NROC Developmental English Foundations

Developing a Thesis and Outline for a Persuasion Essay

Learning Objective:

Develop a thesis and an outline for a multi-page persuasion essay.

LESSON
Persuasion essaysA writing that takes a position for or against something and tries to convince the reader to accept the same view. Also called an argument essay. are commonly assigned in college. You may be asked to take and develop your own position on a social issue, political topic, piece of literature, or the findings of a scientific research study. When you receive an assignment like this, it is important that you write a thesisAn overall argument, idea, or belief that a writer uses as the basis for a work. and develop your supportive reasoning for that thesis before you begin research. Shaping a thesis and the foundational arguments prior to writing your outlineA preliminary plan for a piece of a writing, often in the form of a list. It should include a topic, audience, purpose, thesis statement, and main and supporting points. and essayA short piece of writing that focuses on at least one main idea. Some essays are also focused on the author's unique point of view, making them personal or autobiographical, while others are focused on a particular literary, scientific, or political subject. will help give purpose and direction to your research. You may find that your thesis shifts, changes, or requires fine-tuning once you begin researching. That's usually the case! Keep in mind, if you start by identifying your argument you will be able to begin your research with a specific goal in mind. Having your end-point in mind while you are researching will save you time and make your argument stronger. In this lesson, you will learn how to develop a thesis and an outline for a persuasion essay.

Developing a Thesis

Writing an effective persuasion essay requires you to take a strong stance on the issue at hand. Your thesis statementA brief statement that identifies a writer's thoughts, opinions, or conclusions about a topic. Thesis statements bring unity to a piece of writing, giving it a focus and a purpose. You can use three questions to help form a thesis statement: What is my topic? What am I trying to say about that topic? Why is this important to me or my reader? needs to convey your position, and your position must be debatableOpen to doubt and differing views. An argument or claim is debatable when reasonable people might disagree with it.. A claimA statement that something is true, such as the thesis of an essay. A successful writer must present evidence to prove his/her claim. is debateable when people might disagree with it. In other words, your viewpoint is one not shared by all.

Here is an example of a debatable thesis statement: "People cannot claim that they are serious about the environment unless they regularly use public transportation and wear recyclable materials."

It is debatable because there are many individuals who likely consider themselves "serious" about protecting or conserving our environment, but for whom taking public transportation is inconvenient, impractical, or impossible. Recyclable materials may be expensive or difficult to locate, particularly in remote, rural locations. This stance on environmentalism is one that could create a heated argument—a sign of a debatable claim.

Making your argument debatable may require you to narrow down your argument. Focus on specific arguments and details. Consider adding qualifiersWords or phrases that limit or modify the meaning of other words. The adverbs probably, frequently, rarely, may, mostly, slightly, and very are all qualifiers.. Qualifiers are terms such as typically, generally, frequently, ordinarily, mostly, usually, or on average. Using qualifiers helps focus your thesis statement while also making your argument more nuancedSubtle differences in meaning and style of expression.. For example, rather than taking the position that "All zoos should be shut down," you could argue, "Zoos that do not follow the regulations of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums generally need to be closed immediately." The addition of the qualifier generally factors in that there may be exceptions to your position, thereby helping you to anticipate and form counterargumentsIdeas, data, or discussion in opposition to a viewpoint. . Also, specifying the terms of closure to those zoos that do not follow those certain regulations gives you very targeted material with which to make your argument.

Another means for narrowing your thesis and making it easier to defend is to add exceptions to your thesis. If you consider your thesis to be the general "rule" to follow, exceptions are those occasions in which a differing point of view is acceptable. For example, instead of making your thesis statement "Walking dogs off-leash should be outlawed," consider using "Walking dogs off-leash should be illegal except in designated dog parks." The exception of permitting off-leash dog walking in designated dog parks takes into account reasonable counterarguments to a blanket ban—i.e., that there are dogs that need more exercise than walking on a leash provides, the fact that socialization with other dogs is very important to some dog owners, and perhaps that it is just simply far-fetched to expect that owners keep their dogs on a leash all the time.

