Problem, Solution, and Barriers Paper 1

COMM 2367: Persuasive Communication

Problem, Solution, and Barriers Paper
4-5 pages, 70 points
Overview
This 4-5 page paper requires you to use your research skills and must include at least 7
credible sources. You will explore the problem and your recommended solution (volunteer at or
donate to a particular organization), as well as investigate barriers your audience may have to
accepting the solution.
If you are the moderator, you will thoroughly explore the problem and investigate
barriers your audience may have to recognizing the existence, urgency, magnitude, or relevance
of the problem. You will also prepare for your responsibility to preside over the Town Hall
Meeting by including a plan for the following: how you will begin and conclude the meeting,
how the discussion will be organized (including a timeline of events), how group members will
be introduced, how the seating will be arranged, what rules will be set, etc.
Guidelines for Group Members
In approximately 4-5 typed pages (not including the title page or the reference page) using APA
format, you should:
1. Provide a succinct but thorough analysis of the problem, solution, and barriers. Cite at
least 7 high quality sources to support the arguments you make in each of the
following sections. You may use some or all of the sources from your Annotated
Bibliography.
a. What is the problem? Include information about the existence, magnitude,
urgency, and relevance of the problem. How many people does it affect? Whom
does it affect? How does it affect them?
b. What is your recommended solution? Clearly identify your solution in 1-2
sentences. Be very specific about how you want your audience to volunteer and/or
donate:
I want my audience to volunteer to help coordinate the annual fundraising
auction at ABC Agency.
I want my audience to donate at least 2 items to the ABC Agencys winter
clothing drive.
How/why will this solution effectively address the problem? Remember, this is
the main goal of your persuasive speech, so make sure you are very clear and
concise about what you want your audience to do. Clearly identify how you want
your audience to volunteer. Your message should focus on your nonprofit
organization and address both the response-efficacy and self-efficacy of your
proposed solution.
c. What are the barriers that may prevent the target audience from enacting your
recommended solution? How can you overcome these barriers?

Problem, Solution, and Barriers Paper 2

Guidelines for the Moderator

In approximately 4-5 typed pages (not including the title page or the reference page) using APA
format, you should complete:
Part One: Examine the problem and barriers to recognizing the existence, magnitude,
urgency, and relevance of the problem.
Part Two: Plan for the Town Hall Meeting
Part One (about 3-4 pages)
1. Clearly identify your region and problem.
2. Provide a thorough analysis of the problem and barriers to recognizing that it is a
problem. Cite at least 7 high quality sources to support the arguments you make in
each of the following sections. You may use some or all of the sources from your
Annotated Bibliography.
a. What is the problem? Why is this problem significant in your region? Include
information about the existence, magnitude, urgency, and relevance of the
problem. How many people does it affect? Whom does it affect? How does it
affect them? How are the subtopics connected to each other and to the group
problem?
b. What are the barriers that may prevent the target audience from believing the
problem is significant in your region and how can you overcome those barriers?
Part Two (1-2 pages)
1. Read the What is a Town Hall Meeting/What Does a Moderator Do? document on
Carmen.
2. Identify your Town Hall Meeting date and time.
3. Develop a plan to moderate the Town Hall Meeting. You are completely in charge of
the meeting; your instructor will be observing and grading the speeches. It is your
responsibility to run an efficient meeting that stays within the allotted time of 1 hour
48 minutes. It is important to outline your ideal agenda, but you will also need to be
flexible on the day of the meeting.
a. Who are the meeting participants? Identify yourself and your group members.
Identify the town council and the town citizens (the town council is the group who
presents after you; the town citizens are the remaining groups).
b. What will you say to begin and conclude the meeting?
c. What is the speaking order? How/why did you determine this order of the
speakers in your group (volunteers, draw names, alphabetical, etc.)?

