1. 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!

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

3. 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.

4. Evaluating Student Examples
Day 21 of English 15
Evaluating Student Examples

5. Assessing examples of the medium
Redefinition Films

6. 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:

7. 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

8. Assessing examples of the genre
Penn Statements Essays

9. 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

10. 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

11. Writing your script
Drafting the proposal argument

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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.”

15. 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.”

16. 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.”

17. 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?