Proposal
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Writing-Proposals.pptx3.0 Writing Proposals
CM2300
What is a proposal?
A proposal …
Is usually the first step in conducting research, writing a report, or creating a project.
Is a statement of intent (or plan for what is intended to be completed) that will keep you on track and focused.
Asks for permission to do the work intended/ proposed.
Once it is approved, a proposal becomes an IMPORTANT contract.
The final report or project might be a little different from what was proposed, but any major change would require a new proposal.
When are proposals used/ needed?
When a company:
Needs some equipment or product
Requires a service
Has a problem to solve
Wants to makes changes in its operations
Two General Types of Proposals
Solicited
Means it is requested
Known as a Request for Proposal (RFP)
Getting permission or approval becomes a competition
The ‘best’ proposal is selected.
Unsolicited
Means it is NOT requested.
Written and offered to ‘fix’ a need (through research and report).
No competition, but persuasion is generally needed.
Convincing someone that your proposal is the best, or has value, requires persuasive techniques.
Example
Problem/ Need
CNA-Q is looking at changing its telephone system. It has found that most instructors do not use the landlines provided in their offices, but use their mobiles instead. However, there are some departments where the landlines are necessary.
RFP
The college would like a full review of its telephone system, in terms of need, usage, and what changes could be made to increase efficiency and lower cost.
Internal Proposals
A person or a group from inside the company will ask (or be asked) to take on a study and to make recommendations to the company.
External Proposal
A person or a group from outside the company will ask (or be asked) to take on the study and to make recommendations in the form of a report.
Proposal Structure
Your proposal should consist of six sections:
Introduction
Background
Research & Methodology
Qualifications
Proposed Plan
Conclusion
Other elements
may be required for the assignment, but will be discussed later.
(e.g., cover page, Table of Contents, References, and so on)
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Section 1: Introduction
The Introduction indicates the Report’s Topic and Purpose
Briefly grab the reader’s attention
Ex: The growth of real estate in GCC countries is a compelling area for investment in construction and tourism.
Include your thesis statement – gives the report’s purpose, main ideas, and arguments
Ex: The Pearl is the largest residential and commercial development in Qatar, and its construction will bring many benefits to Qatar.
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Section 1: Introduction
State the purpose of the report – briefly indicate what you plan the report to accomplish
Ex: This report describes business-oriented details of The Pearl’s development, in order to show its size and importance to Qatar’s business community.
Develop a clear, specific title for your report – use it in the introduction
Ex. Selecting an Appropriate Sensor for a Smart Traffic-Control System
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Section 1: Introduction
Make jot notes of the ideas you will include in the Introduction section of your report:
Attention-Grabber
Thesis Statement
Purpose
Report Title
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Section 2: Background
Provide Background AND Indicate Readers
Background – help readers understand the issue; may include:
a recent history of the topic
problems experienced by the company
special terms
goals of the research and report
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Section 2: Background
Ex: The report will discuss the feasibility and creation of previously reclaimed-seafloors, or artificial peninsulas, islands or lagoons, in The United Arab Emirates with a specific reference to “The Palm Tree” and “The Globe”. The areas of financing, construction, marketing and residential development will be detailed.
Preliminary research
Use it here to strengthen your proposal to
Support your argument
Provide background information
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Section 2: Background
Identify the Audience – who is expected to read the report?
Always remember to consider who will read the report.
Look at the situation from the reader’s point of view.
The reader will decide to accept your proposal, or not.
Ex: The intended audience is the general reading public in Qatar who know little about the details of The Pearl’s development.
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Section 2: Background
Explain how the audience will benefit from the report
Answer these questions:
What are you proposing to do for the company? (To solve a problem?)
Why should your plan be accepted? (What is different about it?)
How will the company benefit if it accepts your proposal?
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Section 2: Background
Watch the video: Writing a Persuasive Message
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Section 2: Background
Use persuasive techniques in this section to answer the questions:
Why is this a problem?
Why is this of interest to others?
Why does this need anybody’s time and/ or effort?
You do not want your audience to think:
So? Who cares? What’s the big deal?
