It's probably no surprise that "argument" and "evidence" are mentioned repeatedly throughout the Common Core Standards: virtually everything we do in life and work involves some form of persuasion.
For a quick primer on persuasive writing, please check out THE LITERACY COOKBOOK, which devotes an entire chapter to it.
For my most-current thoughts on how to move students from the concepts of "argument" and "evidence" through a series of steps culminating in a full-blown research paper, check out the TLC Blog posts on dealing with "argument," esp. Argument vs. Evidence: The Big Picture and Six Essential Steps. PS: These posts offer a sneak peek into my book LITERACY AND THE COMMON CORE: RECIPES FOR ACTION. (To order, click HERE).
Show models and discuss what makes them so awesome. The value of reading excellent examples cannot be overstated. The New York Times provides many resources for student use. Check out, for example, the Learning Network, and this post on "10 Ways to Teach Argument Using the NY Times." ***Check out also "200 Prompts for Argumentative Writing" in the NY Times, which includes great prompts and links to excellent examples of argumentative writing. They have also added "301 Prompts for Argumentative Writing" (see PDF in the Download Zone, too) and "401 Prompts for Argumentative Writing" (PDF in Download Zone). Also see Sample 8th-grade Persuasive Writing Task and Sample 8th-grade Persuasive Writing Response (pages 1 and 2).
Provide an instructive rubric to clarify your expectations. See the Writing Rubrics page for more info.
Teach students the writing process, breaking down each step and giving them lots of practice and feedback. Writer's Workshop can be a helpful vehicle for this process. The NJ ASK and NJ HSPA Persuasive Writing Task Organizers found in the Download Zone can help students organize their thoughts, whether you are preparing them for a timed assessment or not.
Give students opportunities to share their work and celebrate it!
NOTE: You can also boost students' persuasive skills by giving them oral practice. Check out the Socratic Seminars page for details!
Students will be given 60 minutes to complete the Writing to Persuade section of the HSPA.Persuasive prompts present controversies arising in either interpersonal, school/community, or societal contexts.Interpersonal controversies arise when two or more individuals disagree about choices/decisions, behaviors, or ideas.School/community controversies arise when two or more groups of people disagree about rules, behaviors, procedures, conditions (e.g. litter), or ideas.Societal controversies arise when people disagree about laws, trends, conditions, or ideas.
3 Persuasive prompts ask students to respond, offering their opinion(s) in a persuasive letter or essay format. The audience for the letters and essays may be an individual -- friend, relative, neighbor, teacher, principal, or representative of an organization-- or members of an identified organization, such as the student council, PTA, etc.
respond clearly and appropriately to a given prompt.select a focus and appropriate details to support it.organize the response to include an introduction, appropriate transitions, and a conclusion.use elaboration to engage the audience.use varied sentence structure and word choice.use conventions of print and literary forms.use language appropriate to the audience.
topics that are age- and grade-level appropriatea clear focuselaboration using facts and opinionspersuasive techniques, including but not limited to, propaganda, connotative and figurative language, and rhetorical devicesa range of vocabulary for which adequate context is providedStudent responses will be scored using the New Jersey Registered Holistic Scoring Rubric.
Sample Persuasive Writing Prompt AWRITING SITUATIONThe New Jersey School Board Association is concerned about the growing amount of new information in all disciplines especially in the area of the sciences and world affairs. They have made a proposal to increase the length of the school year to twelve months in order to increase time for learning. This proposal has become a controversial issue among students, teachers, and parents in your community. Your student council has decided to ask for student input in the form of a letter to the school board. You decide to write a letter expressing your position on this issue.
7 WRITING TASKWrite a letter to the president of the school board stating your position on year-long school which will increase classroom time for learning. Support your position with reasons, examples, and/or other evidence. Convince your readers to take your position seriously.
