Short Proposal Assignment

Background

You will write a short proposal that presents the topic you will explore for your white paper and poster presentation. Your proposal should explain not only what the topic is but how it relates to your company (and therefore your career field and major) and the incubator goal of public outreach and education.

Objectives

This project focuses on the Objectives from Module 7: Proposal. In this project, you will:

• Analyze the audience which the proposal is written for in order to determine what their needs are, assess those needs, and respond appropriately and persuasively. (CLO 1)
• Review appropriate literature and research in order to accurately propose suggestions and thoroughly describe a plan of action for the proposal. (CLO 2)
• Propose a specific method for creating a product or conducting research and plan detailed steps or tasks required to complete the job described. (CLO 1, 3, 4, 6)
• Apply the principles of effective style to produce a proposal that is reader-centered and usable (CLO 7)

Note that you can find the full text of the Course Learning Objectives on the Syllabus.

The Scenario

Today, you received the following memo, asking you to submit a proposal for a white paper and related poster presentation:

Relevant Details

Note: These details apply to all of the projects you include in your portfolio.

Your company’s address is [Your Company Name], Ut Prosim Incubator, 1872 Inventors Way, Suite #[you choose a number], Blacksburg, Virginia 24060. Your company’s phone number is 540-555-5555. You may create a fictional Internet domain for your company, and use that domain for a web page address and your email addresses. If you’d like, you may create other information (including a logo) for your company as appropriate. Be sure that you use the information that you create consistently across all of your projects.

The Project Assignment

Step 1: Decide on the focus for your white paper and poster presentation(which you will write as future projects).
Your focus will be to inform non-expert readers about a technical topic that is related to your company (and therefore, related to your career field and major). Try to limit yourself to topics with which you have some expertise (or at least some experience) to simplify the research process. These example white papers may help you think of appropriate topics and/or approaches:

• White Paper on Studying the Safety of the Childhood Immunization Schedule Links to an external site. (CDC)
• The Preservation of Historic Barns Links to an external site. (National Park Service)
• The Flint Water Crisis and Its Health Consequences (AccessScience)
• Funding Trees for Health Links to an external site. (The Nature Conservancy)
• Microsoft Password Guidance Links to an external site. (MSFT) Links to an external site.
• The Model of Good Health Links to an external site. (ASME)

Step 2: Examine the information about proposals in Markel.
The textbook provides complete details on how to write proposals. Follow the textbook as you work on your project. In particular, be sure that you do the following:

• Follow the “GUIDELINES: Demonstrating Your Professionalism in a Proposal” (starting on page 430 of Markel) to ensure you adopt the appropriate tone.
• Use the “ETHICS NOTE: WRITING HONEST PROPOSALS” (starting on page 430 of Markel) to make your proposal professionally acceptable.
• Work through the “GUIDELINES: Introducing a Proposal” (starting on page 432 of Markel) to gather information for your proposal’s Background section.
• Explore the information in the “Tech Tip: Why and How to Create a Gantt Chart” (starting on page 436 of Markel) to see an effective strategy for explaining your timetable.

Step 3: Write the proposals for your white paper and poster presentation.
Compose your proposal, as requested in The Scenario above, with all the details you have gathered. Review the assessment guidelines below to ensure you have met all the requirements for the proposal. As you work, also keep the following points in mind:

• Use plain language to make the ideas in your proposal are easy to find and read. Refer to the resources from Module 2 as needed.
• Follow all relevant ethical guidelines as you work using the Writer’s Checklist at the end of Chapter 2 (on page 40 of Markel).
• Follow the suggestions for emphasizing important information, using the Writer’s Checklist for Chapter 9 (on page 211 of Markel) to check your work.
• Use the Writer’s Checklist for Chapter 11 (on page 288 of Markel) to ensure that your document takes advantage of design principles to make it reader-friendly.
• Make a good impression with accuracy and correctness. Your document should be polished and professional.

Step 4: Check your draft against the Writer’s Checklist.
Be sure that you include the required features for instructions. Review your project, using the Writer's Checklist for Chapter 16 (on page 439 of Markel) and the Assessment Criteria below.

Step 5: Review your draft for design and basic writing errors.
Everything you write should use accurate/appropriate image editing, grammar, spelling, punctuation, mechanics, linking, and formatting. These are important basic writing skills that you should have developed in high school. Review your project, using the Writer’s Checklist at the end of Markel, Chapter 10 (on page 242 of Markel).

You can also consult the information on “Sentence-Level Issues” in Markel, “Appendix, Part D: Guidelines for Multilingual Writers (ESL)” (on page 683 of Markel). While the section is labeled for multilingual writers, it is useful for everyone. It includes explanations and examples for many common mistakes writers make.

For a more in-depth refresher on grammar and punctuation basics, watch the Lynda.com courses on Grammar Fundamentals Links to an external site. and Advanced Grammar Links to an external site..

Step 6: Submit your draft to your Writing Group in Canvas.
Post a rough draft of your Proposal to your Writing Group in Canvas in the 10/04 Draft Feedback Discussion in Canvas. Additional instructions are in the Discussion. If you do not post your draft by noon on Sunday, October 7, your group may not have time to provide feedback.

Step 7: Provide feedback to your Writing Group in Canvas.
Provide feedback to the members of your writing group in the 10/04 Draft Feedback Discussion in Canvas, by October 8 (end of the grace period). Use the information on the Writing Groups page to provide constructive feedback that will help your group members make concrete improvements to their drafts.  You are not obligated to provide feedback for any drafts posted after noon on Sunday, October 7. 

Step 8: Revise your draft.
Use the feedback that you receive from your group members to revise and improve your document. You can share your draft again with your Writing Group, if you desire. As you revise, keep in mind the advice in the steps above, as well as the Assessment Criteria below.

Step 9: Include a polished version of your project in Project Portfolio 2, due November 26.
Have your Proposal finished and ready for submission in your Project Portfolio 2, which is due Monday, November 26. The grace period for Project Portfolio 2 ends at 11:59PM on Thursday, November 29.

Assessment Criteria

For All Technical Writing Projects

All technical writing projects should meet the following general criteria:

• Makes a good first impression as a polished and professional document.
• Meets the needs of the intended audience.
• Demonstrates how to emphasize important information.
• Uses layout and formatting that makes information easy for readers to find and read, and that follows the standards you have set for your company.
• Is written in plain language, which communicates the ideas clearly.
• Follows all relevant ethical guidelines.
• Uses accurate/appropriate grammar, spelling, punctuation, mechanics, linking, and formatting.

For Proposals

Your project should meet the following criteria for effective proposals:

• Meets the guidelines established in the request for proposals (see The Scenario, above).
• Demonstrates professionalism and honesty (see pages 429–430 of Markel).
• Includes an introduction that indicates the following  (see pages 432–433 of Markel):
  • the problem or opportunity.
  • the purpose of the proposal.
  • the background of the problem or opportunity.
  • your sources of information.
  • the scope of the proposal.
  • the organization of the proposal.
  • the key terms that you will use in the proposal.
• Provides a clear, specific plan for research and justifies that methodology (see page 433 of Markel).
• Describes the qualifications and experience clearly outlining
  • relevant skills and past work  (see page 433 of Markel).
  • relevant equipment, facilities, and experience (see page 435 of Markel).
• Includes full documentation for all ideas, words, and visuals that the work of others (see Part B, “Documenting Your Sources,” in Markel).