Fluent Essays

outline and research proposal SAMPLE OUTLINE FOR A PERSUASIVE SPEECH By Tom Wingard    Introduction Attention Material   Thesis/ Overview   Motivation       Transition Are you getting a bit tired of that three inch spare tire around your waist? Are you becoming increasingly lazy, fat?   I'd like to show you that we're all in need of exercise.  Now is the time to get started so that we can enjoy the health and psychological benefits the rest of our lives.   I'm assuming that none of you will argue that exercise is harmful.  You'll agree that exercise is beneficial. However, I'm not so sure all of us are actually exercising.  I'd like to tell you, then, not how to exercise, but to persuade you to go out and get some exercise   (First, I'd like to tell you why I'm so concerned about our inactivity.)   Thought Pattern:  PROBLEM-SOLUTION Body Problem:                       (Internal summary) Transition I.  Lack of exercise is harmful to our health.   A.    Cardiovascular disease, the nation's leading cause of death, is caused by inactivity.   1.       Clogged arteries and veins are a result of inactivity.    (example)   2.       Excess fat also caused by inactivity leads to a higher incidence of heart disease. (explanation and example)   (Statistically, then, you will die at an earlier age if  you do not exercise.)   (Now some of you might be wondering why I'm preaching to a bunch of 20 year olds.)   B.    College students are not as healthy as we are often lead to believe.   1.       High school seniors are in better health than we are.  (survey) 2.       We are on the threshold of decline as our level of activity drops.  (explanation)   C.    This change is correlated with the changes in our lifestyles that occur between high school and college.   1.       Most of us have less time to run around because we are studying more.  (explanation) 2.       Many of us have given up the sports we used to play competitively.  (example) 3.       Now that we're in college we have less motivation to exercise.  (explanation)     Internal summary   Transition (The point here is that exercise for us must come from within.  But, statistically that hasn't been happening.)   (This point becomes increasingly significant as we realize that this stage in our lives is a primary force in determining our future behavior.)               Internal summary     Transition D.       Our inactivity now may lead to inactivity later. 1.       Our choices in brand of beer will be carried on through the coming years.  (analogy) 2.       By being inactive now we are getting ourselves into a rut of being inactive.  This rut can be avoided, but it is difficult.  (explanation)   (I have shown you that by not exercising we are decreasing our life spans, and at this particular time in our lives we are especially vulnerable to becoming out of shape.  This may carry with us for years, until it is too late.   (A fair question to ask here is:  "What is so great about exercise?  If it's such a pain in the ass, it's not worth living a few more years."  To this I would respond that it isn't such a pain.)                                    Solution                                                       Internal summary/ transition II.  Exercise is not a large investment, but the yield is very high.  We should all exercise to take advantage of this.   A.    To exercise, you don't have to lift weights for hours on end or join the wrestling team. Exercise can take as little as 15 minutes a day. (statistic)   B.    One advantage of being healthy is that your body needs less sleep.  This may more than make up for the time it takes to exercise.  (explanation)   C.    Studies show exercise clears your thoughts so that you can be more efficient. (Testimony)   D.    Also, you'll feel better.                                                      1.       When hurrying to class you won't get winded so easily.  (example) 2.       You won't get sick as easily since exercise increases the body's resistance. (testimony and explanation)   E.    More important, however, are the effects on your body you don't feel.   1.       Increasing your cardiovascular strength increases your heart's stroke efficiency.   (testimony) 2.       Researchers at San Diego State have found that increases in exercise slow the onset of senility.  (testimony)     (If none of these facts impress you, keep in mind that exercise might make us look better and this might make girls take a little more notice of us.) Conclusion Attention material   Underview       Last Thought Just as none of us wants to be called a fat slob by our mothers, none of us wants to die earlier than we should.   So, we should all get into the habit of exercising  regularly right now.  If all of us now begin a routine of staying in shape, keeping in mind that it will make us healthier, give us a better state of mind, and body, we can make the future years of our lives more rewarding.   And why wait for tomorrow?  Start today!   Starting Your Research Paper   1. After choosing your topic,  use this space to create a web, with your main topic in the middle and possible subtopics in the outer circles:                                2. What do you already know about this topic?  Briefly make a list of the things you already know about this topic:    1.   2.   3.     4.   5.     6.   3.  Make a list of all the questions you want to have answered about this topic.  Sometimes you don’t know what questions you have about a topic until you have had a chance to research it.  So over the next day or two you will need to come up with several questions you think you could answer about your subject in your paper.  List them here: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.   4. It is also important to start making a list of the books and Internet sites you visit that are useful.  Start this list early as it will be important for your works cited page.          1.      2.      3.      4.      5.      6.      7. 5. Write your thesis.  