Writing Great Persuasive Papers
Tips to Strengthen Your Paper and Its Arguments
Writing persuasive papers can be the bane of a college student's existence. Here are some tips for students to help strengthen their paper and turn in their best work.
For many college and university students, one of the toughest and most mysterious parts of their experience is the dreaded term paper. Writing the paper itself can be a challenge on its own, but then the grade might seem arbitrary. What exactly does the instructor want?
Despite the usual complaint that an instructor is arbitrary about grading, he or she has real expectations and ways to separate the better papers from the average (or worse) ones. Of course it can’t hurt to ask the instructor about his or her standards, and sometimes an instructor will provide an in-depth description. Here are some things for students to keep in mind when writing their papers.
Spelling and Grammar Matter
One way to make an instructor frown is to have him or her read a paper that suffers from poor spelling and grammar. In his essay “Politics and the English Language” George Orwell noted the intimate relationship between writing and thinking: “[The English language] becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts. The point is that the process is reversible.”
So, tip #1: re-read, and have someone else check the paper for spelling and grammar.
Having a Sense of Style
Furthermore, instructors will notice the voice and writing style used in writing a paper—the unique personality and perspective on a topic or issue. Writers such as William F. Buckley integrate such words as lapidary into a unique and easy-to-read style, and other writers such as Laurence Tribe have similar skills. Better papers make the topic interesting and worth the reader’s time. So, tip #2: read the paper aloud and be honest. Does it flow well or does it become difficult to keep reading? Remember: if the paper is tough to read, it’s tough to grade!
Using Good Information in the Information Age
Teachers also wish to discover within the paper an ability to use good-quality information effectively. Avoid easier sources such dictionaries or simple web pages or blogs—they are tempting but usually do not provide in-depth information. So, tip #3: focus on good-quality sources including academic journals, books and newspapers.
Also, better papers display a real ability to use those sources well. Academic journals and law review articles, for example, have a great deal of useful information, and a well-written summary of them within a persuasive paper suggests a stronger understanding of the issues at stake. This leads to tip #4: don’t simply quote a line or two but show a greater understanding of the sources themselves.
Paying Close Attention to Critics
Instructors want to see an awareness of alternative perspectives as an indication of in-depth consideration of the topic. Think of it this way: why should a reader accept the paper’s argument at all when he or she probably has a different view? Thus, tip #5: wrestle with critics in the paper in detail and show why they are wrong. Use a simple phrase such as “Critics might say…” or something more subtle (e.g. “Jane Jacobs argues X but…”) is a good start.
Points for Originality and Creativity
Last, instructors look for some creativity and originality within the paper, including an ability to take a chance while showing a unique perspective and making an argument in creative ways. So, tip #6: take the risk while finding good evidence to prove it.
