Describe a problem you have identified in your field. Proposed a solution to the problem in a single sentence at end of last paragraph in this section?

Argumentative Essay

This piece should be a complete final draft with a minimum of four pages and a maximum of six, not including the Works Cited. This paper should use a minimum of five academic sources.

Background / Introduction: Identify a problem and propose a solution

Has your introduction:
described a problem you have identified in your field? (1 paragraph)
explained why this problem has a negative impact? (1-2 paragraphs)
identified one or more causes of the problem? (1-2 paragraphs)
proposed a solution to the problem in a single sentence at end of last paragraph in this section? (This is your thesis statement)

Guidelines:
Remember that your reader may know nothing about your topic.
Begin each paragraph with a single sentence that introduces the main idea of that paragraph.
Use a citation to support every factual statement you make, except for common knowledge.
Construct your thesis so that it summarizes the problem and solution(s) in a single sentence.

Refutation: Present alternatives to your solution (optional section / may go either before or after main support)

Has your refutation::
identified one or more alternatives to your solutions? (1-3 paragraphs)
explained why these solutions are insufficient to addressing the problem? (1-3 paragraphs)

Guidelines:
Begin each paragraph with a single sentence that introduces the main idea of that paragraph.
Support all factual information with citations.
If possible, give specific examples of when these alternatives have been tried and explain why they didn’t work.

Main Support: Describe the reasons why your solution is the best alternative

Has your main support:
explained how your solution will address the causes and/or alleviate the negative effects from the first section? (1-3 paragraphs)
explained how your solution will address the shortcomings of the alternative solutions? (1-3 paragraphs)
explain why your solution is possible? (1-3 paragraphs)

Guidelines:
Begin each paragraph with a single sentence that introduces the main idea of that paragraph.
Support all factual information with citations.
If possible, give specific examples of when your proposed solution (or even parts of the solution) has been tried and explain why the solution may work again.

Conclusion: Implementation and outcomes

Has your conclusion
described one or more possibilities for implementing your solution? (1-3 paragraphs)
described the expected outcomes your audience can expect to see after your solution has been implemented? (1-3 paragraphs)

Guidelines:
Stay positive, but be realistic. You’re addressing a problem, not solving it.
Implementation is always a work in progress. You have to have a plan, but it doesn’t have to be perfect. You only have to convince me that you’ve done your research.
Use your expected outcomes to specifically address the negative effects from the first section.

Works Cited Page

Do all of your in-text citations point to an entry on the Works Cited page?
Are they made up of the last name of the author(s) or the first few words of article titles?
Did you only cite those resources that you used in the piece?
Did you cite all of the resources that you used in the piece?
Are all citations in MLA format?
For more detail about the appropriate way to cite documents in MLA Style, including model citations and examples of a Works Cited page, check out the OWL at Purdue’s “MLA Formatting and Style Guide.” (Right-click→ Open link in new window)
. Did you use at least five reliable, academic sources?