Proposal Arguments
Practical Proposals
Policy Proposals
• solve an immediate
problem
• narrow, concrete
• exact & precise
• specifics in its call to
action
• broad outline and
shape of course
• regional, national &
international scope
• weighs positives &
negatives
Special Problems
Need for Presence (Ethos): when the
reader immediately senses the writer’s
words
• engage intellects and emotions (need for pathos)
• truth + consistency + experience of argument’s life =
success
• accepting judgment vs. acting on that judgment
Ok, How?
• Appeal directly to audience’s emotions:
details, brief scenes, compelling examples
• Show the seriousness of the problem/
consequences of inaction
• Use figurative language, metaphor, analogy
to make vivid and real
In addition
Law of Inertia:
tendency of all things to remain at rest if
possible, or
“if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”
• Writer has “burden of proof”
• Base argument not on present evils, but evils of
inaction/lost potential
And…
Difficulty in Predicting
Difficulty in Evaluating
• X, in the future, will
cause Y, is difficult
• All that can go
wrong in causal
argument...
• Can’t be
measured/can’t be
ignored
• Benefits for whom?
• Cost-benefit
analysis
Developing the Proposal
3 part structure:
1) description of problem
(definition/history)
2) proposed solution
3) justification for proposed solution
(causes/effects)
note: proposals often
include “because” clauses
Alternate structure
1)
Identify the problem (definition/history)
2)
Describe the reasons for the problem
(causes & effects)
3)
Propose the solution
4)
Justify the solution (reasons why it will
work)
• Gain reader’s understanding:
what are the consequences, benefits
• Give presence: how does the problem
affect people?
Show the Specifics
of the Proposal
-- Stress the feasibility of the solution …including
costs
-- Show how the proposal will solve the problem
(partially or wholly)
-- “Listen” to skeptics and refute
Justification:
Convincing the Audience
-- clarity of proposal
-- feasibility of implementation
-- persuasive reasons
Examples
We should do X … because X will lead to
good consequences
Ex: Insurance companies should pay for regular
children’s wellness care (proposal claim)…
because paying now might save more extensive
medical costs in the future (causal claim)
Ex: Taxpayer funding for Clean Elections candidates
should be withdrawn (proposal claim)…
because the government should only be involved in
administration of elections, not funding of candidates
(intended audience opposes government involvement)
Ex: Taxpayer funding for Clean Elections candidates
should be continue (proposal claim)…
because the government should promote
opportunities for all candidates desiring to run,
regardless of wealth
(intended audience encourages government involvement and
open elections)
Generating Reasons
• We should (should not) do X because X
leads to these good (bad)
consequences: ___________,
______________, ______________,
___________ ...