Solution-Oriented Project Proposal

As professionals, it’s imperative that you develop fluency in your fields: to have a concrete understanding of important issues, tools of the trade, and ongoing issues within your professional field. This project asks you to explore your field, and develop the skills to research and argue with confidence within that field.

Write an unsolicited, persuasive research-based proposal on a subject you find interesting and relevant to your chosen profession or field. Focus on persuasive message(s) that:

• Describe a problem
• Offer a realistic measurable solution or action-step toward a solution
• Explain the value of the solution to a professional /college-educated audience. 

Selecting a Topic

Choosing a topic for this project is of vital importance, as your choice may determine the projectàsuccess. It should be something you are interested in, and ideally, something relevant to your field or major. You have tremendous flexibility regarding project subject choices, and (to a lesser degree) how you will organize your proposal. 

Keep the following requirements in mind as you determine the subject for your project:

1. Write about something you are comfortable with, passionate about, and care about the outcomes and the future of the situation.
2. Choose a subject that will yield enough content for these key parts of the essay:
   1. A subject or problem relevant to the reader. The goal is to propose at least one concrete action-step toward solving a particular problem, so a problem that readers will find important is vital.
   2. A problem with a specific, realistic solution or step(s) toward one. The action planàdescription, and your recommendations for action(s), serve as the projectàcore.
   3. A solution with tangible benefits to the audience. Articulate these benefits to readers.
3. Students are not expected to be experts on their chosen subject. Instead, locate and evaluate leading voices, authorities, or pioneers on a subject, connecting their words and ideas with yours as you suggest one or more specific solutions to a current problem.

Research 

A minimum of 2 articles written by experts on your subject must be used (peer reviewed sources). Additionally, conduct qualitative primary research to create a specific and detailed case study that helps to illustrate a component of your project, or integrate a minimum of 2 credible and in-depth news sources. 

Project 3 Organization

College-educated or professional audiences* will expect all persuasive messages to have several sections, components or ovements. Although you may vary the essayàorganization, address these essential areas: 

1. The writeràpurpose and the readeràneed in an introduction
2.  (this part should be concise, <150 words) Background to the problem (possibly using outside research); tell a story, establishing the issue, and/or use credible specific and recent source content 
3. The need, or problem, to be solved (be concise, <50 words); take a stand to make your position clear
4. A description of the plan to solve the problem 
5.  The benefits of the project to the audience; make readers care, and see how it is useful to them (*Audience = college-educated professionals, in or outside your major)
6. Costs and particulars (optional, but use if applicable)
7.  Your credibilityts ability to deliver or design a solution
8.  A conclusion that reiterates desired action(s) for readers

Persuasive Patterns of Argumentation

Besides ethos, pathos, and logos, there are many strategies for effective arguments. Notice how each one below clearly embeds space for evidence and argument in its structure, while focusing on outcome and appeal to the audience in order to maintain persuasiveness. Students may find it useful to organize your work using one of these patterns:

Strategy 1: Problem-Solution-Feasibility Pattern 

1. Problem: Identify the problem specifically and in detail 
2. Reasons: Explain the reasons for the problem 
3. Solution: Propose a solution to the problem 
4. Feasibility: Describe how and why your solution will work 

Strategy 2: MonroeàMotivated Sequence 

1. Attention: Get readers!ttention by addressing their key concerns; make it relevant to them 
2. Need: Identify why there is a need to address the subject 
3. Satisfaction: Identify the solution to the problem 
4. Visualization: Show what solution(s) will look like and how the outcomes benefit readers
5. Action: Ask readers to act 

Strategy 3: Comparative Advantage Pattern 

1. Problem: Identify the problem specifically and in detail 
2. Alternatives: Identify and explain other familiar proposals to solve the problem 
3. Solution: Describe your solution to the problem 
4. Superiority: Explain fully why your solution is the best solution 

Strategy 4: Refutation Pattern 

1. Contrasting Position: Identify a contrasting position that you will refute 
2. Consequences: Explain consequences and implications of the contrasting position 
3. SpeakeràPosition: Identify and argue for your position 
4. Compare Positions: Compare the contrasting position to yours to illuminate the superiority of your plan 

Relevant Syllabus Learning Outcomes:

• Evaluate complex print, digital, and multimodal texts that engage significant academic, professional, or civic issues
• Research and contribute to specific areas of inquiry by evaluating, synthesizing, and integrating strategies and sources appropriate to genre
• Adapt and employ conventions to communicate with diverse audiences who are members of or affected by a specific area or discipline

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Topic Proposals

• Briefly propose a project in:
  • Explain the project. What topic (issue or controversy in your field) have you selected to research/argue about? What is its significance within your field?
  • What is its relevance/significance to your audience? Ie., why should they care?
  • What do you hope to accomplish in writing about this topic? How will it help you learn about your field, give you knowledge/tools to enter the discourse surrounding it, teach you about important positions/perspectives in the field, etc.?
  • Some questions to consider:
  • What is your thesis? 
  • What is your field and what is the significance of the chosen controversy to that field?
  • What claims do you think you, need to make in order to support your argument?
  • What types of evidence will be appropriate to these claims?
  • Intros and Proposals:Proposals are organized differently, use more metadiscourse, and thus are more direct, than an introduction. However, parts of your proposal can be used in your introduction. Your thesis, most likely, can be directly copied from your proposal.  Also, the discussion of significance can be used, but most likely developed.