Basic Outline:
Introduction Stay neutral until you reach your thesis. May be more than one paragraph.
• Describe the problem.
o What is causing the problem?
o What are the effects of the problem?
o Provide as much background as it needed for the reader to thoroughly understand the
problem. No opinions here; just the facts.
• Possible solutions.
o What other solutions have been proposed to address the problem?
• Thesis
o Last sentence of the introduction.
o Make sure the thesis statement is a judgment and not a fact.
o Use qualifiers as needed (may, could, sometimes, etc.).
o Avoid weakening I statements such as I believe or I think. State your opinion as if it were a
fact. Be confident.
o Thesis statement means no questions. A thesis is an answer.
o Follow ABC format (_____ should _______ because _______).
Body
• Support/Justification through subtopics – explain how the solution will work:
o Possible subtopics:
▪ Cost – Will your solution require money? Where will the money come from?
▪ Manpower – Are people needed to put your solution into action? Where will the
people come from?
▪ Logistics – How will the solution be implemented? What are the methods or steps to
carrying out the solution? Are these methods or steps possible?
o Think of any imaginable question somewhat might ask to show that the solution will not
work and address those in your discussion.
• Source material
o Integrate information from at least five mature sources into the essay wherever it makes
sense
• Acknowledge and refute
o Give reasons why your solution is the best solution
o Address people who might think the solution won’t work, think another solution would be
better, or think that the problem is not worth attention or is impossible to solve
Conclusion
• Big picture – What is the overall advantage of solving the problem with your proposed solution?
• Restate thesis – Paraphrase from the introduction; don’t copy and paste.
• Bite-Sized Recommendation or Call to Action:
o What can your readers easily do right now to work toward the solution?
Using and Crediting Sources:
• Go back over the source material you’ve found. Will you use all of it? Is any of it too brief or a little off
topic? It is authoritative, accurate, and interesting?
• Introduce, insert, cite, explain!
• Check your in-text citation notes and make sure you know how to credit that source in your text.
• Make sure you have created correct citations for each source.
• As you write and revise the essay, always check to make sure that I can look at your in-text citation and
immediately find the source on your works cited/references page. The in-text citation and works
cited/references entry must match alphabetically; that is, the in-text citation must include the first item
from the source entry.
Grading Criteria:
• Below are the categories in which you can score points. I also have the basic expectation that you will
meet all deadlines and follow directions; if you fail to do so, you will lose points accordingly.
Purpose and Direction (15 points)
Your essay should have a clear focus on argumentation. You should take a clear position on an arguable
issue, and every paragraph in your paper should help to convince your readers that your thesis makes
sense. You shouldn’t have any unnecessary narration or irrelevant commentary. Your overall focus
should be on a proposal argument in your field in the format ________ should _______ because
_______.
Organization (25 points)
You should have a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Your introduction should contain your
thesis, and it should properly frame your issue by providing necessary background information. Your
body should house all of your major support and have a clear organizational pattern. You should use
transitions to unite your paragraphs, and your conclusion should help tie your paper together. You
should restate your thesis in your conclusion and provide readers with a reasonable recommendation.
Content and Support (35 points)
Each paragraph should be well developed and supported with strong, credible research. All of
your research should be appropriately cited in APA or MLA format. You should quote,
summarize, and paraphrase appropriately, and help readers draw conclusions from what you
found. You should include specific commentary (about your solution to the problem) to help
readers understand how everything relates back to your thesis. Your commentary and support
should be convincing, and you should have anticipated oppositional arguments and refuted those
arguments with logic and research.
Language and Conventions (25 points)
You should adhere to the rules of standard written English and have no grammar or spelling errors. You
should write in complete sentences, avoid first and second person, and use active voice. Your essay
should be in APA or MLA format. Your tone should be appropriate
