Group Assignment #5: Final Course Project – Research Proposal Assignment
Group Proposal Assignment
Upon completion of this assignment, students will be able to:
• Write a grammatically correct and accurate Group proposal (MO1)
• Use professional tone and language (MO2)
• Show skills in Standard English necessary for reaching a specified audience (MO2)
• Develop parts of the proposal, as a team (MO3)
• Demonstrate accurate use of Block format and other details required for the report (MO4)
• Use correct APA style format and citations (MO5)
• Conduct effective research to gather evidence and data to support the main claims made within the document (MO6)
• Show enhanced communication skills. (MO 7)
• Create tables and charts to share the numeric findings and support the argument (SLO8)
• Make an honest use of the researched material (MO9)
• Make ethical decisions to provide the best solutions to resolve a problem (MO10).
• Demonstrate effective work ethics through teamwork (MO11)
• Develop group proposals (MO12)
Due Date
Note: This assignment is due on April 25th, Monday morning before 6:00 AM. Late work will not be collected for this assignment. No exceptions!
Assignment Challenge
A Proposal is an argument. You must convince readers that the future benefits will outweigh the immediate and projected costs. Basically, you must persuade your readers of three things
• That you understand the context: what your readers need.
• That you have already determined what you plan to do and that you are able to do it. That you are a professional and are committed to fulfilling your promises.
The most crucial element of the proposal is the definition of the problem or opportunity to which the proposed project responds. Although this point seems obvious, people who evaluate proposals agree that the most common weakness they see is an inadequate or inaccurate understanding of the problem or opportunity.
Topics: Select any one topic that your group agrees to work on:
• Proposal to start a campus branch of a professional organization in your field. Proposal to improve parking facilities on campus
• Proposal to create or improve organizations for minorities or women on campus
• Proposal to keep the college’s computer lab up to date
• Proposal to improve the Waste Management and Recycling situation at your institution Recognize a problem that effects a specific community. Understand the exigency. Propose a solution
For this assignment, you have been placed in a group of 3-4 students. Together with your group members, you will choose any one of the provided topics to develop your proposal. Make sure you understand the need for this change, and the benefits from adopting your proposal.
Discuss what is the exigency? Why did this issue catch your attention?
• What are the pros and cons of your proposal?
• Note: Has something similar been done successfully somewhere else?
• Your proposal must research and discuss if something similar to the issue you are discussing has been noticed elsewhere;
• How did they resolve or control the problem?
• Use and document your research as evidence in your work.
• Explain what the problem is and how your proposal would be a better solution than anything that has already been done.
• Explain what steps would be needed to move forward with a change.
• Discuss what kind of a timeline your proposal might need.
• If needed, what kind of budget would be appropriate to accomplish this task?
• Will some of the existing equipment/ personnel be able to help lower the cost?
Everything you have learned about language and graphics applies to your Group Proposal. You must use clear style, as well as relevant, clearly labeled tables and/or graphs.
Depending on your topic, you will address this proposal to the Head/Dean/Manager of the department/program that the issue relates to.
Group Tools in Canvas:
Your Learning Management System, Canvas allows you several options to complete group work. You can:
• Share files
• Discuss assignment tasks
• Hold video conferences
• Work on writing assignments with other students
You can collaborate using built-in Google Drive, which allows multiple users to work together on the same document at the same time.
If you want to meet in real-time with your groups, you can schedule your own web conferences using GoToMeeting:
It is recommended that you pick one or two tools that everyone in your group feels comfortable using. These tools are sufficient for you to complete this assignment in Canvas.
Research Requirements
Your ideas and statements are more trustworthy when they are backed up with support and evidence coming from reliable sources. Note: For this Proposal, you are required to use at least eight sources. All these sources should be cited within the project, and listed in the reference list.
Add in-text citations (Both, signal phrases and parenthetical citations) &
A reference list (APA format)
• Conduct research to understand the problem
• Research to recognize the benefits of what you are proposing.
• Research to find the best costs of items
• Research to find better quality
Research what other organizations are doing in a similar situation Research to show what you are proposing is a better option.
• If subcontractors will be needed, research to find best options.
When you discuss the exigency, show evidence that the issue really calls for immediate attention. It is usually impressive to share numeric values relating to the issue.
For example:
A report conducted by Covering Innovation & Inequality in Education shares that “Federal data shows 3.9 million students dropped out of college with debt in 2015 and 2016” (Barshay, 2017). Note: You will have to explain convincingly why the current system is either missing or not effective.
Length:
Your Proposal should be about 8 to 10 pages in length. This count will not include the reference list. Graphics/visuals should not be longer than half a page each.
Structure of the Proposal
For all kinds of writing, always take into consideration your audience, subject, and purpose.
For this assignment, we will use the formal structure discussed in the assigned textbook, which includes:
A title block – which will include:
• Date
• Names and titles of the people you are addressing the proposal to
• Your name and title
• The Subject (title)
Please follow the sample assignment and do your title page as shown in the example proposal.
Purpose: State the primary purpose of the document in a sentence or two. Summary: 4-5 short paragraphs
• In the first paragraph, provide the background of the problem. Do not assume that your readers know what you are discussing
• Next paragraph, discuss the problem you are undertaking
• Then, propose what you plan to do to improve or eradicate the issue
• In the fourth paragraph provide a brief summary of the schedule and the credentials of the individuals (your group, or the people you will be hiring) who will be completing the task?
• Maintaining a formal relationship, address your audience in third person speech Introduction (2-3 paragraphs):
• In a brief statement, provide the context (background details) of the proposal.
In the second paragraph provide an explanation of the problem. What is the exigency? Why are you having to address this issue?
• Some sections of your proposal might repeat information. This is acceptable in technical documents; however, do not copy and paste information. Be more creative and rephrase the information for each section.