HSPA Language Arts Tutorial Cluster 2: Writing to PersuadeSample Persuasive Writing Prompt BWRITING SITUATIONRecent news reports have called attention to school violence. Your high school is concerned about potential situations that could arise. They are considering purchasing hidden cameras, metal detectors and other security devices. The money for these purchases will come from the students' activities budget, which could have an effect on upcoming social events. Many parents, students and teachers are questioning the proposal. In an attempt to hear the voices of as many students as possible, your principal suggested that concerned students write him a letter expressing their opinions about this situation. You decide to write a letter.
9 WRITING TASKWrite a letter to the principal either supporting or opposing the proposal to purchase security equipment using funds from the student activities account. Support your position with reasons, examples, facts, and/or other evidence. Convince your readers to take your position seriously.
Sample Persuasive Writing Prompt CWRITING SITUATIONA frequently debated issue is whether or not violence in the media including video games, movies, songs, etc. has negative effects on young adults. Some people believe that there is a need for censorship and the elimination of many products while others believe it is unnecessary to ban potentially violent media and media products. Your school newspaper decided to devote an upcoming issue to this controversial topic. You decide to write a letter to the editor of your school newspaper expressing your views about the effects of violence in the media.
11 WRITING TASKWrite a letter to the editor of your school newspaper with supporting or opposing whether violence in the media has negative effects on young adults. Support your position with reasons, examples, facts, and/or other evidence. Convince your readers to take your position seriously.
Writing Sample Scoring "3"The following writing sample for the Sample Persuasive Writing Prompt A scored a "3" based on the New Jersey Registered Holistic Scoring Rubric. This sample shows a clear introduction and thesis, but the development of ideas is inconsistent. There are lapses in transition between ideas, and syntax and usage are also inconsistently incorrect.
Writing Sample Scoring "2"The following writing sample for the Sample Persuasive Writing Prompt B scored a "2" based on the New Jersey Registered Holistic Scoring Rubric. Scorers made the following comments about the sample below:This paper shows an attempt at developing an argument, but does not develop the ideas. There is a weak introduction, and the conclusion is unclear with a reference to quality of life as being different from protection of life. The sample also does not use a letter format. There is evidence of an attempt to focus, but details are not developed, and some ideas seem to have no connection to the rest of the paper. Finally, there is little variety or control over syntax.
Writing Sample Scoring "3"The following writing sample for the Sample Persuasive Writing Prompt B scored a "3" based on the New Jersey Registered Holistic Scoring Rubric. Scorers made the following comments about the sample below:The sample has a clear structure and ideas are well-developed, initially. The sample begins to shift focus mid-way through and discusses lateness, privacy, and weapons. There are a significant number of spelling and apostrophe errors, and the point of view shifts. There are also sentence mechanics errors, in particular, run-on sentences.
Writing Sample Scoring "4"The following writing sample for the Sample Persuasive Writing Prompt B scored a "4" based on the New Jersey Registered Holistic Scoring Rubric. Scorers made the following comments about the sample below:The sample tries to develop ideas but tends to be vague and disorganized. Specific detail is lacking. The absence of a letter format is a problem, but the rest of the essay has a developed structure. The sample's mechanics include double negatives, misspellings, errors in prepositions and pronoun references, but do not interfere with the meaning.
Writing Sample Scoring "5"The following writing sample for the Sample Persuasive Writing Prompt B scored a "5" based on the New Jersey Registered Holistic Scoring Rubric. Scorers made the following comments about the sample below:This sample has a clear organizational pattern and uses well-devleoped ideas. The sample shows an example of "compositional risk," in that there is an attempt to develop a metaphor. The writing mechanics are adequate—there are minor errors in spelling, agreement, and verb endings, but they do not interfere with the overall meaning of the sample.
Writing Sample Scoring "6"The following writing sample for the Sample Persuasive Writing Prompt B scored a "6" based on the New Jersey Registered Holistic Scoring Rubric. Scorers made these comments about this sample:The content is organized, well-developed, and coherent. The form follows appropriate letter format. There is a clear progression of ideas and transitions are used throughout. The mechanics are excellent. The style is fluent in word choice and sentence structure. The content is extended beyond the discussion of the basics by offering a solution to the problem. The conclusion also states specifically what he is asking the principal to do.