WP. 4 Zero Draft

A Glance at Illiteracy in America
I. Introduction
In the land of education and opportunity, 32 million Americans cannot perform everyday literacy activities. In fact, these 14% of Americans cannot even be tested by traditional methods, because they cannot read the questions. (nces.ed.gov)

II.  The ABCs of Illiteracy in America.
                 In order to address the problem of illiteracy, the basic facts need to be known. What is the extent of illiteracy in America? How do current literacy levels compare to historic literacy levels?

III. The Cause: The Factors the Contribute to Illiteracy
                What factors have led to 32 million Americans being functionally illiterate?

IV. The Effects: Who Suffers, and How?
                    Consider briefly how necessary it is to be able to read, and it will quickly become clear that illiteracy is a crippling disadvantage.

V. The Solution: What Measures are Being Taken to Fix the Problem?
            The truth of illiteracy in America is clear: now what is being done to end it?

VI. Conclusion