Outline a Persuasive Proposal

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Lee Simmons

Sophia Pathways ENG1020

June 24, 2021

Research question: How should ethical concerns direct the choices that people make

about eating meat?

Working thesis statement: For ethical and environmental reasons, people should limit

their beef consumption, and the beef that they do eat should be humanely raised, locally

sourced, and grass-fed.

Detailed Outline

I. Working Thesis in Introduction: For ethical and environmental reasons, people

should limit their beef consumption, and the beef that they do eat should be

humanely raised, locally sourced, and grass-fed.

A. Hook with description statistics on beef consumption.

B. Introduce two concerns: humane treatment, environment

Source: Davis and Lin on statistics on beef consumption in the U.S.

II. Ethical Issues

A. Animals feel pain

B. CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations)

C. Inhumane treatment of domesticated cattle

Source 1: Grandin and Smith, paragraph 2

Source 2: Pollan on ethical conflicts, paragraphs 32 and 40

III. Environmental Issues

A. Mono-cropping: feed for cattle and transport

B. Manure: contamination, transport, ground water

C. Antibiotics: rise in antibiotic resistant bacteria

Source 1: Lappe on mono-cropping com/soy and production, page 22

Source 2: Sager on manure issues, paragraph 7

Source 3: Palmer on antibiotics, paragraph 12

IV. Health Benefits of Grass-Fed

A. Higher in vitamins A and E and contains half the saturated fat and more

omega-3 fatty acids, all of which fight cancer and heart disease

B. Cows are healthier, so their meat is healthier to consume.

C. Note that organic is a separate category.

Source 1: Ruechel on health benefits, page 235

Source 2: Sager on organic note, paragraphs 10-15

V. Environmental Benefits of Grass-Fed Beef

A. Local production is better for the climate

B. Forage is better for the climate than corn/soy

C. Some meat consumption is good for the planet.

Source 1: Lappe on climate change, page 11

Source 2: Pollan on local and diverse, end of article

VI. Counterargument

A. Rainforest razing in South America – increases carbon dioxide in the

atmosphere and depletes the ozone layer

B. Travel distance from S. America & Australia is environmentally negative –

depends on fossil fuels

Source 1: Brown and Funk, and Sage, on issues w/grass-fed cattle in the

developing world.

Source 2: Pollan (and possibly Lappe) on “season” for beef

VII. Conclusion

A. Grass-fed is better on both ethical and environmental grounds, but the real

answer is to eat less beef overall.

B. Emphasizing respect for animals solves ethical dilemmas

Source 1: Pollan on eating less and the ethics of being choosy, paragraph

Reflection Questions

1) Learning to conduct research is important because it is a skill you will use both

in academia and in your professional life. It improves critical thinking and

empowers you to find information for yourself. Consider the process of

researching as a whole. What was the most challenging aspect of the process for

you? (2-3 sentences)

One of the most challenging aspects of researching for me was how much time it took

to find all of the different types of sources for this paper. It was also very difficult to

assess each source and determine whether the information it provided was credible and

useful for my essay. I really thought this would only take an hour or two, but it ended up

being a much more involved process. Now I know that if you want to really learn about

an issue, it takes more than a quick web search for information!

2) The working thesis statement is a proposed answer to your research question.

It should clearly identify a debatable topic and take a position on one side of that

topic. Analyze the effectiveness of your working thesis statement. (3-4 sentences)

My working thesis statement is one sentence that presents one side of a relevant and

debatable argument. In addition, I tried to be as specific as I could. Instead of simply

saying “People should not eat beef” I stated that it was for ethical and environmental

reasons. I offered an alternative for what should be done if people would not avoid beef

completely. I really tried to explain why this issue was important and discuss what could

be done to improve the situation.

3) A detailed outline is an effective tool for laying out the progression of an

argument. It allows you to consider the arrangement and organization of your

ideas, as well as choose places to incorporate outside source materials. Review

your detailed outline and summarize the argument you've presented. (3-4

sentences)

I start by laying out the ethical issues and inhumane treatment of mass-produced cattle

and discuss the environmental concerns of feeding and transporting cattle. I then switch

to discussing the health and environmental benefits of grass-fed, humanely raised beef.

The counterargument outlines a few issues that still exist with grass-fed beef and the

conclusion reiterates that eating grass-fed beef is better but eating less beef is the more

environmentally friendly option. I think that the argument progresses logically in this way

and I think that the information I provided in my introduction and conclusion will be very

helpful in introducing and summarizing the topic.

4) You will use the same topic on three of the remaining Touchstones in this

course. What kind of feedback would be helpful for you? What are specific

questions you might have as you go deeper into the research process? (2-3

sentences)

I’m pretty confident in the information I provided, but I would like additional insight into

the structure of my essay. I think that my outline is clear, but I am not sure if it will make

as much sense to someone who is not as familiar with the topic. I would also like some

guidance on my use of formatting. I tried my best to use APA guidelines, but I’m not as

familiar with these.