Proposal

Our section of ENGL 202C has been given an opportunity to write for publication. In partnership with the Pennsylvania Center for the Book, we have been invited to submit articles for consideration and possible inclusion on the Literary and Cultural Heritage Map of Pennsylvania.  

At the end of the project, each article will be submitted to the Map's editor, Dr. Alan Jalowitz, for his approval. Throughout the process, at key points in the semester, Dr. Jalowitz will visit our class to present information, give suggestions, and review drafts. You should consider him a resource and partner in this project.

Image source: Flickr, Bethlehem Trestle Shift, 2008.

Why Write an Article for the PA Center for the Book?

Since its initial conception, the Literary Map of Pennsylvania has expanded from literary topics to include biographies and feature articles related to the cultural history of the state. This includes innovations and inventions, people, places, objects and events, such as Edwin Drake and the Oil Well Drill Pipe or the Martin Guitar. Digital watches, polystyrene, the first crematorium, Kevlar--these are all inventions that are associated in some way with the state of Pennsylvania. (And they are topics that have already been written about--you'll come up with an unclaimed topic.) You are encouraged to choose or discover a topic that interests you and relates to your field of study.

Writing for a real rhetorical situation will help you focus on how to write for a particular audience, context and purpose. It will hone your writing. The opportunity to publish writing in a real-world setting motivates most writers to put in their best efforts. This project has been honored by the Library of Congress for its innovation, and your contribution to it can serve as a bright spot in your professional portfolio.

 

The Proposal

For this part of the project, you will write a formal proposal letter seeking my approval to proceed with the writing necessary to generate an informative article suitable for publication in the PA Center for the Book.   

When writing the proposal, think of your audience as someone who wants to be sure that you have identified sources of information (primary and secondary) that will contribute to your generating an article that is well written, accurate, informative, credible, and that you are highly qualified to write. 

 

Pieces Required to Complete your Proposal

Formal letter addressed to Jeanette Novakovich including:

• Annotated bibliography of at least 25 sources
• Engaging introduction
• Discussion of your credentials
• Description of your research
• Technical description
• Conclusion

 

Important Dates to Remember

Topic Approval                   Due 5/18
Annotated Bibliography    Due 5/24
Technical Description         Due 5/27
Proposal                               Due 6/2
Draft 1                                   Due 6/7
Draft 2                                   Due 6/8
Final Draft of Article            Due 6/9

Contact acj2@psu.edu if you have any questions during the writing process.

 

  Guidelines for the Proposal Letter

The format of this assignment should be that of a formal business letter.  

• Engaging introduction that tells Alan why you are writing about this topic
• Discussion of your credentials
• Section describing your research  
• Technical description of your topic
• Conclusion that formally requests permission to proceed
• Annotated bibliography

Guidelines for the Annotated Bibliography

You must also complete an annotated bibliography of at least twenty-five sources. Each annotation should answer the following questions:

• Describe the quality of the source?
• What is in it (content, scope)?
• How is the information relevant and useful for my topic?

Use a broad range of sources for this assignment. Going on location, taking photographs and interviewing people will add to the complexity of your writing. In addition, take careful notes during our library lecture. Not all sources should be web-based. If you find a source that has a hard text original, cite the original source. Alan would like his readers outside of the university community to be able to access your sources through library loan. Citing the original document will make this possible.

Number of Sources: Begin writing with close to twenty-five sources on hand; at least five of your sources can be images for the final article.

Kinds of Sources: The majority of sources must NOT be web material. They should be journal articles, newspaper articles (contemporary to the action in the piece when possible), books. Interviews with experts are great. 

Wikipedia is not to be cited; it can be used, however, to backtrack to original, good sources. Similar sources (answers.com and others) are also out of bounds. Patent documents, etc are excellent when appropriate. The one kind of website that would work best is if the location being written about has it's own website; the student, however, must strive to bring outside material so the piece doesn't sound like a press release, etc. Within the piece the student writes, he/she needs to quote or at least summarize and attribute outsidevoices. These can be book reviewers for writers, analytical articles for engineers, etc. Pieces without these "outside voices" are unlikely to be accepted.

 

Guidelines for the Technical Description

Professionals are often required to define or describe a technical object, concept, or process to someone who has little knowledge or experience with the subject at hand. For example, an engineering firm might write a proposal to bid on a contract to develop a helicopter for the Defense Department; one section of the proposal would be a detailed description of the product the company proposes to develop. Technical descriptions are used before products and processes are developed as part of proposals and planning documents, during development (in progress reports, for instance), and afterwards (as part of marketing and promotional literature and technical support documents).

Writer's checklist for technical descriptions:  

• One-sentence definition
• Follow-up Introduction
• A technical graphic
• Explanation of the process or parts, discussing the major components
• Conclusion

 

 

 

 Illustrations

Each article should be accompanied by four or five illustrations that enhance the reader's understanding of the article.

Inventing Graphics for your Favorite Lyrics

Designing Documents

 Final Considerations

 Format as a letter: 

• Use block style.   
• Employ headings and lists to render your information readily accessible.   
  

 

Evaluation

 The step-wise process inherent in this assignment mimics how writing is often done out in the "real world"--moving through idea development, investigation, reading, collaboration, note-taking, paring down material, drafting, seeking input from others, revising, editing, formatting, and proofreading.

Let the material that you uncover guide the presentation of the material.  It will be important to introduce your topic in a way that addresses the interests of your audience. Choose a form of organization that will meet your audience's needs; help them to understand the material by presenting information in an orderly, logical manner. Forecasting, strong topic sentences, and coherent paragraphs will be important to this assignment. Let the material also dictate your needs with regard to research, documentation of your sources, language choices, and logical structure.

 

Grading Rubric: Proposal		Excellent	Good	Needs Work
Complete	The proposal is complete: Introduction Credentials Research Technical Description Conclusion Includes at least 5 images Bibliography
Format and organization	Block letter format   Addressed to the Instructor   Paragraphs utilize effective topic sentences     Provides specific information in efficient sentences   Paragraphs are unified. Includes transitions within and between paragraphs
Audience adaptation	The description clearly addresses a specific audience and it helps the audience understand your plans for the feature article.   The article clearly demonstrates the topic's cultural significance
Mechanics	Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are correct.