IB Docs (2) Team
Proposal
KEY FEATURES
context, audience, purpose -
* the context will be explained in the question - at least, the basic background, since the main content of the proposal itself will be what the student will have to invent, based on that basic background
* the audience will, again, be specified in the question - i.e. the specific person or group of people to whom the proposal is to be addressed. Close attention should be paid to the target audience, since a key feature of a good proposal is that it is adjusted to appeal to the intended recipients
* the purpose will be defined by the context, very largely - typically, a problem exists, and so the purpose of the proposal is to solve the problem. In order to do this, a good proposal needs to be (1) relevant; (2) practical; and (3) attractive - all those aspects need to be included.
register and tone -
* will be expressed in a formal register, with perhaps semi-formal touches
* will have a tone which aims to be objectively authoritative, but also subjectively enthusiastic
conventions -
* will use a style aimed to persuade a specified audience
* will have a title which summarises the overall subject
* will set out the text clearly using features such as headings, short clear paragraphs, sections identified by letters/numbers/bullets, insetting etc.
* will have an introduction and a conclusion
NOTE: the proposal may be presented within the framework of a letter / email - provided the features above are present.
Appropriate?
A proposal will be appropriate if the task requires you to present some kind of project formally, based on facts and figures, for serious discussion. The audience will usually be quite specific i.e. those who will take a decision about your idea - and so you need to present ideas in clear and logically convincing ways (without obvious publicity or advertising bullshit !)
Not to be confused with...
... 'brochure, leaflet' or 'set of instructions or guidelines' or 'speech, presentation' ... a 'brochure/leaflet' is often used to propose ideas (e.g. political leaflets), but is best used to present information to a wide and general audience, not a very specific audience of decision-makers. A 'set of instructions or guidelines' is intended to be practical - the text type(s) is intended to show people what they ought to do, in clearly explained situations: it is intended to help, not to sell or to convince. A 'speech' or a 'presentation' is oral, and so may be most appropriate if you are required to sell your proposal through exciting rhetoric - but if the purpose is to convince people seriously, they need to be able to be able to refer to your ideas, consider them slowly, and so a formal written proposal would be better.
Format and Approach discussed
The essence of this text type is to 'sell' a concrete idea (rather than to 'win' an abstract argument, as in a debate or an essay task). This will usually involve suggesting specific practical changes to a given situation; and the notion of 'selling' will involve address to a specific target audience.
Basic Format
- overall subject title
- main headings
- sub-headings, bullet points, numbered sections
- explicit clear organisation : determined by the precise nature of the task, but these main elements should probably be recognisable :
summary of aim / purpose ... present context ... future result ... advantages (+ possible drawbacks?) ... conclusion + recommendation
Approach
- register : use of (basically) formal language
> 'address' : How well does the script direct the proposal to a specific audience? Note that, given the (usually) formal nature of the text type, such address is not likely to involve informal use of personal pronouns (as in speeches and talks), but rather a sense that the proposal has been tailored to appeal to the interests of a given audience. For instance, a proposal to reform the school timetable would stress 'more productivity' if the intended audience were the school's administration ... as opposed to 'less homework' if addressed to the students!
> rhetoric : How effectively does the script persuade?
Relevant writing purposes
The primary writing purpose must be Argument , but effective argument is likely to involve clear Explanation and to a lesser degree effective Description
Materials & models
> Proposal, modelled ... an example of a response to an HL exam task, illustrating the fundamental approach to writing a proposal, as well as essential format features
> Gap years 1 ... basic comprehension task leads to assembling ideas + a simple writing frame for a proposal - accessible exercise to introduce the text type's format and approach
> CAR project ... memorandum example + reading-between-the-lines exercise ... leading to writing frame
> Cyberdemocracy.org ... proposal of ideal principles to guide use of the internet - with a series of questions intended to stimulate and develop critical thinking skills.
> Declaration of Independence ... the proposal of grand principles: the opening two paragraphs ... presented as #1 a diagrammatic cloze exercise; and #2 a stimulus for critical thinking of certain key statements.
> Global intestinal culture ... a humorously imaginative piece of science writing, which makes the tongue-in-cheek proposal of establishing a 'world standard for gut flora' ... analysis shows that the page actually provides a good model for how to write a well structured, coherent proposal - in terms of the approach, if not of the language.
Suggested 'new style' exam tasks
The following are possible adaptations of some of the 'old style' tasks listed below. Each provides three optional text types, arranged in the order of (i) appropriate; (ii) generally appropriate; (iii) inappropriate - if you use them, clearly, you should randomise the choices.
Two versions are presented: one for HL, with three required elements, and one for SL, with two required elements.
(HL) Your school board plans to introduce an alternative educational programme that emphasizes learning through entertainment and would like to incorporate students’ suggestions into the new programme. You think this is an interesting idea, if not completely clear, and you have ideas to suggest. Write a text in which you define what you understand by 'entertainment', then explain your suggestions for the new programme, and how students will benefit from them.
(i) Proposal .... (ii) Leaflet .... (iii) Blog
(SL) Your school board plans to introduce an alternative educational programme that emphasizes learning through entertainment and would like to incorporate students’ suggestions into the new programme. You think this is an interesting idea, if not completely clear, and you have ideas to suggest. Write a text in which you explain your suggestions for the new programme, and how students will benefit from them.
(i) Proposal .... (ii) Leaflet .... (iii) Blog
*******
(HL) There is a national campaign to lessen the negative impact of humans on the environment. You think it is very important that the management of your school should make real changes in support of this campaign. Write a text in which you describe areas in which the school is damaging the environment, explain specific ways in which your school could use technology to prevent such damage, and argue how such changes would benefit the school.
(i) Proposal .... (ii) Set of instructions .... (iii) News report
(SL) There is a national campaign to lessen the negative impact of humans on the environment. You think it is very important that the management of your school should make real changes in support of this campaign. Write a text in which you describe areas in which the school is damaging the environment, and explain specific ways in which your school could use technology to prevent such damage.
(i) Proposal .... (ii) Set of instructions .... (iii) News report
Recent exam tasks ('old' style)
You think it may be better for all members of your local sports club to adhere to a strict dress code when using the club’s facilities. As a member of the club, write a proposal to the sports club manager suggesting what the dress code could be and what the benefits of applying the dress code are. (HL M13)
Your school board plans to introduce an alternative educational programme that emphasizes learning through entertainment and would like to incorporate students’ suggestions into the new programme. Write a proposal in which you explain what your suggestions for the new programme are and how students will benefit from them. (HL M15)
Some important archaeological remains have recently been discovered near your city. Write a proposal to the city council for the creation of a centre that could be used either by visitors to enjoy the site or by experts to study it. (HL N15)
There is a national campaign to lessen the negative impact of humans on the environment. Write a proposal for the school management, suggesting ways in which your school could use technology to reduce its consumption of resources. (HL N16)
Lack of physical exercise is becoming an increasing problem among students at your school. Therefore, the principal of your school has decided to run a campaign to tackle this issue. Write a proposal to your principal outlining your ideas for the campaign and explain why they would be effective in promoting students to take more exercise. (HL N17)
Your school is planning to organize a summer camp that centres around the most popular activities amongst teenagers and is looking for ideas for the camp. Write a proposal to your school board in which you suggest activities for the camp, and explain why they will be engaging for teenagers. (HL M18)