Defining A Problem

Defining a Problem All problem-solution essays must begin by defining the problem. Defining questions: 1. What makes this a problem? 2. Who is affected by this problem? 3. Where is this problem happening? 4. When is this problem happening? 5. Why is this problem happening? (Causes of the problem) General topics are not problems! Example: Gun control is NOT a problem. Children getting killed because there are guns left unsupervised in homes—now THAT is a problem! Read the following scene and define the problem below in a good paragraph. Remember to include all the guide questions in your problem paragraph. John always goes to his grandmother’s house for Thanksgiving. His whole family gathers, and he really enjoys it. It means a lot to his grandmother, too. This year his girlfriend, Ann, has invited him to spend Thanksgiving with her family. John really likes Ann, and he knows she wants him to meet all her relatives. What is John’s problem? ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

Defining a Problem

Teens at the Mall

Teens are hanging around at the local mall, making noise and harassing customers. Officials at the mall have added extra security guards, but the problem seems to be getting worse. They are having a town meeting to discuss the problem. You and your friends like to go to the mall to shop and hang out, but you are also concerned with the young people that are just there to cause trouble. Write a speech Use the guide questions below to write a good paragraph defining the problem in the following prompt. Defining questions: 1. What makes this a problem? Detail1:______________________________________________ __________________ Detail 2:____________________________________________________ ____________ 2. Who is affected by this problem? Detail1:______________________________________________ __________________ Detail2:______________________________________________ __________________ 3. Where is this problem happening? Detail1:______________________________________________ _________________ Detail 2: ______________________________________________________ ________ 4. When is this problem happening? Detail 1: ______________________________________________________ _________

Detail 2: ______________________________________________________ _________ 5. Why is this problem happening? (Causes of the problem) Detail1:______________________________________________ __________________ Detail 2: ______________________________________________________ _________

Now write the paragraph. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ __________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ __________________________