To: Miss Enger

From: Alex Chaput AC

Subject: Project Proposal
Date: 22 October 2010
This memo is to inform you about the project that I have selected to compose for Unit four. I will be
making an informational pamphlet on the process of raising soybeans and the requirements that that
process entails. In this memo I will explain in detail my objectives for this project, my method for
completion, my timeline, and my overall project.

Situation:
Soybeans are a relatively new crop to the Northeast Region of North Dakota and their implementation
is going to play a vital role in the near future. With the ever increasing demand for more and more
biofuels, the market for commodities that can aid in fulfilling this demand have immense potential.
Soybeans are one of the few commodities that can be used for biodiesel and this is why they will be
vital to farmers in my area as well as on a national level. By raising soybeans it will allow farmers in
my area to be more diversified, because they will not only be raising small grains and canola but can
add this crop to their rotation.

Project Summary:
As a class assignment, this project will consist of facts arranged in an informational pamphlet based on
my personal research. This research will consist of reading other informational pamphlets, company
product guides, text book sections, and plant scientist bulletins. It is also my intention to gather the
majority of my research information from agricultural professionals that have firsthand experience
with soybeans and the insights to that process. These agricultural professionals will consist of
agronomists, NDSU plant scientists, and farm management professors. I will also be talking to
commodity marketing and financial professionals for a firm financial standpoint pertaining to
profitability of raising soybeans. Specifically, the intended pamphlet will include a step by step
breakdown of the process of raising soybeans starting with previous fall tillage continuing through
harvest the next fall. Therefore, the final project submitted will consist of nine sections on a six sided,
two fold pamphlet.
Details: Writing

The writing portion of this pamphlet will consist mostly of bulleted lists with brief explanations in
paragraph form. The paragraphs will be used to explain specific details. It is my goal that this format
will make the information easy to read and comprehend.

Details: Visual

There will not be many graphics incorporated into this pamphlet. I intend to include a descriptive
timeline to visually establish the dates when specific tasks need to be accomplished. I also plan to
include a table that shows the benefits of raising soybeans. This table will allow easy comparison of
soybeans to other commodities. I feel these graphics are important because they will help visually
reiterate what the text is trying to establish.
Objectives:
Learning Objectives:

I have been actively involved with farming since I was eleven years old and have been managing my
own farm for two years. I have performed all tasks with raising small grains and canola, but have no
experience with soybeans. As I conduct research to aid in compilation of my pamphlet I intend to
reach my learning objectives which consist of:

 Variety selection
 Maturity
 Field Preparation
 Seeding rate
 Row spacing
 Fertility
 Weed control/herbicide application
 Insect/disease
 Harvesting

Practical Objectives:

As a current producer of agricultural products on my own farm, I am constantly looking for ways to
better my operation and increase profits. I have been told from neighboring farmers and friends that
soybeans have taken big strides in our area and can really help increase an operation’s bottom-line.
I expect to gain enough insight from this project to fully understand the process of growing soybeans
so that I can implement them into my 2011 crop production. It is also my hope that I can compose a
professional and persuasive enough pamphlet to persuade my father beyond a reasonable doubt that he
will be doing the right thing by raising soybeans in the upcoming year as well. My final objective of
this project is to learn how to properly make informational pamphlets. Since being an agronomist is a
potential career after graduation, this will be a skill that will be required of me. Agronomists have to
regularly put informational pamphlets into circulation to keep their customers informed on the latest
technologies and changes in the agricultural sector. As a quick review of my three objectives:
 Gain thorough insight on the soybean process
 Persuade my father to raise soybeans
 Learn how to properly make pamphlets

Method:
As a farmer and future professional in the agribusiness world, I intend to create an informational
pamphlet that will contain a step by step breakdown of the process of raising soybeans. This pamphlet
will enlighten commodity producers to the point that they will feel comfortable implementing
soybeans into their crop rotation. I intend to complete this project in the follow six steps:
1. Through reading of informational text and personal interviews of agricultural professionals I
intend to accumulate the necessary information required to make this pamphlet.
 2. As I gather this information I am going to arrange it on the pamphlet under each section as a
rough draft.
3. When I feel that I have reached a product that is close to being my final draft I will have it
proofread by outside sources for an objective point of view.
4. Then, I will make any needed revisions to complete a final draft.
5. I will then once again have it proofread and be ready to submit it to you in class for grading on
December 3, 2010.
6. While this project is fresh in my mind I will write my reflection paper for accuracy and ease of
remembering certain details.

Timeline:
This timeline table allows you to visually see what the steps are for my as before mentioned
methodology and the expected dates of completion.

Task Time
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6
Proposal
Research
Rough draft
Progress Report
Final Draft
Final
Proofreading
Final Revisions

Submit Paper
Reflection Memo

Wk 1 = 10/22-10/29 Wk 2 = 11/1-11/5 Wk 3 = 11/8-11/12

Wk 4 = 11/15-11/19 Wk 5 = 11/22-11/26 Wk 6 = 11/29-12/6

Evaluation:
My project will be evaluated based on the progress and final product of this project using the grading
criteria Miss Enger established in the English 320 Unit 4 Project outline and directions. I will have a
chance to do a personal evaluation of my own progress in a progress report that will be turned in on
November 24, 2010. Grading for this project will not only be accomplished through the typical
course-related rubric established by Miss Enger that pertains to writing, but this project will also be
evaluated according to the rubric that I compiled. My grading rubric can be found on the following
page.
 Grading Rubric:

Item Max Points Score Comments

Pamphlet is well organized

20
& easy to understand
Pamphlet is
visually appealing; 20
professionally done
Clearly defined sections;
20
easy to locate information

Sufficient amount of
20
information

Useful graphics;
10
professional appearance

Free of grammatical and

10
spelling errors

Total Score 100

 Reading References
Citations done in APA format

Kandel, H. (2010, June). Field Guide. Soybean Production.

Messersmith, C. G. (2008). Plant Science 110: World Food Crops. Fargo, North Dakota: North Dakota

State University.

Messersmith, C. G. (2009). Plant Science 323: Principles of Weed Science. Fargo, North Dakota:

North Dakota State University.

Other References
As I denoted earlier I chose APA as the format for citing my sources. APA does not require
that personal interviews be listed with your sources, but because I used a substantial amount of
information that I gathered through these personal interviews from professionals in my field I felt I
should give them the credit they deserve. The interviews I conducted consist of:

 Kelly, Kleinerk- Agronomist Simplot Soil Solutions - October 20, 2010.

 Dan Kouffman - Agronomist Osnabrock Farmer’s Coop Elevator – October 20, 2010.

 Jody Schuler – Manager MinKota Ag Products – October 21, 2010.

 Joleen Hadrich – NDSU Assistant Professor; Integrated Farm Management – October 21, 2010.

 Edward Deckard – NDSU Professor – Plant Science – October 22, 2010.

 Frayne Olson – NDSU Extension Crop Economist – October 22, 2010.