Order Description
Prompt
Prompt: In the Productive Counterargument, you engaged with a larger conversation and clearly expressed your position on an issue. In this Proposal Argument, you will build from those skills as you identify a problem and advocate for a way to address, solve, or resolve that problem. Identify an audience who can benefit from and participate in the solution your proposal addresses. You may need to convince your audience that a problem does, indeed, exist, if that is not obvious. Your starting point, then, is to identify something you feel, with good reason, should be changed. Next, argue that a certain action should be taken to respond to or resolve that problem. Your proposed plan of action should be both possible and desirable. Explore the costs and benefits of your solution. Most of the paper should be devoted to advocating your plan for addressing/resolving the problem.
As you are drafting, carefully consider issues of feasibility and audience acceptability. Think about how you are explaining the time, money, labor, resources, etc., that would be necessary to put your solution into action. Describe your plan to show that it is feasible. Consider how you might establish common ground and build consensus to make it acceptable. Understanding that not everyone will agree that your plan is best, address competing solutions and consider any concessions your audience might need to make. Do your best to convince them that your solution is the most effective option available to them. After drafting, revise and edit. Consider the tone you should establish and pay careful attention to precision and punctuation.
Grading Criteria: Your essay should
(1) identify and describe the problem clearly;
(2) address a limited audience who can help you achieve and/or benefit from your solution;
(3) present a concrete proposal for change that is feasible and acceptable;
(4) explain how and why your solution will address the problem you have identified;
(5) fairly assess and fully explore the possible costs and benefits of your proposed solution;
(6) use research that is credible, appropriate, and properly cited following MLA guidelines
