-persuasion by the time they take composition classes in college; however, they still need to understand the complex nuances of constructing an effective argumentation-persuasion. Therefore, this article will take them step by step through the process.

Before moving into the different purposes and writing contexts for writing argumentation-persuasion essays, you should be aware of the difference between argumentation and persuasion. Basically, the purpose for each type of writing is the same: to convince a reader to take on the writer’s way of thinking or embrace the writer’s proposed course of action.

Persuasion and Argumentation

Argumentation, though, appeals to logic and reasoning appeals to the reader, while persuasion appeals to the reader’s emotions or beliefs. Despite these technical differences, which you should be aware of, the distinctions between the two tend to be blurred; hence, the connection between argumentation and persuasion in the lesson’s content. You can expect, therefore, to find most writers using both logical reasoning and emotional appeals as they craft their argumentation-persuasion essays. Like a lawyer in a courtroom, your job is to convince the reader to accept your line of reasoning by using a blend of logic and emotion.

As you now know, argumentation-persuasion’s main purpose is to convince the audience to adopt the writer’s way of thinking. For example, a letter to the editor may try to persuade the newspaper’s readers to write to their representatives to increase funding for public education. Or a magazine advertisement may try to convince the magazine’s readers to buy a certain brand of shampoo. There are many forums for the pattern of argumentation-persuasion, and you’ll be surprised how many places you can recognize this pattern being used.

In some cases, you may have to accept that you cannot entirely convince your readers to accept your argument. In such a scenario, you may instead have success in either reducing your reader’s objections to the issue or convincing your reader that your argument raises some good points. Assessing your audience, then, is crucial when you begin planning your argumentation-persuasion audience.

Persuasive Essay Content

As you move through college, you will find that argumentation will play an important part in your courses of study. Most professors aren’t content with having students simply restate their main lecture points; instead, many require that you analyze that information and then draw your own conclusions. In academic settings, then, you will be relying more on logic and less, if at all, on emotional appeals. As you move into your upper level courses, you will find that essay exams especially emphasize the art of argumentation. Therefore, your English professor will ask you to analyze a book’s character and argue whether or not that character was key to the book’s plot development; a psychology professor could ask you to analyze postpartum depression and argue for or against the use of prescriptions in helping to treat the patient; and so on.