English peoject

Project Two: The Proposal

For this project you are proposing an idea that is seeking to solve an issue within Wichita Falls, Texas or at Midwestern State University. Your proposal must outline the problems that are either currently happening (using sources, preferably) and potential solutions that would solve this issue. You will have a budget of $20 million dollars (USD) at your disposal.

"I don't know what to write about"

Try to think of issues that directly involve a group of people, the whole of the university or city, etc. The best possible way to generate ideas is to look through past issues of The Times New Record (local paper), The Wichitan (university paper), or think of gaps that are present that other universities in Texas/Oklahoma fill. Think of an issue that will allow you to write 12-20 pages for Project 5. It is important that you think about the Whos, Whats, Hows, and Whys of your problem/solution.

DO NOT WRITE ABOUT PARKING OR PARKING LOTS, A FOOTBALL STADIUM, or TEXTBOOKS. These are utterly boring to read and provide little nuance. Many students who have proposed/written about these issue often fall into the problem of sounding like they are just making a personal complaint. Likewise, your audience (university administrators or local officials) do not care if it takes five to fifteen minutes to find a parking space.

Consider your audience at all times. You are going to be proposing this issue later to a professional audience. This means you need to write in a serious manner and frame your proposal so that it does not sound like a personal complaint. You need to ground your problems and solutions by showing that they exist rather than telling us.

Project 2, the Topic Proposal

English 2223, Fall 2017

Project 2 asks you to write a formal proposal memo seeking my approval for the project that will become your formal report.  This proposal is the first document in a series of sequenced assignments that also includes a progress report, a formal report, and a presentation.

For the purposes of this sequence of assignments, we’re going to pretend that Midwestern State University has received a windfall donation of a considerable amount of money that must be spent on meaningful improvements within the University’s sphere of operations. In short, you are being asked by University officials to identify how, when, and where some of that money should be spent.

Your first assignment in this sequence, the Topic Proposal, asks you to identify a problem, issue, or concern pertaining to Midwestern State University that you would like to explore further and propose a solution for in your formal report later in the semester. You do not have to have a solution to the problem at this time; at this point, you are only seeking clearance to explore the matter further.

Your audience for this memo is me, your instructor.  Think of me as someone who wants to be sure that you choose a project from which you can learn a great deal and on which you can do a good job.  I need to be convinced that this project is important to you and that you have the ability to complete it. You should also think of me as someone who wants to see your time spent wisely, just like your boss would. The topic you propose should be clearly meaningful to the University and its constituents, and therefore, merit further exploration.

While I am willing to consider a wide range of topics for your report, you must persuade me that you have chosen a worthwhile issue that you are capable of handling well.  I’d like to see some ambition in your projects, but I also want to be sure the scope of your project is manageable.

When reading your proposal memo, I will be looking for answers to the following questions:

· What problem/issue/concern do you want to explore?  Have you clearly defined a conflict between a desired situation and the current situation?

· Who is affected by the situation?  Who will be the audience for your final report? What is your position in relationship to the audience?

· Why is this challenge significant for this final audience? What is at stake?

· Do you have a possible feasible solution for the problem?  Have you established what a good solution would require? Have you thought about alternative plausible solutions?

· What makes you qualified to carry out the project?  How is the topic related to your major?  Your career plans? 

· What will it take to gather the necessary information and complete your analysis?  Can you complete your report in the time left in this semester, using the resources readily available to you?

· Do you have a work plan for your project, a plan that shows specifically when certain activities must be completed this semester if you are to finish the project on time?

Format

Craft your proposal in the form of a formal business memo to me.  Select your information and organize it in such a way that it is persuasive and accessible.  Remember, this proposal is not merely informative:  it is an argument for why your topic should be approved.  Your proposal will most likely include the following sections:

· An introduction that tells me why you are writing.

· A section on the problem, issue, concern and why it merits attention

· A section describing your research plans for this project.  Convince me that you know what kind of information you’ll need and where to find it. Include an analysis of your readers and what information they’ll need in order to adopt your solution.

· A discussion of your credentials and motivation.  Convince me that you have the background and resources necessary to conduct your research.  Be sure to also indicate your motivation for and/or connection to this particular project.

· A schedule.  Convince me that you know what activities your research will require and that you can get them done on time.

· A conclusion that formally requests permission to proceed.

Evaluation Criteria

Topic Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Persuasiveness and Organization

I will be looking to see that you are taking on an actual project related to your professional and academic expertise and that you can complete the project by the end of the semester.  Make your proposal convincing; demonstrate that you have singled out a worthwhile problem to solve and that you are the researcher to solve it.

Style, Clarity and Arrangement

Your proposal must be well written.  The problem statement is clear and logically stated, sentences correct, concise and arranged so that the meaning is easily obtained and the prose is streamlined and effective for a general reader.  Paragraphs are coherent, unified and relatively short.

Design and Format

Your design choices, including paragraph length, headings, subheadings, font choices, etc., increase document professionalism and accessibility.  Business memo format is used consistently and appropriately.