Sample Outline using problem- cause to effect - Advocacy and Argument | COM 204, Study notes of Communication

Download Sample Outline using problem- cause to effect - Advocacy and Argument | COM 204 and more Study notes Communication in PDF only on Docsity! Sample Outline Using Problem-Cause-Solution Format Proposition of Policy: Through individual action and laws, we must eliminate illiteracy in the United States. Organizational Design Problem-Cause-Solution This follows our Com 204 format pretty well (problem/cause/solution) but isn’t a particularly controversial issue and so doesn’t have as many opposing issues—also it focuses more on what individuals can do so there is little in the way of enforcement or cost issues—it’s an example for you, but please note the shortcomings as opposed to the kinds of topics and arguments we have focused on Introduction I. Tammie Marie Delong is a loving mother. A. She wants more than anything to be able to provide for her children in every aspect imaginable (“Learning”). 1. Tammie, however, is unable to follow recipes, drive her children places, read them stories, or help them with their homework. 2. Why? Tammie does not know how to read. B. Tammie suffers from a learning disability known as illiteracy (“Learning”). 1. As a child, this disability went unnoticed, or in several cases, ignored. 2. Tammie struggled through school and barely graduated from high school. II. All of us at one point or another have experienced academic frustration. A. Perhaps we were overwhelmed with the amount of homework we had, upset that we had failed a test, or confused about an assignment. B. Try to imagine what it would be like if you could not read your assignments or tests. C. All of you know how important reading is; you made that quite clear in the questionnaire when you explained how important reading is to your everyday life. III. This scenario is a reality for Tammie, the 923 million other Americans who suffer from illiteracy, and the 40 million Americans over the age of 16 who have only rudimentary reading and writing skills, which means they read and write below a fifth grade level (Castle). A. Illiteracy is the inability to read or write, or being uneducated in a certain field of knowledge (Random 658). B. Reading is a fundamental skill that many of us take for granted. C. When someone is having difficulty reading at an early age and this problem is not addressed, it can lead to a life-long disability (Castle). D. When illiteracy does become a life-long disability, several problems can occur. IV. Today, let’s discuss the problems associated with illiteracy, the causes of illiteracy, and some of the solutions that are available to eradicate illiteracy. Body I. The three main problems associated with illiteracy are an increased likelihood of criminal behavior, difficulties in the workplace, and medical complications. A. The first problem associated with illiteracy is its relationship to criminal acts (Cassidy). 1. According to literacy experts, children with poor reading skills are more likely to become criminals because it is difficult for them to succeed in school (Cassidy). a. This frustration leads students to turn to crime as a method of handling their frustration (Cassidy). b. Students drop out of school, are unable to find jobs, and therefore turn to crime as a means of making money (Cassidy). 2. Of the ten to fifteen percent of students who drop out of high school, over seventy-five percent report difficulty in reading (Castle). a. Studies show that fifty percent of all prison inmates and individuals with criminal records are illiterate or functionally illiterate (Cassidy). b. Seven out of ten prisoners do not possess basic reading and writing skills (“Consortium”).’ B. The second problem associated with illiteracy is its negative impact on the workforce. 1. The economy today demands high levels of literacy and technical skills. 2. Many adults do not have the skills necessary to find or keep jobs, support their families or participate actively in civic life because of their learning disability (Castle). 3. Employers are hesitant to hire workers who can neither read nor write--and with good reason (Dilworth). a. Illiteracy hampers the ability to perform tasks (Dilworth). b. Illiterate employees cost employers thousands of dollars as a result of mistakes and miscalculations (“Reading”). 4. Currently, 15 million adults holding jobs are functionally illiterate (“Reading”). a. Forty percent of US workers do not have the basic literary skills to perform jobs efficiently (“Consortium”). b. Fifty percent of all high school graduates do not have the basic literary skills to perform their jobs efficiently (“Consortium”). C. Health illiteracy is another problem associated with illiteracy. 