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1. French—car—unicorn
2. Bicycle tire-toothpaste-chemistry lab
3. Africa—little red riding hood—matador
EWRT 1A Class 16

2. AGENDA
 Essay Revisions: Due before Friday, March 16th
at noon.
 House Points
 Discussion: Problem Solution Essays
 The Basic Features
 Patrick O’Malley, “More Testing, More Learning”
 Matt Miller, “A New Deal for Teachers”
 Introduction to Essay #4
 The problem from essay #3
 In-Class Writing: Finding a solution
 Investigate two possible solutions

3. Essay Revisions:
 Essay revisions are due before Friday, March 16th
at noon.
 You may only submit one revision: essay #1 or #2.
 If you did not submit one of the first two essays before the initial essay due
date, you may submit that one essay as your revision.
 If you want to see me to discuss your revision, please make an appointment.
 Before you come to talk to me, please read the comments and suggestions
that I wrote on your essay when I graded it. Have your questions ready.
 There is no grade penalty or averaging or other method of determining a
revision grade. I will grade the essay like it is a new submission and substitute
your new, better grade for the lower grade you initially received.
 I do not comment on revisions.
 I do not accept late revisions.
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Essay #4: The last one!

9. Basic Features
The essays you read for today
propose a solution to a problem.
Let’s look at how different authors
incorporate the basic features of the
genre into their work.
A Well-Defined Problem

10. A Well-Argued Solution
Basic Feature: A Well-Defined Problem
We covered this
in essay #3. You
may use any or
all of your in-
class essay in
essay #4.

11. An Effective Counterargument
Basic Feature: A Well-Argued Solution

12. An Evaluation of Alternative Solutions
Basic Feature: An Effective Counterargument

13. A Readable Plan
An Evaluation of Alternative Solutions
•The writer arguing for a proposal must anticipate
objections or reservations that readers may have
about the proposed solution.
• This works in much the same way as a
counterargument. Identify other ways to solve the
problem. Then show why or how your solution is
superior.
Basic Feature: An Evaluation of Alternative Solutions

14. Basic Feature: A Readable Plan

15. Review (or Read) Patrick O’Malley’s Essay. Take a
few minutes to look for these basic features in
“More Testing, More Learning.”
A Well-Defined Problem
A Clearly Described Solution
A Convincing Argument
An Effective Counterargument
An Evaluation of Alternative
Solutions

16. Now Answer These questions:
1. What is O’Malley’s
Problem?
2. Where does he tell the
reader?
3. What is this essay about?
A Well-Defined Problem

17. Now let’s go through the basic features
slowly as we look at O’Malley’s essay
The Well-defined problem

18. A Well-Defined Problem
Although this last-minute anxiety about midterm and
final exams is only too familiar to most college students, many
professors may not realize how such major, infrequent, high-stakes
exams work against the best interests of students both psychologically
and intellectually.
A Clearly Described Solution

19. A Clearly Described Solution: This is the thesis in a problem/solution essay.
If professors gave additional brief
exams at frequent intervals, students
would be spurred to study more
regularly, learn more, worry less, and
perform better on midterms, finals,
and other papers and projects.
If professors gave additional brief
exams at frequent intervals, students
would be spurred to study more
regularly, learn more, worry less, and
perform better on midterms, finals,
and other papers and projects.
A Convincing Argument

20. A Convincing Argument: Support for the Thesis
 A 2006 study reported in Psychological Science journal
concluded that “taking repeated tests on material leads to better
long-term retention than repeated studying,” according to the
study’s coauthors, Henry L. Roediger and Jeff Karpicke.
 A Harvard study notes students’ “strong preference for frequent
evaluation in a course.”
 In a review of a number of studies of student learning,
Frederiksen (1984) reports that students who take weekly
quizzes achieve higher scores on final exams than students who
take only a midterm exam and that testing increases retention of
material tested.
 Researchers at the University of Vermont found a strong
relationship among procrastination, anxiety, and achievement.
An Effective Counterargument

21. An Effective Counterargument: An Anticipation of
Readers’ Objections and Questions
 Some believe that such exams take up too
much of the limited class time available to
cover the material in the course.
 Another objection professors have to
frequent exams is that they take too much
time to read and grade.
An Evaluation of Alternative Solutions

22. An Evaluation of Alternative Solutions
 It is reasonable to consider alternative ways to achieve
the same goals. One alternative solution is to implement
a program that would improve study skills.
 Still another solution might be to provide frequent study
questions for students to answer.
 Another possible solution would be to help students
prepare for midterm and final exams by providing sets of
questions from which the exam questions will be selected
or announcing possible exam topics at the beginning of the
course.

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Questions??
If you are not clear
about the basic features
in O’Malley’s essay,
Review at home,
beginning with slide 10.
It is critical that you
understand this
material.

24. Now that you know
the basic features
of the
problem/solution
essay, let’s write
one!
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25. Essay #4: Proposing a Solution:
This essay is due at the end of the quarter.
In Class Writing
Assignment: Write an essay from five to seven
pages in length, that addresses the topic below.
Use a minimum of five credible sources to
support your argument.
Prompt: Write an essay proposing a solution to a
well-defined problem faced by, or in, education
today. Address your proposal to your audience:
one or more members of the education board, its
leadership, or to outsiders who may be able to
contribute to solving the problem.
Calendar
•You will get essay #3 back in
class #17. That is our next
meeting.
•We will meet at the library for a
quick review and some research
time in class #18.
•The peer revision will take place
during our finals meeting: Week
12
•Essay #4 will be due via Turnitin
the day after the peer review:
• M/W class: Noon March
28th
• T/Th class: Noon March
29th
.
Calendar
•You will get essay #3 back in
class #17. That is our next
meeting.
•We will meet at the library for a
quick review and some research
time in class #18.
•The peer revision will take place
during our finals meeting: Week
12
•Essay #4 will be due via Turnitin
the day after the peer review:
• M/W class: Noon March
28th
• T/Th class: Noon March
29th
.

26. In-Class Writing: Finding a solution
An effective solution will eliminate one or more major causes
or consequences of the problem:
 Make a list of causes of your problem
 Make notes about how you might eliminate the causes of the
problem. Try to generate several ideas. Don’t worry about the
quality of your ideas right now. Just brainstorm.
 Make a list of consequences of your problem
 Make notes about how you might eliminate the consequences of the
problem. Try to generate several ideas. Don’t worry about the
quality of your ideas right now. Just brainstorm.
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27. Using your brainstorming, make a
refined list of possible solutions to the
problem you identified and explained
in essay #3. Try to name at least
three ideas. You will use these
“alternative solutions” in your essay
after you settle on the single, best
solution.
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28. Investigate two possible solutions: make notes about how each
one would solve the problem. Remember, you will address the less
effective solution in your essay as well.
Solution one Solution two
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29. Homework
 Discussion #19 Finish your in-
class writing. Post both
solutions.
 Discussion #20: For each
potential solution write a detailed
paragraph explaining why or how
your solution would solve the
problem.
 Bring SMG and a copy of post 20