Proposal Memo

Proposal Assignment

NOTE-- This assignment is not related in any way to the topic proposal email or long report.

Your proposal will be in memo (internal) format, and based on the option you choose from the list below:

▪ A proposal addressed to the appropriate ISU administrator/office, with the aim of improving some facet of the student experience. NOTE—parking is not an available option.

▪ A proposal addressed to management-- possible scenarios are listed on page 438. NOTE—this scenario may involve your current employer, or your post- degree job (hypothetical situation). Your choice.

▪ A proposal based on a scenario you create (email me first if you have an idea in mind). Exercise 3 in Chapter 13 may give you some topic ideas.

Regardless of the option you choose, your proposal must reflect the guidelines discussed in Chapter 13 and the memo guidelines (Chapter 6). Keep the following in mind:

▪ Be sure to address your proposal to a real (or realistic) audience. ▪ Proposals are persuasive documents, and effective persuasion requires

thorough, logical discussion and strong, specific evidence (possibly including research).

▪ Memos allow for special formatting (bullet lists, tables, charts, etc.). If content can be clarified through the use of such formatting, utilize it (failure to do so will impact the grade significantly).

▪ To effectively address one of the prompts above you’ll likely need roughly 750 words. When in doubt, err on the side of more details.

▪ Remember that unethical use of source material (copy/paste) is a shortcut to an F. If you utilize information derived from research, acknowledge the source in your text (citations/bibliographic entries aren’t necessary).

NOTE— If Turnitin’s Similarity report indicates that more than 10% of your proposal’s content is derived from work you’ve submitted in a previous course, the document will not be graded (no exceptions).

Proposal key dates:

▪ Upload your proposal draft to Turnitin (by 11:59 pm Monday, September 19th). NOTE—late submissions will not be accepted.

▪ Provide feedback on four classmates' proposals using PeerMark (by 11:59 pm Friday, September 23rd).

▪ Your proposal will be submitted by 11:59 pm Monday, September 26th. Proposals received after the deadline will be subject to a 20% late penalty; those submitted after 11:59 pm Wednesday, September 28th, will not be graded.

The Proposal assignment is worth 100 points.

If you have questions regarding this assignment, ask them on this thread.