2 ii. The children are required to read the classic Black Stallion books and are then taken to local horse farms and introduced to the animals about which they have been reading (“Black”). iii. This program has been installed in 350 schools for first through fourth graders and has had a positive effect on 36,000 children (“Black”). B. On a larger scale, state and local governments should be encouraged to continue recognizing the problem and implementing changes (Castle). 1. Recently the “No Child Left Behind” Education Reform Law was enacted. a. This law includes a new early Reading First program, that will enhance reading readiness for children ages three to five (Castle). b. This program will also help to ensure that every child knows how to read by the end of third grade (Castle). 2. Former New York City Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, directed the donation of $31.5 million to the state of New York to establish 21,000 school libraries (Goodnough). 3. Also, each state has several literacy programs which provide tutoring and classes to adults and children suffering from illiteracy (Learning). Conclusion I. Through my speech today, you are now aware of the problems associated with illiteracy, the causes of illiteracy, and ways that you and I can help solve the problems. A. Tammie, frustrated with not being able to read, decided to enroll in a literacy program. 1. She and her tutor focused on learning to read sources that would help her parenting skills (“Learning”). 2. Tammie studied the basics; she learned pronunciation and reading and writing techniques. 3. Tammie is now able to read at a fifth grade level and is able to read bedtime stories to her children (“Learning”). 4. With the help of her tutor, Tammie was also able to pass her driver’s exam, once she was able to read the driver’s manual (“Learning”). B. Though Tammie overcame her difficulty, she is just one of 90 million Americans suffering from illiteracy (“Learning”). 1. Ninety million Americans can’t read a story to a child, pass a driver’s test, or read instructions to bake a cake. 2. Ninety million Americans suffer from illiteracy. 5 C. Become a tutor or join a literacy program, and strive for solutions to this debilitating problem. Works Cited “Black Stallion Literacy Project Uses Horses to Interest Children in Reading.” Narr. Peter Jennings. World News Tonight ABC. 29 Mar. 2002. Lexis-Nexis. Dawes Memorial Lib., Marietta, OH. 18 Oct. 2002 <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>. Cassidy, Sarah. “Poor Reading Skills Make Life of Crime More Likely.” The Independent May 2002 Lexis-Nexis. Dawes Memorial Lib., Marietta, OH. 18 Oct. 2002 <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>. Castle, Michael. “Literacy Partnership that Works.” Capitol Hill. 8 Oct. 2002. Lexis-Nexis. Dawes Memorial Lib., Marietta, OH. 18 Oct. 2002 <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>. “Consortium Targets ‘Get Ready For Life’ Campaign to Fight Low Literacy.” Dateline.Washington. 7 Sept. 2002. Lexis-Nexis. Dawes Memorial Lib., Marietta, OH. 18 Oct. 2002 <http://web.lexis- nexis.com/>. Dilworth, Thomas. “Employment Policies Institute.” Investor’s Business Daily. 13 Jan. 2002. 11 Oct. 2002 <http://ncpa.org/iss.ant>. “Doctors Stress Literacy as a Prescription for Good Health.” Dateline. Washington. 3 Mar. 2001. Lexis-Nexis. Dawes Memorial Lib., Marietta, OH. 18 Oct. 2002 <http://web.lexis- nexis.com/>. Glover, Rebecca. “Promoting Family Literacy: An Alternative Intervention.” Journal of Instructional Psychology Sept. 2000 EPSCOHOST. Dawes Memorial Lib., Marietta, OH. 18 Oct. 2002 <http://search.epnet.com>. Goodnough, Abby. “How to Make 21,000 Classroom Libraries.” The New York Times 6 May 2001: B9. Lexis-Nexis. Dawes Memorial Lib., Marietta, OH. 18 Oct. 2002 <http://web.lexis- nexis.com/>. Honors 202 Questionnaire. Marietta College. 4 Oct. 2002. Marietta, OH. “Learning to Read Late in Life.” North County Public Radio Online. 16 Jan. 2002 20 Oct. 2002 <http://www.northcountypublicradio.org>. Random House Webster’s College Dictionary. 2nd ed. 2000. “Reading a Family Affair.” The Denver Post 1 Mar. 2002: B6. Lexis-Nexis. Dawes Memorial Lib., Marietta, OH. 18 Oct. 2002 <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe>. Roker, Al. Interview with Florence Henderson. Today. NBC. 12 June 2002. Lexis-Nexis. Dawes Memorial Lib., Marietta, OH. 18 Oct. 2002 <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe>. 7