Writing for CIEG 461

Prof. Stephen A. Bernhardt

Dept of EnglishKirkpatrick Chair

University of Delaware

September 23, 2002

Types of Documents

Plans to govern work Memos and letters to

keep work flowing Proposals to describe

and persuade Reports to detail,

analyze, and interpret Presentations to

deliver

Building Blocks of Writing What are you trying to do?

Purpose Who will use the document?

Audience What is the best approach?

Strategy How should it be designed?

Usability

Planning document What are you trying to do?

Purpose, goals, deliverables Who will use the document?

Your team, your manager What is the best approach?

Detail on tasks, roles, & deadlines How should it be designed?

Graphic, organized, explicit

Planning document Project overview Team and contact info Goals and deliverables Tasks, milestones, critical path

activities Team rules Schedule, time allocation Budget

Why plan? Teams with shared visions (in

writing) work better. Teams need rules and schedules

(and wiggle room). Teamwork demands complex

resource planning.

Why do teams break down? Failure to communicate Freeloaders Competing or unexpected events Unresolved personal and

procedural conflict Groupthink, early closure Not seeing writing as part of the

work

Why do documents fail? Procrastination—writing after

work is completed Details overwhelm messages:

not focused on key issues Not designed for users;

not visually informative Paste-up job rather than

collaborative design and delivery

Proposal Building Blocks Audience—

prospective customer Purpose—convince

customer that you offer best service to solve problem

Strategy—show benefits, deliverables

Usability—emphasize client concerns

Proposal Quality Responsive to RFP—shared

mission Clear need Quality of deliverables Credible expertise: ability to

perform Realistic schedule and budget

Be Deductive and Explicit

Purpose and scope up front Preview main messages and

issues Lead sentences on sections and

paragraphs—top line skim Plenty of navigation devices Emphasis on most important sell

points

Elements of Design Effective formatting, layout,

and design Headers and footers Page numbers Consistent use of styles White space for separation

and emphasis

Elements of Proposal

Front matter Body Back matter

Front Matter

Orients the Reader

Cover with title, date, sponsor, proposer

Executive summary or abstract

Table of contents for organization

Sample Cover Layout

Construction of an All-Composite Bridge on Business Route 896

Submitted by Nova Engineering

to The State of Delaware

September 24, 2001

Body of Proposal

Provides Main Elements Introduction and overview Statement of problem Proposed solution with objectives Methods and materials Work plan: milestones, deliverables,

checkpoints Schedule (high level graphic) Budget: costs and benefits

Introduction

Reviews the project context: Who requested the work? Why? For what outcome or benefit?

Overviews the plan of this proposal

Statement of Problem

Provides clear and compelling description of the problem

Defines the need Discusses any critical issues

associated with the problem Details any constraints on the

problem's solution

Proposed solution Identifies broad strategy or

planned approaches Lists specific, measurable

outcomes to be accomplished Ties objectives clearly to

problem

Methods and materials Describes in detail what the

team proposes to do to find a solution (action steps)

Includes specifics—amounts, numbers, locations, tools, instruments, etc.

Work Plan (in proposal) Focuses on management of the

project Shows how the team will be

coordinated, scheduled, and monitored

Commits to dates (aggressive or realistic or both)

Works at high level for client

Schedule Presented in visual format Places all activities on a timeline Highlights critical or key

activities Convinces audience that the

timeline is realistic Serves as the proposal

“at a glance”

Budget Presented in visual format Provides rationale and

commentary (budget narrative) Forecasts/determines costs for

staff, materials, support, and overhead

Back Matter

Documents Details Bibliography or references Appendices

Computer documentation Questionnaire or survey instruments Full resumes Raw data to back up summary points

made in the body of the proposal

Remember Your Purpose

So tell me quick and tell me true

Or else, my friend, to hell with you

Less, how this product came to be

More, what the damn thing does for me

Technology Transfer Poem, Martin Walker,

Cray Research

Writing Resources UD Writing Center (831-1168),

basement of Memorial Hall Diane Kukich (dkukich@udel.edu

; 239-1098) Strunk and White’s Elements of

Style Brusaw, Alred, and Oliu,

Handbook of Technical Writing