Application Assignment #10: Final Project Proposal -- DUE 11/17

Introduction

The Proposal is your detailed plans for completing the final report. You won’t actually begin the proposed project until you have turned in the proposal. Refer to the Technical Report Project Overview for guidance in completing the proposal.

Step 1: Determine the focus of your report

Your purpose as a writer is to present new information about your field to a business, professionals in your field, colleagues or a different group. Options to consider are employment outlooks, changing requirements in the profession, and outside forces that are changing the profession, including demographics, technology, and politics.

Step 2: Determine your audience for the report

Be sure to specify the audience that you are addressing. Where are you presenting this information and to whom? Be specific! You could be the present a demonstration at a professional conference or trade show. You could present the information to colleagues at work. It’s not okay to simply state “the general public” as your audience.

Step 3: Conduct preliminary research & draft research questions

Conduct research to determine if your focus is viable. Save any sources that you run across and include these sources in your proposal. These don’t need to be your final sources, but if they are, you’ve saved yourself some work. Write a list of questions that you would like to answer through your research. 

Step 4: Write your proposal

Read the Proposal sections of Open Technical Communication text. Your proposal should be written in memo form. Use “Final Project Proposal” as your subject line. Include the following sections:

• Focus & Rationale (What is the topic of your Final Project and why is it important?)
• Audience (Who will be the intended audience for the report? There are examples of different audiences in the Final Project Overview document)
• Research Questions (What are the questions you hope to answer through your research? This is information you don’t know yet.)
• Tentative Outline (What are some of the headings/subheadings you might consider including in your report?)
• Initial Resources (Add an MLA citation for any of the sources you think you might use for the report.)

This memo is your plan for the final weeks of the semester, so give it careful consideration. Please don’t hesitate to consult with me at any stage of your planning or work. Your best bet is to hit the ground running this week and get as much done as possible. The more you can get done this week, the better off you’ll be.