Quick Write

Who is your audience? Who are you trying to convince with your argument? Who has the power to implement your solution?

Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch is a brief, persuasive speech that you use to spark interest in what you are speaking or writing about.

Imagine you have one minute to present yourself and your ideas to someone who can implement your solution or make a change. What would you say in that one minute elevator ride to convince this person that your ideas are worthy of attention. You have ten floors to make a compelling case. Take a few minutes to figure out how to make your proposal professional, succinct, and interesting. Then, write it down.

Introductions

Introductions are very important. The link above has some great examples and explanations for writing introductions.

Much like an elevator pitch, an introduction has to make a good impression, grab your reader’s interest, and make them want to keep reading.

Take the elevator pitch you just wrote and figure out how to work it into your introduction. The elevator pitch can work as the intro, or add to your intro, to make a case for reading the rest of the essay.

Peer Review

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Argument – a reason or set of reasons given with the aim of persuading others that an action or idea is right or wrong.

Remember, an argument uses reasons and evidence to persuade. Have you provided enough reasons and evidence to convince us of your position?

Keep these things in mind.

  • Peer edit the same way you revise your own work.
  • Be specific in identifying problems or opportunities.
  • Offer suggestions for improvement.
  • Praise what is genuinely good in the paper.

For the Proposal, make sure you:

  1. Define the problem
  2. Recognize an audience
  3. Create, explain, and justify a plan of action.
  4. Persuade readers of the problem and proposed solution.

Solution Argument Prompt

Grading Criteria

Here are the five criteria, we will be using to grade the essays. Use this to help build and revise your essay.

  1. Does the essay have a clear purpose and direction, including a thesis statement with a clear and arguable solution?
  2. Does the essay include a brief description of the problem being considered?
  3. Does the essay argue a clear solution, using research and evidence, paying specific attention to audience?
  4. Does the essay follow standard mechanics? MLA formatting and citation, Works Cited page, proper punctuation and grammar, appropriate word choice, minimum of 1,000 words, minimum of 5 sources.
  5. Does the essay have an appropriate title and image(s)?

Quick Write

  • What is the problem you are trying to solve?
  • What is the solution you will argue for?