Not sure how to go about writing a persuasive text?
Persuasive writing is one of the most important skills to master in English: from NAPLAN to the HSC, you’ll be using it again and again.
As a qualified English teacher with 5+ years of experience and a Masters of Education in Literature, I’m going to walk you through the purpose of a persuasive text, types, features, and techniques that you can use in your own writing.
Let’s dive right in! 👇
1. What is a Persuasive Text?
2. The Three Main Types of Persuasive Texts
3. Sample Techniques for Writing Persuasive Texts
4. 3 Persuasive Tips To Earn You Top Marks
5. Persuasive Text Structure
6. Editing Checklist to Avoid Common Mistakes
What is a Persuasive Text?
The purpose of a persuasive is to convince your reader of a view that you are putting forward.
This means that it is very important for you to have a strong stance or opinion on a topic before you begin writing. The readers are convinced through a combination of logical, ethical and emotional arguments that are explored while you write.
The curriculum defines a persuasive text as ‘A text designed to convince a reader of a particular opinion or way of thinking on an issue.’
Basically, anything written to change someone’s mind is a persuasive text! It includes three characteristics:
- A point of view
- Evidence
- Justification
You can find examples of a persuasive text anywhere in your daily life — in newspapers, advertisements and even the news on TV!
The Three Main Types of Persuasive Texts
There are many persuasive text types — these may range from trying to influence an individual’s opinion on a topic or trying to sell something to them!
Some common types include TV commercials, print advertising, newspaper editorials, op-ed pieces, speeches, exposition and discussion. While it is likely that you will write some form of persuasive texts as you progress through primary and high school, expositions, discussions, and speeches are likely to be the most common.
Expositions
Expositions only present one side of an argument and aim to convince readers of their viewpoint. The language is assertive and its aim is to get readers to side with them.
Here’s a quote from an example about why sharks are misunderstood: “On average, sharks kill approximately five humans a year. In the whole world. Five. That’s one out of every 1.6 billion people.”
Notice how the article uses a strong tone, as well as figures, while making a fact-based evidence.
Discussions
On the other hand, discussions will explore various different viewpoints to help readers make an informed decision.
Unlike a feature article, they may recommend a particular stance following the discussion or sum up both points of view and provide both pros and cons for each one.
Here’s a quote from an example about whether or not kids should have smartphones:
“Studies show that smartphone use can cause anxiety, harm relationships, and even damage kids’ eyesight. I’m not saying that kids should never have electronic devices. But they should also go outside, make art, and spend time with family. Why waste time on a screen?”
Speeches
Speeches may take on either an exposition or discussion form. However, as they are meant to be delivered to an audience, the way it is written is more casual and conversational to engage audiences!
An example could be Greta Thunberg’s famous TED talk on climate change: “Rich countries like Sweden need to start reducing emissions by at least 15% every year. And that is so that we can stay below a two degree warming target.”
Features of Persuasive Writing
The features of a persuasive text are often broken down using Aristotle’s concepts of Pathos, Logos and Ethos.
Generally, persuasive texts combine logos, ethos and pathos when constructing their arguments. But, the emphasis on each feature differs depending on both the audience and the topic you are writing about. Put simply:
Logos: Appeal to logic.
This is any writing that convinces readers that their point of view is right. Backing up your point with evidence, data and analogies will help to establish logos in your text!
This is the easiest feature and the bare minimum to acing your persuasive text writing!
Ethos: Establishing the writer’s credibility, appealing to ethics.
In order to convince the reader of your argument, they need to trust you!
How? Make sure you don’t sound biased in your persuasive text — make sure your grammar and punctuation is correct, don’t jump to conclusions (instead guide your reader to your thesis) and acknowledge counterarguments!
Pathos: Appeal to emotions.
This can be any writing that evokes emotions so that you are convinced of their point of view. The point is to get readers to empathise with them.
Use pathos sparingly! Trying to evoke too much emotion can leave your reader feeling skeptical of your writing.
Sample Techniques for Writing Persuasive Texts
If you’re unsure how to start your persuasive text, these persuasive techniques can help you jump-start your arguments! When writing, try and balance techniques that focus on logic and truth with techniques that focus on the audience’s emotions.