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Section 2: Background
Make jot notes of the ideas you will include in the Background section of your report:
Background to understand
Recent history / problems / issues
Special terms / concepts
Goals of the research and the report
Preliminary research findings
Audience
Identify who will read the report
Explain why the report is important
Mention benefits
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Section 3: Research & Methodology
Describe your research task(s)
Discuss your research and how it will support your thesis
Explain all tasks which you will undertake to collect the necessary information, such as
what you have found in your preliminary research
the research you will conduct after your proposal has been approved
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Section 3: Research & Methodology
Provide details to answer the following questions:
Example:
Internet website on The Pearl
Gulf Times articles on project and its development
Advertising brochures
A book on construction projects in the Gulf
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What type of resources will you need?
Surveys
Interviews
What kind of research will you conduct?
Primary - research you will personally conduct to get information
Secondary - research conducted by others that you plan to use to support your report
Where will you find the information?
This varies for primary research (discussed later in the course)
Experiments
Books
Videos
Websites
Journals
Electronic, Multimedia, Print - databases, libraries, radio, TV, newspapers, etc.
Section 3: Research & Methodology
Make jot notes of the ideas you will include in the Research and Methodology section of your report:
Explain the steps/ tasks involved in conducting your research
Mention preliminary research – research portfolio #1
Research you will conduct after the proposal has been approved
Discuss the research
Identify the type – books, journals, websites, etc.
Name the kind – primary and/ or secondary
Explain where you will find the information
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Section 4: Qualifications
Explain your background or ‘expertise’
The reader needs to have confidence in you, the writer.
If this confidence doesn’t exist, the reader won’t bother to read your work!
Explain why you are the right person to do the proposed project
Give details about your student expertise or authority
Use previous experience and knowledge.
Provide skills and background as reasons for why you should take on this project
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Section 4: Qualifications
This section should provide answers to these questions:
What gives you the authority to write on this topic?
What background do you have in this area?
What courses have you taken to prepare you for this work?
Do you have any personal experience with this topic, area, or concern?
Why are you “credible” (i.e., trustworthy, reliable, dependable)?
Ex: Due to my previous work in this field working with reclaimed coastal land in Indonesia and my engineering education from Qatar University in geology, I feel I am the right person to complete this report on the reclamation of The Pearl seafloor.
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Section 4: Qualifications
Make jot notes of the ideas you will include in the Qualifications section of your report:
Focus on your expertise/ authority
Convince the reader that you are qualified
Identify experience, knowledge, and skills
Work done before
Provide courses completed
Etc.
Explain why you the right person to write the report
Identify the goals of the research and the report
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Section 5: Proposed Plan
Provide an outline of your report.
Identify sections and subsections
Explain the purpose of each section
Identify visuals you plan to provide
Ex. Images, Tables, Figures, Charts, Graphs, Diagrams
Identify timelines, costs, staffing requirements (if needed)
Visual Aid Examples
Images of the 3 accounting software types
Image of a target customer Venn Diagram
A graph showing sales figures
A table to compare and contrast the 3 accounting software programs types by cost, functionality, connectivity etc.
A diagram of how the selected option would be used in the Business Proposal project
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Section 5: Proposed Plan
Discuss any limitations to your report.
identify important areas your report will not discuss, such as:
Topics that will not be covered
Research that will not be done
Geographical areas that will not be included
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Account for the Body pages
Account for the Supplementary
pages
Account for the Prefatory pages
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Section 5: Proposed Plan
Make jot notes of the ideas you will include in the Proposed Plan section of your report:
Identify sections and subsections
Explain the purpose
Identify visuals
Identify requirements (if needed)
Discuss any limitations to your report (information your report will not discuss)
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Section 6: Conclusion
Close with a request for authorization or approval to proceed
Authorization
The author of the proposal will request permission from a superior
This is a request to continue with the project/ report based on the idea presented.
Ex. Based on the information of The Pearl land reclamation plan provided in this proposal report, I ask for authorization to proceed with the project.
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Section 6: Conclusion
Other considerations
The conclusion may also include:
A reminder of the importance of the topic
A summary of main ideas
Contact information
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Section 6: Conclusion
Make jot notes of the ideas you will include in the Conclusion section of your report:
Authorization
request permission to continue with the report
Other considerations
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Writing Your Proposal
The required sections include:
Introduction
Background
Research & Methodology
Qualifications
Proposed Plan
Conclusion
Follow the instructions:
Given in your assignment sheet
From your instructor
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Using Lists
Use lists to present several pieces of information.
There are terms related to listing which you need to know:
Stem – the part of the sentence or list before the colon
Colon (:) – the punctuation used to indicate information will follow
Parallel structure – the same grammatical pattern (parallelism)
Bullets – the symbols used in front of listed items (◊ ● □ →, etc.)
