1. Harvard Extension School EXPO E34: Business Rhetoric Section 1 (5:30PM-7:30PM) Instructor: Julie Anne McNary 1. Please check your Elluminate Audio Wizard; 2. We will begin at 5:30PM.

2. Harvard University Extension School Spring Semester 2011 Expo E34: Business Rhetoric

3. Section 1; Monday evenings, 5:30PM – 7:30PM Online WebConference Via Elluminate Software Website: http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k78794 Elluminate Room: https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?password=M.65B4AE7294DC8656F141580FCCB3C8&sid=2007009

4. Your Instructor: Julie Anne McNary B.A., Wellesley College, 1994 English Literature M.Ed., Harvard Graduate School of Education, 1995 Language and Literacy MA/M.F.A, University of Utah, 1998 British & American Literature and Creative Writing Cell Phone: (617) 233-7532 – no calls after 10PM – Voicemail during business hours jmcnary@post.harvard.edu

5. Class Schedule New Syllabus and schedule Final Drafts of CEO report due Wednesday night, 3/7, at midnight. Unless absolutely necessary, I will not be able to comment on second drafts, so please stay after class if you were one of the very few people to whom I suggested this as an option… Introduction to the Second Graded Assignment – The Proposal – to be worked on during our upcoming break. New Assignments: Proposal Cover Letter, due next Monday, 3/12, at midnight and Proposal Executive Summary and outline, due Monday, 3/12. Sample Proposals Exercise Sign up for conferences with your instructor next week, 3/12-3/13.

6. Second Graded Assignment - Proposal 7-10 pages A proposal is a document written to persuade readers that what is proposed will benefit them by fulfilling a need, or solving a problem; In this assignment, your job is to outline the specific need or problem in question, and convince your readers that you have the answer thereto; Your proposal most likely will include a cover letter to a specific audience, title page, table of contents, executive summary, introduction, background information, body sections, and conclusion; It may also include a cost analysis, delivery schedule or work plan, staffing chart, appendix, glossary, and bibliography. It may also include chart(s), graph(s), workflow diagram(s), photograph(s)and/or other visual aid(s).

7. Examples of Potential Proposals A proposal arguing that flexible hours, telecommuting, or employee daycare facilities at your place of work would improve productivity and morale; A proposal arguing for that an additional FTE in your department is justified for three specific reasons; A proposal arguing that your institution should purchase new fundraising software to improve the tracking of donor behavior; A proposal arguing that after school activities should be extended at your child’s school; A proposal arguing that your gym should stock more treadmills; A proposal arguing that your neighborhood watch should be able to request police backup at certain hours of the day, or at certain events, etc. A proposal to your family that you should switch cell phone service from ATT to Verizon… A proposal to your Town Hall that they pay for recycling to be picked up at your condominium complex. A proposal to the City of Mumbai’s Transit Authority that a implementing a bicycle renting program will be a benefit to all.

8. Key Parts of Your Proposal Engaging and rhetorically astute cover letter to the most specific audience you can find. Engaging and rhetorically astute cover letter to the most specific audience you can find. Attractive, but conservative, title page Attractive, but conservative, title page Well-formatted table of contents Well-formatted table of contents Executive summary – MOST IMPORTANT part! Executive summary – MOST IMPORTANT part! Body sections that are appropriate, and not repetitive Body sections that are appropriate, and not repetitive Conclusion that looks at the bigger picture Conclusion that looks at the bigger picture Appropriate appendices and attachments Appropriate appendices and attachments

9. Cover Letter Make sure to choose the most specific audience you can; Make sure to choose the most specific audience you can; Very briefly summarize proposal; Very briefly summarize proposal; Cite the three key benefits thereto; Cite the three key benefits thereto; Cite any key objections that might arise, and then refute them Cite any key objections that might arise, and then refute them Ask the recipient to approve, fund, clear, etc. your proposal Ask the recipient to approve, fund, clear, etc. your proposal Provide contact information for follow-up. Provide contact information for follow-up.

10. A Word About Executive Summaries A clear, direct, audience-specific, “elevator pitch” summary of the proposal and thesis (why we should care); A clear, direct, audience-specific, “elevator pitch” summary of the proposal and thesis (why we should care); Free of jargon, complicated explanations, etc.; Free of jargon, complicated explanations, etc.; Should be clear and understandable by those who will not read the whole proposal. Should be clear and understandable by those who will not read the whole proposal.

11. Sample Proposals Exercise – 30 min. Please go to our iSite and download the three samples I have provided in the file entitled “Sample Proposals” Please go to our iSite and download the three samples I have provided in the file entitled “Sample Proposals” Please read the samples, rate them on a scale of A-E, and come back prepared to discuss. Please read the samples, rate them on a scale of A-E, and come back prepared to discuss. When you return to the room, please enter your rating for Sample 1 to start. When you return to the room, please enter your rating for Sample 1 to start.

12. At Home Writing Assignment – Proposal – 20 minutes – at home Consider the various discourse communities in which you play a role: work, school, civic, home, etc.; Determine which one you would like to address in your proposal; Brainstorm about the most compelling, but also realistic, problem or need that you would like to address in that discourse community; Consider ALL discourse community members, but then focus on one person to whom you will directly address this proposal; Write a very brief, 3-5 line paragraph in which you present the subject of your preliminary proposal. I will choose a small group to share with the class.

13. Writing Exercise – Proposal Cover letter, Executive Summary, and Outline – Due in the Dropbox on 3/12 Read WtW Chapter 13 – Proposals; Read WtW Chapter 13 – Proposals; Unless you are committed to writing a sales or grant proposal, please feel free to consider this a general persuasive proposal focused on a problem or need at your place of work, or in the discourse community (social, charitable, familial, etc.) of your choice; Unless you are committed to writing a sales or grant proposal, please feel free to consider this a general persuasive proposal focused on a problem or need at your place of work, or in the discourse community (social, charitable, familial, etc.) of your choice; Using the example on WtW p. 323, please write a brief cover letter introducing your proposal to the appropriate audience; Using the example on WtW p. 323, please write a brief cover letter introducing your proposal to the appropriate audience; Then, to the best of your ability, write a brief, but content-rich, executive summary. Then, to the best of your ability, write a brief, but content-rich, executive summary. Then, outline your proposal from your brief executive summary through to your conclusion. Remember to consider counter arguments, and how you might answer them. Then, outline your proposal from your brief executive summary through to your conclusion. Remember to consider counter arguments, and how you might answer them. Finally, please prepare a 30-second verbal pitch of your proposal to be shared with the class next week. Finally, please prepare a 30-second verbal pitch of your proposal to be shared with the class next week.

14. Sign up for Conferences Monday, 3/13 Monday, 3/13 –6:00PM –6:30PM –7:00PM –7:30PM –8:00PM –8:30PM –9:00PM Tuesday, 3/14 Tuesday, 3/14 –7:00AM –7:30AM –8:00AM –8:30AM Tuesday, 3/14 Tuesday, 3/14 –6:00PM –6:30PM –7:00PM –7:30PM –8:00PM –8:30PM –9:00PM As before, please enter three different and specific times – don’t forget AM/PM – that work for you into the chat box, and I will schedule as I can…if you are unable to meet at these times, I will find a few alternatives.