New procedures in your workplace

The ability to sell an idea is the cornerstone of professional writing. Whether you are seeking funding to open your own small business or professional practice, proposing new procedures in your workplace, leading a large-scale marketing campaign, or organizing a small neighborhood improvement effort, your ability to persuade others to care about the project can determine whether it will succeed. For our final class project, you will do this kind of persuasive professional writing by advocating for a solution to a local issue. To do so, you will create a proposal that requires approval, support, or funding from a specific audience. You must include information from reputable, relevant, and appropriate sources (cited in APA format) to help your audience understand the background and context of the issue. When appropriate, you should create data visualizations that help your audience make sense of the relevant data. The complete package of materials you will submit for a grade includes: • A proposal that identifies the problem, provides a potential solution, and categorizes the resources needed to implement the solution. This piece is worth 20% of the final grade for this project. • A press release that imagines the proposal audience has approved the project and announces it to a wider public audience. This piece is worth 30% of the final grade for this project. • A presentation (PowerPoint, Prezi, Google Slides) that functions as the visual aid for your live pitch to the proposal audience. This piece is worth 30% of the final grade for this project. Example topics from former students: • A proposal to the President of TCC Northwest to create a food truck park so that students can have expanded on-campus food choices on certain days of the week. • A proposal to a local HOA to turn a vacant lot into a community pool and park. • A proposal to a local hospital board asking the hospital to be the primary sponsor of a community mental health and wellness fair. Ask yourself these questions as you brainstorm topics: • Does the problem exist? (Do TCC students need more food options? Is this community less appealing without a pool and park to attract families? Do Fort Worth residents have enough access to free mental health and wellness services and information?) • Who is the specific audience that would have the power to say yes or no to approving your request or investing in your solution? You cannot write to a vague, general audience. • Is this an issue you are familiar with or passionate about? You have limited time to research, collect data, and formulate your plan, so choose something that works with your existing knowledge base, experience, etc