Understanding your cause/issue. Increase your knowledge.
In a persuasive advocacy letter, it’s the writer’s job to convince the reader to accept a particular point of view and to take specific action. Persuasive advocacy letters require good research, awareness of the reader’s biases, and a solid understanding of both sides of the issue. A good persuasive letter demonstrates not only why the writer’s opinion is correct, but also why the opposing view is incorrect.
Remember to support your claims and opinions with evidence. Read Using Evidence in Persuasive Papers below. STEP 1: ResearchResearch your topic further, including the historical context, any current legislation already addressing the problem the bill is attempting to resolve, the major entities involved on all sides of the issue and the status of the issue your bill is attempting to resolve. To propose a change, we must understand the issue in its current state and its history. Here, you need to understand BOTH SIDES of the issue. Most of the issues have proponents and opponents. You must be able to see the other side’s arguments, including their strengths and weaknesses in their arguments. The more knowledge you have, the better prepared you will be when it comes time to write your Advocacy Letter in Part 4. You must understand and include both sides of the issue. Not everyone always agrees with everything. There is going to be more than one position.
Make sure you address who agrees with you and why and who does not agree with you and why. Provide added depthInclude graphs, charts, statistics, and other essential information to fully understand the problem your bill is attempting to resolve.
Write about the history and details behind the legal issue you chose in at least 3 pages double-spaced by answering the questions below.
STEP 2: Questions to Answer In Part 2 of Your Paper:1. Why was this bill proposed?
Describe the historical context in which the issue and its related laws or rules emerged. (page one of your paper)
2. What is the problem this bill attempts to solve? Explain.
3. How has the government tried to resolve this (these) problem in the past? Look for current laws that are attempting to solve the problem you identified in number one.
4. What are your opinions on the issue? Before answering this question, read the document below “Using Evidence in Persuasive Papers” or visit the hyperlinked website. When stating claims and opinions, it is imperative that the claims be supported by evidence. Without evidence, claims and opinions are not credible, nor are they reliable. An essential part of your grade depends on whether you have provided evidence to back up your claims and opinions. Your opinions are yours to own, but opinions without evidence are useless. Without evidence, I will not grade your work and the work will receive a 0. (Page two of your paper)
Indiana University Writing Guide on Evidence in Research Papers (opens in new window)
Using Evidence In Persuassive Papers.docx
3. What are the arguments OPPOSITE of your opinions and arguments on the topic? In other words, what do the critics of your issue argue? (Page three of your paper)4. Why is your opinion and argument more credible and persuasive than the critics? (Page three of your paper).
