REMIX: Remixing Your Proposal

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Remixing Your Proposal

Proposals occur regularly in genres and media besides the college essay. For example, proposals to obtain grant funding generally appear as reports, with sections for an executive summary, background, project narrative, timeline, and budget. They may be delivered electronically with links in a table of contents, so readers can click to read each section. Patrick O’Malley thought his target audience (professors) would be more likely to replace a few high-stakes exams with a greater number of lower-stakes quizzes and tests if he remixed his essay as a presentation that laid out the evidence clearly. (A remix takes all or part of a piece in one genre to create a text in another genre or for another purpose or audience.) He planned to deliver it face to face at a faculty meeting and then post his presentation slides online.

In the next section of this chapter, we ask you to craft your own proposal. After composing it as an essay, consider remixing it by presenting it (or a portion of it) in another genre or medium, or using it as part of text with a different purpose or audience.

CONSIDER YOUR RHETORICAL SITUATION

Purpose: The purpose of your propsal is to convince your readers that a serious problem exists and persuade them that your solution is feasible. If you remix your proposal,which genre or medium would best allow you to make a compelling case for your proposed solution?

Audience: The audience for your proposal is your instructor and other students in your class. What audience will be most affected by the problem you identify or will be able to take action on your proposal?

Genre and medium: The genre of your proposal was the essay; the medium was textual, delivered either in print or online. If your remix you proposal, what genre or medium would best help you convince your target audience?