eople write proposal arguments to solve problems and to change the way things are. But problems aren’t always obvious: what troubles some people might be no big deal to others. To get an idea of the...

eople write proposal arguments to solve problems and to change the way things are. But problems aren’t always obvious: what troubles some people might be no big deal to others. To get an idea of the range of problems people face on your campus (some of which you may not even have thought of as problems), divide into groups, and brainstorm about things that annoy you on and around campus, including wastefulness in the cafeterias, 8:00 a.m. classes, and long lines for football or concert tickets. Ask each group to aim for at least a dozen gripes. Then choose three problems, and as a group, discuss how you’d prepare a proposal to deal with them.