Reading a Problem-Solution Essay

You notice a problem and analyze it. You brainstorm solutions and try one. That's the problem-solving process in a nutshell. It's also the outline of a problem-solution essay: introduce and analyze a problem, propose and explain a solution, and argue why it is the best course of action. Below, you'll see how one student built such an essay.

Reading a Student Model

Read the following problem-solution essay and respond to the reading afterward. In the beginning paragraph, the student grabs the reader's attention and delivers the opinion statement. The first middle paragraphs analyze the problem, and the later middle paragraphs propose, explain, and argue for a specific solution. The ending paragraph sums up the proposed solution and encourages the reader to help enact it. Click on the side notes to study the features of this essay.