Numbers – the numerical form (1, 2, 3, etc.) in lists
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Using Lists
There are two types of lists:
Horizontal (in-sentence)
Vertical
Less Emphasis
More Emphasis
I need three things at the store: cereal, rice, and milk.
I need three things at the store:
- cereal
- rice
- milk
Here the stem is an independent clause (it can stand alone as a complete sentence); therefore, commas are not needed in the vertical list.
Stem (lead-in)
Colon
AND
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Listing Examples
The three solutions will be assessed based on five criteria: cost, software availability, ease of installation, accuracy, and speed.
Horizontal (in-sentence) list
The stem is an independent clause (complete sentence)
A colon is used after the stem and commas separate listed items.
Listing Examples
Once the instructor logs onto his or her classroom computer, the students can sign into the class using the following four steps:
The students place their finger on the reader.
As verification, the system tries to authenticate the student identity by comparing the captured minutia image to those stored in the student database.
Once identification is made, the system returns a confirmation or a rejection. If rejected, the student tries again, or the instructor can do it directly on the PeopleSoft interface.
At this point, the system marks the student as present for that class, using the PeopleSoft attendance interface.
The stem is NOT an independent clause
Vertical list
A colon is used after the stem.
A period (full stop) is needed at the end of this list because the listed items are complete sentences.
Order is important here, so numbers are used rather than bullets.
Examples
I visited three places this summer: Paris, France; London, England; and Frankfurt, Germany.
I visited three places this summer:
Paris, France
London, England
Frankfurt, Germany
The stem is an independent clause (complete sentence).
Horizontal (in-sentence) List
A colon is used after the stem.
Vertical List
Semicolons have been used in this example because extra, internal punctuation is needed to ensure the sentence is clear.
No punctuation is required at the end of the listed items here, because the stem is an independent clause.
Using Lists
Basic guidelines for using lists:
Use lists to:
Emphasize/ highlight important information
Simplify large pieces of information in a sequence
Bullets VS Numbers
Use bullets when sequence or importance is not required
Use numbers to indicate importance or sequence
Do not over use lists; they will lose their effectiveness.
Do not mix bullets & numbers in the same list; use numbers & letters if a sublist is needed.
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Using Lists
Use parallelism
Always introduce a list with a stem:
Independent clause
Use punctuation at the end of listed items, if sentences are listed
Do not use punctuation at the end of listed items
Dependent clause
Punctuate as a sentence
May need to use commas, semicolons, & and.
More useful information about listing can be found at https://www.prismnet.com/~ hcexres/textbook/lists.html
Do not over use lists; they will lose their effectiveness.
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Cite Your Sources
Remember:
If you have used information from a source, you will need to cite your sources.
Cite (verb) – to give detailed information about a researched source (evidence, data, facts, proof, statistics, etc.)
Citing sources requires the appropriate citations.
Citation (noun) – the information that identifies a researched source (evidence, data, facts, proof, statistics, etc.)
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Cite Your Sources
In-text Citations
Found in the written (text) of paper
Placed at the end of the quote or paraphrase
Direct quote
(Author[s], year of publication, page number).
(Swan, 2000, p. 583).
(Swan, 2000, para. 13).
Paraphrase
(Author[s], year of publication).
(Swan, 2000).
If there are no pages, usually the case with webpages, give the paragraph number.
No page number is required.
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Cite Your Sources
Reference Citation
Found in the References list at the end of the paper
Format:
Author’s last name followed by initials (or first word of the title when author is not known)
Publication year, between parentheses, followed by a period.
Source’s title (as well as subtitle, volume number or edition) is italicized.
Location of publication (city, state, country) and publishing company (i.e., publisher)
Swan, M. (2000). Practical English Usage: Second Edition. New York: Oxford University Press.
For every secondary source used in an
in-text citation, there must be an entry in the Reference list.
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Remember:
A proposal
Explains the report
outlines the the key sections of the report
It does not provide complete information
Prepares the audience to start to understand a the topic
Asks for permission to go ahead with a planned idea
It does not describe detailed action
It convinces with a plan and reasoned arguments
Does not have all the same sections as the final report
The final report may be slightly different than what is proposed.
This is not unusual as a proposal is based on projected expectations.
However, if there is a major change, a new proposal will be required.
3.0 – Writing Proposals
CM5: Fundamentals of Research and Reporting
