American Public Education Reform
Proposal (Classical) Thesis/Outline Instructions and Checklist
essay 1
Thesis Statement/Outline Assignment
In Module/Week 2, you must develop a thesis statement and outline for the 1,000-1,200 word proposal argument essay that you will write in Module/Week 3. Your thesis/outline assignment should include a clear thesis statement with a clear proposal argument and an outline of your plan of support following the Classical Model of argument. The research sources for this essay have been provided for you in our course. Any additional sources that you may choose to use must be credible academic sources. You must integrate a total of at least 4 quotations, summaries and/or paraphrases from at least 3 credible academic sources to support your thesis statement and provide opposing arguments.Be sure to document your sources correctly according to your documentation style (Current APA, MLA, or Turabian). You may include biblical support, but it does not count in the required citations.
Proposal Argument Topic and Prompt
Topic: American Public Education Reform
Prompt: Write a proposal essay using the Classical Model of argument in which you address the question, “What needs to be done to reform public education in the United States?”
Helpful Hints
- Chapter 3 in this week’s textbook readings includes a general outline for the Classical Model of Argument.
- Chapter 13 in this week’s textbook readings includes sample student outlines and student essays for a proposal (Classical) essay written in each of the documentation styles (APA, MLA, and Turabian).
- Review the Minimum Outline Requirements Checklist (below) to understand the content that you must include in your thesis/outline assignment this week.
- Review the Essay 1 Thesis/Outline Grading Rubric in the course before submitting your thesis/outline assignment.
Part 1
Included below is the minimum that you must include in your thesis/outline; however, taking the time to construct a complete and thorough outline will help you save time when you write your actual essay.
| (Minimum) Outline Requirements | Successful | Needs Revision |
| 1. Thesis statement: Clearly states your debatable proposal argument that includes a feasible solution for the problem | ||
| 2. Evidence: Presents points that support the thesis. (In your outline, include at least the minimum number of required paraphrases, summaries, and/or quotes from outside sources as indicated in assignment instructions.) | ||
| 3. Opposing argument(s): Presents viewpoints opposing your thesis argument giving special consideration to opposition of the proposal. (Including the strongest opposition to refute helps build your credibility and convinces your audience to consider or adopt your position.) | ||
| 4. Organize your information into the correct outline format. (See examples for APA, MLA, and Turabian in Chapter 13 for the Classical Model of argument.) | ||
| 5. Documentation Requirements for Outline (Include minimum number of sources required for this assignment.): If using current APA format, include properly formatted parenthetical intext citations and a References page. If using current MLA format, include properly formatted parenthetical intext citations and a Works Cited page. If using current Turabian format, include properly formatted footnotes and Bibliography page. |
Part 2
When you are satisfied with the quality of your outline, submit it via the submission link in Module/Week 2 for grading. Do not forget to write your degree program and whether you are using current MLA, APA, or Turabian in the “Submission Title” field when submitting your assignment.
Submit this assignment by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday of Module/Week 2.
