4. Essay #4: Proposing a Solution:
See syllabus for due date
Essay #4 Assignment: (200 points) Write an essay from 4-6 pages
in length, that addresses the topic below. Use a minimum of two
credible secondary sources to support your argument. These are in
addition to The Hunger Games.
Prompt : Write an essay proposing a solution to a well-defined
problem faced by a community or group to which you may belong.
Alternatively, you may address a well-defined problem faced by one
of the districts or communities in The Hunger Games. Address your
proposal to your audience: one or more members of the group, its
leadership, or to outsiders who may be able to contribute to solving
the problem.
5. Refer to your prewriting (Post 21):
You should have at least four paragraphs
written for two different problems from your
earlier writing.
Look at what you have; Focus on the problem/solution
pair that seemed the most interesting to explore.
Write an additonal paragraph describing the
problem in more detail. You should now have at
least two paragraphs describing the problem.
Be as specific and vivid in your explanation as
possible given the information you currently have.
6. Now that you have identified the
problem, let’s look at how to
generate solutions!
7. Listing Multiple Possible
Solutions to your Problem
It usually helps to consider several possible
solutions before focusing on one solution; problem
solving requires creativity. Answer the following
questions to help you make a list of creative
solutions you could consider for your problem:
1. Can you adapt a solution that has already been tried or
proposed for related problems? Which? How?
2. What smaller, more manageable aspect of the larger
problem could you solve? How might you do so?
3. Could re-imagining the goal help you make
fundamental changes?
4. Could the problem be solved from the bottom up
instead of from the top down?
5. Could an ongoing process help solve the problem?
8. Exploring Potential Solutions
Now, take the answers to those
questions and write paragraphs
addressing two or more potential
solutions to your problem.
9. In a sentence or two,
describe the solution
you want to explore
further. You should
choose a solution that
you feel motivated to
pursue. This will be
your working thesis!
In order to solve the
problem of a divided
America, people should
….
Choosing the Most Promising Solution
10. Explain Why Your Solution
Would Solve the Problem.
Now, write for a few minutes explaining
why you think this solution could solve the
problem. For example, would it
1. eliminate one or more causes?
2. change people’s attitudes?
3. re-imagine the objective?
4. reduce anxiety and tension?
11. Show Why Your Solution Is
Possible.
Write for a few minutes
explaining why people could
agree to put the solution into
effect. For example, what would
it cost them in time or money?
12. Explain How It Could Be
Implemented.
Write down the major stages
or steps necessary to carry out
your solution. This list of steps
will provide an early test of
whether your solution can, in
fact, be implemented.
13. Post #22:
1. Your revised and developed description of your problem: two to four good
paragraphs.
2. One or more sentences to serve as your tentative thesis statement. In most
essays proposing solutions to problems, the thesis statement is a concise
announcement of the solution. Refer to the essays we read in class for
models.
3. A paragraph explaining why your solution would solve the problem.
4. A paragraph about why your solution is possible.
5. A list of the steps of implementation.
6. Make sure you have access to your work in-progress at our next meeting.
Homework
