You will write a 1250-1500 word, double-spaced, 12 point font essay proposing a solution to a problem faced by a community or group to which you belong, and address your proposal to anyone who might help solve the problem. This paper should be in MLA format, including the headers, page numbers, and in-text citations and Works Cited page. Use Times New Roman 12 point font as your font type, please. (Use that for the Essay and for the Topic Proposal and Annotated Bibliography, too. Make sure that all 3 of these assignments are formatted in MLA format, from the paper headers to the titles to the citations.)
As with your previous essay, please write this essay in an academic voice: avoid the words “you” and “your” and if you use the word “I” make sure it is in connection with a personal example. Avoid phrases like “I think,” “I feel,” or “I believe.”
Your essay must have:
A well-defined problem.
A clearly described solution. (In some cases 1-2 clear solutions may be ok, too.)
A convincing argument in support of the solution(s).
An anticipation of readers’ objections and questions—counterargument(s). It is important in this assignment that you address your opposition. At some point in the paper, you need to acknowledge your opposition and deal with opposition points. You can choose to either completely refute an opposition point, or you can choose to concede that the opposition’s point is of some value. You may find that you do both of these things at the same time (You may use counter arguments in the section of your paper where you define the problem—the counter arguments could show why the other side does not think the problem is really a problem. Or you could use counter arguments in the section of your paper where you offer a solution, showing that the other side does not agree with your proposed solution. Or you could include counter arguments in both areas of your essay. Wherever you include counter arguments, you must make it clear that the other side’s viewpoint is not your viewpoint and you must always refute or concede!)
Evidence to back up your ideas. You will be conducting research to find statistics, facts, quotes from experts, and studies. You should also conduct an interview if it’s a possibility for your topic. Hypothetical examples, anecdotes, and personal experience can also be used in this paper. (You may need to use evidence to define your problem and really convince your reader it really is a problem. You will also likely need evidence to support the validity of your proposed solution.) You must use 5-7 research sources in this paper. Research sources can include magazines, books, credible internet web sites, scholarly journals, articles from NC Live and interviews. You will use MLA documentation to give credit to your sources through in-text citations and a Works Cited page. No more than 3 of your sources can be internet web sites and you must use at least one database article.
