Problem Proposal Assignment; Eng 180-21; Fall 2013: Topic: For this assignment you will be writing a proposal

letter to me, the instructor, identifying a problem of local significance that is important or interesting to you, and then propose a possible solution, or solutions, to it. Although there is emphasis placed on the problem needing to be of local significance, this can still be viewed as a wide open field of topics to choose from as you are a student and citizen and therefore many problems that do not necessarily originate locally still have a significant impact on your life, lifestyle and/or personal freedoms. This problem proposal will lay the foundations for your final paper, a researched argument, and therefore your topic or focus should be selected carefully. You will be well advised to keep your topic somewhat small. Do not take on something as large as Obamacare; however, you could identify a specific problem within The Affordable Care Act and propose a possible solution to it. The smaller your issue the more manageable it will be to research and discuss, for both this assignment and the final paper. While you will use your topic (problem) in the final paper, do not feel that you will be stuck with the solution you propose in this assignment. You may develop a better solution throughout the course of your research and work that into the final paper. For this paper though, I would like you to begin to develop realistic solutions and therefore propose a preliminary resolution to the problem identified in your paper. Proposal: Your letter should answer the following questions as part of your proposal: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Describe the problem youve chosen to address. What is your proposal? Who has the authority to enact your proposal if they choose to do so? How will you make your argument so it appeals to those who can act on it? What kind of research do you plan to do in writing this proposal? What problems do you foresee, if any, in choosing this topic for your research paper?

Length: No fewer than 800 words; no more than 900 words. Requirements: 1. While this assignment is not a thesis-driven paper you will need to ensure that your problem and proposal are clearly stated somewhere in the introduction and then remain the primary focus throughout the body and conclusion. 2. Demonstrate that you have done, at the minimum, some preliminary research (read enough to understand the problem on a superficial level) and base your solution on that research.

3. Use the appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos appropriately. 4. Employ an effective and logical organizational structure with smooth transitions from one paragraph to the next, rhetorical argument and solid introduction and conclusion. 5. Present yourself (the author) as intelligent, knowledgeable, reasonable and empathetic. This will aid your rhetorical argument. 6. Produce an informative title that relates to the topic of your paper and, perhaps, your thesis as well. 7. Provide a works cited page using either MLA or Chicago if using quotations. I highly recommend you do. I WILL NOT count errors in citations or on the works cited against your final paper grade, as I amat this stage of the coursesimply encouraging you do so for practice! The Fine Print: Format: Please include your name, the class and section number (ENG180-21), date, and instructors name at the top left of the first page. Be sure to include page numbers with your last name in the top right corner of each page. Please use Times New Roman, 12-point font only. Double space your summary and remove extra space between paragraphs. Due: This paper will be due by 11:59 PM Friday, November 1st on WO. *Note: You will need to have some form of a rough draft typed and printed to schedule a one-on-one conference with me. Remember: Have fun! We are here to learn and get better.