Moving into Chapter 5

Writing a ProposalCollege Composition I

Let’s Review…0 In Chapter 3 we looked at writing a personal essay:

0 Used personal experiences and observations to drive inquiry.0 Applied the exploratory thinking of personal essays to academic

writing.0 Identified the characteristics of personal essays in different

forms.0 Used invention strategies to discover and develop a personal

essay topic.0 Applied revision strategies that are effective for shaping

narratives.

In Chapter Five…

0 We will:0 Describe a problem of consequence, framing it narrowly

enough to explore convincing solutions.0 Identify the wide range of rhetorical situations that might

call for a proposal argument. 0 Argue effectively for both the seriousness of the problem

and the proposed solutions, using strong evidence.0 Use appropriate invention strategies to discover and

develop a proposal topic.0 Apply revision strategies that are effective for a proposal.

Writing about Problems & Solutions

0What are some problems that need solutions?0 What problems are most vexing to you at the moment?

0How can we look at the world from a problem-solving aspect?0 This aspect is at the heart of a proposal.

Problems of Consequence

0Describing a problem of consequence, framing it narrowly enough to explore convincing solutions.

0While not all problems are solvable, the process of seeking and proposing solutions can be rewarding.

0Part of the challenge is recognizing problems of consequence. What makes a problem consequential?0 It potentially affects a number of people.0 The solution may not be simple. 0 There may be multiple solutions and people disagree

about which is best.

Problems of Consequence

0 If a problem is consequential, it’s more likely that someone else will have said something about it.

0 Like many other forms of inquiry, problem solving usually requires some research. Obviously, if we already knew the solution, we wouldn’t have the problem to begin with.

0 An important consideration then, is whether others have said something about the problem that might help you think about the best ways to solve it.

0 While not all problems are equally solvable, the process of seeking and proposing solutions can be rewarding if you see the opportunity to learn.

Problems of a Manageable Scale

0What about the sorts of larger-scale problems?0 Here we’re obviously talking about problems of

consequence:0World hunger0War0Environmental destruction0Poverty0Human rights

0 These are problems that matter to us all. But these are also among the most complex problems to solve.

Problems of a Manageable Scale

0 When writers are passionate about these topics it’s fantastic, but it’s important to realize the need to narrow the topic to something more manageable.

0 Obviously you’re not going to have anything meaningful to say about solving world hunger in a five-page essay. But it might be possible to write a focused essay about the troubles over food production in Zimbabwe, once one of Africa’s top agricultural producers.

0 Even better – narrow the topic further and investigate U.S. aid policies that are failing to help feed hungry Zimbabwean children.

0 Your interest in hunger can also easily lead to topics with a local angle – like the reluctance of some hungry families in your community to use food stamps because of a local supermarket’s policy.

Problems of a Manageable Scale

0 By focusing on the narrower problem, you can often reveal aspects of the larger problem much more powerfully while developing a solution that’s more implementable.

0 In other words, when you are choosing a problem to explore for a proposal, the manageable scale of a problem is as important as its consequentiality.

Why would we write a proposal?

0 People write proposals to try to argue convincingly to others that a problem is worth tackling and a proposed solution is a good way to tackle it.

0 Your motives for writing a proposal will probably include the following:0 You care about the problem. Whether it’s something in your

personal life or a public issue you feel that the problem deserves attention.

0 You hope to change something. Writing a proposal is a way of overcoming powerlessness.

0 You hope to learn something. You choose a topic because you’re motivated to discover things you don’t know. This motive alone isn’t enough. Others must be affected by the problem and have a stake in considering your solution. But if the problem is sufficiently complex and the solutions varied, then you stand to learn a lot.

The Proposal + Academic Writing0Numerous academic situations call for proposal

writing and, more generally, writing to solve problems.0 The case-study approach – popular in business,

medicine, social sciences. It is essentially the presentation of a real-world problem for you to solve.

0 Problem-based learning – is an approach to inquiry common in the sciences that begins with the messy problem and involves learners in coming up with tentative solutions.

0 In some classes you’ll be asked to write proposals. Political science courses may include an assignment to write a policy proposal or an essay that looks at a specific public policy problem.

0Academics in many disciplines write research proposals. These identify a question and then propose a plan for studying it.

0The research question may relate to a problem, or simply to a topic that could be useful to study.

0To fund research academics usually must submit a proposal.

Page 141

0 Inquiring into the details – writing a research proposal.

Review 142-143 w/ a Partner

05 minutes0Be ready to summarize what it’s all about!

Let’s look @ an Example

0Why College Football Should be Banned0 By Buzz Bissinger

0Follow up with “Inquiring into the essay” page 146.0 Explore0 Explain0 Evaluate0 Reflect