Writing Assignment Three: Proposal Argument

Assignment Description:
Proposal arguments are one of the most common types of arguments that you will read or write in many workplace settings. Proposals typically call for some kind of action or change; they call on an audience to come to a decision and to do something. In light of this, proposal arguments typically rise out of existing problems and often framed as solutions. Basically: “We should do X.”

Your task: Argue for a practical proposal that offers a specific solution to some kind of local or immediate problem.

Practical proposals tend to be narrow in scope and focus on what should happen in the here and now. Not just: should we build more parking spaces on campus?—instead: how many new spaces should be added? Why should they be built? And where? When should we start? Regardless of your topic, keep in mind the essential pieces of a proposal:

1. Convince your target audience that a problem exists—and that it needs immediate attention.

2. Convince them to follow a specific course of action to solve the problem.

Assignment Goals:
− Focus on a specific rhetorical purpose
− Continued practice identifying relevant social issues − Continued practice using written rhetorical strategies

Audience:
This time, I want you to write for an audience that has the power to act on the issue you are writing about. It will be up to you to ascertain who this audience is. You’ll need to describe/identify this audience in written detail early in our writing process for this assignment.

Criteria Worth Considering:
− Effective use of proposal argumentation strategies
− Demonstration of critical thought
− Integration of secondary sources with your central argument − Proper use of MLA guidelines for citations
− Evidence of revision from early drafts to final draft
− Evidence of final editing and proofreading

Secondary Sources:
You will find and cite evidence from at least 7 credible secondary sources for this paper. (Much more about this later, in class.)

Length Requirement: 5 pages AND a works cited page

Additional requirements: all your drafts must be typed, double-spaced, use Times New Roman 12 point font, and be formatted with one-inch margins all the way around. I can only open Microsoft Word compatible file formats. Please only submit materials in one of the following file formats: .doc .docx or .rtf.