A letter recommending a project
A 2-page letter in which you recommend a change of some sort, written as if you were trying to persuade a boss or manager that you have a good idea for making something better.
Describe any questions/concerns you have about Major Assignments 1, 2, and 3. If you do not have any questions or concerns, explicitly state that in your response.
Name at least TWO possible topics for Major Assignments 1, 2, and 3. (You will use the same topic for all three assignments.) For EACH possible topic:
a. Describe the problem or issue that you want to address.
b. Identify the organization and contact person that you will write your recommendation letter (MA 1) to, and why you are interested in making a recommendation to this person. YOU MUST IDENTIFY A REAL PERSON.
c. Describe (one paragraph is sufficient) whether you will be able to develop a full project proposal (MA 3) with the following elements:
Introduction
Problem
Objectives
Solution
Method (optional)
Resources
Schedule / timeline
Qualifications
Management plan
Costs – both soft costs (time) and hard costs
c. Finally, state which one of these two topics do you think you will use, and why?
5. Maximum of 2 pages
Technique
Review M1: General requirements for submissions in this class
Write your response as a business letter to me. Format your response to make it easy for me to locate the specific points I asked for.
Additional Information:
(Note: No one will see your work except me!)
Keep in mind that an essential feature of a recommendation is that it compares two alternatives:
keeping things the way they are now, versus
changing them to the way you think they should be.
So, you will have to make the change seem to be the better alternative from your reader’s point of view.
Read the following four strategies (Anderson, chapter 9, 9th edition):
“Focus on your readers’ goals and values” (p. 169)
“Reason soundly” (p. 171),
“Build an effective relationship with your readers” (p. 176)
“Ethics Guideline: Persuade ethically” (p. 184)
Instructions
Describe how you would incorporate each of the four strategies from Anderson, chapter 9 (listed above) in your persuasive letter (MA1)
Which of the four strategies do you think will be the most important for you to follow?
How will you go about doing so? Name the specific guidelines or give the page number(s).
2. Using the advice in Anderson 9th edition, chapter 4: “Conducting reader-centered research”, describe:
A preliminary plan for your research
What reader-centered information you will need to find
The resources you will use (some examples: TMC Library, Google Scholar, interviews of personnel, government websites, online databases)
3. Describe any questions/concerns you have about Major Assignments 1, 2, and 3. If you do not have any questions or concerns, explicitly state that in your response.