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Issue
Thesis
Support
Audience
Sources
Approach
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1-2 double-spaced pages.
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Define a need or problem that currently has no
solution, no good solution, or that requires change.
 Much of this paper will be answering “How can this be
solved?”
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An answer to a question that hasn’t been adequately
answered yet.
 Much of this paper will be answering “Why does this
happen?”
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Either way, you’ll have to describe:
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Problem/Question
Significance
History and causes
Describe failings of previous solutions/answers (if any)
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Describe solution or answer
 Claim: Describe broadly solution or answer.
 Reasons: Develop support for your claim.
▪ Evidence, personal experience, anecdotes, similar
situations elsewhere, anecdotes, facts, authorities, etc.
 Effects: What will result if proposal is implemented
 Warrants (the statement that logically connects
claim and reason):
▪ What assumptions do you have?
▪ Are they valid or do you have to defend them?
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Convince audience of your solution by:
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Arguing for your solution/answer.
Showing benefits.
Appealing to ethos, pathos, and/or logos
Using counterarguments:
▪ Anticipate objections or reservations your audience may have
 Showing solution/answer is feasible:
▪ Can you lay out the main steps to solution
 Noting if there are any current solutions/answers out
there?
▪ Can you show how they are ineffective?
 Noting any fallback solutions/answers you have?
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Determine intended audience
 Who are you trying to persuade?
 What do they need to know and not know?
 What key words or phrases do they use?
▪ Do they have their own jargon? What will you do with it?
 What do they know of the problem already?
 Are they part of the problem?
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Make a list of articles you could use for your
research paper.
Make a list of places that might have the
information you need.
Do you have any graphs, tables, charts,
photos, renderings, etc.?
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Determine a strategy for presenting your
materials in the research paper.
Will you have to define or clarify any terms or
concepts?
Will you have any visuals, such as graphs,
tables, charts, photos, renderings, etc.?
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Issue
 Define and describe problem and its significance
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Thesis
 Describe solution/answer with Claim, Reasons, Effects, and
Warrants.
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Develop Support:
 Arguments for, benefits, appeals, counterarguments,
feasibility, alternate flawed solutions, fallback solutions.
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Audience
 Description
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Sources
 What you plan on using.
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Approach
 What you will do and why. How will this help your research?
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You might not have the full solution at this time
If you don’t, acknowledge you don’t.
 “Although I don’t have a fully formulated framework
for this solution, I do have an [outline / sketch / broad
strokes] towards a solution.”
 Describe as much of the solution/answer that you
have and where you think it will head.
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If you have a full solution/answer, then your
topic is too neat and easy and you should
reconsider the topic.
How can Hattiesburg make its city friendlier for its walkers?
Is there a better solution than a wall to discourage students from
walking across Highway 49 and Hardy St.?
 How can the Math Zone be improved or better utilized?
 The coastal region is diverse in terms of race and, to a growing
degree, ethnicity. It is also diverse in terms of income, age, and
household type. City plans should accommodate this diversity by
providing housing, services, and transportation for a broad range
of social groups. This includes providing a range of housing types,
as well as transportation systems that support location efficiency
and the reduction of travel costs.
 As in many other cities in the U.S., minorities and lower-income
groups along the coast often reside in centrally located parts of
town. Infill development (“any significant new construction in an
established area”) should be encouraged to conserve the existing
social fabric, as well as regenerate these centrally located
neighborhoods.
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Why is there no national movement to help the
homeless? Or a better publicized movement?
Why does the NFL have a sort of “Don’t Ask Don’t
Tell” mentality when it comes to its gay players? Or
what should a rookie or soon-to-be-drafted players do
if they are gay?
Why is Hattiesburg public transportation so lame?
Why aren’t there more stores in Hattiesburg that
deliver pizza? and good pizza, at that? Or deliver food
in general?
What effects has the RESTORE Act had on Mississippi
and is it complete?
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Abortion
 Why does it keep coming up again? Especially when it was answered in the 70s
by the Supreme Court? Why does it keep returning as a major political issue?
Not a discussion of it being right or wrong.
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Gun control
 What is the solution to all of these shootings, such as Colorado and Newtown?
Are assault weapons really a big a factor as they are portrayed or is there a
bias somewhere? What do cops think? Not a discussion of whether there
should be gun control or not.
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Gay marriage
 Discuss history of it. Why does the movement move by leap and bounds,
especially in the last few years? What has changed? Not a discussion of
whether it should or should not exist.
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Evolution vs. Creationism
 Why does this argument linger for centuries? Discuss the history and motives
behind each. Not a discussion of which is correct.
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Arguments need to be logical and fact-based. You should not be
answering ethical questions, such as is gayness correct or abortion
immoral. You should not do this if you protest for or against it.
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This should be well defined.
There should be background information.
Explain why it is a problem.
The thesis statement proposes a solution.
OR
 If the solution is not yet known, indicate you will
attempt to find one.
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In the end, after all of your research, you may find no
ultimate solution or answer, or you may find many
solutions or answers, but you will be closer to an
understanding. Your thesis should evolve as you write
and research. It might even wholly change.
 This paper is about understanding your issue as
wholly as possible. And getting to something bigger.
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Address some of the following:
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What arguments exist that need to be addressed?
What are the benefits of your plan?
What is the feasibility of your plan?
Why is the current plan flawed?
What fallback solutions are there?
Indicate the arguments that you have already and
how you plan to use them.
 At least one sentence explaining what the argument is and
one to three sentences explaining how you will use them.
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Indicate any setback you think you might encounter
and what your plans are for dealing with it.
 This may not be necessary.
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A description of who this issue affects, why,
and to what extent.
A description of who you need to persuade
and why.
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Indicate any sources you currently have that
may be useful.
 Give the author’s name and the title and explain why
you think it is useful
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If you don’t have any, tell me about places
where you can find the information, such as:
 What types of journals or books you might use, what
websites might have information, who you might
contact, etc.
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A library, Google, and the internet do not count
as sources.
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In a few sentences, layout how you think you
will organize your essay and/or what
strategies you will use to convince the person
or persons you are trying to convince.
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Read “Writing a Proposal” (290-294) and
“Finding Evidence” (395-409)
Begin drafting Proposal
 Final Proposal: 1-2 double-spaced pages.
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Have an issue typed up and your current possible
solution/answer
 Issue should be at least a paragraph for Friday
 Solution/answer for Friday can be a sentence or two
but needs to be more developed when it is finalized
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Have two backup issues, but they don’t have to
be as developed