english proposal report
2017
California State University, Northridge
Professor Rowley
[FINAL PROPOSAL] Proposals are used to problem-‐solve and optimize in both professional fields and advanced degree work. The process of writing this paper is designed to give you experience, tools, and strategies to master this genre of professional writing.
ASSIGNMENT:
Building off of the initial memo we wrote in class, you will write a proposal for an improvement on the CSUN campus. This proposal should be persuasive. You want to convince Dr. Harrison that she should fund this project. Below are a few suggestions to get you started, but any topic is acceptable as long as I approve it. Each person will need to address a different problem, so let me know your topic as soon as possible.
• Providing safer parking • Providing safer lighting • Instituting job sharing for mothers • Instituting short-term child care • Purchasing new office or lab equipment or software • Hiring more faculty, student workers or office help • Changing the lighting or furniture in a student lounge to make it more appealing or eco-friendly • Increasing the number of weekend, night, or online classes in your major • Adding more health-conscious offerings on campus • Altering the programming of CSUN radio station (KCSN) • Greener campus • Better accommodations for people with disabilities • Better landscaping, "prettier" campus • Better student recruiting • Better retention of students • Better restaurants on campus • Better on-campus resources • Lower tuition costs • Renovations of old buildings on campus
*** NOTE: You will want to focus on one aspect of the above. For example, you don’t want to tackle parking in general. Instead, choose a subtopic, such as Parking Sensors. Then, you will want to come up with a viable solution to this problem, which can be implemented on the CSUN campus. Be sure to include all relevant details, such as the background of the issue, the cost of the solution, etc…
This project will involve two parts: Proposal for a Research Report: 100 points A Long Report: 200 points
PROPOSAL FOR A RESEARCH REPORT 4 pages
100 points
This will be the first part of the long-term project you will be writing. Its purpose is to give you a running head start so that when you begin the Long Report, you will already have a road map and a portion of the work completed. The Purpose and Questions to be Investigated will be due Nov. 3. The full proposal will be due Nov. 17.
Use Figure 13.8 as a guide. You will want to include your purpose, background of the problem, questions to be investigated, methods of research, timetable, and request for approval.
LONG REPORT At least 8 pages - First draft due Nov. 24, final draft due Dec. 8
200 points
The paper should be a minimum of eight single-spaced pages, using Times New Roman 12 point font, with one-inch margins throughout. Papers will be in MLA format. Use headers, bullets, and other graphic organizers to format your text.
Your finished proposal will include in-text citations, as well as a carefully, properly formatted (MLA) list of at least eight substantive sources. “Substantive” in this context means sources from government, scholarly, or professional sites. One or two articles from popular media such as Time or the LA Times are okay, but they should be reinforced by articles on your subject from library databases.
Graphs and charts should be included wherever they can help to enhance your text. Any such graphics should be properly labeled, and included as an appendix rather than inserted into the text. Letter of Transmittal, Cover Page, List of Illustrations, Abstract, Appendices and Works Cited do not count as part of the total number of required pages.
Here are all the requirements for the project: Front
Matter: • Letter of Transmittal • Title Page • Table of Contents • List of Illustrations • Abstrac
Text of the Report (8+ pages single spaced) • Introduction
o Background o Problem o Purpose Statement o Scope
• Discussion (70% of report). Note: Remember this is a PERSUASIVE paper. You want to convince CSUN to do something about this campus health problem.
o Headings o Transitions
• Conclusion o Corroborate the evidence/information you gave in the body of your report o Grow out of the work you describe in the body of your report
• Recommendations o How to solve the problem your report has focused on – with good visuals and
specifics. Back Matter:
• Glossary (optional) • Works Cited (required - MLA format) • Appendix (optional)
The grade will be determined on not only the usual style and mechanics considerations, but also how well, how thoroughly, and how creatively you have researched, developed, and supported your ideas.
This paper, like all big writing tasks, will require a significant commitment of time and research; that is inevitable. However, a methodical approach will minimize suffering and writing angst. To give you exposure to a strategic method of a long-term writing project, we will be observing the due dates indicated on the syllabus.
Writing tips Keep your audience in mind. Define specialized terms, give background and context as appropriate, and think persuasion. A professional audience will be looking for numbers and statistics before they give their approval, and certainly before they give you money. They will not take your word for anything, ever. Cite the source of statistics, facts, etc. as appropriate, but try to keep direct quotes, especially long ones, to a minimum. The readers will expect you to have synthesized and paraphrased a lot of your research, for the sake of efficiency.
Refer to your textbook early and often.
Expect to keep revising, and expect to go back and forth between sections. For example, the initial draft of your introduction will undoubtedly change as you research and find new material for your discussion.
Make full use of your opportunities for presenting your topic to the class and for peer review. Also talk to others—friends, families, co-workers—about your topic. You will be pleasantly surprised to see how helpful this is in shaping your proposal and getting helpful perspectives.
Office hours You are invited, but not required, to confer with me during office hours or by appointment, to discuss any issues you’re having with your paper. Appointments should be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance, and they must be held in person; this project is too complex for e-mail conferencing.
Things to Keep in Mind Remember that this is not an informational paper. Any and all information that you impart to your readers should be directly related to the proposal you’re trying to get funded or adopted. Keeping your audience’s needs firmly in mind should help avoid information, which is irrelevant to your proposal.
Remember a big part of being a professional is having a Plan B. Back up your computer often, save your paper on some sort of memory device. Have an extra toner cartridge handy; the same goes for paper. Imagine your worst-case scenario, and plan around it.
You’ll also need to anticipate objections, complications, and the like—remember, proposals, as solutions, represent change, and you cannot assume your reader will be on board with the change you propose. You’ll need to incorporate answers to questions and objections they will be likely to raise.