How To Write A Petition

How To Write A Petition A petition is a formal written request signed by as many people as possible and used to appeal to a person, board or court in authority to draw their attention to and request action with regards to a particular cause. Petitions can also be used to put a specific issue before an electorate and gather enough signatures so that a particular candidate can get on a ballot. People sometimes use petitions to pressure some elected officials to support or adhere to a position that’s expressed by the petitioners who put it forward or signed it.

How To Write An Effective Petition

Anyone can write a petition. But if your goal is to write a petition that is able to get the result you desire, there are certain important steps you must take and elements it must contain. Doing a little research on how to write a petition that is effective, expresses the desire of the group of people whose opinion and desires it represents and gets positive results is essential. Part of that research can include having an expert write a petition example that you can use as a guide when you are gathering the needed information to put together your petition. Having an experienced professional write a petition example you can follow increases the chances that you will craft a successful petition.

Key Elements Of A Good Petition

An important part of learning how to write a petition is to know the key elements every good petition must contain. That is why having someone who has created very successful petitions write a petition example for you can help. It will show how to incorporate all the key elements of a petition to create compelling documents that get the desired response. Some of the most important elements of a good petition are:

1. It must be thoroughly researched, conceptualized and outlined.
2. It must have a clear, achievable goal.
3. It must state what the proponents and undersigned want to see changed.
4. It must be easy for everyone to understand.
5. It must be clear whose opinion you are attempting to change.
6. It must have a direct and respectful tone that conveys its urgency and importance.
7. It must indicate the people on whose behalf it’s written.
8. It must be well written using vocabulary that makes its point clear to everyone.
9. It must provide accurate information.
10. It must be short, concise, direct and convincing.
11. It must have a timeline within which the desired change should take place.
12. It must engage the reader and make them aware they are helping to create a positive
change.
13. It must ask people to sign.

Write A Petition Example

One way to ensure your petition will be able to have the impact you want, it to write a petition example and share it with some close friends and knowledgeable people. They can critique your petition and give you valuable feedback. They can let you know if it is too vague or overly broad. They can even share insight on what it will take to make your petition more effective. When many people attempt to write a petition example it helps them focus the message they want to share and make it clearer and more powerful.

Steps For How To Write A Petition

Creating a petition is an effective way to get topics being ignored to the detriment of a significant portion of the public noticed by decisionmakers. There are a number of steps you should take if you want to write an effective petition that generates lots of signatures and has the best chance of being successful at delivering the outcome that you and the public want. By following these step not only will you learn how to write a petition, you can also write a petition example you can take to experienced petition
writers and have them critique it for you. This will better prepare you to write a petition that is effective in generating attention that leads to a positive change.

Step One

Formulating Your Request And Explaining Your Cause

If there is something you would like to see changed in your community, county, city, or country, you can begin the process of change by creating a petition. Carefully thought out and properly written petitions can make a real impact. The first step you have to take is to ensure the petition that you create is well researched. This gives you all the information you need to easily, clearly, accurately and persuasively present your case. When the message your petition is trying to get across is clear and properly researched and shared with a polite, friendly and authoritative delivery, you will be able to get all the signatures you need to motivate the decision makers to implement the sought after change.

Step Two

Develop And Sharpen Your Argument

Before you begin writing your petition, you should take some time to use all of the information you learned about your topic to develop and sharpen your argument. If you have done thorough research using literature and websites with information pertaining to your cause, it will be easier for you to quickly and easily explain why the changes being proposed by the petition is the best course of action. You will also have the facts and data you need to refute the counterpoints and arguments people raise against
the solution you are proposing by the circulation and presentation of your petition.

Step Three

Verify The Petition’s Jurisdiction

As you begin to plan and outline your petition, consider who it is that will be tasked with implementing the changes the petition proposes. What jurisdiction will it impact? Is it a particular school or school system, a business or industry, or the local, state or federal government? Doing thorough research should give you the information you need to determine what administrative offices you have to contact or organization’s website you have to visit to find the correct body to which your petition has to be directed, who handles matters related to your cause, request petition guidelines from them and confirm if you need prior approval to begin circulating your petition.

Step Four

Find Out The Number Of Signatures Your Petition Needs

In order for many governmental, organizational, educational or industrial bodies to pay attention to your petition requesting they change their policies or practices, there is usually a threshold of a certain number of signatures your petition has to attain. It is essential you find out how many signatures your petition is required to have before it will be considered for implementation. Usually the individual, entity, body, group or agency you are petitioning to make the changes will be able to tell you the number of signatures your petition has to collect before you will be allowed to submit it for them to consider. Confirm this number before you start your petition.

Step Five

State The Goal Of Your Petition In A Clear Specific Manner

Developing a statement of the goal of your petition that is clear and specific is the next step in creating a successful petition. Once you know the requirements for your petition, you must then craft a precise, concise, informative statement that properly frames your goal for the petition. The statement does not have to contain all of the target points of the petition, but it should be strong and clear enough so a potential signer will have a good understanding of the goal of the petition. A statement that is weak, vague and general placed on the top of the page with your petition will not be as compelling as it needs to be to motivate thousands of people to sign it.

