4/8/2003

Mrs.JHaisten
TyWhalin
ENC0010C
PersuasionEssay

Anessayof
persuasion
presentsevidenceintendedtoconvincethereaderthatthewritersviewpointis
valid.
1) Stateaclearthesis.
Usewordssuchas
must,ought,
or
should
.Studythefollowingthreesample
thesisstatements.

2) Giveevidenceorreasonsforyourbeliefs.
Yourevidenceistheheartoftheessay.Youmust
showthewisdomofyourlogicbyprovidingthebestevidenceavailable.

3) Useexamples.
Wellchosenexamplesareamongthebesttypesofevidenceforanargument.
Peoplecanidentifywithaspecificexamplefromreallifeinawaythatisnotpossiblewithan
abstractidea.Withoutexamples,essaysofpersuasionwouldbeflat,lifeless,andunconvincing.

4) Useopinionsfromrecognizedauthoritiestosupportyourpoints.
Oneoftheoldestmethodsof
supportinganargumentistouseoneormorepersonsofauthoritytosupportyourparticular
position.Peoplewillusuallybelievewhatwellknownexpertsclaim.However,besurethatyour
exportissomeonewhoisrespectedintheareayouarediscussing,yourargumentwillbestronger
ifyouquotearespectedscientistwhocanaccuratelypredicttheconsequencesofthisapproachto
wastedisposal.Afamousmoviestargivingthesameinformationmightbemoreglamorousand
getmoreattention,butheorshewouldnotbeasgreatanauthorityasthescientist.

5) Becarefultoavoidfaultylogic.

6) Answeryourcriticsinadvance.
Whenyoupointout,beforehand,whatyouroppositionislikely
tosayinanswertoyourargument,youwillbewritingfromapositionofstrength.Youareletting
yourreaderknowthatisanothersideandthenansweringitsobjectionsinadvance,youare
strengtheningyourownposition.

7) Pointouttheresults.
Here,youhelpyourreaderseewhatwillhappenifyourargumentis(oris
not)believedoracteduponasyouthinkitshouldbe.Youshouldbeveryspecificandvery
rationalwhenyoupointoutresults,makingsurethatyouavoidexaggerationsofanykind.For
example,ifyouarearguingagainstthepossessionofhandguns,itwouldbeanexaggerationtosay
thatifwedontbanhandguns,everyonewillbemurdered.

4/8/2003

Mrs.JHaisten
TyWhalin
ENC0010C
PersuasionEssay

1) Stateaclearthesis.
Whatarereasonsthatweshouldnotbanhandgunsintodayssociety?

2) Giveevidenceorreasonsforyourbeliefs.

Imagunowner,
Neverhadabadoccurrence,
Enjoyguns,
Trainedinsafety,
Gunsgivesomethingformeandmyfathertotalkaboutincasualconversation.
Likecollectingguns,
Peoplegohuntingwithguns.

3) Useexamples.
Protection,
Safety,Hunting,
Shootingforfun,
Collecting

4) Useopinionsfromrecognizedauthoritiestosupportyourpoints.
(NRA)NationalRiffle
Association,
Hatcher,
W.W.Greener,
Chapel,Sharpe,
Gunmagazines,orevenoldrelatives.

5) Becarefultoavoidfaultylogic.
ReliableSources,
Suchasdescribedaboveinline4).

6) Answeryourcriticsinadvance.
Improperuseorsupervisionwhenhandlingguns,
Nonpreventivedischarge,
Otherwaysofprotection,
Badoccurrences,
Huntingmishaps,
Noncollectors.

7) Pointouttheresults.
Preventinghomicide,
Huntingforfoodandthesport,
Properhandling(Responsible),
SelfProtection,
Thecomfortofprotectionbecauseofowningagun,
Thefunofcollectingandconversationsaboutguns,
Gunandknifeshows.

