Proposal Paper Assignment

Student Learning Outcomes Addressed in this Assignment:

SLO 1:   Apply principles of research-based academic writing to distinguish relevant from irrelevant

information and draw conclusions supported by facts.

SLO 2:   Formulate research questions that lead to a proposal with feasible work plans and timelines.

SLO 3:   Use credible evidence to support a position.

SLO 4:   Consider and respond to opposing points of view.

SLO 5:   Critically evaluate a variety of sources and apply in appropriate contexts to include both process

and analysis.

SLO 6:   Use discipline-specific documentation styles, including in-text citations and properly formatted

Works Cited and Reference pages.

Assignment:

Throughout this semester, you have focused on a particular problem or issue in your career field through your own research. You have created an annotated bibliography and a rhetorical analysis.

Now, you will write a proposal. In the proposal, you PROPOSE some sort of change or action based on your research. A proposal thesis statement is called a PROPOSITION.

The proposition is a “should,” “ought to,” or “needs to” statement. The proposition is your claim. Remember that a claim must be supported by REASONS.

• This paper should be 5-7 pages in length (these do not include the title page and the reference page)
• Include an abstract (Remember that the abstract summarizes what you present in your paper)
• Use proper APA format
• Cite at least 7 credible sources

Remember to:

• Write in third person
• Use ICE when you quote: INTRODUCE the quote, provide an in-text CITATION, EXPLAIN the quote’s significance
• You should be quoting sources throughout the paper in most paragraphs
• Do not OVER-QUOTE. You shouldn’t need more than 2 quotes per paragraph. Avoid long quotes. If you must use long quotes, then quotes of more than 40 words should be in block format. Also, remember that quotes should not start or end a paragraph. Paragraphs should begin with a topic sentence and end with a concluding sentence.
• Do not use contractions (don’t, can’t, won’t, etc.)
• Include in-text citations with quotes or paraphrased material
• Provide a Reference Page that is organized in alphabetical order
• Use APA format including a title page and an abstract
• Edit for grammatical errors

Although you won’t be discussing ethos, pathos, or logos, you should be thinking about how you will use them as a writer to persuade your audience. Be sure to provide sufficient evidence to support your claim. Also, consider the language that you use to persuade your audience. Choosing certain words may accentuate pathos. You cannot use first person in this paper, so you can’t speak to your own credibility, but you can enhance your credibility by creating good logos and providing other credible sources.

Your paper should have the following components. Here is a General Outline of the Proposal

1. Introduction (this will probably be several paragraphs)
2. Identify the problem

(you should be citing sources here to prove that the problem exists)

1. Provide your proposition (or thesis statement) along with your reasons
2. Describe other solutions that have been attempted or proposed.

Explain whether they have been successful or not and why.

(This may take several paragraphs.  You should be citing sources here, as well.  If you state that a certain solution has been tried, you should cite the source for where you found that information.)

III. Present your solution

1. What are the goals of your solution?
2. What are the specific steps of your solution? (Many students fail to provide this part. This should be a plan of action for how your solution will be implemented. You posted some of this information in your research log.)
3. Describe positive consequences of your solution.
4. Argue that your solution can be done (feasibility)
5. If it requires money, where will that come from?
6. If it requires a change in legislature, how will that happen?
7. If it requires a change in beliefs, how will those people be convinced to change?
8. Conclusion (Call to Action)

*** Don’t forget your Reference page

Remember to offer SPECIFIC steps for achieving the proposed solution. In other words, you will use Process writing in Roman Numeral III of the outline above to explain how the solution can or should be achieved. This will require that you use process transition words like “First” and “Next” and “Finally”. Remember that your intended audience has the power to implement your solution or disregard it. The more specific you are, the better you chances that your audience will accept your proposal.