According to Purdue University's Online Writing Lab, an outline will help you organize the points of your argument and keep track of information as you write. Comb through your notes and sources, gathering information and quotes that are relevant to your topic. Look for any themes, concepts or trends. Arrange the points of your outline to reflect the trends you find in the source material. Each of these points will become a paragraph in your essay.
A tentative thesis statement can help you focus as you build your essay, says Dr. Randie O'Neil Fielder, professor of counselor education at Kean University. A strong thesis includes a statement of what you plan to argue and how you plan to argue it. A persuasive essay can fail if your thesis is too general or not contestable. If you can imagine or find examples of disagreement with your thesis, you're on the right track. Use your tentative thesis to strategically build your essay, but plan to revise it later. O'Neil Fielder cautions that the writing process can lead you to think about your evidence in new ways.
Start your introduction with an attention-grabbing quote or fact that introduces the topic. Include a concise summary of the argument to follow and your thesis statement. According to the Writing Center of the University of North Carolina, following these steps will engage your reader. Most readers look for the thesis toward the end of the introduction. Place it there to ensure that they find it.
A good body paragraph has four parts, says Swarthmore College's Writing Center. Begin with a topic sentence that states the main point of the paragraph and supports your thesis. Offer evidence from your sources to back up your claim. Follow with an explanation connecting the evidence to the topic sentence. Finish with a transition that prepares your reader for the next paragraph.
Strengthen body paragraphs by showing how the evidence favors your thesis instead of opposing points of view. Make sure your claims follow from the evidence, and that you attack opposing points of view, not the people who hold them. Weak language--"it seems" or "I believe"--weakens your argument.
Many students find the conclusion the hardest part of an essay to write. Strive to go beyond a simple restatement of your thesis, advises the University of Richmond's Writer's Web Online Handbook. Keep the conclusion fresh by pointing out potential new areas of inquiry that your argument has opened or summarizing some of the nuances you explored in your essay.
Edit and polish your essay to move from first draft to final draft. Take some time after finishing the first draft to help you approach your essay with fresh eyes. Make sure that each body paragraph supports the thesis and relates clearly to the rest of your argument. If necessary, refine your thesis to reflect any discoveries you made while writing. Streamline by cutting material that does not directly support your thesis. Before you hand in the essay, print a hard copy and read it out loud to catch any typos or awkward turns of phrase.