Milestone One: Persuasive Essay Draft Writing Plan and Thesis

PART A

1. What is the problem you will be addressing that is connected to your potential field or major?
2. State your argument that addresses this problem. Remember, your argument may have changed now that you’ve conducted more research.
3. What is your first reason or keypoint why your audience should be persuaded by your argument? Can it be supported using the research you’ve conducted so far? Briefly identify the research you will use to support this point.
4. What is your second reason or keypoint why your audience should be persuaded by your argument? Can it be supported using the research you’ve conducted so far? Briefly identify the research you will use to support this point.
5. What is your third reason or keypoint why your audience should be persuaded by your argument? Can it be supported using the research you’ve conducted so far? Briefly identify the research you will use to support this point.
6. Now, combine your answers to questions 2-5 to construct a thesis statement. Your thesis statement should be 1-2 sentences long. Begin by stating the position you will argue, and then go on to list the reasons or major points you will write about in the paper to defend that position. To review an example, feel free to look back to the discussion of thesis statements in 5-2.

PART B

Prompt: For this milestone, you will submit a draft of your persuasive essay. At this point in the course, you have completed activities that will help you transform essay into a draft. This milestone will help you address critical elements I–III below, which will ultimately inform your final submission of the persuasive essay. You have until the deadline to work on this draft. Whatever is completed by the deadline will be submitted to your instructor for grading and feedback.

PART C

Before we start the drafting process, let’s think of a couple of areas of the Writing Plan you’re confident in and a couple of areas where you’d like to spend additional time. Use the prompts below as guidance when reflecting on your personal drafting goals. In response to each question, copy and paste any examples from your Writing Plan. Then write 1-3 sentences explaining why you’ve selected those examples and, when applicable, what changes you might make.

Enter your responses in the textboxes provided and click Submit.

Which sections of your Writing Plan do you feel most confident in?