Writing Exercise Describe the audience of your proposal argument: Identity: Who are they? Where do they live? Where do they work? What are some communities and groups they belong to? Values: What does your audience care about? What is important to them? Attitude: What is likely to be your audience’s attitude about your topic before they’ve even read your proposal (hostile, critical, uninformed, sympathetic?) How much do they already know about the problem you’re hoping to solve? Power: What can this audience actually do about your proposal? What resources do they have? Could they implement your solution right away? Would they need to gain approval? Concerns: Will they take issue with the way you’ve described the problem? Do they agree that the problem is a problem? What concerns may they have about the proposal’s feasibility? This will not be collected. Keep it for drafting your cover letter!

Audience analysis What are a few different strategies you could use to learn more about your intended audience?

Research tips Proofread your survey questions (or interview questions, depending on the format) before distribution. Affect (verb) versus Effect (noun) How has this situation affected you? What are the effects of this situation? Test your own survey if online.

Evaluating Student Examples Day 21 of English 15 Evaluating Student Examples

Assessing examples of the medium Redefinition Films

Visuals & Sound What are the strengths of the film in these areas? Weaknesses? Strategic employment of voice, music, and other audio clips Strategic employment of visuals, including still images, film, and transitions More Examples: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7uzJyX91Q4bJols_MXxaeAJPFYb9V6ip

What can I put in my video? Sound you produce: Visuals you produce: Your narration “Newscast” from One Button Studio Recordings of interviews Footage of interviews Ambient campus sounds Charts/graphs showing survey results Sound you find: Music that supports your message Visuals you find: Relevant footage from YouTube and other sites Relevant sound effects Make sure to cite the songs you’re using Relevant images Make sure to record the URLs of each source site

Assessing examples of the genre Penn Statements Essays

Focal Essays “We’re Old News” by Robert Johnson (85-87) Ryan, Rico, Joe, Colin G. Collin W., Jacqui, Kyle V., Remy “LaundryView for East Halls Laundry Rooms” by Brooke Savoye (88-90) Regina, Logan, Kyle M., Dylan Macy, Luke, McKenna B., Tanner “Block It Off” by Jennie Worek (95-97) McKenna K., Rob, Sam, Sydney Lexie, Dillon, Nolan, Vidas

Penn Statements Proposals What are the strengths of the argument in these areas? Weaknesses? description of problem, including analysis of its causes & effects presentation of your recommended proposal, including a feasible plan for implementation demonstration of how proposal addresses the need, including evidence that the proposal will achieve the desired outcome consideration of alternative ways to achieve a similar outcome incorporation of pertinent research done via fieldwork

Writing your script Drafting the proposal argument

Envisioning argument structure How much of your script should be devoted to…? Describing and analyzing the problem Presenting your plan and explaining your solution’s feasibility & pertinence Calling your audience to action No more than 1/3 At least 2/3 ~1 paragraph

Three arguments for acceptance Three types of arguments can persuade your audience that your proposal is acceptable: Argument from consequence Argument from precedent Argument from principle

Argument from consequence An argument from consequence claims that if X is/is not done, Y will follow. Cost analyses: “If I don’t turn off lights at home, I’ll end up wasting more than $20,000 in electricity bills over my lifetime.” Proposal for selling cruelty-free toiletries: Student convenience & safety: “…if cruelty-free products were offered on campus, students would be safer and less inconvenienced because they would not have to worry about off-campus transportation or security.” Promise of economic success: “…many students at this university would choose cruelty-free products over other brands if they were available on campus.”

Argument from precedent An argument from precedent claims that X will work in this situation because it has worked previously in Y situation. If you haven’t found precedents, you probably need to do more research! Success at other universities: “…other colleges and universities have enacted similar proposals to help combat animal testing and have had great success with the new products.”

Argument from principle An argument from principle claims that X is a good idea because it matches up with our sense of what is right. In line with university mission: “…offering cruelty-free products on campus would be an action in line with our university’s efforts to be a progressively minded, service- and value-oriented school.”

Practicing the three arguments Argument from consequence claims that if X is/is not done, Y will follow. Argument from precedent claims that X will work in this situation because it has worked previously in Y situation. Argument from principle claims that X is a good idea because it matches up with our sense of what is right. Do we share a sense of what is right? What’s our common ground?