Finding and developing materials

consider solutions

Proposals might begin with whining and complaining (I want easier parking!), but they can’t stay in that mode long. They require sober thought and research. What makes proposals distinctive, however, is the sheer variety of strategies a single document might employ. To write a convincing proposal, you may need to narrate, report, argue, evaluate, and analyze. Here’s how to develop those various parts.

Define the problem. Research the existing situation thoroughly enough to explain it concisely to readers. To be sure you’ve got the basics of your topic down cold, run through the traditional journalist’s questions — Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? When appropriate, interview experts or people involved with an issue; for instance, in college communities, the best repositories of institutional memory will usually be staff. (interview and observe) Search for any documents with hard facts on the matter that might convince skeptical readers. For instance, if you propose to change a long-standing policy, find out when it was created, by whom, and for what reasons.

Examine prior solutions. If a problem is persistent, other people have tried to solve it — or maybe they even caused it. In either case, do the research necessary to figure out, as best you can, what happened in these previous efforts. But expect controversy. You may have to sort through contentious and contradictory narratives. Once you know the history of an issue, shift into an evaluative mode to figure out why earlier strategies faltered. (understand evaluation) Then explain them to readers so that they can later compare these failed approaches to your own proposal and appreciate its ingenuity.

Outline a proposal. Coming up with a sensible proposal may take more creativity than you can muster. So consider working collaboratively, when that’s an option. (collaborate) Brainstorm aggressively with classmates and be sure to write down ideas as they emerge. Be specific about details, especially numbers and costs.

Defend the proposal. Any ideas that threaten the status quo will surely raise hackles. That’s half the fun of proposing change. So advance your position by using all the tools of argument available to you — logical, factual, and, yes, emotional. Present yourself as smart and competent. Anticipate objections, because readers invested in the status quo will offer them in spades. Above all, show that your idea will work and that it is feasible — that it can be achieved with existing or new resources. For example, you might actually solve your school’s traffic problems by proposing a monorail linking the central campus to huge new parking garages. But who would pay for the multimillion-dollar system?

And yet, you shouldn’t be put off too easily by the objection that we can’t possibly do that. A little chutzpah is not out of line — it’s part of the problem-solving process.

Figure out how to implement the proposal. Readers will need assurances that your ideas can be put into action: Show them how. (think critically) Figure out exactly what will happen: where new resources will come from, how personnel can be recruited and hired, where brochures or manuals will be printed, and so on. Provide a timetable if you can.