Proposal Project

PROPOSALS

Does your draft include each of the elements needed to create a proposal that your readers will find to be usable and persuasive? Remember that some elements of the superstructure may be unnecessary for your specific readers and purpose and that the elements may be organized in various ways.

Introduction

· Tells clearly what you propose to do?

· Provides background information the readers will need or want?

· Forecasts the rest of your proposal, if this would help your readers?

Problem

· Explains the problem, need, or goal of your proposed action?

· Persuades your readers that the problem, need, or goal is important to them?

Objectives

· Relates your objectives directly to the problem, need, or goal you described?

· Presents your objectives without naming your solution?

Solution (often the longest section of a proposal)

· Describes your solution in a way that assures your readers can understand it?

· Persuades that your solution will achieve each of the objectives you described?

· Persuades that your solution offers an especially desirable way of achieving the objectives?

· Protects you and your employer by clearly promising only what you and your employer want to deliver to your readers?

Method

· Describes clearly the steps you will follow in preparing the solution?

· Persuades that the method you plan to use for creating the solution will work?

Resources

· Persuades that you have or can obtain the needed resources?

· Protects you and your employer by clearly identifying any resources your readers must supply?

· Schedule

· Tells when your project will be completed?

· Persuades that you have scheduled your work reasonably and soundly?

· Protects yourself and your employer by clearly stating what your readers must do in order for you to be able to meet your deadlines?

· Includes a schedule chart, if one would make your proposal more usable and persuasive?

Qualifications

· If necessary, persuades that you have the ability to complete the project successfully?

Management

· If your project is large, persuades that you will organize the people working on it effectively?

· Includes an organizational chart, if one would make your proposal more usable and persuasive?

Costs

· Persuades that you have presented all the costs?

· Persuades that the costs are reasonable?

· Protects you and your employer by including all your costs in your budget?

· Includes a budget table, if one would make your proposal more usable and persuasive?

Conclusion

· Summarizes your key points?

· Concludes the proposal on a positive note that builds confidence in your ability to do a good job?

Reasoning (See Chapter 5)

· States your claims and conclusions clearly?

· Provides sufficient evidence, from the readers’ viewpoint?

· Explains, if necessary, the line of reasoning that links your facts and your claims?

· Addresses any counterarguments or objections that your readers are likely to raise at any point in your report?

· Avoids making false assumptions and over generalizing?

Prose (See Chapters 4, 5, 7, and 8)

· Presents information in a clear, usable, and persuasive manner?

· Uses a variety of sentence structures and lengths?

· Flows in a way that is interesting and easy to follow?

· Uses correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation?

Graphics (See Chapter 12)

· Included wherever readers would find them helpful or persuasive?

· Look neat, attractive, and easy to read?

· Referred to at the appropriate points in the prose?

· Located where your readers can find them easily?

Page Design (See Chapter 13)

· Looks neat and attractive?

· Helps readers find specific information quickly?

Ethics

· Treats all the report’s stakeholders ethically?

· Presents all information accurately and fairly?

From Paul V. Anderson’s Technical Communication: A Reader-Centered Approach