proposal

The proposal offers students an opportunity to compose a formal, written plan about a particular project, implementing writing to solve a problem or address an opportunity in their community. Regardless of the focus, the proposal document should be 5-7 pages in length, single spaced, using the standards of formal proposal writing outlined by Richard Johnson-Sheehan in Proposal Writing (available on Google Drive).
A component of service learning manifests in this assignment, particularly if students choose to work with and write for a particular client or external entity with the intention of actually submitting the proposal to them. The key considerations will include the following [1]:
  • introduction: a brief overview of what you hope to achieve, conveying a clear sense of audience and purpose
  • current situation: similar to the literature review in the proposal model above, this section speaks to the current temperament of the community you are proposing this improvement to.
  • project plan: the most developed portion of the proposal where you articulate the phases and nuances of your proposed plan with attention to the existing research and needs of the audience.
  • costs and benefits: an overview of the soft and hard costs and benefits of the project
  • qualifications: a brief statement about your own qualifications in this project
  • conclusion: the final statement on the key benefits of your proposed plan, ending with a call to action.
Part of the proposal process will include a preliminary meeting to discuss potential ideas. In this meeting (scheduled independently for 27-29 August), students need to prepare the following:
  • at least one, possibly two potential ideas with defense of both
  • consideration of the methodology for this document
  • a preliminary list of five sources 
  • a list of at least five questions about how to move forward
Use the details above in tandem with the description on the short response prompts to prepare this document for the preliminary meeting.

[1] From Richard Johnson-Sheehan's Writing Proposals.
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