Developing an Outline

A persuasion essay shares many of the characteristics of other essays you will write in school. OutliningA preliminary plan for a piece of a writing, often in the form of a list. It should include a topic, audience, purpose, thesis statement, and main and supporting points. before you write the first draft of your essay is a good way to refine and shape your arguments. Reviewing your outline is also helpful for showing gaps in your essay where you need more or less evidenceFacts, statistics, or expert testimony that supports a claim. to support your claims, or where you need more analysisTo analyze is to make a thoughtful and detailed study of something. An analysis is the end result of analyzing. to convince your reader of your thesis.

The first section of your essay is made up of an introductory paragraphThe first paragraph of an essay. It must engage the reader, set the tone, provide background information, and present the thesis. in which you present your thesis statement. The next section includes the paragraphs that make up the bodyThe main portion of a writing that contains the main ideas and supporting details of the writing. This is where the author's purpose and thesis statement are supported and/or developed. of your essay. This is also very much like writing other kinds of essays.

Once you get into the specifics of the arguments, persuasion essays have a number of approaches to choose from. In this lesson, we will focus on a simplified version of a persuasion essay that begins with a description of anticipated counterarguments. The paragraph after the introduction should provide an overview of those opposing viewpointsAn opinion that conflicts with another position on the same subject. , including descriptions of general claims. It is also possible to present counterarguments in the last paragraph before the conclusion. Either way, the main body paragraphsThe part of an essay that comes after the introduction and before the conclusion. Body paragraphs lay out the main ideas of an argument and provide the support for the thesis. All body paragraphs should include these elements: a topic sentence, major and minor details, and a concluding statement. Each body paragraph should stand on its own but also fit into the context of the entire essay, as well as support the thesis and work with the other supporting paragraphs. will present your main supporting ideasPoints that supply content and develop a thesis within an essay. , evidence needed to support your ideas, and analysis of why that particular evidence is essential to your argument. Last, you will want to complete your essay with a concluding paragraphThe end portion of a writing that contains a summary or synthesis of the ideas in the work. This includes a recap of key points and reminders of the author's purpose and thesis statement., which reiterates your thesis statement and reviews the main points of your essay.

If you choose to introduce opposing viewpoints at the beginning of your essay, here is what your outline would look like.

Rough Outline: Opposing Viewpoints at Beginning

Introductory Paragraph
1. Thesis
Body Paragraphs
1. Summary of Opposing Viewpoints
  1. General arguments opposing the thesis
2. Main Supporting Point 1
  1. Evidence
  2. Analysis showing why evidence matters
3. Main Supporting Point 2
  1. Evidence
  2. Analysis showing why evidence matters
4. Main Supporting Point 3
  1. Evidence
  2. Analysis showing why evidence matters
Concluding Paragraph

Conversely, if you choose to present counterarguments at the end of your essay, here is what your outline would look like.

Rough Outline: Opposing Viewpoints at End

Introductory Paragraph
1. Thesis
Body Paragraphs
1. Main Supporting Point 1
  1. Evidence
  2. Analysis showing why evidence matters
2. Main Supporting Point 2
  1. Evidence
  2. Analysis showing why evidence matters
3. Main Supporting Point 3
  1. Evidence
  2. Analysis showing why evidence matters
4. Summary of Opposing Viewpoints
  1. General arguments opposing the thesis
Concluding Paragraph

Once you have completed the first draft of your essay, the notion of revisingThe process of making changes to a work by editing and proofreading it to improve, correct, and increase clarity. and tackling a second draft may seem daunting. However, this is one way in which revisiting your outline can be quite useful. Expanding on your initial outline can help you more readily expand your ideas, edit out extraneous, confusing material (that information which does not add to your essay and may actually lessen its persuasive power), and identify gaps in your argument.

Among the additions you will want to make to the rough outline are putting in a hookIn writing, a device used to grab a readers' attention, often in the form of interesting, surprising, or provocative information. and backgroundInformation that describes the history or circumstances of a topic. section in the introductory paragraph. The hook is what draws your reader in to your essay, often a compelling idea or expressive thought. The background provides your reader with the necessary contextThe larger setting in which something happens; the "big picture." to understand and follow your thesis statement and essay. Next, consider the flow of your essay. Pay special attention to transitionsTying two events, passages, or pieces of information together in a smooth way. In writing, transitions are sometimes called links.The larger setting in which something happens; the "big picture.", including adding or revising linksTo connect ideas together within a paragraph or to create a transition from one paragraph to the next, as well as back to the thesis. connecting the body paragraphs and the final transition to the concluding paragraph. Transitions and links work to make your essay one continuous piece by providing the "glue" between arguments and back to your thesis statement. Finally, the conclusion needs to summarizeTo give a short version of the main points of a text. and synthesizeTo combine ideas, as in the writing at the end of an essay that ties all the discussion and evidence together into a unified concept. the most important details of your essay. It reminds the reader of your thesis and reinforces your main points. In the case of a persuasion essay, it is also the last opportunity to convince the reader of your position on the issue.

