PROPOSALS Comm Arts II Mr. Wreford

PROPOSALS ► Writing in order to make an observable difference in the world around you. ► Identify a problem and come up with a practical, attractive solution. ► You should come up with a proposal that your intended audience will seriously consider adopting or implementing.

PROPOSALS ► Bringing About Change:  What makes you think a problem exists? Things seem all right the way they are.  Don’t we already have a good solution to this problem?  How do you propose to solve it?  Is your proposal feasible? Do we have or can we acquire the resources to implement your ideas?

PROPOSALS ► Bringing About Change:  Is there any precedent for what you are proposing? Has your solution been successfully implemented in other situations?  What are the alternatives? What makes your proposal better than the other options?  In what ways is your proposed solution attractive or desirable? For example, if we do adopt your solution, how will it benefit us?

PROPOSALS ► Proposals in Context:  Audience: ► May be especially difficult to assess. ► Likely to have a great deal of power. ► Change often forces people to act in new ways. ► Your audience may include stakeholders.

PROPOSALS ► Proposals in Context:  Circumstances: ► Since your proposal will attempt to solve a problem, you need to find out whether members of your audience are aware of the problem. ► Are there any special pressures to solve or ignore it? ► Will your proposal be one of several competing proposals from which your audience will select a winner?

PROPOSALS ► Proposals in Context:  Purposes: ► Your main purpose is to get your audience to adopt your proposal, to implement the changes you want. ► Demonstrate that you are aware of the audience’s circumstances. ► You will probably have to gain the goodwill of your audience. ► Demonstrate that you are well informed, thoughtful, and competent.

PROPOSALS ► Visual Information in Context:  Does the layout of the page or screen make it easy for the intended readers to find the information they want or need? ► Do visual elements make the information in the proposal accessible to readers? ► Are there headings? If so, do they give a clear idea of the information that will appear in the text that follows? ► Are there sidebars or pull quotes? If so, what purposes do they serve?

PROPOSALS ► Visual Information in Context:  Does the layout of the page or screen make it easy for the intended readers to find the information they want or need? ► Are there variations in the size and style of type? What functions do these variations serve? ► How many columns are there? Does the width of each column make the text easy to read? ► Do these elements of the layout give the pages or screens an overall look that is consistent with the voice created in the written text?

PROPOSALS ► Visual Information in Context:  If there are images (photographs, diagrams, or other drawings), what kinds of appeals do they make? To what extent do those appeals make sense, given the context in which the proposal will be read?

PROPOSALS ► Visual Information in Context:  If there are charts, graphs, maps, or tables, how informative and relevant are they?

PROPOSALS ► An excellent example of incorporating visual elements into a proposal can be found on Page 342 of the text.