Professional Writing:ProposalsBusiness/Cover LettersMemorandaComposition
Academic vs. Professional Writing
Academic Writing
Writer presents main idea, but takes time over whole essay to develop major themes, ideas, etc.
More reliance on complex vocabulary
Audience is almost always your teacher
Other ideas?
Professional Writing
The most important information usually comes first, with the next important information, and so on…
More reliant on words, expressions, acronyms relative to field; other word choices should be economical and easy to understand
Audience can be anyone, from a boss, to people you oversee, to a client
Other ideas?
PROPOSALS
Strong vs. Weak ProposalsSTRONG PROPOSALS• You have done your homework and
are not duplicating previous research • This project is relevant to the
sponsor • The purpose of the project will
address a critical need • You have an effective and feasible
approach to addressing this problem • Something tangible can be
anticipated at the end of the project that justifies the resources requested
• The project staff and its organization have the capability, credibility and experience needed to make the project succeed
WEAK PROPOSALS• Lack of technical detail • No evidence of
innovation • No statement of the
feasibility, question, risk, or solution measure
• Too much background information
• No preliminary data supporting need
Modification of Standard Proposal Sections
• The format of a standard business proposal is long and elaborate, with many parts, which you may discuss in more detail in various business classes
• For the purposes of our class and first assignment, I will simplify the process so that we are addressing several key parts in a single document (letter)
Things to Include in Your Letter of Proposal• Proposed Title of Paper• Choose words that describe the primary goal of your
paper• Choose words that can most easily be remembered• Use language that is appropriate (matches) the subject
(and your desired tone)• Try to keep the title brief without being too general• Not: Global Warming• Not: The Treatise on Global Warming as it Affects
Diverse Ecosystems in Africa, the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia
• Try: Global Warming’s Effect on Ecosystems Worldwide
Things to Include in Your Letter of Proposal• Abstract/Objective/Paper Summary
• Offer a high-level description of the following things your paper will address:• Need or significance of topic• Why a paper must be written about it• Why your audience must understand the importance of the issue
• Evaluation of your perspective/solution • What is your opinion?• What solutions could you propose regarding the issue?
• Procedures• What types of research and evidence do you plan to incorporate?• We will conduct both primary and secondary research
• Purpose:• Goals: long-range/broader concepts or ideas you would like to see as a result
of your paper• Objectives: short-term/more specific and concrete things you would like to
see as a result of your paper• Hypotheses or Research Questions are tools you will utilize to further your
understanding of the issue, as well as potential solutions
Things to Include in Your Letter of Proposal• Research Plan/Method• Offers a detailed breakdown of timelines, cost, supplies,
etc. needed to complete project (or, in our case, paper)• Establish a Working Timeline• By which dates will you need to have key areas of your
final paper finished? (You may utilize the syllabus and/or create your own dates)
• What will you do to keep yourself on track?• Establish Necessary Resources• Who/what will you use to gather information?• How will you plan to obtain help if you need it?
• Establish Necessary Supplies• What facilities or equipment will you need?• How will you address issues within the research process?
