Unit 4: Research Communication OVERVIEW Start where you left off in part two of the Everyday Communication Unit, in which you were asked to write a persuasive memo based on an idea you would like to see implemented in your job (e.g., a way to increase productivity, improve service, increase business, or improve working conditions). For that assignment, you wrote a routine miscellaneous memo requesting action and persuading your audience that your idea is worthwhile. Now, your audience – the person, people, department, etc. with the power to approve the project – has responded that they are intrigued and would like to begin a more formal process toward implementing your idea. Planning Proposals are common in professional or corporate environments where supervisors may ask an employee to write up a project proposal before that project is launched. In this unit, your goal is to demonstrate to your audience that you are sufficiently prepared to undertake the process of working your way toward the final project with a good understanding of the background knowledge you will need to acquire and the work still to be done. ASSIGNMENT Part One: Project Proposal Your Proposal should include the following: -A cover page with the working title of your project, your name, and your instructor’s name. A title that identifies the issue/topic/problem/solution accurately and engages readers’ interests. -An abstract that summarizes your project (approximately 100 words) acting as a brief description of the problem you will attempt to solve/address with the final project. The abstract must engage its identified audience – the person/group/agency with the power to effect the proposed change(s) or whose mind(s) must be changed – with the problem by presenting it clearly, and showing that it is interesting, problematic, and significant. The abstract also introduces the hypothesis: the plan you intend to propose. -A purpose statement with your rationale for the project. Why is this project important to you? -A qualification statement that explains the experience, preparation, and special qualities you bring to the project. Part Two: Progress Report Memo Along the way, you will report to your audience by submitting a memo that informs on your progress. The purpose of this memo is to give an update on the work being done while also piquing the audience’s interest in said work. Part Three: Annotated Bibliography For this part of the assignment you will conduct research and write an Annotated Bibliography to support your proposal. With this annotated bibliography, your goal is to demonstrate to your readers that you are sufficiently prepared to undertake the process of working your way toward the final project with a good understanding of the issue, background knowledge you will need to acquire, and the work still to be done. Write a Three-Sentence Evaluative Annotation for each of your sources. Once you have completed t ...