Problem, Solution, and Barriers Paper 3

d. What is the timeline of events? Include the following: each group members
speech; time for questions after each speaker; time for town council to discuss and
vote. Account for the entire class period, leaving about 10-15 minutes at the end.
Be very specific so you stay on time and remember to leave time for each speaker
to transition from one speaker/discussion to the next. For example:
i. 12:50-12:56
Speaker 1 presents
ii. 12:56-1:02
Q & A for Speaker 1, Transition to Speaker 2
e. Where will people be seated in the room (speakers, town citizens, town council,
instructor)? You can provide a written explanation or a diagram.
f. What 5 rules will you set to encourage open and respectful discussion? (Google
discussion guidelines for ideas.)

Problem, Solution, and Barriers Paper 4

Problem, Solution, and Barriers Paper
Grading Rubric (Group Members)
Excellent

Poor

Problem
Demonstrates serious, thoughtful, and studied engagement
with the problem; thoroughly explains the problem
Effectively demonstrates existence, magnitude, urgency, and
relevance
Articulates original ideas in discussion of the problem; moves
beyond mere description and summary to analysis and
critique
Clearly demonstrates the impact of the problem in the specific
region
Critically evaluates credible evidence and uses it to support
claims in sophisticated ways

10

7.5

2.5

1.5

2.5

Effectively addresses response efficacy

2.5

Effectively addresses self-efficacy

2.5

Critically evaluates credible evidence and uses it to support

claims in sophisticated ways

1.5

1.5

Solution
Specifies action (in 1-2 sentences) you want audience to take:
specific volunteer activity or donation
Articulates a clear purpose of the nonprofit organization and
focuses on the work of the NPO

Barriers
Identifies and discusses possible barriers; critically evaluates
counterarguments
Articulates original ideas in describing ways to overcome
possible barriers
Critically evaluates credible evidence and uses it to support
claims in sophisticated ways

Adjustments (your grade may be lowered up to 10% for each of the following)
Excellent
-0%

Poor
-10%

Free of errors in grammar and mechanics

-0

-2

-3.5

-5

-7

Correct APA Format (title page, header, margins, font, intext citations, reference citations)

-0

-2

-3.5

-5

-7

Includes at least 7 sources (COMM 2367 requirements)

-0

-2

-3.5

-5

-7

TOTAL _____/70

Problem, Solution, and Barriers Paper 5

Problem, Solution, and Barriers Paper
Grading Rubric (Moderator)
Excellent

Poor

Problem
Identifies problem and region

.5

4.5

1.5

1.5

1.5

Identifies Town Hall Meeting date and time

.5

Identifies participants and other groups roles

1.5

0.5

Describes how meeting will begin and end

1.5

0.5

Provides speaking order and explanation

1.5

0.5

Presents a timeline of events

1.5

0.5

Describes room arrangement

1.5

0.5

Develops 5 rules for discussion

1.5

0.5

Demonstrates serious, thoughtful, and studied engagement

with the problem; thoroughly explains the problem
Effectively demonstrates existence, magnitude, urgency,
and relevance
Skillfully connects subtopics and presents a cohesive
foundation of the problem
Articulates original ideas in discussion of the problem;
moves beyond mere description and summary to analysis
and critique
Clearly demonstrates the impact of the problem in the
specific region
Critically evaluates credible evidence and uses it to
support claims in sophisticated ways
Barriers
Identifies and discusses possible barriers; critically
evaluates counterarguments
Articulates original ideas in describing ways to overcome
possible barriers
Critically evaluates credible evidence and uses it to
support claims in sophisticated ways
Town Hall Meeting Plan

Adjustments (your grade may be lowered up to 10% for each of the following)
Excellent
-0%

Poor
-10%

Free of errors in grammar and mechanics

-0

-2

-3.5

-5

-7

Correct APA Format (title page, header, margins, font, intext citations, reference citations)

-0

-2

-3.5

-5

-7

Includes at least 7 sources (COMM 2367 requirements)

-0

-2

-3.5

-5

-7

TOTAL _____/70