Syllabus for the Proposal Argument Essay*

Feb. 17  Introduction to the Proposal Argument

Assignment: Select a problem you are interested in writing about for this essay. Submit your topic to the Topic Test found online on the page called Verify Your Topic. Read the sample proposal essays online: Legal Speed and Saving Strays. Write a response using the guidelines online to the sample you are assigned.

Feb. 19 Evaluating Proposals

Assignment: Write a complete description of your problem. Use p. 317 number 3. a-f  in your text as a source of ideas for this description.  Write a Journal page.

Feb. 22 Exploring Problems--Finding Solutions

Assignment: Read Chapter 7, Moving Your Audience p. 145-165, and Chapter 8, Accommodating Your Audience p. 166-188. Write a real or imaginary scene or brief story that would create a pathetic appeal favorable to your argument.

Feb. 24 Presence

Assignment: Write your proposal claim. Write an Audience Analysis of the audience you will be targeting in your essay. Answer the five questions on p. 149-150 in your text in detail to complete your analysis.

Feb. 26 Claim and Reasons

Assignment: Complete the Toulmin outline part I for your proposal essay.

March 1  Conditions of Rebuttal or Part II of your Toulmin system outline

Assignment: Write the first draft of your proposal essay. Bring two copies of your essay to class on March 1. Submit your complete Toulmin system plan on March 1. NO JOURNAL FOR THIS WEEK

March 3 Essay exchange
Assignment: Use the Toulmin Schema to outline the essays you read.  Challenge yourself to fill in parts of this outline with ideas that the author may have missed .   Bring two copies of each Toulmin outline that you write.  Be sure your name is on each outline you complete.

March 5 Revision Discussions

Assignment: Prepare your final draft of the proposal essay. This essay is due in class on Monday, March 8.  On March 8 bring:

two typewritten copies of the final draft of the proposal essay

one copy of your first draft of this essay

one copy of the audience analysis

one copy of your Toulmin outline for this essay

one copy of each Toulmin outline  you received from your classmates

the Revision Guide for Argument Essays that you filled out in discussion with your classmates.

NO JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT THIS WEEK

March 8 The Proposal Argument Essay is due in class today.

* This syllabus is subject to change!
 

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