Proposal Assignment:

As with the Argument Essay, I’d like you to propose a topic to me for your Researched Argument Essay.

Your proposal does not need to be structured like an essay. In fact, it can either be a paragraph containing the information I’m requesting, or just a series of bullet points. Whatever format you decide upon, be sure to include the following information:

• What is your subject?
• What is your side?
• What will your main points be? (Your “preview of ideas.”)
• Combine the above elements and write out your thesis statement in full!
• What research do you anticipate doing in order to support your thesis?

An example proposal might look something like this:

• Subject: Trade school vs. college
• Side: People should look into the trades (plumbing, electrical, welding, etc.) instead of being obsessed with the idea of attending traditional college
• Preview of ideas: Trade schools are practical, cost less money (and won’t leave you in huge amounts of debt), and there’s good money in the trades
• Thesis: Students should be encouraged to consider trade school as an alternative to traditional college education because trade schools provide practical skills, they cost less money and relieve the problem of student debt, and the skills taught at trade schools can provide students with financial stability.
• Anticipated Sources: I want to find some sources that give facts about the cost difference between a traditional college education and a trade school education. (Maybe some sources that talk about student loan debt, for example?) I also want to research the kind of money that people in various trades make (plumbers, electricians, welders, etc.), and compare that to the type of earnings that the average college grad can expect from various careers. I will also try to find sources that talk about how unnecessary a lot of what you learn at college is, whereas everything you learn at a trade school is specific to your chosen trade. So, you don’t waste time or money.