A sentence like this is not acceptable: “I am going to tell you about Ernest Hemingway and his life and stuff.”  There is a certain formula to follow when creating your thesis statement: General Topic + Limited Focus = Thesis Statement For example, if my general topic was Ernest Hemingway and my limited topic is his involvement in WW1, then the thesis statement would be: “Ernest Hemingway’s involvement in WW1 shaped the way he would write and live for the rest of his life.”  The rest of the paper would be spent only on the things that pertain to that focus.  I would not discuss how living in Cuba affected his writing.  So now it is your turn:   ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   After all of this information is collected it will be time to start your outline.  What fun!   6. Creating a problem/solution outline   After narrowing your subject down, collecting some information, formulating some questions you would like to have answered and making a list of possible sources, it is time to organize your information into an outline.  The important part of an outline is remembering that all of the information that you plan on including in your research paper must support your thesis statement.           Sources must be included in each section of the outline showing where you found the information you will be using. Introduction (½-1 page) 1. Attention Getter (write this out) – could be a startling statistic/fact, an anecdote, quote, rhetorical question 2. Transition to thesis which explains connection between grabber and main ideas 3. Thesis statement-focus on emphasizing the solution to the problem in your thesis   Section 1 – Problem (1-2 pages) 1. Topic Sentence – Define problem (write out) 1. Describe 2.  Examples 3. Who affected 2. Topic Sentence – Causes/history of the problem (write out) 1. Where/how it originated 2. Causes 3. Topic Sentence – Seriousness/Consequences (write out) 1. Negative effects 2. How serious 3. Consequences   Transition sentence to lead into the solution.   Section 2 – Solution (2-3 pages)   1. Topic Sentence – Solution  1. Overview of solution                                                          2. Research to support                                                                                        2. Topic Sentence – Implementation  1. Process of implementation                                                                  2. Possible problems-opposition                                                    3. Drawbacks                                                  3. Topic Sentence – Outcomes   1. Benefits                                                       2. Compare to other solutions                                                 3. Explicitly explore how it solves the problem                                                Conclusion (1/2-1 page) 1. Summary statement (write out) 2. Relate to the world today or future (write out) 3. Call to action/final thought (write out) Research Proposal Name: Use this template to create your research proposal, which is due in class. Provide as much detail and evidence as possible in the categories below.   Introduction Topic:    Guiding Research Questions: What do you intend to prove about the topic? Why have you chosen it? (this is your justification for why you are writing about this topic): Preliminary Thesis:   Plan Proposed Structure(what specific items will you need to tell us about in the problem and solution sections of your essay): Opposition to your position (what concerns will you have to address): What sources have you found so far (list the MLA work cited entries for at least two credible sources): Schedule: Action: Dates you will work on it: Do preliminary research Come up with research questions Find sources Read sources and take notes Do any field research (may not apply) Come up with a tentative thesis and outline Write a draft  Get response Do any additional research Revise  Prepare works cited Edit and proofread the final draft Submit the final draft Assignment # 4-Research Paper     Assignment Description:          Research is synthesis and discovery.  It creates opinions and shapes views.  Your goal in this paper is to solve a problem using the findings of other research projects. This means finding articles from the databases (especially the Opposing Viewpoints database) to support your solutions to an existing problem. You can also use sources outside of the databases, but they must be reliable and accurate. It is paramount that you choose a topic that will sustain your interest and that you feel confident in exploring.  Look for problems and issues related to your field of study as a starting point.  Writing Process: a) Get approval from me for your chosen topic. This will require a written research proposal justifying your research into the topic. b) Construct a meaningful research question that will guide you in the use of sources. c) Develop a working thesis that answers your research question. d) Construct a well-thought out outline that begins with a thesis statement, shows a topic sentence for each paragraph and where your sources will be used. e)   Compose a well-supported, MLA formatted essay that conforms to the specific requirements listed below. Requirements: a)     The essay smartly uses the three appeals (ethos, pathos, logos). b)     An explicit thesis statement is present in the introduction. c)      In-text citations are used effectively for direct quotes and paraphrases. d)     The essay’s target audience is clear based on your position on the topic. e)     Appropriate strategies for argumentation are reflected in your outline.  Technical Details: a)     The paper must be six pages in length with an additional works cited page, comprised of multiple paragraphs, including an introduction and conclusion. b)     Use 12-point font, Times New Roman, double-spaced. c)      MLA format the paper with at least six meaningful, college level sources thoroughly integrated into your explanation of the problem and proposal for solutions.