The Thesis Statement in a Persuasive Text
Alys Avalos-Rivera
In another chapter, we discussed the features of an informational essay. In this chapter, we will guide you to understand the essential elements of a similar type of academic text: the persuasive essay. Although informational and persuasive writing follow similar principles such as an orderly presentation of ideas that should be supported with evidence (e.g. facts, arguments, or examples), their purposes differ. The objective is written to take a stance (specific point of view) with respect to a controversial topic and persuade the audience to adopt the writer’s position. Because of this difference, the thesis statement of the persuasive essay needs to introduce the writer’s position in the controversy featured in the essay. Also, the preview of the essay’s structure should outline the arguments that the author will use to support his/her stance.
Should the US drinking age be lowered?
In the US, drinking alcoholic beverages is illegal for people under 21 years of age (minimum legal drinking age or MLDA). This law has long caused a great deal of disagreement and debates. While some people think it is paradoxical that young people of 18 cannot enter a bar but still go to war, others believe that the law is the best way to keep youth away from irresponsible and heavy drinking episodes (also called binge drinking). The following texts were written by readers of the New York Times” Room for Debate page to express their opinions about the subject.[1]
- Read the comments and underline the readers’ main arguments (reasons to support one position or the other).
- Identify which readers are against lowering the minimum drinking age (CON) and which are in favor (PRO)?
- Which arguments seem the least convincing? Which are the most persuasive? Why?
| Mason: | Ever since the minimum drinking age was raised to 21 in 1986 the United States saw just as many if not more issues with irresponsible drinking as they did when the drinking age was 18. One of the major reasons for this is because kids are not learning how to drink responsibly before they can finally drink alone at age 21. If you look at areas that do not have a drinking age as high as the United States you will find that the amount of people that die due to alcoholic accidents in much lower than that of the US. For example, in China there is no drinking age and the rate per 100,000 people due to alcohol is .3% compared to the United States’ 2.91%. I believe the main reason for this is because the Chinese can legally grow up drinking with their families and are able to learn how to drink responsibly due to the actions and teachings of their parents. |
| Erick Ban: | What makes me think people under 21 won’t be responsible? I could drink legally when I was 18, that’s what. I experienced and saw what happens when you give immature brains the right to pollute those brains. We shouldn’t be talking about lowering the drinking age because “If they ca