Y07W31WR Should Student Representatives Have a Formal Vote?

Part 1

How to Write

Persuasive – Persuasive submission

A persuasive submission argues for a clear position on an issue and aims to influence a specific decision-maker. It is written for a formal audience — often a committee, council or leadership group — and must be credible and well-reasoned. The tone should be confident and respectful, demonstrating careful thinking about the issue.

  • Ideas & content: Take a clear position and develop it with logical, well-supported reasons. Acknowledge complexity where it exists, but always return to your core argument.
  • Structure & cohesion: Open with your position, develop your reasons in a logical order and close with a clear recommendation. Use connecting language to move from point to point smoothly.
  • Voice & audience: Write for your specific audience — formal, measured and credible. Avoid emotional exaggeration. Show you understand the issue from multiple sides, even while arguing one position.
  • Language choices: Use precise, formal vocabulary. Control modality carefully — words like should, must and strongly recommends signal conviction. Vary sentence structure for impact.
  • Conventions: Spell key terms correctly. Use punctuation to manage complex sentences. Check that your sentences are as clear as they are persuasive.

Common pitfalls: Arguing from passion alone without evidence or reasoning — a good submission shows logical thinking, not just strong feeling. Failing to acknowledge the other side even briefly, which makes your argument look one-sided.

Part 2

Your Task Plan for Today

The brief

Question: Write a submission to your school council arguing for or against giving student representatives a formal vote in school decision-making. Take a clear position and support it with reasoning. Your submission will be read by council members before the vote.

Stimulus: Your school council is considering a proposal to give the student representative body a formal vote on school decisions — including budget priorities, assessment policies and behaviour management rules. Currently, student representatives can attend meetings and speak, but cannot vote. Supporters argue students deserve genuine democratic input. Critics argue students lack the experience to make sound decisions on complex institutional matters.

Task Analysis: This task asks you to argue a clear position on a governance question to a formal school council. A strong response will show that you understand the complexity of the issue and will argue your position with specific, well-reasoned points rather than just asserting what seems fair.

Quick Plan

Before you write, plan:

  • Your position — for or against student representatives having a formal vote
  • Two or three specific reasons with developed reasoning
  • The strongest opposing argument and your response to it
  • Your recommendation to the council

Thesis / position

State your position clearly from the opening. A formal submission to a school council should be direct and professional — the reader needs to know your position before your reasoning.

Evidence chain

For each reason, argue it fully: state the claim, explain the logic and give a specific consequence or example. Reasons that are stated but not developed do not persuade a decision-making body.

Counterargument

Acknowledge the main argument against your position and respond to it directly. Show that you have engaged seriously with the other side rather than simply ignoring it.

Call to action / Recommendation

Close with a clear, direct recommendation to the council. Name exactly what you are asking them to decide and why it is the right choice for the school community.