Removing Civil War Artifacts

ENGL 1020, 901
4-5 Page Proposal Assignment

THE ASSIGNMENT: For this assignment, you will compose a 4-5 page Proposal that will provide your specific audience with an overview of the kind of work you will be completing in your longer researched essay. This proposal should also validate the kind of research you want to pursue. The proposal should contain the following elements:
• An identification of the topic area, issue, or problem, you are addressing,
• A reference to the specific change your proposal is arguing for (or against),
• A reference to who you will be addressing in your research paper (that is, your “authentic” or “real world” audience), and,
• A discussion that reflects a rhetorical understanding of, and integrates, at least three of the sources presented in your Annotated Bibliography.
(That is, while you present your proposed change or solution, to the particular audience that has the ability to implement this solution, your proposal should also use and integrate (and demonstrate a rhetorical understanding of) three of the sources listed on your Annotated Bibliography). The information about rhetorical strategies and genres, in the “Introduction” to The Norton Reader, might be helpful for this.

Your Proposal should have the structure of a classical argument – with an introduction, a body, and a conclusion; in addition, to receive an “A” or a “B,” your proposal should contain a brief history of the civic issue or problem; a brief explanation, description, or outline, of the proposed solution; a brief reference to at least one source who presents alternative or opposing views; and a brief summation of the potential benefits of implementing your proposed change.

You will need to use, in an integrated manner, at least three of the sources presented on your annotated bibliography.

This assignment asks for at least 4 full pages, and no more than 5 full pages of text (not including the Works Cited page). Your Proposal should end somewhere between the bottom of page four, and the bottom of page five. Essays that do not meet the minimum requirement, or exceed the maximum allowed, will not receive full credit.

RESEARCH: Your proposal will contain references to, and citations concerning, at least three of the academic sources (from your Annotated Bibliography) that you intend to use in your longer essay. Remember, an academic source, for this assignment, is considered to be an essay, book, chapter, or article, found in the Charles C. Sherrod Library, or through one of the Charles C. Sherrod Library databases (for example, JSTOR, LexisNexis, or Gale) that is at least five (5) pages long, has an identifiable author, and presents a discernable thesis.
As indicated in English Composition courses: dictionaries, encyclopedias, Wikipedia, Schmoop, Guides, Websites, and Web-pages do not constitute appropriate sources for college-level, research-based essays.

ESSAY/ASSIGNMENT FORMAT: All work completed outside of class should be typed and double spaced using 12-point Times New Roman typeface, with 1’’ margins all around (according to MLA or APA guidelines). Please place your name, the course and section number, and the date/semester (single-spaced) in the upper left-hand corner of Page 1 (only) on each assignment.
All assignments must also be submitted to the appropriate drop-box (to be checked for plagiarism or unoriginal material); assignments with a score of 40% or more will not be corrected – these papers will be returned, and the authors of these papers will be given a week to revise them. A revised paper with a score of 40% or more will receive a zero. Any assignment with a score of 75% or more will automatically receive a zero.

AUDIENCE/RHETORICAL CONTEXT: Please remember that you are writing your Proposal to a very specific audience. This will be the legislative body, agency, institution, or funding source, that has the ability to enact or implement the change you are proposing (your proposal should propose a specific change, and attempt to resolve, or correct, the civic problem or issue you are addressing).

Rhetorically, this proposal should also be written for a college level or administrative audience. Aim at people who are educated at levels from first-year students to professors or administrators. Your language, style, and tone should reflect your audience and your purpose.

GRADING: Please see the “Grading Rubric” and “Elements of an Effective Paper” posted on D2L. The posted rubric outlines the analytical and rhetorical expectations for all of your compositions in this course. For this particular assignment, please note the following criteria:

Title (that reflects the argument/thesis presented) = 10% of the grade,

(Compelling/Succinct) Thesis Statement = 10% of the grade,

Organization/Sequencing = 10% of the grade,

Analytical Content = 30% of the grade,

Grammar/Rhetorical Content = 30% of the grade,

Works Cited Page (according to MLA guidelines) = 10% of the grade.