Proposals and Formal Business Reports

3x3 Writing process

 Prewriting
• Analyze: what is your purpose?
• Anticipate: what would you like
readers to respond?
• Adapt:
o What technique(s) should be used
to convey the purpose to readers?
o Developing audience benefits
3x3 Writing process

 Writing
• Research: collect data.
• Organize: identify benefits of this
proposal; specify the research
results, itemize the budget, ask for
approval.
• Compose: start writing your first
draft.
3x3 Writing process

 Revising
• Revise
• Proofread
• Evaluate
 Appendix
Authorization

Components for the Budget

Staffing

business proposal
Schedule
Background, problem,
purpose
Introduction
List of figures
Table of contents
Title Page
Abstract or Executive
Summary
Letter of transmittal

Copy of RFP (optional)

Generally appear in both

formal and informal
proposals:
Components for the business proposal

1. Title Page
2. Letter of Transmittal
3. Executive Summary
4. Table of Contents
5. List of illustrations
6. Introduction
7. Literature Review
8. Company Information
9. Methodology
10. Bibliography
1. Title Page

• Please avoid using anything

unprofessional
• Too many type fonts
• Oversized print
• Inappropriate graphics
1. Title page (cont)

• It should include:
• Name of your proposal
• Name of those who prepared the
proposal
• Name of institution
• Name of individual(s) you are
reporting and presenting to
• Date of submission
 2. Letter of Transmittal (or Memorandum)

• Address the person

• who is designated to receive the proposal
• Who will make the final decision
• Briefly presents major features and benefits of the
proposal.
• Close by expressing appreciation for the assignment,
suggesting follow-up actions, acknowledging the help
of others, and offering to answer questions
 2. Letter of Transmittal

• For most proposal in universities, the letter of

transmittal usually follows the title page and is
bound as part of the report;
• Letters of transmittal should establish a
professional tone
• Format
• The format of a persuasive memo or a letter
• Use 12-size Time New Roman font, doubled-space
with left-indented paragraphs or singled-space
with no indented paragraphs
 2. Letter of Transmittal

 Introductory Paragraph:
• Title and purpose (if not clear from the title) of the
report
• Audience for the report (who is it written for?)
• Authorization
o Who authorized the project?
o When? Is the report written for another class?
o Refer to your proposal— Show how the report has
met your objectives or how your objectives have
changed.
2. Letter of Transmittal

• Body Paragraph(s):
• Methods: briefly mention them,
unless they are very important, in
which case you could have a short
paragraph on methods
• Results
• Give an overview of your results,
• point out the main results,
• Or point out surprising
results/findings.
• Conclusions of the final report
• Recommendations
2. Letter of Transmittal

 Conclusion Paragraph (call to

action)
• Acknowledge assistance you received.
• Offer to assist with interpreting your
report.
• Offer to assist with carrying out further
work.
• Make a call to action (recommendations).
• Add personal comments.
• Notes:
• one page
• The level of technicality low.
3. Executive Summary (or Abstract)

• To present an overview of a longer report to people (esp. to

managers) who do not have time to read the entire document
• To let readers know the rest of the report is worth reading
• Include an introduction that might begin with “As you
requested”,” I am submitting this executive summary of
_____” . Identify the author, article name, journal, date of
publication (if possible).
• Summarize most important findings (main points) of the
interview. Summarize any recommendations made.
 3. Executive Summary
 Summarize key points
 Look for strategic words and sentences
• First – next – finally; therefore – as a result; central – leading – principal
– major; however - consequently
 Should include 3 parts in an executive summary
• Purpose – Findings - Conclusion
 Start with the purpose: “The purpose of this business report is to _____”
 Follow the report sequence
• Present all information in the order in which it is found in the report
 Include main points only
 Control the length
• One or two pages only
3. Executive Summary

 Format
• No letter head
• Use 12-size Time New Roman
• If you use doubled-space
paragraphs in your Letter of
Transmittal, do so here as well.
• If you use singled-space
paragraphs in your Letter of
Transmittal, do so here as well.
• Please be consistent
4. Table of Content

• Please make sure the order shown

here is actually the order of your
proposal
• Please, again, use 12-sized Time
New Roman font
• Please be specific
• Example
5. List of illustrations

• List of figures and tables.

• May appear on the same page as
the table of contents, space
permitting.
• Example
 6. Main content -
Chapter 1: Introduction
 Background/ Rationale
 Provide background information putting the problem into
context such as economical or geographical background
 Describe events leading up to the problem or need.

 A Problem Statement
 What is the problem are you going to solve?
 What is the purpose of the proposal? (It is more like a
Vision)
 6. Main content (cont)
Chapter 1: Introduction (cont)
 Significance
 Establish the importance of your proposal/topic
 The research question(s)
 Objectives
 How many objectives is the proposal trying to deal with?
 Scope and Limitation
 Notice:
 Again, please use 12-sized Time New Roman font
 Double-spaced paragraphs are strongly recommended;
11/2-spaced paragraphs are acceptable for the purpose of
paper saving.
 Starting from this part to the end of the proposal, please
do not use single-spaced paragraphs
 7. Main content (cont)
Literature Review
 This chapter presents the concepts/ theory that use
as foundation for analyses/ suggestions/ solutions in
the study
 This chapter also presents the related studies
 Avoid to list all related concepts/ theories  should
focus on the key ones.
 Discussion on how and why these concepts/ theories
are applied for the study
 Start your sentences like “According to…” if …
 9. Main content (cont)
Methodology
 Method of collecting data
• Give me just a quick overview of how you are going
to collect data that serves your proposal/business
plan
 Primary data
 Secondary data
 A research model
• Example 1 & 2
10. Bibliography

 Please use APA format

 Recommendations
• Use “References” function of MS
Word
• Go to website:
http://citationmachine.net
Tips of writing proposals and reports

 Take them SERIOUSLY

 Allow sufficient time
 Finish data collection
 Build a good outline and work from it
 Provide a proper writing environment
 Use the features of your computer
Tips of writing proposals and reports

 Write fast, revise later

 Save difficult sections
 Be consistent
 Generally avoid I and We – first-
person pronouns, (except for …?)
 Revise carefully and thoroughly
 Proofread the final copy many
times
 Important Notice

 Using complex and long sentences is

somehow okay. However, please do
not make it too complicated and too
hard to understand
 Elimination of “editorilizing”
 Reducing the use of colorful
adjectives and adverbs
 Important Notice (cont)
 Again, please be consistent in font, size, English
style and so forth
 Page number format:
• Please insert the page number at the bottom of
every page (except for the title page, although it
is still counted as page i)
• It is the best if the page number is located in the
middle of the page.
• Please use i, ii, iii, etc. for part 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
• Starting from part 5 (chapter 1: Introduction),
please use 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. for the rest of the
proposal