Causal Analysis and Proposal Argument

Essay III: Causal Analysis and Proposal Argument

8-10 pages (2000-2500 words): one-inch margins, twelve-point font, double-spaced

Chose a topic from the examples all the way below on this doc.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Lead: Start with a compelling creative device that introduces a social or cultural problem (which will be the focus of your essay). For example, write a brief profile of a person who is affected by the problem. This can be an effective lead strategy because it puts a human face on a problem otherwise explained with statistics.

Audience: This is a persuasive essay, so you should be addressing people who are either hostile or indifferent to your argument. You are trying to change people’s minds, not just preach to the choir (those who already agree with you). So who is your audience exactly? How can you appeal to them? What values do you share? What is an appropriate tone of voice for them?

Claim: Be sure that your essay is guided by a clear claim of policy (proposing a solution to the problem). Since this is a persuasive essay, you may find it more strategic not to fully state your claim until your essay’s final section.

After the lead, your essay should be organized into three major sections:

Problem. Give a precise, narrow definition of your chosen problem. Who exactly is affected by the problem? What is the worst thing about the problem? Use pertinent facts and statistics. Explain special terms.

Causes. Provide a condensed causal analysis of the problem. Organize your analysis carefully. Which causes are most significant? Use sources appropriately to support your analysis.

Solutions. The largest part of your essay should propose a specific solution to the problem. Break your solution into steps. Discuss alternate solutions. Consider all factors involved in your solution: money, law, government, institutions, human nature, etc. Use sources appropriately to support your solution.

Headings: Create headings for the three major sections of Essay III. You can simply use “Problem,” “Causes,” and “Solutions” as headings, or you can alter these to be more specific to your topic. You can also use subheadings if you like, but be consistent. For an example of how headings are used, look at any chapter in Everything’s an Argument.

Guidelines for Sources: Use at least six authoritative sources: database articles, books, websites, documentaries, interviews, etc. Two of your sources should be con sources, providing counter-arguments that you will need to rebut. Use summary, paraphrase, and direct quotation as necessary. Introduce key sources. Always use in-text citation. Conclude your essay with a “Works Cited” page in MLA format.

Examples:
Choose one Problem from the following example:

A list of broad cultural categories. Examples: Family, Health, Politics, Race, Science, Religion, Sports, etc. Note that these categories are neutral; they are not problems in themselves.

Examples from the “Health” category: (a) not enough people in the US are vaccinated for COVID-19; (b) in some US states, women’s health rights are being restricted; (c) US healthcare is not truly accessible for all.

INSTRUCTIONS ON A DOC:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/13EoR6CZ3NsTwB_Z67Iw-LV5lGNBJjBHOfWy1lYudcNg/edit

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