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Persuasive analytical writing

This section identifies the main features of persuasive analytical writing – which is the type of writing you are expected to use in your argumentative essays.

Persuasive analytical writing is a requirement of argumentative essay writing. This type of writing states a considered position and supports this position by presenting arguments and evidence from several sources. It uses a combination of organisational and linguistic elements to persuade the reader of the value of the approach you have taken to the question.

Note: It is sometimes difficult to judge the kind of writing you are being asked to use from the instruction words in the question – words like discuss, outline or evaluate.

Sometimes the question does not contain an instruction word at all, or an instruction word is included but it is misleading. Sometimes you have to use the rest of the question to work out what is actually required.

The instruction word analyse, for example, does not usually mean that your teacher wants to see predominantly analytical writing. Your teacher is more likely to expect argumentative writing, i.e. persuasive analytical writing.

If you cannot work out what kind of writing is required to appropriately answer a question you have been set, ask your tutor or lecturer to clarify this for you.

See Module 3, Unit 1, Section 2: Interpreting the question to find out more about answering an essay question.