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AGENDA

Review: Essay #4

The Basic Features of a Problem Solution Essay

Discussion: O’MalleyIn-Class Writing: Finding a Problem to Write about: De Anza

Essay #4

Essay #4: Proposing a Solution : Essay (four to six pages) 150 points Assignment: Write an essay from 4-6 pages in length, that addresses the topic

below. Use a minimum of two credible sources to support your argument.

Prompt : Write an essay proposing a solution to a well-defined problem faced by a community or group to which you may belong. Alternatively, you may address a well-defined problem faced by one of the districts or communities in The Hunger Games. Address your proposal to your audience: one or more members of the group, its leadership, or to outsiders who may be able to contribute to solving the problem.

Basic Features

As you read essays proposing a solution in this chapter, you will see how different authors incorporate the basic features of the genre.

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An Evaluation of Alternative Solutions

•The writer arguing for a proposal must anticipate objections or reservations that readers may have about the proposed solution.

• This works in much the same way as a counterargument. Identify other ways to solve the problem. Then show why or how your solution is superior.

Group Discussion: Look for these basic features in Patrick O’Malley’s Essay “More Testing, More Learning”

A Well-Defined ProblemA Clearly Described SolutionA Convincing ArgumentAn Effective CounterargumentAn Evaluation of Alternative Solutions

A Well-Defined Problem

What is O’Malley’s Problem?

Where does he tell the reader?

A Well-Defined Problem

A Well-Defined Problem

Although this last-minute anxiety about midterm and

final exams is only too familiar to most college students, many professors may not realize how such major, infrequent, high-stakes exams work against the best interests of students both psychologically and intellectually.

A Clearly Described Solution

A Clearly Described Solution: The Thesis

If professors gave additional brief exams at frequent intervals, students would be spurred to study more regularly, learn more, worry less, and perform better on midterms, finals, and other papers and projects.

If professors gave additional brief exams at frequent intervals, students would be spurred to study more regularly, learn more, worry less, and perform better on midterms, finals, and other papers and projects.

A Convincing Argument

A Convincing Argument: Support for the Thesis

A 2006 study reported in Psychological Science journal concluded that “taking repeated tests on material leads to better long-term retention than repeated studying,” according to the study’s coauthors, Henry L. Roediger and Jeff Karpicke.

A Harvard study notes students’ “strong preference for frequent evaluation in a course.”

In a review of a number of studies of student learning, Frederiksen (1984) reports that students who take weekly quizzes achieve higher scores on final exams than students who take only a midterm exam and that testing increases retention of material tested.

Researchers at the University of Vermont found a strong relationship among procrastination, anxiety, and achievement.

An Effective Counterargument

An Effective Counterargument: An Anticipation of Readers’ Objections and Questions

Some believe that such exams take up too much of the limited class time available to cover the material in the course.

Another objection professors have to frequent exams is that they take too much time to read and grade.

An Evaluation of Alternative Solutions

An Evaluation of Alternative Solutions

It is reasonable to consider alternative ways to achieve the same goals. One alternative solution is to implement a program that would improve study skills.

Still another solution might be to provide frequent study questions for students to answer.

Another possible solution would be to help students prepare for midterm and final exams by providing sets of questions from which the exam questions will be selected or announcing possible exam topics at the beginning of the course.

Your completed chart should look like this:

Groups and organizations

1. The Hunger Games

2. De Anza College

3. Your Neighborhood

4. Karate Club

5. Community Recreation Center

Problems1. Not Enough

Food

2. Lack of Parking

3. Commercial parking problem

4. No commitment

5. Not enough safe places for kids to play

Solutions

1. Make hunting legal

2. Reorganize lots

3. Apply to city for resident permit parking only

4. Organize activities to include more members

5. Start a volunteer parents group to offer after school activities at local schools.

ProblemParking

Solution

1. Build a new structure?2. Charge more to

encourage public transportation?

3. Redesign the existing space?

Homework

Read SMG 326-359 Kornbluh, Miller and Sciara Writing: Post #37 Identify a problem faced by De Anza students. How would you solve the problem? Write one paragraph outlining the problem. Write another explaining a solution.