Argument Project: Proposal Essay   Background   Facing a multitude of problems, we can easily be overwhelmed. What is the first step to bring about change? One of the most reliable ways to foster positive change is writing a proposal. Activists, politicians, and even college students have used proposals to call their communities to action for centuries.   Your Task   For this essay, you will identify a problem, research the underlying causes of that problem and write a proposal to address that problem. Your purpose is to convince a specific audience that your chosen issue is important and to persuade them to take a specific action to solve or mitigate this issue.    You cannot take on the problems of the whole world or even the whole country in a 5-6 page paper, so you will focus on creating propositions for an aspect of a larger problem, or for a state, city, or more specific community. To support your proposal, you will need reliable sources that do the following:    ·      Help you identify a problem and investigate its impact ·      Give context for the problem –especially underlying causes ·      Review previous proposed solutions  ·      Justify the solution you propose for the problem  ·      Explain the feasibility of your solution ·      Answer at least one reasonable counterargument   Requirements   -       Standard formatting (typed, double-spaced, 12 pt. font, 1-inch margins) -        Minimum 5 pages in length -        4 or more credible sources cited in APA format -        Application of writing skills and strategies discussed in class: introduction with claim (thesis statement), topic sentences, detailed support, explanation & analysis, counter-argument & refutation -        Awareness and use of ethos, pathos, and logos to address and persuade a specific audience -        Active participation in the writing process: revising drafts, participating in peer review and conferences, proofreading, etc. .