Step 1: Choose a product or service and complete initial research
Think about a hypothetical product or service you would be interested in bringing to market. You have broad flexibility when choosing a product/service to propose, but it should be meaningful and feasible; in other words, it should seek to meet an actual customer need, solve an actual problem, and be realistic.
You will need to think broadly and creatively, conducting some preliminary research to ensure your idea is both meaningful and feasible. To do this, browse credible internet sources, such as newspapers, magazines, and business sites, and the library databases (opens in new window) .
Launching your idea must require no more than $50,000, the maximum amount of NC IDEA’s SEED grant.
Note carefully that you will use the product/service you choose as the topic of other documents we will write in the coming weeks; you’ll want to choose your product/service carefully, as you’ll be working with it again.
Step 2: Draft your proposal
Use idea generation techniques such as brainstorming, freewriting, bubble mapping, etc. to develop early content and ideas for each required section.
Write to meet the needs of the reader and achieve the document’s purpose.
Consider how much information and detail you must provide.
Step 3: Conduct additional research
Review your draft and identify areas that need support from outside sources.
Conduct research to meet Outside Source Requirements section requirements, below.
At the end of this step, your draft should be carefully thought-out and well-developed with examples, details, and outside source material.
Step 4: Revise for ENG 111-level components
In this last step, you will revise, edit, and proofread.
Make sure to check for topic sentences, paragraph coherence, transitions, and grammatical accuracy.
Also check to ensure all required components are included.
FORMAT AND STYLE:
You may choose the overall design of your proposal, but it should be visually appealing and demonstrate effective use of the following:
Business formatting
Page design (i.e. white space, margins, color, etc.)
Headings
Page numbers
Your proposal must contain 1000- 1250 words (not including References section) and must include all following sections, in order:
Introduction that establishes the scope and nature of the document and directly states your proposed idea
Background on problem, opportunity, or situation
Benefits and feasibility of the proposal
Description of proposed work (results of the proposal)
Method, procedure, theory
Schedule
Costs, resources required
Conclusion that “wraps-up” the document, reiterates your specific request, and states next steps
Works Cited (you may name this section “References” or “Works Cited.” I will refer to it in course materials as “Works Cited.”)
For section expectations and contents, review 3.4 Common Sections in Proposals (opens in new window) .
You must include a visual element or graphic that enhances the proposal content; it should NOT be merely decorative. Review Week 7 and 8 course materials regarding use, placement, and citation of graphics.
Use 3rd person only.
Tone: Professional. No contractions, informal phrasing, or clichés.
OUTSIDE SOURCE REQUIREMENTS:
Use 3 – 5 credible sources (i.e. scholarly journal articles, newspaper articles, credible websites, etc.).
Sources must come from a variety of locations (i.e. print, library databases (NC LIVE, SIRS, etc), internet).
Cite from the article’s full text. Do not cite from abstracts or reviews.
Use MLA style in-text and in Works Cited section.
Don’t use only internet sources.
Don’t cite from Wikipedia, WikiHow, ask.com, eHow.com, yahoo.com, personal blogs, dissertations, or “suspect” websites. These are not credible websites for academic/business writing, and they will not count toward the source requirement.
Remember that your choice of sources reflects your credibility as a writer and impacts the outcome of your proposal.
GRADING RUBRIC
Your proposal is worth 15% of the course grade and will be evaluated using this grading rubric (opens in Word) grading rubric (opens in Word) – Alternative Formats .
Carefully review the rubric.
Last Completed Projects
| topic title | academic level | Writer | delivered |
|---|