OPINION: Student Senators Must Master The Persuasive Essay

(Feature Image: Via Flickr.)

In a student senator’s journey to represent his constituency, he must learn to become persuasive. That is, he must understand rhetoric and reason, and he must know how to make a good argument so that his audience will favor his constituency’s interests.

I have learned that there is no better tool for this than the five-paragraph persuasive essay. Through it, one becomes aware of what makes for compelling speech: a thesis, claim, argument, supporting argument, illustration and call to action. These and many other elements a practitioner learns by practicing the persuasive essay.

Moreover, for a student senator to give voice to his constituency's concerns, he must be able to speak for them in persuasive ways to sway decision-makers and to win others to their cause. The persuasive essay allows him to do this through its rational structure. 

Therefore, for a student senator to effectively represent his constituency, he must endeavor to master the persuasive essay. If he does, then he will learn how to make his speech compelling, his priorities clear and win many supporters to constituency's cause. Since the persuasive essay is a fundamental tool to represent his constituency, then the student senator must aim to master the persuasive essay.

One of the greatest benefits of proficiency with the persuasive essay is that it gives one the ability to shape political outcomes. 

In other words, to arrive at a desirable political outcomes is the “stuff” politics is all about. The more a senator can bring about a positive outcome for his constituency, the more successful representation he can provide.

After all, it is not political speech which changes a person's life, but political outcomes that affect a constituency's life. Tuition rate hikes, campus safety--these things change people's lives, not mere speech. So political outcomes are one of (if not the most) significant considerations in politics. Therefore, they ought to be the senator's concern. 

Now, when it comes to political outcomes, notice how the debate precedes the action. That is, people usually think about things before they decide what to do. A senator must recognize that when people are talking about things, then it is likely that they may soon want to take action to address it. 

This means that it is important for a student senator to try to participate in the conversations in student circles or in student government because the action they lead to may affect his constituency. His constituency needs a representative in these conversations to protect and to encourage its interests. The opportune time to influence the outcome is when there is a debate, not so much when there is impending action.

To ensure the political action inevitably serve his constituency, a senator must aim to influence the conversation towards favorable perceptions of his constituency and its priorities. He must represent his constituency in these conversations.

In short, he must stand up and represent his constituency. The persuasive essay allows him to do this.

By filtering his thoughts through the persuasive essay structure, he learns to make a compelling argument. His compelling argument could persuade decision-makers to favor his constituency. His speech can also add insightful perspective to the collective conversation.

At any rate, the persuasive essay enables the senator to present his ideas in a compelling way that persuades others to favor his cause. It helps the senator be more effective when he can use it to vocally represent his constituency’s interests. Without his voice, his constituency often goes without representation. Therefore, the senator must endeavor to master the persuasive essay to provide effective representation to his constituency.  

Conclusion

These are some important reasons for why the persuasive essay is pivotal to a student senator's representation. Since the debate precedes the action and the senator wants decision-makers' actions to support his constituency’s concerns, then he must aim to champion his constituency’s cause through persuasive speech. He must endeavor to master the five-paragraph persuasive essay. If he does, then he will learn how to make his speech compelling, his priorities clear and win many supporters to his constituency's cause. 

Effective representatives give voice to their constituents’ concerns. Thankfully, student senators can do just that through the persuasive essay.

Twitter: @Jhescock12

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