Formal Outline: Opposing Viewpoints at Beginning

Introductory Paragraph
1. Hook
2. Tone
3. Background
4. Thesis
Body Paragraphs
1. Summary of Opposing Viewpoints
  1. General arguments opposing the thesis
  2. Transition to support for thesis
2. Main Supporting Point 1
  1. Evidence
  2. Analysis
  3. Link
3. Main Supporting Point 2
  1. Evidence
  2. Analysis
  3. Link
4. Main Supporting Point 3
  1. Evidence
  2. Analysis
  3. Link
Concluding Paragraph
1. Synthesis
2. Final impression

Or,

Formal Outline: Opposing Viewpoints at End

Introductory Paragraph
1. Hook
2. Tone
3. Background
4. Thesis
Body Paragraphs
1. Main Supporting Point 1
  1. Evidence
  2. Analysis
  3. Link
2. Main Supporting Point 2
  1. Evidence
  2. Analysis
  3. Link
3. Main Supporting Point 3
  1. Evidence
  2. Analysis
  3. Link
4. Summary of Opposing Viewpoints
  1. General arguments opposing the thesis
  2. Transition to conclusion
Concluding Paragraph
1. Synthesis
2. Final impression

+ PRACTICAL APPLICATION+ EXAMPLE

Review this example thesis and formal outline for a multi-page persuasion essay.

Thesis

Municipalities should not pass laws banning pit bulls because breed-specific legislation generally causes more harm than good to both people and dogs.

