Call to Action
When learning how to write an essay, like a persuasive essay, there is often a need for a “call to action” statement within that essay. That “call to action” statement must accomplish three things: it should educate; it should inspire; and it should activate the reader to complete a certain vision or mission. In the persuasive essay, no matter how many resources and facts the writer has brought forward while essay writing, it is often the “call to action” statement that can accentuate the point of the writer. This statement must be straight forward and contain an either intellectual or emotional appeal.
The “call to action” must also serve as the mission of the persuasive essay; it must state what the essay is all about and the reason that the reader should be offended, excited, moved, challenged or motivated. The “call to action” is usually the writer’s selling point; the reason that the reader should read the essay and to move forward upon the writer’s intent for writing the essay.
In the “call to action” statement the writer should use powerful words to activate the essay’s “speech” on the subject. There should be a limited number of “calls to action” within an essay; too many focus points of the call to action statement can be confusing and dilute the persuasiveness of the essay. Creating a deadline to the “call to action” sometimes is effective when spurring the reader to action; keep a deadline within reach of the reader. If the “call to action” is a year down the road, the action will have been forgotten. Finally, be sure and explain to the reader the “why” of the “call to action”; it is useless to call someone to action without giving them reasons for doing so.
The reasons for call to action may be several different types of ways that the writer wants to persuade the reader to do something. The writer may want the reader to just be informed that something needs to be done. For instance, if there are problems in the government, the writer may want the reader to be informed of the problems and stir the reader to help change those problems by contacting his/her congressman or finding out more information about the problem.
If the reason for the call to action may be more urgent, such as dangers to the reader’s health or possible problems with a community health problem. The writer may be calling the reader to change some health preventative risk management in his/her personal life or in the lives of the people in their community (such as school lunches etc).
If the reason for the call to action is simply a change in a specific area, such as safety to the community, as far as community action; then the writer must use the reasoning of keeping his/her neighbors safe by attempting to change certain regulations or laws within the community as far as traffic or health.
Any of the reasons of the call to action should be defined by the writer and the reader should know exactly what the writer is trying to convey as the “call to action” is pinpointed within the essay.
Here is a brief list of things that you might accomplish in your concluding paragraph(s).* There are certainly other things that you can do, and you certainly don't want to do all these things. They're only suggestions:
ask a provocative question.
use a quotation.
evoke a vivid image.
call for some sort of action.
end with a warning.
universalize (compare to other situations).
suggest results or consequences.
Here is the concluding paragraph of George Orwell's famous essay, "Politics and the English Language." If you would like to read the entire essay from which this conclusion is taken (and check out, especially, the beginning), click HERE.