Writing a Proposal

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Writing a Proposal

• EH 1301
• Spring 2007

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Writing a Proposal

• Clear Purpose
• A call to action
• Must anticipate readers needs and concerns more
  when writing a proposal than in any other kind of
  writing.
• not just convincing readers
• persuading readers to support or implement the
  proposed solution

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Writing a Proposal

• AUDIENCE
• What readers know about the problem
• What they are capable of doing to solve it
• Determine how you address them
• Readers are often unaware of the problem.
• Present them with evidence that will convince
  them of its existence.

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Writing a Proposal

• Finding a Problem to Write About
• Make a list of problems you could write about.
• Include as many communities as possible.

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Writing a Proposal

• Communities
• College
• State
• Ethnic or cultural group
• Groups/Organizations
• Sports
• Religious
• Political
• Hobby
• Work

• Problems

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Writing a Proposal

• Communities
• College

• Problems
• Poor advising
• Shortage of practice rooms in music building
• No financial aid for part-time students
• Lack of facilities for disabled students
• Class scheduling that does not accommodate
  working students or students with children

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Writing a Proposal

• Group
• Workplace

• Problems
• Unfair workload
• Changing requirements
• Inflexible work schedules
• Lack of information about procedures
• Difficulty scheduling vacations
• Outdated technology

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Writing a Proposal

• Choose one problem from you list
• that is especially important to you
• that concerns others in the group or community
• that seems solvable

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Writing a Proposal

• Advantages of choosing topic from your community
• Write as an insider
• Know history of problem
• Felt urgency to solve problem
• May have already thought about possible solutions
• Easily interview others to get their views on
  problem

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Writing a Proposal

• Analyzing and Defining a Problem
• Does the problem really exist?
• How can I tell?
• What caused this problem?
• Can I identify any immediate causes?
• Any deeper causes?
• Is the problem caused by a flaw in the system, a
  lack of resources, individual misconduct or
  incompetence?
• How can I tell?

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Writing a Proposal

• Analyzing and Defining a Problem
• What is the history of the problem?
• What are the bad effects of the problem?
• How does it harm members of the community or
  group?
• What goals of the group are endangered by the
  existence of this problem?
• Does it raise any moral or ethical questions?

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Writing a Proposal

• Analyzing and Defining a Problem
• Who in the community or group is affected by the
  problem? (Be as specific as possible)
• Seriously affected?
• Minimally affected?
• Unaffected?
• Does anyone benefit from its existence?
• What similar problems exist in the same community
  or group?
• How can I distinguish my problem from these?

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Writing a Proposal

• Analyzing and Defining a Problem
• Write a definition of the problem, being as
  specific as possible.
• Identify who or what seems responsible for it,
  and give one recent, telling example.

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Writing a Proposal

• Identify Your Readers
• In a few sentences, describe your readers,
  stating your reason for directing your proposal
  to them.
• Whom do you need to address?
• everyone in the community or group?
• a committee?
• an individual?
• an outsider?
• You want to address your proposal to the person
  or group who can help implement it.

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Writing a Proposal

• Questions that will help you develop a profile of
  your readers
• How informed are my readers likely to be about
  the problem?
• Have they shown any awareness of it?
• Why would this problem be important to my
  readers?
• Why would they care about solving it?
• Have my readers supported any other proposals to
  solve this problem?
• If so, what do those proposals have in common
  with mine?

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Writing a Proposal

• Questions that will help you develop a profile of
  your readers
• Do my readers ally themselves with any group, and
  would that alliance cause them to favor or reject
  my proposal?
• Do we share any values or attitudes that could
  bring us together to solve the problem?
• How have my readers responded to other problems?
• Do their past reactions suggest anything about
  how they might respond to my proposal?

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Writing a Proposal

• Finding a Tentative Solution
• Solving problems takes time.
• Apparent solutions often turn out to be
  impossible.
• A solution has to be both workable and acceptable
  to the community or group involved.
• Try to come up with several possible solutions
  whose advantages and disadvantages you can weigh.
  

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Writing a Proposal

• Finding a Tentative Solution
• List as many possible solutions to the problem as
  you can think of.

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Writing a Proposal

• Finding a Tentative Solution Questions
• What solutions to this problem have already been
  tried?
• What solutions have been proposed for related
  problems?
• Might they solve this problem as well?
• Is a solution required that would disband or
  change the community or group in some way?

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Writing a Proposal

• Finding a Tentative Solution Questions
• What solution might eliminate some of the causes
  of the problem?
• What solution would eliminate any of the bad
  effects of the problem?
• Is the problem too big to be solved all at once?
• Can I divide it into several related problems?
• What solutions might solve one or more of these
  problems?

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Writing a Proposal

• Finding a Tentative Solution Questions
• If a series of solutions is required, which
  should come first? Second?
• What solution would ultimately solve the problem?
• What might be a daring solution, arousing the
  most resistance but perhaps holding out the most
  promise?
• What would be the most conservative solution,
  acceptable to nearly everyone in the community or
  group?

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Writing a Proposal

• Finding a Tentative Solution
• Allow enough time before making a decision to
• continue adding to list of possible solutions
• consider the advantages or disadvantages of each
  one in light of your prospective readers

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Writing a Proposal

• Finding a Tentative Solution
• Choose the most promising solution.
• In a sentence or two, state what you consider the
  best possible way of solving the problem.

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Writing a Proposal

• Determining Specific Steps
• Write down the major stages or steps necessary to
  carry out your solution.
• This list of steps will provide an early test of
  whether your solution can be implemented.

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Writing a Proposal

• Defending Your Solution
• Proposals have to be feasible
• Must be both reasonable and practical.
• Image that one of your readers strongly opposes
  the proposed solution and confronts you with the
  following statements.
• Write a few sentences refuting each one.

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Writing a Proposal

• Possible Oppositions
• It would not really solve the problem
• I am comfortable with things as they are.
• We cannot afford it.
• It would take too long.
• People would not do it.
• Too few people would benefit.
• I do not even see how to get started on your
  solution.
• We already tried that, with unsatisfactory
  results.
• You support this proposal merely because it would
  benefit you personally.