Overview: proposal, position, research, problem

1. Proposals

2. What are Proposals?
 A should do B because of C
 Action-oriented
 Focused on the future
 Audience-centered

3. Issues in Writing Proposals
 They almost always present a challenge to the
reader
 To write an effective proposal, you must emphasize
your ethos
 Because these arguments seek to incite action, they
must be very responsive to their audiences

4. Challenges
 Readers are innately conservative
 Arguments must have “presence” to convince
 Proposals often deal with lost potential – this is a
hard sell
 Must evaluate all possible consequences, not just
those pertaining to the problem

5. The Claim
 Proposals need to be very strong &
clear to be persuasive
 They should consist of 3 parts:
 Description of problem
 Proposed solution
 Justification of solution

6. All Proposals Must Have
 A claim proposing an action aimed at practice or
policy, directed towards the future, and appropriate
to the audience
 Statements explaining how the proposal relates to
the problem
 A demonstration of its feasibility and effectiveness

7. Scrutinize Your Claim
 Is it clearly a call for action?
 Is it too sweeping? Does it need to be qualified?
 Is the proposal clearly connected to the need it
purports to meet? If not, how can that connection
be strengthened?
 Will it incite action?

8. How to Prepare for the
Research Paper
(on an issue of global importance)

9. Identify an Issue
 Choose an issue that is clearly debatable and is arguable with
facts and reasoning.
 If you are having difficulty choosing a topic, consider a
controversial topic in one of the following areas:
 your major field of study
 your workplace
 your personal life.
 For this assignment, you must choose an issue that falls under
one of these categories:
 environmental sustainability
 spiritual fulfillment
 social justice
 You may choose an issue on which you have already formed an
opinion. However, in writing about this issue you must examine
your opinion of the issue critically.

10. Narrow the Issue
 Consider your personal connection to this issue. Why do
you care about this issue? (But do not include this in your
essay)
 What is the significance of this issue? Why is this an issue
that needs a solution? What are the consequences of this
issue?
 Where is the locus or center of this issue? Are there
multiple locations affected by the issue?
 Who are the stakeholders of the issue? Who suffers the
most from this issue? Who has contributed the most to
creating and maintaining the issue?

11. Conduct Research
 The majority of your research should be conducted through
Newton Gresham Library (NGL) and its online databases.
 Search specific databases as recommended by our
librarians:
 CQ Researcher
 Opposing Viewpoints in Context
 Academic Search Complete
 After you have exhausted these databases, you may also
use Google Scholar (customized to link to SHSU
resources)
 Your first and best resource for assistance with your search
is the librarian: email, call, text, or chat with our librarian or
post a question in the Library Help discussion board under
Librarian Assistance

12. Research Sources
 Newspapers & magazines (online & print)
 Online databases
 Government reports & documents
 Websites (must get approval for any
sources not accessed through NGL)
 Books
 Experts in the field
 Gather your own research via surveys or interviews

13. Identify Research Questions
& Keywords
 Where are we?
 e.g. Why is X a problem? What are the consequences of X? Who
suffers or will suffer from the problem of X?
 How did we get here?
 e.g. What historical events or factors contributed to the development of
X?
 What is possible for the future?
 e.g. What new technologies have been developed that could solve X?
What changes in behavior could solve the problem of X?
 Where do we go from here?
 e.g. What organizations are taking positive steps to implement solutions
to the problem of X?

14. Keep Thorough Notes
 Print or save full articles you might use.
 Take handwritten or typed notes, highlight key portions of
articles, or copy and paste sections into a new document.
 Clearly identify direct quotations.
 Clearly identify the source of all notes.
 Start Works Cited page while taking notes. Use proper
MLA format from the beginning.
 Mark notes based on which parts of outline they relate to.

15. Create a Preliminary Thesis
 Remember, a thesis needs 2 parts:
 A main claim or assertion (your position)
 Preview of evidence (keywords)
 Make a statement that clearly communicates your
view/position on the subject. Be specific about the
issue.
 Try using “should” to guide you toward a specific claim
about the topic that you can defend with evidence.
 A should do B because of C1, C2, and C3.

16. Create a Preliminary Outline
 Introduction
 Identification of the issue
 Statement of position (Thesis)
 Body Paragraphs
 Significance and background
 Supporting evidence and facts
 Discussion of both sides of the issue
 Conclusion
 Rephrase thesis
 Suggested courses of action/ possible solutions

17. More Research
 Note parts of your outline that don’t have
enough evidence or information.
 Ask yourself questions about what information
is still needed.
 Use more specific keywords in subsequent
searches.
 Keep thorough notes.

18. Refine Outline
 Use outline to write full sentences not just words and
phrases.
 Be sure you are meeting basic requirements of essay
structure.
 Be sure you are using a variety of paraphrasing and
quotes.
 Never use back-to-back quotes. Always “sandwich” your
quotes and paraphrases.
 When you transfer outline to paragraph format, be sure
you have appropriate transitions between sentences and
paragraphs to create flow of ideas.

19. Write a Position Essay &
Annotated Bibliography
(on an issue of global importance)

20. Essay 4: Position Paper
 You are“building”your problem/solution argument
by first writing about your position on the problem.
This will be Essay 4. It will receive a grade as a stand-alone
essay, but it will also serve as a major part of your
research paper.
 Objectives:
 define a problem
 state your position on the problem
 evaluate your sources in an attached annotated
bibliography

21. Establish a Need
 Proposals must address a clearly-defined need
 Establish the need as one of the first steps in your
project
 Evoke the need in a particularly effective way (employ
some form of pathos)
 Demonstrate that meeting this need is in the interests of
the community at large

22. Must Conduct Research
 The core of your argument—the explanation of why
your position is reasonable—needs to be logic, or
logos.
 A series of facts and well-defended opinions can
together amount to a successful argument in a position
essay.
 The success of your paper depends on the success of
each of your sub-points, which depends on the value of
your research. Find scholarly studies that address your
points.
 It is crucial that you do not select only helpful sources.
Proper and honest research will involve a thorough
examination of the existing commentary within the area
of interest.

23. Position Essay
 The position paper is based on facts that provide a solid
foundation for your argument. In the position paper you
should:
 Use evidence to support your position, such as
statistical evidence or dates and events.
 Validate your position with authoritative references or
primary source quotations.
 Examine the strengths and weaknesses of your
position.
 Suggest possible courses of action.

24. Annotated Bibliography
 A list of citations to books, articles, and
documents
 Each is followed by a brief (usually 150 words
or fewer) descriptive and evaluative
paragraph, the annotation.
 Your annotated bibliography must have at
least 8 (eight) recent, authoritative sources.