For the second half of WRD 206, we will be taking a step away from informational writing–like memos and reports–and into the territory of persuasive writing, embodied by proposals.

For the second half of WRD 206, we will be taking a step away from informational writing–like memos and reports–and into the territory of persuasive writing, embodied by proposals.

Your third assignment in WRD 206 will be to write an internal, unsolicited proposal. This document must be no shorter than three pages.

For more details about how to construct your proposal, please refer to the posted proposal videos. An activity on selecting a proposal can be found below

Since coming up with an idea for a proposal can be a challenge, here are a few steps to get you started.

(1) Begin by making a list of all the organizations of which you are currently a part (or of which you have been a part previously). This can include jobs, internships, social groups like fraternities or clubs, social organizations, or communities like your neighborhood or DePaul University. Generate a list of at least ten different groups or organizations.

(2) Pick two of the groups on this list and write a paragraph describing the biggest ongoing problems or missed opportunities you see. What kinds of things does the group do inefficiently, or that they could do differently? These ideas are often the core of your proposal, and by considering a range of possible ideas, you’ll be able to pick the ones that seem the most promising. Focus on ideas that YOU could help contribute to solving, as opposed to work that someone else could do. Come up with at least three possible ideas.

(3) Pick one of the ideas from the ideas from step two, and write up a detailed paragraph describing (a) the nature of the problem, and why it qualifies as a problem (b) The audience within the organization that can give you permission and/or funding to try and solve the problem, and (c) The kinds of evidence, appeals, or persuasive strategies you could best employ in order to convince your chosen audience.