For this paper, you will be proposing a solution to a major issue locally
we need to keep the topic as simple as possible to avoid the paper ballooning out of control. Do this by:
trying to address one of the causes of the issue you addressed in your last paper, this will make it more manageable.
This can be something that “you” create, start, make, etc. OR something in place elsewhere (a different school, city, state, country, etc.) that could work locally to fix the issue/problem
Even though it is called a “proposal”, the bulk of the essay is not the actual proposal being made (that goes in the “gist” paragraph), but rather the benefits of undertaking your proposal. THIS is what makes the paper an argument. If your entire paper is solely focused on the step of the proposal itself, you are actually writing a process proposal, and it would lack an argument. See the outline below for a more concrete idea of how to break down the paper.
Proposal Essay Structure:
I. Introduction
a. Background of the Problem
b. Thesis (solution or your actual proposal)
II. Gist of Proposal (time line, budget, implementation, etc.)
III. BP1: Benefit #1
IV. BP2: Benefit #2
V. BP3: Benefit #3
VI. BP4: Benefit #4
VII. Counter Argument
VIII. Conclusion
The gist is a summary of your actual proposal, so you will not go into those details in the hook/intro. The gist should not be as long or longer than any of the body paragraphs, it is meant merely to explain the proposal, but the focus/argument of this paper is the benefits!
YOU MAY NOT WRITE ABOUT:
Environmental Issues, Health Issues (this means ANYTHING related to Covid-19), and anything related to traffic, roads, etc.
Below is the assignment sheet:
Problem/Solution Abstract
Answer the following in a document and upload to Canvas:
Statement of the Problem (1-3 sentences):
Proposal: (for fixing problem 1-3 sentences):
Significance of Proposal/4 Benefits (4-6 sentences) Why is it important, and how will it address your chosen issue? :
*Some things to remember about this paper* (do not include this section on your assignment!!)
Keep it simple: In order to make the paper and topic more manageable, don’t try to fix the big issue, try to approach a cause. For example, it’s impossible to think that we can fix “crime in Baton Rouge”, but if one cause of “crime in BR” in your paper was “high school dropouts, that is a more manageable idea.
It can start with “you”: This can be a personal proposal, in other words, how YOU would fix an issue. With this option it needs to be grounded in reality and start with YOU. “We need to build a loop around the city” or “BRCC should…”or “They need to….” do not start with you. This needs to be a small proposal, something you can do, make, start, etc. It of course can balloon into something much bigger, but it begins with YOU.
Or, it can be something already in place/effect somewhere else, just not here: this would be a larger solution to a problem that has been used elsewhere and could work locally. With this option, 1st person would not be used.
Keep it local: This also keeps it simple, we do not want to try to address nationwide issues, policies, or laws. Remember, the bulk of the essay isn’t the actual proposal, it’s the benefits.
