ENGL

Format for your problem/solution paper

Basic guidelines

Your paper must be in MLA 8 format.

It should be at least three pages long plus a Works Cited page.

The writing should be in Standard American English, well-structured, easy to follow, free from personal references and unnecessary wordiness.

Your introduction should

· Include an attention grabber

· Set the context and give any necessary background information on your topic

· State the claim (thesis)

· Forecast the argument

Your audience

· The organization, foundation, or individual who has the authority to grant what you propose.

Your purpose

· To persuade the audience of the following: 1) a problem exists, 2) there is a way to solve the problem or improve the situation, and 3) the proposed solution is beneficial.

Expected overview of the proposal

· Problem or Issue: Provide an overview of the problem or issue, including short quotations or paraphrases from at least three credible, relevant sources, each documented with MLA formatted in-text citations. Remember to use language designed to convince your audience about the problem. Take into account assumptions about the problem and existing solutions.

· Solution: Provide a realistic solution that will alleviate or improve the situation within context. This solution should be the main position of the essay and should explore the complexities of the issue.

· Benefits of the Solution: Provide compelling reasons why readers must act on your solution. Explain the limits of existing solutions, explain the positive implications of your solution, and consider others’ perspectives.

· Conclusion: Reiterate the main elements of the solution and remind readers why this solution will help with the problem. Convince readers that this action is necessary, and conclude with a specific call to action.

· MLA Works Cited Page: On the final page, list the MLA citations from the THREE to FIVE reliable sources used in the paper.

Each reference to a source should

· Introduce the source using an attributive tag (Ramage et al. 555)

· Quote or summarize the important information from that source

· Explain the significance of the information from the source

· Include a correct MLA in-text citation which is also referenced in the final Works Cited page

Requirements

· MLA formatting for in-text citations and Works Cited page

· Works Cited page listing the three to five reliable sources that are cited within the essay

· Three to five pages of text

· Uniform subheadings of Problem, Solution, and Benefits

Evaluation will be based on the following

· Explanation of Issues: The Issue/Problem to be considered critically is stated, described, and clarified so that understanding is not seriously impeded by omissions.

· Evidence: Information is taken from source(s) with enough interpretation/evaluation to develop a coherent analysis or synthesis. Viewpoints of experts are subject to questioning.

· Student’s Position: Specific position (perspective, thesis/hypothesis) takes into account the complexities of an issue. Others’ points of view are acknowledged within position (perspective, thesis/hypothesis).

· Content Development: The proposal uses appropriate, relevant, and compelling content to explore ideas within the context of the discipline and shape of the whole work.

· Sources: The writer demonstrates consistent use of credible, relevant sources to support ideas that are situated within the discipline and genre of the writing.

· Control of Syntax and Mechanics: The language is straightforward language that generally conveys meaning to readers. The language in the proposal has few errors.

Evaluation will be based on the following

This paper is not about you. It is about the issue. Therefore, the following words and phrases do not belong in your essay: I me, myself, we, us, in my opinion, I think, I believe. Your paper is also not about your reader, and you do not know your reader personally; therefore, the following words do not belong in your essay either: you, your, you’re, yourself.

A final note

This paper is not about you. It is about the issue. Therefore, the following words and phrases do not belong in your essay: I me, myself, we, us, in my opinion, I think, I believe. Your paper is also not about your reader, and you do not know your reader personally; therefore, the following words do not belong in your essay either: you, your, you’re, yourself.

*For more help, see “Strategies for Overcoming the Special Challenges of Proposal Arguments (Ramage et al. 386-7).