3. Outlining Your Draft
With your purpose and goals in mind, make a quick scratch outline that
includes the following:
a clear statement of the problem
your thesis statement, announcing the proposed solution and forecasting
your reasons for it
your argument for the solution, giving reasons and support
anticipation of counterarguments and a response to objections readers
might have about the proposed solution
your evaluation of alternative solutions
4. Presentation of the problem
Write a few sentences that argue that the
problem exists
Write a few sentences that argue that this
problem is serious
In a few sentences, outline the causes of
this problem.
Read what you have written aloud to
someone near you.
5. Consequences of failing to solve the problem
Make a list of the consequences of
failing to solve this problem.
Put the list into paragraph form.
Read what you have written aloud to
someone near you.
6. Thesis Statement
You have probably written your thesis statement already. If so,
copy it here.
If you have not yet written it, write one or more sentences to
serve as your tentative thesis statement. In most essays
proposing solutions to problems, the thesis statement is a
concise announcement of the solution. Think about how
emphatic you should make the thesis and whether you should
forecast your reasons.
7. Description of the proposed solution
Revise your first draft of your proposed
solution (from your homework for today).
Explain why it would solve the problem.
Show why or how it is possible
Read it to your neighbor to make sure it is
clear.
8. List of steps for implementing the
solution
You should have written out these steps for your
homework.
Now, put your steps into paragraph form. Make
sure to use transitions and connecting words so
the paragraph does not read like a list. Explain
what you mean as you go through the steps.
9. Reasons and support for the solution
Topic sentence with the first reason
List statistics, anecdotes, examples, scenarios,
testimony you might use to support your reason
Topic sentence with another reason
List statistics, anecdotes, examples, scenarios,
testimony you might use to support your reason
Topic sentence with another reason
List statistics, anecdotes, examples, scenarios,
testimony you might use to support your reason
10. The Counterargument
You anticipated objections for your homework. Now
choose the two or three most important ones to
acknowledge, accommodate, or refute.
Write down objection 1
Acknowledge, accommodate, or refute the objection.
Write down objection 2
Acknowledge, accommodate, or refute the objection.
And so on.
11. Consideration of alternative solutions and
their disadvantages
You identified alternative solutions for your homework. Now choose
those you will discuss in your essay. Write out each solution and discuss
the disadvantages of it compared to your solution.
Write out alternative solution 1
What are the disadvantages of this solution?
Write out alternative solution 2
What are the disadvantages of this solution?
Write out alternative solution 3
What are the disadvantages of this solution?
12. Restatement of the proposed solution
and its advantages
Briefly remind your reader of the problem
and your proposed solution and its
advantages.
You might also remind the reader of the
consequences of failing to solve the
problem.
13. Remember
Your outline will of course reflect your own writing
situation. Once you have a working outline, you should
not hesitate to change it as necessary while drafting and
revising. For instance, you might find it more effective to
hold back on presenting your own solution until you have
discussed alternative but unacceptable solutions. Or you
might find a better way to order the reasons for adopting
your proposal. The purpose of an outline is to identify the
basic features of your proposal and to help you organize
them effectively, not to lock you into a particular
structure.
14. Writing the Opening Sentences
To engage your readers’ interest from the start, consider the following opening
strategies:
• a scenario (like O’Malley)
• statistics (like Kornbluh)
• a historical analogy
• a research study
• a comparison to other places where the solution has been tried successfully
• a preview of the negative consequences if the problem goes unsolved
• criticism of an alternative solution
15. THE ENDING
End by summarizing your solution and its advantages, as
O’Malley does.
End with a scenario suggesting the consequences of a failure
to solve the problem.
End with an inspiring call to action.
Remind readers of something special about the problem or
solution at the end, as Kornbluh does when she urges that an
award be given to the companies that lead the way.
16. HOMEWORK
Put all of the parts we wrote today into a single
document. Read it aloud to make sure it is in a logical
order. Change the order of your paragraphs if that
makes sense to you. Post your draft.
Study the rest of the vocabulary words.
Read: “I Have a Dream"
Bring your draft or your device with your draft to our next
class.
