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Persuasive & Argumentative Papers

Persuasive and argumentative papers rely on using evidence to convince others. Think you have what it takes? Check out our prewriting and outline examples to get started on your assignment.

Choosing a position

Choosing a position for your topic is usually the easiest step, but it is one that should be considered carefully before continuing. It is important that you consider all aspects of the topic and are able to choose a strong, defendable argument.  

Your argument should be based on facts and not on feelings. That means that most moral arguments do not apply.

Example:
Good: Raising minimum wage will stimulate the economy and increase workplace productivity by giving working class families an opportunity to have a "living wage" with only one job. 
Good:  Raising minimum wage has historically lead to an increase in prices as companies attempt to recoup funds from higher wages, thus leading to a never ending cycle that does not improve the standard of living for working class families.
Bad: Raising minimum wage will help working class families but will hurt overall businesses.
Awful: Raising minimum wage means that I get more money which is pretty sweet.