Proposals

Chapter Opener

6

define a problem and suggest a solution

define a problem and suggest a solution

How to start

  • Need a topic?
  • Need to come up with a solution?
  • Need to organize your ideas?

Proposals

Proposals are written to solve problems. Typically, you’ll make a proposal to initiate an action or change. At a minimum, you hope to alter someone’s thinking — even if only to recommend leaving things as they are.

TRIAL BALLOON Degree programs at your school have so many complicated requirements that most students take far more time to graduate than they expect — adding thousands of dollars to their loans. As a trial balloon, you suggest that the catalog include accurate “time-to-degree” estimates for all degree programs and certificates.
MANIFESTO Packaging is getting out of hand and you’ve had enough. People can barely open the products they buy because everything is zipped up, shrink-wrapped, blister-packed, containerized, or child-protected. So you write a manifesto calling for saner and more eco-friendly approaches to product protection.
VISUAL PROPOSAL You create a PowerPoint so members of your co-op can visualize how much better your building’s study area would look with a few inexpensive tweaks in furniture, paint, and lighting. Your visual proposal gets you the job of implementing the changes.