Problem/Solution (Proposal) Assignment
North Seattle Community College English Department
English 101 – JC Clapp
Purpose of the Assignment:

Help students understand how to define a problem affecting their own life;

Give students practice in proposing a solution a defined problem;

Teach the skills applicable to a multitude of academic and/or professional situations;

Provide students with a method to more actively and effectively engage in shaping their
individual lives and communities.
Your Task:
Carefully read Chapter 10 in The Call to Write and then write a 4-6 page proposal (in the form of
a problem/solution essay, letter, or formal proposal) that completes the following:

Choose an appropriate audience for the proposal (specific group of people or
publication);

Define the chosen audience (e.g. what values do the readers of this publication/group of
people hold? What do the readers of this publication/group of readers know about the
problem? What kind of personal or emotional responses might the readers of this
publication/group of people have to the problem and proposed solution? What objections
might the readers of this publication/group of people have to the proposed solution?);

Based on your audience and purpose, choose an appropriate form for your proposal to
take. A newspaper op-ed article (pg. 341), a research proposal (pg. 344 and 348, a
funding proposal (pg. 380), a letter or speech (pg. 354), an essay, or an advocacy group
appeal (pg. 364) are all possible genre/form choices.

Use audience-appropriate evidence (details, facts, examples) to help you establish that a
specific problem exists and is important;

Propose a solution to the defined problem using a clearly defined thesis.

Use evidence (details, facts, examples) to convince the defined audience that your
solution(s) to the problem are reasonable, doable, and effective.
Evaluation: Your review will be graded on the criteria identified on the attached rubric.
The Memo of Self-Reflection: After you’ve finished your review, write a memo of selfreflection that addresses the below questions. Attach this memo to your final draft. This memo
is required.

How did you choose the “problem”? How is the problem you chose directly related to
your own life? In retrospect was it a good choice? Why or why not? Were the
“solutions” difficult to sort out? Why or why not?

What was your writing process for this piece? What steps did you take to complete it?
Has writing the other assignments for this class influenced your writing of this essay?

What are the strengths and the weakness of your proposal? What would you change if
you had more time to work on it?

What specifically would you like JC to focus on when reading your proposal?
Due Dates:

Rough Draft due on Wednesday, February 15

Revised Draft due on Thursday, February 16 (for peer review) – have 2 copies

Final Draft due on Friday, February 17 (don’t forget your memo!)
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