The EssayPop system prescribes an approach to conclusion writing that involves echoing the hook from the introduction, revisiting the thesis statement and providing some reflective thinking at the end. This series of posts focuses on the later. To see the whole chapter on conclusion writing check out this link.
Call to Action
Often used in persuasive papers, the call to action is sometimes called “the sell” because the writer is literally asking the reader to do something, take a stance or take some form of action.
The action urged can be physical, political, psychological, financial, etc. The tone of a call to action reflection can be, but does not have to be, passionate and emotional.
The call to action can be used in other types of essays as well. For example, in a response-to-literature, the writer might ask the reader to accept a different interpretation or in an expository piece, the writer might recommend thinking about new information differently.
Model 1
Type of essay: Expository / Argumentative
The prompt: Pit Bulls are commonly considered to be unpredictable and even vicious animals. They are frequently portrayed in the media as enough of a societal threat that they should be subject to stringent leashing requirements and prohibited from public spaces such as playgrounds and dog parks. Do you believe that pit bulls should be singled out and restricted because of their vicious natures?
In the media we see plenty of anecdotal accounts of pit bulls acting dangerously and ferociously towards people. The breed is also often paraded around by tough guys who go out of their way make their dogs look tough as well. For many people, the pitbull’s reputation is sealed. But if you put away your preconceptions and prejudices, you will understand what professional dog trainer, Camryn Rogers means when she says pitbulls are a misunderstood breed. This paper has shown that, despite popular beliefs, American Bull Terriers are not vicious animals; they are a loyal and friendly breed of dog. We learned that these dogs are statistically not more prone to bite or attack humans. We saw evidence that the breed is one of the most loyal and protective of their owners. We also learned the pit bulls are one of the most intelligent and trainable dogs there are. Perhaps the time has come for us to stop being so quick to judge. People do, after all, tend to over-generalize things they do not understand. This certainly seems to be the case with pitbulls, a breed that has, as we’ve seen, been unfairly maligned by people who, quite frankly just don’t understand the breed at all. The next time you have the opportunity to be in the vicinity of a pitbull, don’t walk away, don’t pull your own dog back in concern and don’t judge. Instead, approach the animal and give him a pat on the head and an encouraging word. By doing so, you’ll be helping reverse the cycle of unfair discrimination that these dogs have been subjected to for such a long time.
Why this reflection works
The thesis of the essay is that pit bulls, contrary to their reputations for being vicious, are actually very loyal dogs that make great pets. This reflection is asking the reader quite directly to change their point of view about these dogs. The call to action is a subtle appeal to the reader’s own sense of morality and what is right.
Model 2
Type of essay: persuasive / argumentative
The prompt: Our principal announced recently that, based on a recommendation from our school’s booster club, she would likely be setting aside most of our $500,000 in State bond funds for the purchase of football stadium lights. Advocates of his plan are excited by the prospect of finally being able to to enjoy some Friday night games; they believe stadium lights will create a sense of school tradition and spirit. Opponents contend that diverting these funds would hurt the school’s academic programs and that this money would be more wisely spent on purchasing new textbooks, hiring more teachers or creating a computer lab. In multiple-paragraph, evidence-based essay, argue why the available funds be used to purchase football stadium lights, as our principal and boosters wish, or whether they should be set aside for our academic program.
So, yes, we are indeed in the enviable position of having half a million dollars of State bond money to do more or less what we would like with. The debate has been lively, with the Boosters coming in the loudest, and, some would argue, the most convincingly. It’s hard to argue that a “Friday Night Lights” atmosphere would be very popular at Whitney and quite a bit of fun as well. Having said this, however, it seems clear that we need to have the sobriety of mind to step back from the allure of nighttime games and embrace what Whitney High School really needs — an improved academic program. It’s been established that our shortage of quality teachers is increasing class sizes and inhibiting our ability to fund all of the AP courses we would like to offer our students. As we’ve also seen, additional computer carts would help lift us out of the technology deficit we are currently in. And, yes, we could dedicate some of the funds to our athletics program. We may not be able to purchase stadium lights, but we could, as we’ve discussed, upgrade the uniforms for most, if not all of our teams. At the risk of sounding like a bummer, I’d like to remind the stakeholders of Whitney High of our primary mission and responsibility to our community, and that is to educate our students. Our aspiration should be to build minds, not to entertain crowds. In some ways our schools funding debate sheds light on issues being argued in the larger society. Has our country and culture become overly focused on athletics? Have the academic pursuits lost their appeal? Do we value jocks over geniuses? I believe it is high time that we show our community that this is, indeed, not the case. I challenge you to make your voice heard, whether it be through direct appeal or in writing, and urge our school’s decision makers to dedicate a majority of these state bond monies to strengthening our academic program. To do otherwise would only show that we as a school are driven by the shallow desire for extracurricular distractions and not the pursuit of academic excellence.
Why this reflection works
The debate here surrounds how bond money should be spent to improve a local high school. Should it be spent on athletics or academics? The thesis of this essay is that it should be allocated to the latter. The reflection is, in a way, a hybrid, combining a call-to-action approach with a an appeal to morality (a strategy that will be discussed later). Beginning with the phrase, “I challenge you to…”, the suggested call to action is to write or speak to the school’s decision makers and urge them to make the right decision. The call to action is often followed by the ramifications or consequences of not doing the right thing, and that’s what is done in the final sentence of this reflection.
