Begins with an early, explicitly-stated thesis  Delays its thesis until later in the essay  Leaves its thesis implied (lets the reader figure it out)  Develops credibility (ethos)  Appeals to readers' emotions (pathos)  Reasons effectively (logos)  Targets a narrow, specific audience  Establishes exigence (the occasion or situation that inspires the argument)  Engages counterarguments  Introduces, engages, and cites secondary sources effectively  Uses interviews or other primary research  Uses stories (fictional or real) to illustrate points  Centers on first-person narrative  Combines first person with secondary research  Offers rhetorical analysis of literary or visual texts  Uses multimedia effectively / employs persuasive images  Hooks readers with a strong beginning  Transitions between paragraphs effectively  Concludes well / leaves a strong final impression  Employs a memorable voice or creative style  Experiments / takes risks in structure or subject