Things to Include in Your Letter of Proposal• Conclusion/References• Offer thanks for the ability to be heard• Name sources used in proposal• Invite communication regarding questions or concerns
Proposal Writing Tips• Set a positive tone • Use outline formats (bullets) when necessary, but make sure they do not
overwhelm the writing• Don’t overkill a point • Use transitions to help the reader navigate through the proposal • Avoid language such as “might, could, ought, may, should, hope, will
consider, it • appears” (try to be as firm/decisive as possible)• Take a stand in your proposal • Try to minimize the fluff/B.S.• Avoid unsupported subjective arguments • Do not assume the reader will be familiar with the subject • Sequence your proposal in a logical manner • Carefully review, edit and proofread – again and again • Ask others to help by reading the proposal and providing feedback • Follow the guidelines
Avoid Proposal Writing Mistakes• Ignoring the formatting guidelines• Failure to introduce the topic or familiarize the
reader with the issue• Inattention to details OR overkill on the details• Lack of clarity and/or too much jargon • Failure to point out the broader benefits• Failure to take a stance on the issue• Failure to propose a solution to the issue
Proposal Writing Activity• In groups of 4-5, create a mock paper proposal for one of each of
the following topics (*and do not be concerned with precise formatting at this point—we will discuss this in the next section):• Student athletes should receive financial compensation (besides tuition)• Pet owners should not declaw their cats• Physician-assisted suicide should be legal• The penalties for DUIs & OWIs should be increased• Sex education in schools should not be abstinence-only
• Once you have finished, we will share these with the entire class• These topics are not off-limits for the actual papers• This is an attempt for you to
• Consider what you may want to research for the quarter• Practice for your first assignment
BUSINESS/COVER LETTERS
Business/Cover Letter Formatting1. Heading
YOUR name, address, phone number, and email Can incorporate on letterhead; align left, center, or right
2. Inside Address The name, address, phone number, and email (if known) to the
RECIPIENT Align to the left
3. Salutation Address to a real person (vs. To Whom It May Concern)
whenever possible, using “Dear” Use a colon after the name
Date•Write out•Ex. October 11, 2011•Align to the left
Business/Cover Letter Formatting
4. Text/Body
Try to keep paragraphs together and not “widow” lines/words.
Do not indent Use single-spacing Skip a line between paragraphs Try to avoid bullets
If you use bullets, use them minimally
Business/Cover Letter Formatting
General Business Letter Content
First portion should address the reason for writing
Second portion should present explanation, details, examples, that support the reason for writing
Last portion should sum up message, convey positivity, give thanks (if appropriate), and provide necessary follow-up information.
Business/Cover Letter FormattingJob Cover Letter Content
First portion should address what job for which you are applying, how you learned about the job opening, and (in a nutshell) what you bring to the table for the employer.
Second portion should elaborate on the skills used and learned from the jobs on your resume, as well as an explanation of tasks performed.
Always be sure to emphasize why/how the skills/tasks will make you the best employee for [X] position.
Last portion should sum up strengths, give thanks for the time to be heard, and reach out for follow up contact.
Business/Cover Letter Formatting5. Complimentary Closing
A formal “farewell” to your recipient Two spaces below text of letter; capitalize first
word Often “Sincerely,” but many other options:
Yours truly, Best/Kind/Warm regards, etc.
6. Signature Both handwritten & typed name Use electronic signature if sending via computer Include title below name if/when appropriate
Business/Cover Letter Formatting7. Enclosures & Courtesy Copies
Write “enclosure” or “encl.” if you are including additional documents with the letter (when mailing)
Write “Copy: John Doe” or “Cc: John Doe” if someone else (John Doe) needs to receive a copy of the letter
Important note: never use a P.S. in formal business correspondence.
Fixing a Horrible Cover Letter• Time out!• In groups of 3-4, try to identify every mistake you
see in your sample cover letter, both grammatical and in content.
• In a large group, we will discuss why all of these instances are wrong.
MEMORANDA
Business Memoramda (Memos) Used primarily for two purposes:
Brief: Transmit important bulletins, announcements, etc. Longer: Explain policies and procedures, often those that
are changing Note: different professions (for example, attorneys) or
organizations (for example, the military) may use memos for other purposes
Email is an increasingly common medium for memos
However, some memos are still distributed via hard copy
Memo Formatting Like an email, all memos should have the follow
header: To: A person or group of people From: You (or someone else for whom you drafted the
memo) Date: current date Re: The subject of the memo (short for “regarding”)
In email, specifically: Cc: Courtesy or Carbon Copy Bcc: Blind Carbon Copy
When you Bcc someone, the other people receiving the memo do not know about the Bcc, including the identity of the person/people
Memo Formatting: Body of Message
Single-space; skip a line between paragraphs Begin with a summary of background or statement of
issue to be addressed Use Headers to help you organize large amounts of
information Ex. “Current Procedure,” “Future Protocol,”
“Recommendations,” etc. Try to follow the “Inverted Pyramid” technique
(Journalism) and write all of the most important information first
Use clear and simple language, as well as company acronyms (if they are widely understood)
End similar to a business letter: welcome questions/concerns, provide contact information, and employ positivity.
Writing a Business Memo• Time out!• Work with your group to create a sample business
memo