The Persuasive Poster
A student writes this paragraph for a poster urging classmates to use the school library:
"The library has over 9,000 books. Students who read for fun do better in school. Our library is open every day. If you don't use the library, you are wasting a free resource. Everyone should visit the library this week."
A classmate responds, "This doesn't convince me. You say reading helps, but you never show that our students who use the library actually improve. And telling me I'm 'wasting' something feels like a guilt trip, not a reason." The teacher asks the student to revise the paragraph so the argument is stronger without adding false information.
1. Identify the main weakness in the student's reasoning and explain, using the classmate's objection, why the paragraph does not yet make a strong argument.
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The paragraph makes a claim without evidence linking it to this audience. "Students who read for fun do better in school" is a general statement, and the classmate correctly points out that the writer never connects it to this school's students or to library use specifically. The jump from "reading helps" to "use our library" is an unproven link.
The second weakness is reliance on guilt rather than reason. "You are wasting a free resource" pressures the reader emotionally instead of giving a reason they can evaluate. A strong persuasive paragraph supports its claim with relevant evidence and appeals to the reader's reasoning, not just their guilt. The classmate's objection is fair: the paragraph asserts a conclusion but does not earn it.
2. Write a revised version of the paragraph (3–5 sentences) that strengthens the argument without inventing facts, and explain two specific changes you made.
Read the worked answer
Sample revision: "Our library holds over 9,000 books and is open every school day. Reading for pleasure is linked to stronger school performance, and our library makes that reading easy to access at no cost. This week, stop by and borrow one book that interests you - it takes five minutes and costs nothing."
Change 1 - Replaced guilt with a concrete, low-effort invitation. Instead of "you are wasting a free resource," the revision gives a specific, reasonable action ("borrow one book... takes five minutes") so readers have a real reason and an easy next step.
Change 2 - Kept claims honest and connected them to the library. The revision says reading for pleasure "is linked to" stronger performance rather than promising it causes better grades, and it ties the general claim to the library's actual offering (9,000 books, open daily). No new facts were invented; the evidence is stated at the strength it can honestly support.