• If you quote, paraphrase, or summarize a source, make sure you credit the original source. Add in-text citations (signal phrases and parenthetical citations), and document the source in the reference list.
• Specify the scope of the proposal -- just how much are you wanting to accomplish?
Proposed Tasks: (as many paragraphs as needed, but likely 6+)
• By providing the project as a set of tasks, the writers show that they are well organized and prepared for the task.
• Share some of the information you gathered through research. Readers are reluctant to approve proposals unless they are sure that the writers have done some research.
• Describe the specific steps to be taken. What will be done and in what order?
Schedule and Budget:
• Present your proposed timeline or schedule in a Gantt chart In a separate table share your budget plan.
• Outline any direct, indirect, and overhead costs.
• There should be only two visual representations in the entire report, a Gantt chart (showing the timeline), and a table (discussing the budget). Check if your budget is complete and correct.
Qualifications & Experience
• After you have described how you would carry out the project, show that you can do it.
• If you are not qualified to complete the task, will you be hiring qualified personnel? Discuss the Department’s (or organization’s) relevant equipment, facilities, and experience.
If you think you qualify to do the task, then you can provide your names and credentials. If not, then provide the credentials of the personnel you will need to hire for this task.
References
• Construct correct APA Reference entries for at least 8 professional, scholarly sources.
Format
Use full block method to format the proposal (everything should be flushed to the left).
However, all titles should be centered on the page and bolded. Do not center the subtitles. Follow the provided example.
Assignment Submission
Submit your assignment through the built-in TaskStream submission box, available on the course homepage. Each member of the group should submit the final group presentation. Yes, this means there will be multiple submissions of the same final group presentation, which is fine.
When you upload your assignment to TaskStream, make sure you also complete the “Teamwork Self-Evaluation” questionnaire available through Taskstream.
Grade
All members of the group are required to participate actively. 20% of the grade for this assignment is based on participation. Complete the project together using Google Drive, which allows multiple users to work together on the same document at the same time.
All group members will not receive the same grade. Your grade will depend on your contribution and participation. If your group members report that you did not participate in the project, or that your performance was poor, you will receive a grade deduction. Complete all parts of the assignment. Submit the final Group Proposal through TaskStream, submit the peer-evaluation form, and upload your video.
Checklist
Make sure you meet all the requirements.
Did you consider the context of your proposal and make it clear to your readers?
Did you describe to your readers what you plan to do?
Did you demonstrate professionalism?
Did you write an honest proposal?
Does the summary provide an overview of The problem or the opportunity?
• The proposed program?
• Your qualifications and experience?
Does the introduction indicate The problem or opportunity?
• The purpose of the proposal?
• The background of the problem or opportunity?
• Your sources of information?
• The scope of the proposal?
• The organization of the proposal?
• The key terms that you will use in the proposal?
• Does the description of the proposed program provide a clear, specific plan of action and justify the tasks you propose performing?
Does the description of qualifications and experience clearly outline Your relevant skills and past work?
• The skills and background of the other participants?
• Your department's (or organization's) relevant equipment, facilities, and experience? Is the budget Complete?
• Correct?
• Accompanied by an in-text reference?
• Do the appendixes include the relevant supporting materials, such as a task schedule, a description of evaluation techniques, and evidence of other successful projects?
Honesty
All assignments submitted for this class should be a new creation. Do not submit any work that you have already received credit for, in this class or another class, this semester or any previous semester, this institution or another institution. Check the Turnitin Plagiarism report before you make your final submission. Assignments showing a match of 40% or more will not receive credit.
Rubric
CRITICAL THINKING – Evidence
Information is taken from source(s) with enough critical evaluation to develop a clear, comprehensive analysis. Viewpoints of experts are questioned thoroughly. Provides a full understanding of an issue.
CRITICAL THINKING - Student's Position
Specific position or thesis is imaginative and complex. Limits of position acknowledged.
Other points of view are synthesized within position
COMMUNICATION – Organization
Specific introduction and conclusion, sequenced body material, and transitions are clear and consistent. Skillful and cohesive organization.
COMMUNICATION - Control of Language
Uses graceful language that skillfully communicates meaning to the audience with clarity and fluency, and is virtually error-free.
COMMUNICATION - Format/Delivery
Successful, polished delivery meets conventions of the field. (ex. posture, gesture, eye contact, and vocal expressiveness for oral comm, document presentation, and formatting for written comm)
TEAMWORK - Individual Contributions
Helps the team move forward by articulating the merits of alternative ideas or proposals. Completes all assigned tasks by the deadline; work accomplished is thorough, comprehensive, and advances the project. Proactively helps other team members complete their assigned tasks to a similar level of excellence.
TEAMWORK - Constructive Climate and conflict resolution
Treats team members respectfully. Consistently motivates other members and provides assistance and/or encouragement. Addresses destructive conflict directly and constructively, helping to manage/resolve it in a way that strengthens overall team cohesiveness and future effectiveness.
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY - Access and Use Information Ethically and Legally Student consistently and correctly uses source attribution (tag phrases, citations, references). Uses information according to its original context and demonstrates a full understanding of the ethical and legal restrictions on information use, i.e., does not plagiarize, submits all required materials, and bibliographies.
Group Video Presentation
Later in the semester, your team will use this proposal and put its main ideas into a Presentation, which is a separate assignment.
NOTE: To meet accessibility requirements, this list of referred sources has been placed right under the text. You, however, are required to follow the documentation guidelines and start your Works Cited or Reference list on a new page. Also, the title of your list of sources will either be Works Cited or Reference list, not Sources.
Source
Markel, M., and Selber, S. (2018). Writing Proposals. Technical Communication (12th ed.).
Bedford/St. Martin’s.