for Daisy Arabella

Draft Due: Wed Oct 17

Polished Draft Due: Wed Oct 24

Short Informal Proposal

Review chap 11

Read these articles:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/five-health-benefits-standing-desks-180950259/

https://www.prevention.com/health/g20503004/benefits-of-standing-desk/

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-truth-behind-standing-desks-2016092310264

Look at the following example:

Figure 11.14 “Internal Proposal” on pp. 349-351

Background:

You work in the HR department for Kathmandu.com, an online outdoor store and you have many co-workers who spend most of their day sitting while they deal with online orders or answer calls. So although you are an outdoor company, not all of your employees are super fit. Over the last two years, you have noticed that more and more people are taking time off due to back related problems. You recently visited another business where the majority of the workers spend their day taking online orders or answering phone inquiries and you saw that most of the employees had sit/stand desks that allowed them to sit or stand during the day. You believe that it is time to bring sit/stand desks to Kathmandu.com. Write a proposal to the CEO and the VP arguing that Kathmandu.com should purchase sit/stand desks for all the employees in the ordering department.

Your proposal has the following components in this order:

1. Memo Header & clear subject line that catches reader’s attention

2. An Executive Summary: this first paragraph contains the following: a buffer, the problem, the solution, the main reason for investing in the personal activity trackers, and the budget involved. An executive summary, see pages 407-408 allows a reader to read only that paragraph and decide whether he or she needs to keep reading).

3. Description of the Problem: Use sufficient detail to persuade readers that inactivity during the day at work causes a number of problem (use sources to document the types of problems being inactive at work can lead to. Consider finding reputable sources on how sitting all day can lead to cardiovascular disease for example).

4. Solution: Describe your solution and then follow this description with at least three arguments for your proposal to give employees personal activity trackers. See page 285 for employing logic and emotion as you develop reasons. Support your arguments for your proposal with research (e.g. evidence from various studies or case histories or articles to show the positive benefits of giving employees these devices. In other words, each reason must be supported by an expert or study. Use quotes but instead of parenthetical citations, put the name of the writer in your sentence and convey who he or she is. For example: According to Professor Nunez, a researcher from the department of Kinesiology at the University of Chicago, “……”

5. Now Give Specific Details about the Solution:

· Explain the ideal qualities a sit/stand desks should have

· Show how the brand you recommend meets these ideals

· Consider including a comparison of the cost of the brand and features you recommend to other other brands

· time frame (how long it will take to implement your plan)

6. Budget Information: An estimate of the total cost of the sit/stand desks for your company. You must explain the budget items in detail.  If you are asking someone to give you money or asking them to implement something that will require money, you need to justify the expense and explain how you arrived at the amounts you did. Are there any other expenses in addition to the trackers themselves

7. Objection and Refutation: You should anticipate at least one objection to your proposal and refute it. Read the sources I have given you and you will find possible objections employees and employers have.

8. A conclusion persuasively restating your request and the main reason and explain how you can be contacted should the VP want to discuss this in person.

Sources: Use at least three sources in addition the articles I have linked to this assignment sheet. You may certainly use more however. I’d suggest you use following databases: ABI Inform, Academic Search Premier (the latter may have fewer sources) and Google but make sure the latter come from respected publications. Sources need to be documented in the text by telling your reader who the writer is and his or her expertise: According to New York Times health writer John Doe (2017), ……., and a list of references needs to be included. Just putting someone’s name in parentheses tells me nothing about the credibility of the writer. And use quotations. Use APA style of documentation. You may of course also use testimony if you know of users who have these activity trackers

You Attitude: You want to pay special attention to creating a “you attitude” so that your reader will be motivated to provide funding for the program. Since you are writing to the CEO, consider what she or he cares about.

Report Format:

Length: 3-4 pages using single space typing and blank lines between paragraphs excluding the separate reference page

The purpose of your formatting is to make your argument as understandable as possible. Therefore it is of vital importance to create a visually appealing document that allows the reader to easily skim the document for essential information. Do not hesitate to experiment with pictures, graphs, tables, different fonts, type sizes, columns, bulleted lists, etc. as ways to convey information persuasively

Additional Considerations:

As you complete your report, you will want to pay close attention to what Bovee and Thill discuss in Chapters 11 and 12.  In particular, you’ll want to consider the following material:

 

In the Table 11.1 (p. 322), you see the difference between a problem statement and a purpose statement.  While your thinking about the project will probably start with a problem statement, you will need to create a statement of purpose that presents both what you are going to write about (the problem) AND why you are writing the report (what you want to happen).  If you do not have a clear sense of your purpose, it is difficult to write an effective report since “effective” means achieving a specific purpose. 

   

Remember that for your report to be effective and persuasive, you need to support your claims with evidence that your audience will value.  So find good sources and use them well.