HTML Preview Sample Persuasive Essay page number 1.
26
Sample Persuasive Essay
The purpose of a persuasive essay is to convince the audience to change their views on an
important issue or to take action to change something. In the following example, writer Barbara
Duddles argues against the use of uniforms in school. Notice that the essay follows the proper
MLA format.
Duddles 1
Barbara Duddles
Ms. Banick
English II
February 6, 2006
We Should Not All Be Uniform!
Every day, millions of teenagers spend between six and eight hours in America’s high
schools. They sit at their desks, listen to their teachers, and do their school work. In some of
these schools, however, they are also forced to dress in school uniforms. This restriction is really
too much. In America’s high schools, students should not be forced to wear uniforms because
they take away a student’s sense of individuality, they do not allow for self-expression, and they
absolutely do not save families any money.
First of all, students should not wear uniforms because they take away a student’s sense
of individuality. Imagine this: 30 students sit in desks in a small classroom. Each student wears
tan pants and a white shirt. They sit with their school books and papers in front of them. They
all look exactly alike. Does this seem right? Of course not! We are all individuals! We are
unique in many different ways. Why try to make all students look alike? This idea is supported
by testimony from a 17-year-old student forced to wear uniforms. Her story was reported in
National Catholic Reporter of March, 2002, and she said, "Everyone hated it. It completely
killed any sense of individuality any one of us had. Everyone looked the same. It was sad to