How to Write a Persuasive Essay

How to Write a Persuasive Essay When writing a persuasive essay, the authors goal is to sway the reader to share his or her opinion. It can be more difficult than  making an argument, which involves using facts to prove a point. A successful persuasive essay will reach the reader on an emotional level, much the way a well-spoken politician does. Persuasive speakers arent necessarily trying to convert the reader or listener to completely change their minds, but rather to consider an idea or a focus in a different way. While its important to use credible arguments supported by facts, the persuasive writer wants to convince the reader or listener that his or her argument is not simply correct, but convincing as well. The are several different ways to choose a topic for your persuasive essay. Your teacher may give you a prompt or a choice of several prompts. Or you may have to come up with a topic, based on your own experience or the texts youve been studying. If you do have some choice in the topic selection, its helpful if you select one that interests you and about which you already feel strongly. Another key factor to consider before you begin writing is the audience. If youre trying to persuade a roomful of teachers that homework is bad, for instance, youll use a different set of arguments than you would if the audience was made up of high school students or parents. Once you have the topic and have considered the audience, there are a few steps to prepare yourself before you begin writing your persuasive essay: Brainstorm.  Use whatever method of brainstorming works best for you. Write down your thoughts about the topic. Make sure you know where you stand on the issue. You can even try asking yourself some questions. Ideally, youll try to ask yourself questions that could be used to refute your argument, or that could convince a reader of the opposite point of view. If you dont think of the opposing point of view, chances are your instructor or a member of your audience will.Investigate.  Talk to classmates, friends, and teachers about the topic. What do they think about it? The responses that you get from these people will give you a preview of how they would respond to your opinion. Talking out your ideas, and testing your opinions, is a good way to collect evidence. Try making your arguments out loud. Do you sound shrill and angry, or determined and self-assured? What you say is as important as how you say it.Think.  It may seem obvious, but you really have to think about how you a re going to persuade your audience. Use a calm, reasoning tone. While persuasive essay writing is at its most basic an exercise in emotion, try not to choose words that are belittling to the opposing viewpoint, or that rely on insults. Explain to your reader why, despite the other side of the argument, your viewpoint is the right, most logical one. Find examples.  There are many writers and speakers who offer compelling, persuasive arguments. Martin Luther King Jr.s I Have a Dream speech is widely cited as one of the most persuasive arguments in American rhetoric. Eleanor Roosevelts The Struggle for Human Rights is another example of a skilled writer trying to persuade an audience. But be careful: While you can emulate a certain writers style, be careful not to stray too far into imitation. Be sure the words youre choosing are your own, not words that sound like theyve come from a thesaurus (or worse, that theyre someone elses words entirely).Organize.  In any paper that you write you should make sure that your points are well-organized and that your supporting ideas are clear, concise, and to the point. In persuasive writing, though, it is especially important that you use specific examples to illustrate your main points. Dont give your reader the impression that you are not educated on the issues related to your topic. Ch oose your words carefully. Stick to the script.  The best essays follow a simple set of rules: First, tell your reader what youre going to tell them. Then, tell them. Then, tell them what youve told them. Have a strong, concise thesis statement before you get past the second paragraph, because this is the clue to the reader or listener to sit up and pay attention.Review and revise.  If you know youre going to have more than one opportunity to present your essay, learn from the audience or reader feedback, and continue to try to improve your work. A good argument can become a great one if properly fine-tuned.

So Youre Thinking About Becoming A Truck Driver

So Youre Thinking About Becoming A Truck Driver As we’ve said so many times on this site, if you’ve got a long attention span, a tolerance for a demanding schedule, a driver’s license and a love of life on the road, trucking can be the perfect job for you.  Nearly half of all Americans know someone who works in the trucking industry, so odds are you already have a professional contact! Long-term driving can involve from 2-4 weeks away from home on the road, which can be hard on a family- but for a born nomad, it’s a match made in heaven. You spend a lot of time alone- so introverts have an advantage- but truck stops are open 24/7 and there will always be colleagues on the road to talk to!Skills RequiredWhen asked about the crucial qualifications for their job, most drivers most often cite â€Å"long haul skills†: focused, experienced driving, the ability to adapt to all kinds of weather and other challenging conditions, and proficiency in basic servicing for your vehicle. Maintenance of your tr uck and being responsible for your own sense of professionalism often boost truckers’ self-respect and can even translate to other career fields down the road.Here are some of the skills and certifications many employers currently look for in their professional driving staff. You can acquire the basics, like a CDL license, at any of the reputable driving schools in the country. [Source: WantedAnalytics]CompensationOne of the major benefits many truckers mention is the freedom to pretty much live anywhere along their main route. And while these salaries represent the lower end of the scale, many drivers report income as high as $70K within three years of regular, full-time driving. [Source: WantedAnalytics]Job OpportunitiesTop employers include, no surprise, companies with long distance shipping needs like Lowe’s, Walmart, Nestle, and Costco. You can also function basically as a freelancer when you work with an independent company- dispatchers will put out calls for dri vers and if you’re available, you can snag the job.Some states are even exploring lowering the interstate driving age; the current regional age is 18 in many areas, but drivers aren’t allowed to cross state lines. Current legislation may change all that.And if you’re in search of perks, some trucking companies are investing in high-end, luxury-packed vehicles.  You may find there’s no place like home, and that home just happens to be on four wheels and pulling a trailer.Future prospects when you’re ready to get off the road might include being a dispatcher.  Dispatching rigs requires many of the same road-savvy skills as driving, with an added layer of multi-tasking and organizational strategies.3 Sample Job PostingsJob postings for truck drivers are fairly simple- mostly they need to know whether you can show up to pick up your load and deliver it on time.†Ã‚  TRUCK DRIVER- Athens, NY;  Village Oil is looking for a competent fuel truck driver. Full time seasonal (winter) to start, could lead to year-round employment. Salary based on experience/ability.†Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬  JAYLOR TRANSPORTATION  is looking for OTR drivers. We have a Team and single loads available. Loads are straight out and back. Loads are no touch, no drops. Experience necessary, clean driving record a must. Mecical benefits available. Vacation pay after the first year. Well-maintained equipment.†Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬ Ã‚  LOWE’SPosition Description Responsible for planning and executing delivery activities, preparing delivery loads, following planned delivery routes, and assisting with merchandise installations or returns, unloading, installing, and checking appliances and store equipment. Also responsible for the cleanliness and standard maintenance of delivery vehicles, observing safety procedures regarding Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, Hazmat, and power equipment tools, maintaining DOT and CDL certifications, and complying with reporting.Job Requirements Requires morning, afternoon, and evening availability any day of the week. Physical ability to move large, bulky and/or heavy merchandise. Physical ability to perform tasks that may require prolonged standing, sitting, and other activities necessary to perform job duties.Minimum Qualifications Valid Class A (with air brake endorsement) license Ability to read, write, and perform basic arithmetic (addition, subtraction). Minimum 21 years of agePreferred Qualifications 3 months experience operating a forklift or Moffett onloading/offloading a vehicle. 1 year experience driving a semi-truck/trailer OR certification from a driving school. 6 months experience performing in-home delivery OR retail customer service.â€Å"  Whether you find the prospect of long hours of your own company appealing or want to see more of the country before settling into a driving occupation closer to home, explore trucking- see if it’s the right lane for you!