4/8/2003

Mrs.JHaisten
TyWhalin
ENC0010C
PersuasionEssay

Whatarereasonsthatweshouldnotbanhandgunsintodayssociety?Imahandgunowner,anda
firmbelieverinowninghandgunsforseveralreasonsthatyoumightagreeornotagreeupon.Isupportthe
ideaofhandgunsbecauseIveneverbeeninvolvedinamishaporabadoccurrence.Ifyouveeverbeen
involvedinamishaporbadoccurrencethenyoumightthinkofthiswithadifferentview,whichmight
differfrommyviewsignificantly.ThefirstreasonisbecauseIvebeentrainedintheproperuseofa
handgun,andImaresponsiblepersonwhenconcerninghandguns,rifles,andshotguns.Anadditional
reasonismostpeoplewereneverproperlytrainedinthesafetyofhandguns.Mostpeopledontrealizethat
thereareplentyofplacesthatyoucanreceivefreetrainingconcerningtheuseofahandgun.Ifyouvehad
propertrainingintheuseofahandgunyoushouldfeelconfident,andsurelynotscaredofahandgun.Fear
canbeaseriousconcernwhenconcerninghandgunsamongstpeople,suchasnervousnessoranxiety.One
ofthereasonsImakethisapoint,thenervousnessoranxietycouldcauseamishap.Allmishapscanbe
preventedwithpropersafety.
AnadditionalreasonthatIminfavorofnotbanninghandgunsisforpersonalprotection.How
wouldyoufeelknowingthattherescomfortabilitywhenowningahandgun.Ifeelproudknowingthat
Ivebeenproperlytrainedinhandgunsandcanprotectmyselffromunwantedintruders.Anunwanted
intruderdoesntknowifthepersonshomebeingenteredownsandhandgun.Thatmightmaketheintruder
thinktwiceaboutenteringsomeoneshome.OneotherthingthatImightaddabouthandguns,thinkabout
whatitwouldbelikeifthepolicedidntcarryhandguns.Wouldyoufeelprotectedthenifthepolicedidnt
carryhandguns?Apopularthoughtisthatpolicewouldntneedhandgunsifgunswerebannedfromthe
public.Ithinkthatifgunsingeneralwerebanned,peoplewouldfindawayofmakingagunjustashowthe
gunwasinvented.Ifhandgunsaremandatedproperly,liketheyshouldbe,someoftheseissuesmightnot
beofsuchaconcernintodayssociety.Somemayclaimthatasecurityalarmisasufficientmethodof
protection.Iaminfavorofsecurityalarmsalso,butthecomfortofhavingthatextraaddedprotectionisa
muchbetterassurance.Youcantgowrongwiththeaddedprotectionnowcanyou?

4/8/2003

Well,youmayask,whataboutchildrenwhohavebecomevictimsofthemisuseofhandguns.I
feelthatwiththeproperuseandtrainingofhandgunsthatthosekindsofissuescanbeavoided.Many
peopleknowthathandgunsrequiresafetylocks.Evenifyouownahandgunthatdoesnt,youcanalways
purchasesafetypreventiondevicesthatlockhandguntriggers.Oneotherwayofpreventingmishapsisjust
simplyremovingtheclip,whichcontainstheammunitionandplacingthehandgunsammunitionin
differentplaces.Anadditionalreasonthathandgunmishapscanbepreventedisjustsimplypurchasinga
handgunsafewithacombination.OneotherthingthatImightmentionisthatpossiblyinthefuture,all
handgunsmightbegripsensitivetoonesgrip.Suchasthegripingstrengthsofanindividualshandandarm
orevenaserialcodedlaserkeythatahandgunownercanconstantlycarryaroundallthetime.Someofthe
astonishment's,andtechnologicaladvancesintechnologyareotherfirmreasonsassuringthatsafetyshould
notbeanissuewithhandguns.
Anothergoodreasonforowningahandgun.Howwouldyoufeelifyouwereaninnocent
bystandercaughtintheactionofarobberyandsomeonepreventedtherobberyandyoufrompossibly
beingvictim?Thepolicearentaroundwhensomeoftheseoccurrenceshappen.Anothermajorreasonfor
handguns,areforthesafetyofmoneybeingtransportedbetweenbanks.IknowthatIwouldsurefeel
comfortableknowingthatmymoneyisbeingcloselyguarded.IlikemymoneybeinginthebankwhenI
visitthebank.Tryimaginingyourselfinasecurityguardspositionandwhatitwouldbeliketransporting
someonesmoney.Onewouldthinkthataloneislegitimateconcernforowningahandgun.

4/8/2003

Plentyofcollectorscollecthandgunsasahobbyorevenforremembrances.Avidcollectorscollect
handgunsasseriousinvestment.Therearemultipletypes,andstylesofhandgunsavailableonthemarketin
todayssociety.Thehandgunsfinishcomesinseveraldifferentchoices,thebrushedandpolishedeffectis
themostappealingbecauseoftheshinnysurfaceandlook.Thesatinfinishisaroughfinishlookandthe
textureisnotassmoothasthebrushedandpolishedsurface.Thehandgunsaremadefromseveraldifferent
typesofmetalsusedincombination.Asaresult,thebetterthematerialahandgunismadefromthebetter
thehandgun.Allofthesefactorsdeterminethevaluesofeachindividualshandgun.Aseriouscollector
usuallylikespurchasingolderhandgunsbecauseofthequantityproduced,andtheinvestmentanolder
handguncanbringthemeventually.Therefore,manyofthesefactorscandeterminethetypeofinvestment
ahandguncanreallybeifyoureacollector.Irecommendbuyingahandgunfromagunstoreorlarge
retailstore,justbecauseyoureceivealloftheappropriatepaperworknecessarywhenbuyingahandgun.
Somesourcesofgoodinformationcanbederivedfromthe(NRA)NationalRiffleAssociation,Hatcher,
W.W.Greener,Chapel,Sharpe,gunmagazines,orevenoldrelatives.