Outline

Introductory Paragraph
1. Hook: Thousands of years ago, man and dog came out of the wilderness together. Now, some cities want to cast one of our best friends back into the darkness because dogs bite, and sometimes they kill.
2. Tone: Purposeful and fair, but with conviction.
3. Background: In the last few decades, most of the outrage over dog bites has been directed at pit bulls. In an effort to reduce human fatalities due to dog bites, many cities have enacted laws banning pit bulls.
4. Thesis: Municipalities should not pass laws banning pit bulls because breed-specific legislation generally causes more harm than good to both people and dogs.
Body Paragraphs
1. Counterarguments
  1. Opposing viewpoint 1: Pit bulls are inherently aggressive, unpredictable, and dangerous because they are bred to fight.
  2. Opposing viewpoint 2: Statistics show that pit bulls attack and kill more people than any other dogs.
  3. Opposing viewpoint 3: Pit bulls are used in illegal, unwanted activities such as dog fighting and drug dealing.
  4. Opposing viewpoint 4: People are justifiably frightened of pit bulls, and the public should not be afraid to walk the sidewalks or parks.
  5. Transition to support for thesis: Most of these arguments can be shown to be wrong or irrelevant. The public does deserve to walk outside without fear of dog attacks, but banning pit bulls will not make that happen.
2. Main Supporting Point 1: Pit bulls are not more dangerous than other dogs.
  1. Evidence: There is no such breed as a "pit bull."
  2. Analysis: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) says a dozen or more different breeds are often lumped under the label, even though each has its own disposition and characteristics.
  3. Evidence: Historically, the kinds of dogs now called pit bulls were praised as smart, brave, reliable family pets.
  4. Analysis: Although pit bulls have a reputation for viciousness today, not long ago they were praised as loyal and brave. They were popular in advertising, as mascots, as family pets, and on TV. Despite their current unsavory reputation, the animals are regularly used as seeing eye, therapy, search and rescue, military, and police dogs. Clearly these animals are not all wild killers.
  5. Evidence: Aggressiveness is more a matter of socialization and training than genetics.
  6. Evidence: The statistics on attacks by “pit bull type” dogs are flawed and unreliable.
  7. Analysis: The Center for Disease Control (CDC) records show pit bulls are responsible for more than thirty percent of fatal attacks on humans. But the same study says these statistics are unreliable because people tend to call any large dog with a big head and short coat a pit bull, especially given their reputation.
  8. Link: Because there isn’t a true pit bull breed, the statistics that ban advocates use cannot be trusted.
3. Main Supporting Point 2: Pit bull bans will not reduce dog attacks or increase public safety.
  1. Evidence: Enforcement is very difficult.
  2. Analysis: Since there really is no “pit bull” breed, there’s no way to consistently enforce a ban.
  3. Evidence: If pit bulls are banned, people who want aggressive or scary looking dogs will just switch to another large breed. Banning a breed can also make them even more popular among criminals.
  4. Evidence: Bans drive pit bull owners underground. Dogs remain in the community, but are much less likely to be vaccinated, trained, licensed, or receive proper veterinary care.
  5. Analysis: Dogs that are socialized, trained, and well-cared for are much more likely to behave appropriately.
  6. Analysis: Veterinarians can help owners identify potentially dangerous traits and direct them to proper training. Vaccinated dogs that do bite will at least not spread disease. Licensed dogs are easier for animal control to identify and keep track of.
  7. Analysis: Past attempts at breed-specific legislation show that problems and fears do simply shift to another breed. For example, from German Shepherds in the seventies to Dobermans in the eighties to pit bulls now.
  8. Evidence: All types of dogs can and do bite. Eliminating pit bulls will not prevent dog attacks.
  9. Analysis: CDC statistics do show that all dog breeds have been known to bite, and that severe and fatal attacks on humans have been caused by many non-pit bull type dogs.
  10. Link: A number of states have found pit bull bans so problematic that they now forbid breed-specific laws (Campbell).
4. Main Supporting Point 3: It is more effective to remove individual problem dogs than to ban entire breeds.
  1. Evidence: It’s a waste of time and limited resources to find and remove dogs that are not causing problems.
  2. Evidence: By paying more attention to complaints about uncontrolled or aggressive dogs and sanctioning owners who do not correct problems, bad behavior may be corrected before it escalates. Many attacks could be prevented simply by vigorous enforcement of leash laws.
  3. Analysis: Every community is different in terms of the kinds of dogs present and the types of human/dog interactions. Approaches to reduce biting that work in urban areas may not be useful in rural settings.
  4. Analysis: Many dog bites are caused by unleashed or free-roaming dogs. Stricter enforcement of leash laws would make a huge difference.
  5. Analysis: Animal control departments are generally underfunded and understaffed. Complaints about aggressive or loose dogs are hard to follow up on. Better funding would make it easier for cities to investigate and correct problem dogs and their owners.
  6. Link: Dog bites are a serious public health problem, one that won’t be solved by knee-jerk, one-size-fits-all legislation.
Concluding Paragraph
1. Synthesis: Banning pit bulls is an idea that goes against research, experience, and common sense.
2. Final impression: The most effective way to reduce bites is not to condemn an entire breed but to use community-based approaches that concentrate on correcting or containing bad behavior in individual dogs and irresponsible owners.

+ YOUR TURN

Now, it's your turn to write a thesis and create a formal outline for a multi-page persuasion essay. For your topic, take a position on a debatable subject.

Topic ideas:

Whether cigarette smoking should be allowed or banned in all outdoor public spaces.
Whether or not motorcyclists should be required to wear helmets.
Whether or not public transportation (such as city buses) should be funded by taxes and free to all people.

Thesis

Write a thesis for your selected topic.

Sample Answer

Formal Outline

Create a formal outline of your essay.

