Looking at the description bellow, do some preliminary research about the town or county you’ve lived in, searching for potential issues to create a proposal about. I suggest using local news, newspapers, governmental websites, and even interviews with people you know from the town–especially those that keep involved in town politics.
Try to identify five potential issues that you could write about for the Essay. They do not all have to be from the same place. Identify the place, then state the issue along with a brief explanation of it. List the sources (MLA Format).
Essay description:
Consider an ongoing problem or issue concerning your local town/city or county. Then, in a 2000-2300-word research essay, propose a solution to this problem. Your job in a proposal is as follows:
1 Define a problem that needs a solution or a need that is not currently addressed.
2 Make a claim that addresses the problem or need. A solution directed towards the future.
3 Show why your proposal will fix the problem or need
4 Demonstrate that your proposal is feasible
To begin, research the problem thoroughly using a variety of sources. Check local papers, magazines, news channels or sites. See what the local government has done so far concerning the issue. Are there any laws in place, such as ordinances? Is there anything to be voted on soon? Compare the problem to similar problems in other regions, and the actions taken there. You may even interview locals about the issue. Academic/scholarly research will also be expected. You may not find scholarly sources on the exact issue of your region, but you’ll likely find research and articles covering the problem in general, and perhaps solutions as well.
Once you have done thorough research, propose a solution to the problem that could be implemented by the town/county itself. Saying that “The federal government needs to step in to . . . ” doesn’t work.
Avoid problems on a national or worldwide scale, though you may take a worldwide problem (like global warming) and apply it locally (how do we protect the Chesapeake Bay?)
