Here are the slides for the in-class writing exercise with Mrs. Range from 4/21/16. This exercise is designed to help you develop clarity as you move toward writing your capstone proposal.

1. Problem-Solution
Your Proposal and Pitch
Mayo High School, Rochester, MN. World Literature Capstone. Spring 2016.

2. Use the questions
that follow as
writing prompts.
Give yourself a minute or two to
write your response for each
question.
Answer based on all of the reading,
research, and thinking that you’ve
done up until this point.

3. What’s your topic?
Write:

4. What’s the problem?
Write:

5. Why is this a problem?
Write:

6. Why should we/you/anyone
care?
Write:

7. What do you think might fix this problem?
Write:

8. What’s another way this problem might be solved?
Write:

9. Are there any other possible solutions?
Write:

10. Now we’ll map your
responses to the
appropriate section
of the proposal
presentation.
Note places where you had a hard
time answering the question based
on your topic. Spend some extra
time working on those areas.
Also check to make sure you have
evidence and sources for the
appropriate sections of your writing
and presentation.

11. I. Introduction
A. Hook:
B. Description of topic (2-3 sent):
C. Explanation (why did you decide this topic?)
II. Body (Thread components for Problem-Solution)
A. #1 Why is your problem important?
1. Supporting detail (1 complete sent.)
2. Supporting detail (1 complete sent.)
B. #2 Identify multiple solutions
1. Supporting detail (1 complete sent.)
2. Supporting detail (1 complete sent.)
III. Conclusion
A. Summarize (What do you hope to learn or gain?):
B. Final Tie Back (Go back to your hook and use it to inspire, challenge,
or recommend):
Problem-
Solution
Proposal
Outline

12. What’s your topic?
Write:
DESCRIPTION OF TOPIC

13. What’s the problem?
Write:
DESCRIPTION OF TOPIC

14. Why is this a problem?
Write:
IMPORTANCE

15. BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW?
evidence
(you will probably need a source here!)

16. Why should we/you/anyone
care?
Write:
IMPORTANCE

17. BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW?
evidence
(you will probably need a source here!)

18. What do you think might fix this problem?
Write:
ONE POSSIBLE SOLUTION

19. BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW?
evidence
(you will probably need a source here!)

20. What’s another way this problem might be solved?
Write:
MULTIPLE SOLUTIONS

21. BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW?
evidence
(you will probably need a source here!)

22. Are there any other possible solutions? If so, what?
Write:
MULTIPLE SOLUTIONS

23. BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW?
evidence
(you will probably need a source here!)

24. I. Introduction
A. Hook:
B. Description of topic (2-3 sent):
C. Explanation (why did you decide this topic?)
II. Body (Thread components for Problem-Solution)
A. #1 Why is your problem important?
1. Supporting detail (1 complete sent.)
2. Supporting detail (1 complete sent.)
B. #2 Identify multiple solutions
1. Supporting detail (1 complete sent.)
2. Supporting detail (1 complete sent.)
III. Conclusion
A. Summarize (What do you hope to learn or gain?):
B. Final Tie Back (Go back to your hook and use it to inspire, challenge,
or recommend):
Problem-
Solution
Proposal
Outline

25. If you have thorough
responses to each question
and have sources in the
appropriate sections, you’ve
completed the following
portions of the outline...
Hopefully this exercise has helped
pinpoint places where you need to
do some extra thinking, research, or
writing before finalizing your
proposal.

26. I. Introduction
A. Hook:
B. Description of topic (2-3 sent):
C. Explanation (why did you decide this topic?)
II. Body (Thread components for Problem-Solution)
A. #1 Why is your problem important?
1. Supporting detail (1 complete sent.)
2. Supporting detail (1 complete sent.)
B. #2 Identify multiple solutions
1. Supporting detail (1 complete sent.)
2. Supporting detail (1 complete sent.)
III. Conclusion
A. Summarize (What do you hope to learn or gain?):
B. Final Tie Back (Go back to your hook and use it to inspire, challenge,
or recommend):
Problem-
Solution
Proposal
Outline

27. QUESTIONS?
Don’t forget to refer back to the research guide for more suggestions.