Sample Answer

Introductory Paragraph
1. Hook: Story of cigarette smoke being clouds that are all around.
2. Tone: Purposeful and fair, but with conviction.
3. Background: Take a deep breath, and it's not flowers you smell. Run barefoot through the park, but it isn't just grass you're stepping on. It's cigarettes, and butts, and it's time to put a stop to it.
4. Thesis: Cigarette smoking should be banned in all outdoor public spaces.
Body Paragraphs
1. Counterarguments
  1. Opposing viewpoint 1: People have the right to do what they want, even if it's dangerous.
  2. Opposing viewpoint 2: Outdoor smoking doesn't harm anyone but the smoker. It may be annoying to some, but other annoying activities are still legal in public.
  3. Opposing viewpoint 3: Banning smoking outside starts us down a slippery slope of government interference in what we do with our bodies. What's next? Laws against eating hot dogs and ice cream cones, or requiring everyone to wear sunscreen?
  4. Opposing viewpoint 4: Many activities create litter, but no one is calling for a ban on picnics or gum chewing.
  5. Transition to support for thesis: The U.S. has many laws regulating public behavior, and a ban on cigarettes would just be one more.
  6. Transition to support for thesis: Smoking does cause health problems for non-smokers, as well as damage to natural resources.
2. Main Supporting Point 1: Reducing smoking is a compelling governmental interest.
  1. Evidence: Every day, 1,300 Americans die from smoking-related diseases. Every year, the country spends 133 billion dollars on medical care for smokers, and these costs are passed along to everyone who pays taxes or insurance premiums. (U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services)
  2. Analysis: Smoking causes a host of deadly and fatal diseases, while having no redeeming value.
  3. Analysis: Smoking drives up medical costs for everyone, even non-smokers, and is a burden on taxpayers.
  4. Evidence: Studies reported by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) show that nearly seventy percent of smokers want to quit. Public smoking bans make smoking less social and more of a hassle, which may help discourage the practice.
  5. Analysis: Despite all the well-publicized health risks, large numbers of people keep smoking, while others start smoking.
  6. Analysis: There is no natural or legal right to engage in activities that cause harm to other people or to public resources.
  7. Link: It's true that we need to protect our rights with fierceness, but there is no natural or legal right to engage in activities that cause harm to other people or to public resources. And smoking is harmful.
3. Major Supporting Point 2: Outdoor smoking poses health risks to non-smokers.
  1. Evidence: Studies have shown that smoking outside produces high, concentrated levels of air pollution, sufficient to endanger the health of people nearby, especially those with existing medical issues. (Stanford study, 2007)
  2. Analysis: Secondhand smoke, even in outdoor spaces, exposes nonsmokers to dangerous chemicals.
  3. Evidence: Many municipalities and private businesses have already restricted or banned smoking in crowded outdoor areas because customers, employees, or the public were troubled by large amounts of cigarette smoke.
  4. Analysis: Although smoke can dissipate quickly outside, smokers often congregate in small areas, such as in outdoor workplaces, near doorways, and at bus stops, beaches, parks, and concerts. This can produce a lot of smoke in a small area.
  5. Evidence: Outdoor smokers often throw their butts on the ground, where they can cause dangerous fires.
  6. Evidence: The U.S. Forest Service (2013) reports that discarded smoking materials cause an average of two hundred wildfires each year.
  7. Analysis: In crowded conditions, such as on busy sidewalks, nonsmokers are at risk of cigarette burns or getting ash in their eyes or on their clothing.
  8. Link: Besides the dangers of inhaling smoke, nonsmokers are at risk of cigarette burns or getting ash in their eyes or on their clothing in crowded conditions, such as on busy sidewalks.
4. Main Supporting Point 3: Discarded cigarette butts ruin outdoor experiences, pollute the environment, and cost a significant amount of money to clean up.
  1. Evidence: The city of San Francisco alone reports that it spends over six million dollars a year cleaning up after outdoor smokers.
  2. Evidence: In 2014, as in every previous year, the Ocean Conservancy identified cigarette butts as the number one most littered item; in just one day, volunteers picked up more than two million butts on beaches worldwide.
  3. Analysis: Outdoor spaces frequented by smokers quickly become littered with cigarette butts, which look and smell bad, leave stains, and are hard to clean up.
  4. Analysis: Taxpayers have to foot large bills to clean up cigarette butts and other tobacco-related litter.
  5. Evidence: Cigarette butts are a long-lasting source of toxic materials that leach out into soils and waterways.
  6. Analysis: Cigarette butts cause soil and water pollution.
  7. Evidence: Animals frequently swallow cigarette butts, and are sickened or killed by indigestible fibers and dangerous levels of nicotine and other chemicals.
  8. Link: The National Institutes of Health (2011) reports that cigarettes contain 4,000 chemicals, including heavy metals, carcinogens, pesticides, and herbicides, and can act as long-lasting point sources of pollution.
Concluding Paragraph
1. Synthesis: When it comes to smoking in outdoor public spaces, it isn't just noses at risk. Smoking is a health risk for bystanders, a major source of toxic debris, and a drain on public resources.
2. Final impression: Despite great initial resistance, indoor smoking bans are now widespread and popular. It's time to take them outside, and ban smoking there, too.

+ METACOGNITIVE QUESTIONS