The following suggestions provide a means of focusing your work on a problem-solving essay or another type of problem-solving document.

Suggestions for Essays

1. DEFINE A PROBLEM AT YOUR SCHOOL

In a brief essay, define a problem at your college or university. Using one of the sets of problem-definition questions, describe the problem in as much detail as possible, and define its consequences if left unaddressed. Use a survey of affected students to collect information about the problem.

2. PROPOSE A SOLUTION TO A LOCAL PROBLEM

Identify and define a problem at your school or in your community, and then propose a solution. Collect information about the problem from published sources, such as a community newspaper, an alumni magazine, or local-area Web sites. Conduct research to locate other communities with a similar problem and find out how they’ve addressed it. If possible, interview or correspond with someone who knows about or has been affected by the problem. In your essay, discuss the potential consequences of the problem if left unaddressed, identify potential solutions to the problem, and argue for a particular solution.

3. IDENTIFY A CRITICAL PROBLEM IN YOUR MAJOR AREA OF STUDY

Define and discuss the potential consequences of a problem within your major area of study. Use one of the problem-definition question sets to define the problem. To support your discussion of the potential consequences of the problem, locate sources in scholarly journals and on Web sites sponsored by one or more of the discipline’s professional organizations. If time permits, conduct a survey of professors who teach in the field. You can find lists of names through scholarly associations; ask your instructor or a librarian for help identifying them.

4. TRACE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROBLEM

Identify a problem that has not yet been solved, and trace its development. Discuss its causes, factors that contribute to its ongoing status as a problem, and factors that have worked against the creation of a successful solution. To support your discussion, locate published sources that have considered the problem. If you can, collect evidence firsthand through observation, surveys, or interviews. Although you are not required to offer a solution, consider using your conclusion to suggest directions that might be pursued to solve the problem.

5. EVALUATE PROPOSED SOLUTIONS TO A PROBLEM

Evaluate solutions that have been proposed to solve a problem. In your essay, briefly define the problem, and discuss the long-term consequences of the problem if left unsolved. Then identify general approaches that have been proposed to solve the problem. Choose at least two and no more than four proposed solutions to evaluate. Define your evaluation criteria, and discuss how well each of the proposed solutions measures up. In your conclusion, offer your assessment of whether the solution you’ve judged to be most likely to succeed will actually be implemented. To support your discussion, locate published sources that have addressed the problem.

Suggestions for Other Genres

6. DRAFT AND DESIGN A PROBLEM-SOLVING ARTICLE FOR A NEWSPAPER OR MAGAZINE

Begin working on your article by deciding whether you want to write about a particular problem or publish in a particular newspaper or magazine. If you want to write about a particular problem, search your library’s databases for articles about the problem. This can help you identify newspapers and magazines that have published articles dealing with the problem. If you want to publish your article in a particular newspaper or magazine, read a few issues of the publication carefully to determine the kinds of problems it normally addresses. Once you’ve selected a target publication, analyze it to determine its writing conventions (such as level of formality and the manner in which sources are acknowledged) and design conventions.

As you learn about your problem and plan, organize, and design your article, keep in mind what you’ve learned about the articles you’ve read. Your article should reflect those writing and design conventions. In your article, define the problem you are addressing, argue for the importance of solving the problem, propose your solution, and consider and dismiss alternative solutions. You should support your argument with evidence from other sources, such as journal and magazine articles, newspaper articles, blogs, and Web sites. You can also interview an expert, such as a professor, or correspond with someone who has been affected by the problem.

7. WRITE A PROPOSAL TO SOLVE A PROBLEM

Locate a call for proposals (sometimes called a request for proposals) on an issue of interest to you, and write a proposal to solve a problem related to that issue. Your proposal should conform as much as possible to the formatting and content guidelines provided in the call for proposals. In your proposal, identify, define, and propose a solution for a specific problem. You should draw on published sources and interviews with experts to support your proposal. You should also provide a budget and an assessment plan. If you have questions about how best to complete the proposal, discuss them with your instructor.

8. PROPOSE A SOLUTION BY MAIL

Write a letter, a memo, or an e-mail message that proposes a solution to a problem. Your correspondence should be addressed to a person, a group, or an agency that has the capacity to solve the problem. To prepare your proposal, conduct research on the problem and on the person, group, or agency. Your letter, memo, or e-mail message should be no longer than 750 words. It should briefly define the problem, propose a solution, and explain why the person, group, or agency should take action to put the proposal into effect. If you have questions about how best to compose the letter, memo, or e-mail message, discuss them with your instructor.

9. WRITE A LETTER OF COMPLAINT

Write a letter that identifies and complains about a problem you’ve experienced with a product or service. Your letter should be addressed to a person, a group, or an agency that has the capacity to address the problem. To prepare your letter of complaint, conduct research on the problem and on the person, group, or agency. Your letter should be no longer than 1,000 words. It should clearly define the problem, explain why the recipient of the letter is in a position to address the problem, and explain how the complaint should be addressed. If you have questions about how best to compose the letter, discuss them with your instructor.

10. POST A PROBLEM-SOLVING ENTRY ON A BLOG

Identify a blog that is relevant to the problem you want to address and that allows contributions from readers, in the form of either a new entry or a response to an existing entry. Write an entry or a response that proposes a solution to the problem. To prepare your entry or response, conduct research on the problem and on the authors and readers of the blog. Your post should be no longer than 1,250 words. If you have questions about how best to compose your entry or response, discuss them with your instructor.