Step Six

Explain And Summarize Your Cause

Under the statement of your goal for the petition, you should add a few brief sentences that explain and summarize your cause. Place one or two paragraphs that describe the issue you have with the target of the petition, why it matters to people and why the change your petition proposes is a good way to address the issue. Describe the issue using terms that help the petition make sense even to people not aware that the problem existed. As you write a petition example, keep the text as short and as easy to scan as
possible, even if you add a few bullet points. People are less likely to read petitions that are longer than two or three paragraphs.

Step Seven

Check It For Clarity

Once you write a petition example that contains all the key elements of your proposed solution, check the text of the petition to ensure it makes sense and flows smoothly.
It is a good idea to have someone not familiar with the cause and the campaign read the petition over and check it for clarity. If you write a petition example that is good, they will be able to understand the problem and the solution your petition proposes. It will also help if they tell you whether you crafted a petition statement so compelling that is makes them excited and motivated to sign it and help the campaign attain its goal.

Step Eight

Have References For The Statements You Make

When you write a petition, some people who read it may want to know the source of the data you used to come to your conclusions. They may just want to make sure that the information you are sharing is both accurate and valid. As you write a petition you plan to present to a wide audience, take some time to create an additional sheet citing the references that you consulted. Make sure to include whether your source was a book or a website and give the URL, book title and author. This enables people to do their own research to verify the points you make. Encourage and support this by printing copies of the references and distributing them upon request.

Step Nine

Edit The Petition Carefully

After you write the petition example and the actual petition, be sure to take the time to make sure you and your team edit it carefully. People will not take you seriously or be interested in signing your petition, no matter how well meaning it is, if it has spelling and grammar errors. Proofread your petition several times and have some other people proofread it as well. Plus, you should definitely run it through spell check and at least one program that looks for mistakes in grammar and sentence flow as well as sentence structure. You should also read it out load to make sure it flows properly and makes sense to the reader or listener.

Step Ten

A Call To Action

The opening statement of your petition should state what you would like to see those in power do about the issue. However, it should also have a short paragraph describing the desired action you want to see taken. It will let people who are considering signing the petition know what to expect once the petition’s goal is attainted. The petition’s call to action should be concise and very specific. It should let the person, people or entity to whom the petition is directed know, in brief terms, what should happen, who has the power to make it happen and how soon the changes should happen.

Step Eleven

Say How People Can Support The Petition

Some people who agree with the goals and purpose of the petition will want to do more than simply sign the document to show their support. Savvy petition writers add a few sentences at the bottom of the petition letting people know some of the other things it would be helpful if they did. It can be something as simple as encouraging them to call the offices of a local politician, government, organization or industry. The additional information can tell people who to call, how to reach them, questions to ask them, when important meetings are planned and other ways they can help change the minds of the key decision makers.

Step Twelve

Create A Signer’s Form

Creating the signer’s form is one of the most important steps when you write a petition example or a petition. The signer’s form is a separate sheet of paper that often is attached to the part of the petition that contains the text. This is where people that are in support of the changes proposed by the petition actually write and sign their names in the designated space. The signer’s form usually has the title of the petition at the top and a series of lines for people to sign their names and put their contact information if that’s required on the petition to prove the signers live or work in the
the area impacted by the issue the petition is designed to address and correct.

Step Thirteen

Print Many Copies Of The Signer’s Form

Print as many copies of the signer’s form as possible. It is far better to have more of the copies than you need than not having enough for people interested in supporting the petition to sign. Divide the number of signatures that can fit on a page by the number of signatures you need to determine the minimum number of copies of the signer’s form you should print. Plus, as the sheets are being filled up with signatures, you should
continue to print more. It is a good idea to have much more than the minimum number of signatures that your petition requires to have before it will be considered a success.

Step Fourteen

How To Promote Your Petition

Writing a persuasive and meaningful petition that represents the will of the people is just the beginning. In order to collect the thousands of signatures you may need for it to get serious consideration and have the changes it requests implemented, you have to take consistent and organized steps to promote it and make people aware of it. Some proposal writers find they can reach a wider audience much faster and collect many more signatures if they use a website where people can read the petition and sign it as a major part of their promotional efforts. Others find talking to people in person more effective for promoting their petitions.

Take It To The People

Look for opportunities to speak at places where crowds of people who will be affected by and are concerned with the issue your petition addresses gather. Use social media and social, education and business groups and networks to raise awareness among as many people as possible about your petition and give them an opportunity to sign it. Try to make presentations in as many public places as possible. The more people that know the petition exists and are familiar with its aims and goals, the quicker you will be able to get the number of signatures you need. Consider having your friends help promote the petition and circulate signature forms.

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