1. Preparing Formal
Reports and Proposals
p. 378 – 410 & p. 444 – 490

2. Proposal
 The proposal is persuasive in purpose
 You must convince your audience using evidence and
argumentative techniques
 Internal proposals are intended to persuade someone
within the company and external proposals are
intended to persuade someone outside the company
 Depending on your scenario, you are being asked to
make recommendations that will involve large sums of
money

3. Front Matter:
 Essential Elements for this assignment:
 Transmittal letter or memo (p. 381)
 Title Page (p. 382)
 Abstract (p. 383)
 Table of Contents (p. 387)
 Optional Elements:
 List of Figures (if used, p. 387)
 List of tables (if used, p. 387)
 Forward (unnecessary for this assignment)
 Preface (unnecessary for this assignment)
 List of abbreviations and symbols (if used, p. 389)

4. Cover or Transmittal Letter/
Memo (p. 381)
 In the introduction paragraph:
 Identify report topic
 Explain why the report has been prepared
 In the body paragraph:
 Summarize the report’s contents
 Emphasize important features
 Mention any special limitations
 In the conclusion paragraph:
 Acknowledge help received
 Express hope for the project and goodwill
 Provide contact information

5. Title Page (p. 382)
 Full title of report
 Names of the writers/ team members
 The date
 The name of the organization for which the team works
 The name of the organization and/or the person to
whom the report is submitted
 Check formatting and numbering guidelines

6. Abstract (p. 383)
 Summarizes main points
 Very short – approximately 250 words
 Descriptive or informative
 Write the abstract last
 See checklist on p. 387

7. Table of Contents (p. 387)
 All headings
 Page numbers
 Does not include cover letter, title page, or table of
contents itself
 Headings should be identical to those in the text

8. Executive Summary (p. 391)
 Identifies the purpose of the study/ proposal
 Provides major findings from research
 Provides background on issue
 Provides conclusions and recommendations
 If primary research is conducted, such as surveying employees, the
methodology used should be discussed here
 Best to write after the report is finished
 Approximately one page in length
 Follow organization and formatting guidelines
 See checklist on p. 393

9. Body: Headings
 Titles and subtitles in the body of the report/ proposal
 Levels of headings should be observed and consistent
(p. 396)

10. Body: Introduction (p. 393)
 Be sure to state the
 Subject
 Background on the subject
 Purpose
 Scope
 Plan for development of the subject
 Exclude specific details from the report
 Use bulleted lists and subheadings for easier reading
 Follow formatting guidelines

11. Body: Issue
 Detailed background of issue, including:
 History
 Definitions
 Description of problem

12. Body: Relevant Information
and Available Options
 This is where you will place:
 Findings from research
 Figures and tables
 Possible, logical solutions and discussions of these,
including what has been successful or unsuccessful
elsewhere and why
 Overview of costs (financial, labor, energy, time, etc.)
associated with each solution

13. Conclusion: Recommendation and
Justification
 This is where you suggest the best course of action to
solve the problem
 Justify this with evidence from your research and with
logic

14. Back Matter
 Reference page (APA style)
 Appendices
 Schedule
 Budget
 Follow formatting guidelines for APA style using the
online Documentation Guide (in web links)
 Follow formatting guidelines for appendices on p. 408

15. Writing Proposals Checklist
 P. 489 of Writing That Works