Persuasive Proposal Assignment

Write a persuasive proposal (approx. 3 pages + title page) that follows the best practices from Chapter 9 & 10.

Think of a course you would love to see added to the curriculum for your program at BCIT (computing/engineering/business management); or, propose one of the courses in the existing program become either optional or required (the opposite to what is being offered currently). If you wish to modify an existing course’s content, you can do that also. Whichever you choose, your proposal will need to persuade a stakeholder to give up what ‘is’ to what ‘could be’. Not an easy task.

You will need to provide research to support your argument and integrate sound reasoning (persuasive strategies) by appealing to the stakeholder’s logic and emotion. The proposal will be written with the AIDA strategy applied with four distinct and clear sections to get their attention, promote interest, create desire, and request a specific action.

Your stakeholder, and the recipient of your proposal is Dr. Tracy Bell, the head of part-time studies.

Your idea must start with a problem you wish to solve, and then it must focus on the audience you wish to persuade. A full understanding of the persuasive messages strategies in the course textbook will need to be applied (AIDA). It’s a workplace proposal but it still needs to be written Persuasively - it’s not a ‘dry’ report.

1. Analyze your audience – why would they take your proposal seriously?

2. What is the issue with the current program course list or course? Based on what evidence? You have to prove a problem is ‘true’ beyond your say-so or opinion (or a few others opinions).

3. Why would it be in BCIT’s best interest to adapt your idea? Do they have anything to lose? What is there to gain? What evidence have you included to support your argument that A needs to change to B?

4. How would your idea work – what would be involved to change the status quo? Would there be costs to consider? (you do not need to do a budget but if you have access to approx. costs, include that with a reference to where the costs came from.)

5. What do you want the stakeholder to do after they’ve read your proposal – what’s next?

Your apartment building’s lobby and front entrance is dark, dingy, and non-welcoming. Maybe your landlord could be persuaded to add a green, living wall and upgraded lighting fixtures. This will require creative, thorough, accurate content written in a persuasive and engaging way to compel the landlord to invest in this new idea. They have something to lose – disruption of the lobby, and costs. You would need to include credible research on the benefits of a living wall (logic/facts/proof/costs) and appeal to their softer side (emotions = environmental and social responsibility, reputation, etc.)

1. Use/integrate at least 3 secondary references: For secondary research support, you must include references at the end of the document and each of those must have an in-text citation somewhere in the text. Don’t list a bunch of references and not ‘cite’ them in the body – otherwise, no one knows where you applied the research. See Appendix B in your course textbook for correct format (Communications courses use APA in-text citations and fully formatted references). The references must be credible – not news articles or personal bloggers. Review the lecture in Week 5 re; principles of research (Ch. 10)

2. Use the technical writing style we have worked on to date, including coherent and fully formed 3-part paragraphs; parallelism; active voice; conciseness; strong grammar/punctuation; sentences approx. 15-20 words each; paragraphs no longer than 8 lines (visual). This is not an academic paper, so it shouldn’t look like one. Do not double space or indent paragraphs.

3. Separate your content with headings So the proposal isn’t several pages of paragraphs. Use lists where you can to break up some of the content and where it makes sense to do so – but include a strong transition statement to introduce a list (and ensure the list is parallel)

• You can use the sample proposals in Ch 10, Figure 10:9 and Figure 10:10 as a visual guide for appearance/visual presentation – but yours will follow the assignment requirements for content

4. You can add a self-made illustration if you wish (optional): table, graphs, charts (but no cut/paste internet graphics). If communicating numbers, do so in a table/chart (not a paragraph)

5. Submitting the Proposal: Save your proposal as a PDF or Word document and post it in the Proposal assignment folder under Activities by the due date.

6. Proposal length: Rather than adhere to word count, we are looking for a proposal that meets the specifications communicated in this document and integrates the strategies (AIDA, reasoning, writing skills). The proposal will likely be 3 full type-written pages + a title page by the time you’re done (MAX 4 + Title Page)