*As a note, while specific techniques aim for using logos and pathos, appealing to ethos means winning your audience over by establishing your credibility using both. That’s why we don’t have a table for that one!
| Logos: Techniques which aim to prove arguments | ||
|---|---|---|
| Technique | Definition | Example |
| Expert opinion | Using a quote from a knowledgeable expert. | ‘Dr. Smith, a registered psychologist, says “social media is the leading cause of sleep deprivation in teenagers.’ |
| Statistics | Using numbers to support an argument. | ‘Four out of five parents agree that they are worried about the health effects of teen social media use.’ |
| Rhetorical question | Providing a question without expecting an answer, in order to make the audience reflect. | ‘Do we really think that unfiltered access to the internet is safe for children?’ |
| Testimonial | Quotes from relevant people used to support an argument. | ‘Once I was allowed to start school at ten a.m., I noticed my grades instantly improved,’ said Sadie Smith, a student whose school trialled later start times. |
| Antanagoge (or pre-emptive attack) | Bringing up an opposing argument before dismissing it. | ‘While those who say it’s too expensive for all schools to have psychologists, the cost of not doing so are far greater in the long-term. |
| Listing | Using a series of examples. | ‘A four-day work week would bring many benefits, such as more job satisfaction, better-rested workers, and reduced traffic.’ |
| Pathos: Techniques which target the emotions of the reader |
||
|---|---|---|
| Technique | Definition | Example |
| Imagery | Using descriptive language to illustrate a point. | ‘Imagine fields of barren, grey wasteland where forests used to be. This is the future if we don’t stop climate change.’ |
| Personal anecdote | Using a personal example in the form of a brief story. | ‘During Year Eleven, I often had five hours of sleep or less due to the early start of the day.’ |
| Emotive language | Using words which create an emotional response. | ‘Think of the poor teenagers who are regularly bullied online.’ |
| Second-person language | Using words such as ‘you’ and ‘your’ to personalise writing. | ‘Do you really want to keep having to face such early start-times for the rest of your schooling years?’ |
| Inclusive language | Using words such as ‘ours’ and ‘we’ to create a connection between author and reader. | ‘It’s our planet, and it needs our help.’ |
| Exclusive language | Using words such as ‘they’ or ‘that group’ to draw attention to an opposing view. | Coal mining companies think they can continue their work forever, and have shown that they’re not interested in the planet’s wellbeing.’ |
3 Persuasive Tips To Earn You Top Marks
1️⃣ Write what you know.
When choosing a topic, try and think of something that you care about, or at least want to learn more about. As a teacher, I’ve noticed that when students use their own interests, they’re more likely to make fresh arguments that stand out. It makes it easier to use anecdotes and use specific terminology, as well as to make authentic arguments.
2️⃣ Always use convincing data, but use it meaningfully.
One of the things many high-scoring persuasive writing tasks have in common is real-life examples of well-researched data from a variety of sources. It’s important, however, to make the connection between your facts and the argument that you’re making.
3️⃣ Make sure you’re not repeating yourself.
A common issue with students doing persuasive writing is having points that are too similar. When planning, think about whether or not you are making three distinct arguments: you could check that your three topic sentences all have distinctive keywords that aren’t in the others.
Persuasive Text Structure
The introduction of your persuasive text is the most important paragraph of the text as it introduces the arguments and provides any background information needed.
The body paragraphs are where your arguments are elaborated upon, providing evidence or data to convince readers and where counterarguments are discussed. Whether you use PEEL, STEEL, PETAL or TEEL structures, your paragraphs will have a topic sentence to provide an overview of what they are about. This is followed by your evidence sentences where you unpack your arguments and back them up before providing a closing sentence that reinforces the ideas.
A strong conclusion is very important for persuasive texts as well. It is important that no new ideas are placed into the conclusion, instead, it should sum up what you have said so far and include a call to action if appropriate. While conclusions can often seem like a waste of time or a pain to write — they are especially important for persuasive texts as they are the last opportunity you have to convince your reader so make it count!
Editing Checklist to Avoid Common Mistakes
Besides research, writing (hopefully with high modality words!), editing and proofreading, persuasive texts tend to include some techniques that will help you to present your argument in a convincing way.
| Repetition | Emphasises a point and makes a reader pay attention to it. |
| Rule of three | Providing three examples, arguments or data tends to be an easy way to make things stick for your reader. |
| Anecdotes | Depending on the type of persuasive text you are writing personal stories can help create empathy in the reader and provide an emotional connection. |
| Rhetorical questions | Rhetorical questions are a great way to make your reader reflect or draw their own conclusions based on your arguments. |
| Call to action | These usually appear in the conclusion, a call to action will make the reader continue to think about the arguments you have presented and point them in a direction if they would like to take real action. |
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Cameron Croese has been a qualified high school English teacher for 5+ years, having completed a Masters of Education in Literature and graduating with First Class Honours from the University of Melbourne. Cameron has won several writing awards including the Mavis Thorpe Clark Award and the Alan Marshall Short Story Award and has previously tutored over 60 students through Years 7-12 English at Art of Smart.
Tiffany Fong is currently completing a double degree in Media and Communications with Law at Macquarie University. She currently contributes to the university zine, Grapeshot where she enjoys writing feature articles, commentary on current affairs or whatever weird interest that has taken over her mind during that month. During her spare time, Tiffany enjoys reading, writing, taking care of her plants or cuddling with her two dogs.
