Frame the issue for your readers.

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Once you have made a preliminary choice of an issue, consider how you can frame (or reframe) it so that readers who support opposing positions will listen to your argument. To do this, consider how the issue has been debated in the past and what your readers are likely to think. Use the following questions and sentence strategies to help you put your ideas in writing.

Ways In

HOW CAN I EXPLORE THE ISSUE?

WHAT DO MY READERS THINK?
What groups or notable individuals have shaped the debate on this issue? What positions have they taken?
  • It may surprise you that is a controversial issue. Although many people take for granted, [individuals/groups] oppose it on the grounds that .
  • Whereas supporters of have argued that , opponents such as [list individuals/groups] contend that .
How has the issue, or people’s opinions about the issue, changed? What makes the issue important now?
  • [Recent research reports/incidents reported in the news] have changed some people’s minds on this issue. Instead of assuming , many people now think .
  • The debate over whether should was initially concerned with , but now the main concern seems to be that .
 What values and concerns do I and my readers share regarding the issue?
  • Concern about leads many of us to oppose . We worry that will happen if .
  • is a basic human right that needs to be protected. But what does it mean in everyday practice when ?
What fundamental differences in worldview or experience might keep me and my readers from agreeing?
  • Those who disagree about often see it as a choice between and . But both are important. We don’t have to choose between them because .
  • While others may view it as a matter of , for me, the issue hinges on .
  • According to , what’s at stake in this issue is . For me, however, what is most important is .
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HOW CAN I FRAME THE ISSUE EFFECTIVELY?

Once you have a good idea of how the issue has been debated and what your readers think, use these sentence strategies to frame the issue for your readers.

What is the issue, and why should my readers be concerned about it?

  • I’m concerned about because .
EXAMPLE I’m concerned about the high cost of tuition at state colleges like ours because students are having to borrow more money to pay for their education than they will be able to repay.

Why are popular approaches or attitudes inappropriate or inadequate?

  • Although some argue , I think because .
EXAMPLE Although some argue that college football players should be paid, I think the current system should be maintained because it is only the money earned from football that enables our school to fund other, less lucrative sports programs.

TEST YOUR CHOICE

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Ask two or three other students to consider the way you have framed your issue.

Presenters. Briefly explain the values and concerns you think are at stake. (The sentence strategies in the Ways In section can help you articulate your position and approach.)

Listeners. Tell the presenter what response this way of framing the issue elicits from you and why. Use language that follows as a model for structuring your response, or use language of your own.

  • I’m [also/not] concerned about the high cost of tuition because.
  • I [agree/disagree] that college football players should not be paid because.