Focus and Development of Ideas in Persuasive Essay

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Depth of Development (DoD): the key to Ideas

Controlling Idea (Focus)

Relevant Supporting Ideas

Major Details

Specific ExamplesAnd Elaboration

General Topic

Context for theTopic

Writer’s task

Writing Situation Over the past 25 years, the U.S. government has spent billions of dollars on space exploration. Some citizens believe exploring outer space is an important use of government money. Others believe the money could be better spent helping people here in Earth.

Directions for Writing Write a letter to convince your U.S. Congressional representative to either continue funding space exploration or to redirect those funds to other projects. Include specific details and examples to support your position.

Georgia High School Writing Test

Example of DoDin a Paragraph

Sample Body Paragraph

My final plea in asking you to redirect your funds concerns what I believe is the issue in the most dire and immediate need of attention and that is this countries energy and oil situation. It has come to the point that your average American family is having trouble financially with heating their homes and fueling their cars. The government really needs to fund the research and development of new and cheaper alternatives to oil. For example, we should invest money in biodiesel technology and cleaner, wind and solar power generation. These energy sources are not only cheaper; they are renewable and do not impact or pollute our environment with CO2 emission.

Supporting Idea

Major Detail

Specific Details and Examples

Controlling Idea: Redirect the funds.

Ideas: Score Point 3The United States government has been funding billions of dollars to the space program for over 25 years, and I believe that that needs to stop. For one, there have been problems with the space program. Two, there are really important issues to deal with in the U.S. and across the world. I am asking you to redirect funding for space exploration into other programs.

In the past 25 years, the space program’s main vehicle for transportation to outer space has been the space shuttle. Now though, there are problems with it. For one, it is really expensive. Secondly, it is not really safe. There have been two major accidents, with the Challenger at lift off, and more recently with the Columbia re-entry. Both of these disasters cost the lives of the crews on board.

If funding isn’t going to the space program, it needs to be going to fund more pressing issues. A fact we can not forget is that America is at war on two fronts. Plus, there is the constant threat of another terrorist attack. Also, let’s not forget the people in America who are hungry and don’t have homes. There are many problems in our country we need to solve before sending the next group of astronauts to the moon.

Finally, there is the energy and oil situation. It is getting tough for people to afford gasoline. The government really needs to fund the research and development of new and cheaper alternatives to oil. For example, we should invest money in biodiesel technology and cleaner, wind and solar power.

I am unhappy about where government funding has been going, especially when it comes to the space program. In the past years, the space program has had many problems. The money could be better spent on keeping America safe and finding new energy sources.

Ideas: Score Point 4Would you continue to fund something that was basically failing? The American space program has been filled with problems, and we have really important issues to address here on Earth. For this reason, I believe we should redirect the funds.

In the past 25 years, the space programs main vehicle for transportation to outer space has been the space shuttle. Now though, I feel it is becoming obsolete. There have been serious failures with the space program. For example, there were the explosions of the Challenger lift off, and more recently with the Columbia re-entry. Both of these disasters cost the lives of the crews on board. The lost shuttles also cost the taxpayers millions.

If funding isn’t going to the space program, it needs to be going to fund more pressing issues. A fact we can not forget is that America is at war on two fronts. How can we spend money on space when all of our troops don’t have adequate supplies? Plus, there is the constant threat of another terrorist attack. We need to bring our troops home and keep America safe from people who want to harm us. Let’s not have another September 11, 2001.

Finally, there is the energy and oil situation. It is getting tough for people to afford gasoline. The government really needs to fund the research and development of new and cheaper alternatives to oil. For example, we should invest money in biodiesel technology, in addition to wind and solar power. Not only are these sources cheaper, but they are also cleaner.

By now, I hope it is plain to see what needs to be done. Don’t get me wrong: space is cool, and we benefit from exploring it. It’s just that our current program is filled with problems, and we have serious concerns to address here on Earth. Let’s get to work!

Ideas: Score Point 5The United States government has been funding billions of dollars to the space program for over 25 years, and I believe that that needs to stop. Because of recent failures involving the space program, and more specifically the space shuttle, and also with more pressing domestic and foreign relations issues at hand, I am asking you to redirect funding for space exploration into other programs.

In the past 25 years, the space programs main vehicle for transportation to outer space has been the space shuttle. Now though, I feel it is becoming obsolete. There have been two major failures with the explosions of the Challenger lift off, and more recently with the Columbia re-entry. Both of these disasters cost a lot of money, and more importantly, the lives of the crews on board. If there is not an alternative to the shuttle, I don’t see how we can continue to safely and successfully reap the benefits of space exploration.

If funding isn’t going to the space program, it needs to be going to fund more pressing issues. A fact we can not forget is that America is at war on two fronts, in Iraq and with terrorism. Troops in Iraq should not be going without adequate body armor so that astronauts can gaze at moon rocks. Let’s not forget about protecting the homeland from another terrorist attack. The Department of Homeland security needs adequate funding in order to catch the terrorists who could be planning future attacks. The last thing our country needs is another September 11, 2001 while we’re dealing with the Great Recession.

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Ideas: Score Point 5My final plea in asking you to redirect your funds concerns what I believe is the issue in the most dire and immediate need of attention and that is this countries energy and oil situation. It has come to the point that your average American family is having trouble financially with heating their homes and fueling their cars. The government really needs to fund the research and development of new and cheaper alternatives to oil. For example, we should invest money in biodiesel technology and cleaner, wind and solar power generation. These energy sources are not only cheaper; they are renewable and do not impact or pollute our environment with CO2 emission.

I am unhappy about where government funding has been going, especially when it comes to the space program. In the past years, the space program has had notable failures with only modest successes. Given the many challenges confronting our world, I believe the time is now to think seriously about redirecting NASA’s funds. Your next generation of voters will thank you.

Common Ways Students Achieve DoD

• Appeal to Facts/Information

• Appeal to Emotion

• Personal Experience

• Humor (get ‘em laughing)

Appeal to Facts/Information

In the past 25 years, the space programs main vehicle for transportation to outer space has been the space shuttle. Now though, I feel it is becoming obsolete. There have been two major failures with the explosions of the Challenger lift off, and more recently with the Columbia re-entry. Both of these disasters cost millions of dollars, and more importantly, the lives of the crews on board. If there is not an alternative to the shuttle, I don’t see how we can continue to safely and successfully reap the benefits of space exploration.

Appeal to Emotion

If funding isn’t going to the space program, it needs to be going to fund more pressing issues. A fact we can not forget is that America is at war on two fronts. How can we spend money on space when all of our troops don’t have adequate supplies? Plus, there is the constant threat of another terrorist attack. We need to bring our troops home and keep America safe from people who want to harm us. Let’s not

have another September 11, 2001.

Personal Experience

Not only that, but other nations could use the money. I come from Africa, and there are many problems throughout this continent. For example, there is a wide epidemic of AIDS. Thousands of people in South Africa alone die from AIDS every year. Many of the people that die from AIDS are adults, which leaves orphaned children roaming the streets, looking for food and shelter. More money from the U.S. could help.

Humor Space exploration has also helped

countless people, such as scientists and total nerds. Some of the greatest thinkers at NASA might not be able to contribute much to society if it weren’t for space travel. Luckily, because we put money toward leaving our atmosphere, rocket scientists have jobs and can make discoveries like nerf balls, which we all can enjoy here on earth. After all, would you rather get hit in the head with a nerf ball or a hardball? Yeah, exactly. Thanks NASA nerds!