Persuasive Letter—200 points
REQUIREMENTS

4-5 pages

Two quotes or paraphrases from two different sources

Works Cited page required

Paper should be typed and follow MLA format – use 12pt font, Times New Roman.

Assignment

For this paper we will be working on writing to a specific audience and using persuasive techniques effectively.

Choose a topic for which you have some passion. It will help if you are familiar with your subject matter and have a personal connection to the issue. Think in terms of a change that, if instituted, would really matter to you or to others you know. This can be a political issue, but it doesn’t have to be. You can write about a particular parenting technique, getting junk food out of school vending machines, providing all students with equal technology, a required course that should be added (or taken out) etc.

Address a specific audience. Ideally, this would be an actual letter that you could send to the school board, or the Fish and Wildlife director or the State City Council or the State Arts Commission or the homeowners association in your neighborhood.

Do not select a broad controversial topic that has been debated over the decades or would require a great deal of research: legalizing marijuana, abortion, the death penalty, wolf reintroduction, gay marriage, gun control, welfare abuse, global warming, the drinking age, a conspiracy theory, or GMOs. If you think you have a good case for why you should be able to write on one of these topics, you’re welcome to ask me, but I will grant exceptions only if you have a unique angle on the subject.

For this essay/letter, you will need a very clear, specific topic and audience. I want you to use your own critical thinking skills and experience to make your argument rather than researching the arguments of others. You will write an in-depth research paper in English 102.

Do not select a topic you have written on for a research paper in the past. Do not select the topic you used for your senior project in high school.

Examples of strong topics for this paper:

1. A letter to the state board of education arguing for free pre-kindergarten for all four-year-olds.

2. A letter to a college board of trustees arguing for longer computer lab hours.

3. A letter to the federal department of education arguing for a computer allowance in student grants and loans.

4. A letter to your homeowners’ association arguing for retraction of a rule that prevents homeowners from growing food in their front yards.

5. A letter to college deans arguing for more career-specific writing courses.

Goals

• Write an essay addressed to a specific reader or group of readers in which you persuade the reader(s) to act or think differently about an issue that matters to you personally, and impacts you (and others) directly.
• Demonstrate your understanding of standard essay structure. Include an introduction that leads to thesis, logical and anecdotal support in the body of the paragraph, strong topic sentences, and a strong conclusion.
• Address counterarguments in a thorough and convincing manner
• Incorporate at least two quotes or paraphrases into your paper using the MLA format, and include a properly formatted works cited page. This means you can do a little research to help support your argument, but the majority of your evidence should come from your experience and observations.