argument of value
Next, conduct an argument of value–one that asserts the importance or significance of a problem, when the problem’s importance or significance is disputed.

You then follow that discussion with an argument of policy about the problem examined in your essay at large—an argument as to what course of action should be taken to address the problem under consideration: a proposal.

In other words, you’ll be…

• Demonstrating the existence of a problem

• Providing readers with any necessary background information concerning the problem

• Persuading potentially skeptical readers that the problem you identify is worth their consideration–that it is important or significant enough to demand their attention

• Proposing a course of action to solve the problem, or at least ease (or ameliorate) its severity–a proposal you will support with evidence and reasoning as well as defend from criticism.

Note that this requires an affirmative stance: I want you to argue that some problem you identify really is significant or important, as opposed to arguing that it is not.

Roughly one quarter (2-3 pages) of the essay will be devoted to simply educating your audience as to the existence and extent of the problem on which you focus; the remainder of the essay will be concerned with your arguments of value and policy—that is to say, persuading your audience that the problem you address should matter enough to them to take action in regard to it, and subsequently arguing in favor of a course of action you will propose to solve, or ease the severity of, that problem.

You can organize your essays to move from conclusion to evidence (deduction) or from evidence to conclusion (induction), and you can even alter the structure for each of the two arguments that form your broader essay for this assignment. Whatever structural approach you take, you’ll need to make sure that you:

• Demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt the existence of a genuine problem

• Clearly assert a claim as to its importance and adequately support that claim

• Clearly assert a claim as to how best to address the problem and adequately support and defend from criticism that claim

• Strive, in your essay’s concluding remarks, for a lesson or insight or broadened perspective to be gained from your discussion and analysis of the problem in question