Proposal Letter for a Change in the Community

For this assignment you will be proposing a change in your own community. This could be a change in policy, a change in procedure, a change in attitude, etc. However, your topic MUST be local, either concerning a change at FIT or a change in one of your other communities.

Your task is to research a problem and then propose a solution. Whatever your topic, you will take a stance and provide support or evidence for your position. Proposing a solution demands that you use sound logic, good reasons, and solid research.

Process

First, determine a problem that needs research. You may decide that FIT needs to address a problem in a way it hasn't before. You may also consider researching a problem in your home community, a work community, or another community you are a part of.

Next, consider your target audience for this research report. For example, if you are looking into a problem in the dorms, you would probably target your final report to the head of Residential Life. Each problem will have a different target audience so think carefully about the best audience for your problem and situation.

Once you’re determined your problem and your audience, begin to conduct some preliminary investigation into the problem. Review the relevant databases and other online resources to obtain resources to expand your understanding of the topic.

Instead of a standard research paper, I am asking that this project be formatted as a LETTER either to an official on campus, a local official, a state representative, or another applicable authority figure. The recipient of your letter will depend in large part on your topic.

In addition to this letter and because letters typically do not contain in-text citations, you will also be creating a fairly extensive annotated bibliography documenting ALL of your sources. If you were to send your letter, this annotated bibliography would serve as an enclosure documenting your thorough research process as a means of increasing your authority. In this case it is important that your annotations connect to the content of your letter and the argument you are making.

Evaluation criteria

Focuses on a specific and well-defined problem

Offers a clear and well-argued solution

Responds effectively to objections, counterarguments, and alternative solutions

Employs a clear, logical organization

Formatted and presented as flawlessly as possible in terms of standard English grammar and expectations for the selected genre and for this class