EWRT 1ACLASS 13:

Agenda

Vocabulary Test 10-18

Discussion: Essay #4

In-Class Writing: Posts #12 and #13, Choosing a Topic

Group Work: Refining and Developing Your Topic

Essay #4

Essay #4: Proposing a Solution 

Essay #4 Assignment: (175 points) Write an essay from 4-6 pages in length, that addresses the topic below. Use a minimum of two credible secondary sources to support your argument. These are in addition to The Hunger Games.

Prompt : Write an essay proposing a solution to a well-defined problem faced by a community or group to which you may belong. Address your proposal to your audience: one or more members of the group, its leadership, or to outsiders who may be able to contribute to solving the problem.

Your completed chart should look like this:

Groups and organization

s1. De Anza College

2. Your Neighborhood

3. Karate Club

4. Community Recreation Center

Problems1. Lack of Parking

2. Commercial parking problem

3. No commitment

4. Not enough safe places for kids to play

Solutions1. Reorganize lots

2. Apply to city for resident permit parking only

3. Organize activities to include more members

4. Start a volunteer parents group to offer after school activities at local schools.

Choose two problems from your chart; for each of these:

Write one paragraph describing the problem.

Write another paragraph describing a solution.

Post #12 and #13: In Class Writing

You should now have four paragraphs:Look at what you have; choose one of the

problem/solution pairs to explore. Write another paragraph describing the

problem in more detail. Be as specific and vivid in your explanation

as possible given the information you currently have.

Work in your groups:Share your explanation of your problem

and your potential solutions with at least one member of your group.

Ask each other questions so that you can identify the most promising solution.

If it becomes obvious that you don’t have a working solution, go back one space and start again!

It usually helps to consider several possible solutions before focusing on one solution; problem solving requires creativity. Answer the following questions to help you make a list of creative solutions you could consider for your problem: Can you adapt a solution that has already been

tried or proposed for related problems? Which? How?

What smaller, more manageable aspect of the larger problem could you solve? How might you do so?

Could re-imagining the goal help you make fundamental changes?

Could the problem be solved from the bottom up instead of from the top down?

Could an ongoing process help solve the problem?

Listing Multiple Possible Solutions to your Problem

Choosing the Most Promising SolutionIn a sentence or two, describe the

solution you want to explore further. You cannot know for certain whether you will be able to construct a convincing argument to support this solution, but you should choose a solution that you feel motivated to pursue. This will be your working thesis!

Explain Why Your Solution Would Solve the Problem.

Write for a few minutes explaining why you think this solution could solve the problem. For example, would it eliminate one or more causes?change people’s attitudes?re-imagine the objective?reduce anxiety and tension?

Show Why Your Solution Is Possible.

Write for a few minutes explaining why people could agree to put the solution into effect. For example, what would it cost them in time or money?

Explain How It Could Be Implemented.

Write down the major stages or steps necessary to carry out your solution. This list of steps will provide an early test of whether your solution can, in fact, be implemented.

Plan Follow-Up Research. Add notes about the kinds of information

you think would help make your argument convincing for your readers and where you think you can find this information.

How do I find out how much will this cost?

Who will know how much time will it take to do this?

Who has tried this solution in the past?

What do I still need to know and how can I find the information?

Are there statistics that support this as a good idea?

Should I ask the

librarian for

help?

How can I prove that my solution will eliminate one or more causes?

Post #14 should include these four parts: 1.Your revised and developed description of your problem. This should be two to four good paragraphs, taken from Posts #12 and #13. 2.Write one or more sentences to serve as your tentative thesis statement. In most essays proposing solutions to problems, the thesis statement is a concise announcement of the solution. Think about how emphatic you should make the thesis and whether you should forecast your reasons.3.Write a paragraph explaining why your solution would solve the problem.4.Make a list of the steps needed to implement your solution.

Post #15 should include these two parts: 1.First, use the library databases to find at least two different solutions that others have proposed. 2.Second, write one or two paragraphs that address different potential solutions to your problem.

Review the readings in this chapter to see how other writers construct their thesis statements.

Bring SMG and a copy of your essay draft.Next Class: Vocabulary Game, Chapter 19-27

Homework