Persuasive essays, also known as argumentative essays, are a standard part of teaching curriculums throughout school and university. The purpose of a persuasive essay is to conduct a convincing argument that is based on evidence and logic. There are several ways to approach a persuasive essay, but one of the best methods of getting started is sourcing compelling facts. Once you come across compelling statistics and facts about your topic the essay has the foundation it needs to provide a logical argument.

To begin, it is often a good idea to get to know your topic and the arguments surrounding it before diving too deeply into more thorough research. This is the point of your research when online sources, such as information hubs, forums and blogs, are useful tools. Though these aren't the most scholarly sources, they are ideal if you are merely trying to get an overview of your topic. Once you have briefly researched your topic and have decided what side of the argument you will take in your essay, you can continue on to more in-depth research.

Finding the best facts and statistics for your persuasive essay requires thorough research. Depending on the nature of your topic, you may need to conduct your own primary research in order to learn more about your subject. This process would require you to conduct your own study, using some sort of scientific or observational approach. However, most persuasive essays can simply make use of facts and statistics from secondary and tertiary sources.

The best facts and statistics to use in your essay are those that come from an authoritative source and that make a relevant and compelling statement. For example, if you are arguing in favour of the smoking ban in pubs, a statistic from a health board about the negative effects of second hand smoke would be an ideal fact to include in your essay. Furthermore, many companies conduct user research for their own business purposes, which, depending on the essay topic, you may be able to use in forming your argument. If so, you can contact those companies and ask them to send you the results of their user research.

Thus, when writing and researching a persuasive essay it is important to fill the essay with facts and statistics that are relevant, enthralling and authoritative. Though people can argue against opinion, it's much more difficult for them to refute facts. It is for this reason that a fact-rich persuasive essay is usually more successful than one that relies solely on the author's own opinion.

Bruce Giles writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.