Proposal Argument Essay

Proposal Argument Assignment

Your assignment is now to compose a policy proposal, which is an essay that addresses and attempts to solve at least part of a societal problem through policy change. For example, if you have been researching the effects of spanking children, your thesis would need to argue in favor of some sort of policy change. Strong Example: Pediatricians should be required to discuss the psychological ramifications of spanking to first time parents at a child’s well visit. I would like you to avoid building an argument around a general suggestion to your audience. Weak Example: Parents should stop spanking their children because doing so can cause long-term psychological ramifications.

The goal of your research proposal is to make an argument that calls an audience to action.   You’ll make a claim that some action should or ought to be taken.  By focusing your argument on one specific societal problem, you will be responding to the question:

But what can we do and why should we do anything? 

The Structure of your Essay This part of the assignment calls for a proposal argument that will contain the following parts: 1. A description of the problem (summarize the current status of your issue and why it is important to your targeted audience, appeal to your readers’ pathos). You will likely want to use research here to show the extent of the problem. 2. A proposal for a solution -Here you will want to gather from your preliminary research to help you consider possible solutions and appeal to your audience using various types of appeals). 3. A justification for the solution. Your justification should include at least 2 of the 3 argument approaches; Argument from Principle, Argument from Consequence, Argument from Resemblance. 4. A discussion of alternative proposals and/or objections. You want to be sure to identify the alternative proposal(s) and discuss why your proposed solution is superior to other solutions that have been tried in the past. 5. Opposing Viewpoint- In this section, you will anticipate and identify arguments of those who may oppose your proposed solution. You will then address each of these arguments and argue against them. **It is possible that this section will be combined with number 4, depending on your topic. 6. Conclusion- In this section, you will want to revisit your thesis statement, or proposed solution and summarize your key points. Remember to leave your reader with a powerful impression that your solution is the best answer.

TOPIC

Corruption in leadership/government

Length/Format

Your proposal should be approximately 5-6 pages and include no fewer than 4 sources. The essay is to be typed in Times New Roman, 12pt, and according to MLA format. A works cited page must also be included.

You should consider organizing your proposal using headings and bullets. All items on the list above should be addressed in your proposal; therefore, think about how you can clearly organize your material to convince the reader that your topic is timely and important.

**Be sure to avoid first person pronouns in your writing as this a formal proposal, not a narrative of your thought process (as in the Exploratory and ISearch essays).

**Avoid the statements- “I think/feel/believe” “In my opinion,” as they weaken your argument. Again, avoid “I.”