5.19: Proposal

Proposals\(^{133}\) are a technical genre that is found in a few spots of the “real world.” For instance, the marriage proposal is one verbal way the genre exists. Otherwise, the paper form exists in companies when, say, a co-worker wants to propose a different way of doing things. If I wanted to teach a different type of course, I might write a proposal to explain what and why I want to teach. Also, this format might be used when you (or any person in the world) want to propose an idea to a bank, or other financial institution, in order to get funding.

Define your audience. You need to make sure that you think about your audience and what they might already know or not know about your topic before you begin writing. This will help you focus your ideas and present them in the most effective way. It's a good idea to assume that your readers will be busy, reading (or even skimming) in a rush, and not predisposed to grant your ideas any special consideration. Efficiency and persuasiveness will be key.

Define your issue. It is clear to you what the issue is, but is that also clear to your reader? Also, does your reader believe you really know what you are talking about? By setting your issue properly, you start convincing the reader that you are the right person to take care of it. Think about the following when you plan this part:

• Has anyone ever tried to deal with this issue before?
• If yes: has it worked? Why?
• If no: why not?

Define your solution. This should be straightforward and easy to understand. Once you set the issue you're addressing, how would you like to solve it? Get it as narrow (and doable) as possible. ASK: Is the solution you're offering logical and feasible? What's the timeline for your implementation?

Include a schedule and budget. Your proposal represents an investment. In order to convince your readers that you're a good investment, provide as much detailed, concrete information about your timeline and budget as possible.

• When do you envision the project starting? At what pace will it progress? How does each step build on the other? Can certain things be done simultaneously?
• Make sure your proposal makes sense financially. If you're proposing an idea to a company or a person, consider their budget. If they can't afford your proposal, it's not an adequate one. If it does fit their budget, be sure to include why it's worth their time and money.

Dorm Building Kitchen Amenities by Reece\(^{134}\)

To: North Dakota State College of Science - Residential Life

From: Reece Henri

Date: 04/22/2021

RE: Dorm Building Kitchen Amenities

I am coming to you with this proposal to try and make it easier for students to cook food for themselves without having to leave their dorm building. None of the kitchens on campus - the one on the southside, the one in Robertson, or the one in Nordgaard - have any sort of kitchen necessities such as pots and pans. I have a proposal that will hopefully make it much easier for students to make their own meals if they wish to do so.

Introduction:

My plan is to simply equip each kitchen in every dorm building with the items necessary for students who wish to make food for themselves. Most students don't think about buying pots and pans when they move into college because they figure that they will normally just eat in the Student Center, so they won't need them. Later, some of those students find that they would like to get together with their friends and cook some food, but none of them have the items to do so. For some college students, having bonding time with their friends in the kitchen is very important, but without the means to be in the kitchen due to the lack of equipment, it becomes harder to do.

Audience:

This proposal is directed mostly towards the North Dakota State College of Science Residential Life office, although I do think that if it were to expand to all schools without proper equipment in their kitchens, that would be amazing.

The End Product:

The direct result of having on campus kitchens equipped with necessary kitchen items would be that the students have more fun being in the kitchen and hanging out with friends. Students would spend more time mingling in the kitchen, making friends and creating memories. Instead of students spending money on take-out food or skipping meals because they don't like what Flickertail has to offer for meals, students would be able to make their own food that they know they like and possibly have leftovers from.

Costs and Supplies:

One 17-piece Chef’s Classic Stainless Steel Cookware Set costs about $260.00. For the three dorm buildings on campus, that would total to about $780.00. A 23-piece kitchen utensil set costs about $23.00, which would total up to $69.00. These two things together, which is just the basics compared to most at-home kitchens, would be $849.00 total for all three buildings. I would say that at max, it would be no more than $900.00 after getting extra things like sheet pans, cupcake tins, cake pans, etc.

Tentative Schedule of the Proposal:

This is a one step process that will take hardly any time

• Buy the items above before students arrive in the fall, then put those items into the kitchens

---

\(^{133}\)How to Write a Proposal.” Co-authored by Megan Morgan, PhD. 11 June 2019. https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Proposal. CC-BY-NC-SA.

\(^{134}\)Thank you to Reece H. from the Spring of 2021 for the usage of your proposal! This is licensed CC-BY-NC-SA.