Guidelines for Project Proposals
Guidelines for Project Proposals*
A technical proposal, often called a "Statement of Work,” is a persuasive document. Its objectives are to 1. Identify what work is to be done 2. Explain why this work needs to be done 3. Persuade the reader that the proposers (you) are qualified for the work, have a plausible management plan and technical approach, and have the resources needed to complete the task within the stated time and cost constraints. What makes a good proposal? One attribute is appearance. A strong proposal has an attractive, professional, inviting appearance. In addition, the information should easy to access. A second attribute is substance. A strong proposal has a well-organized plan of attack. A strong proposal also has technical details because technical depth is needed to sell your project. Remember: A proposal is a persuasive document.
Required Format
Format consists of the layout and typography of a document. In formatting your proposal, use the guidelines in Table 1. A template to produce your proposal exists at the following web page: http://www.writing.eng.vt.edu/design/proposal_template.doc One aspect of layout is the incorporation of illustrations. In your proposal, each illustration should have a name and be formally introduced in the text. Illustrations consist of figures and tables. Figures include photographs, drawings, diagrams, and graphs. Each figure should have a stand-alone caption, and the key points and features should be labeled. Tables are arrangement of words and numbers into rows and columns. Use tables to summarize lists that the audience will try to find later (the budget, for instance).
Table 1. Format guidelines for requested proposal.
Aspect Font for headings Font for text portion Margins Layout Paragraphing Page number Figure names Figure captions Table names Table headings Description Boldface serif or sans serif: size in accordance with hierarchy 12-point serif such as Times New Roman or Book Antiqua Standard,
A technical proposal, often called a "Statement of Work,” is a persuasive document. Its objectives are to 1. Identify what work is to be done 2. Explain why this work needs to be done 3. Persuade the reader that the proposers (you) are qualified for the work, have a plausible management plan and technical approach, and have the resources needed to complete the task within the stated time and cost constraints. What makes a good proposal? One attribute is appearance. A strong proposal has an attractive, professional, inviting appearance. In addition, the information should easy to access. A second attribute is substance. A strong proposal has a well-organized plan of attack. A strong proposal also has technical details because technical depth is needed to sell your project. Remember: A proposal is a persuasive document.
Required Format
Format consists of the layout and typography of a document. In formatting your proposal, use the guidelines in Table 1. A template to produce your proposal exists at the following web page: http://www.writing.eng.vt.edu/design/proposal_template.doc One aspect of layout is the incorporation of illustrations. In your proposal, each illustration should have a name and be formally introduced in the text. Illustrations consist of figures and tables. Figures include photographs, drawings, diagrams, and graphs. Each figure should have a stand-alone caption, and the key points and features should be labeled. Tables are arrangement of words and numbers into rows and columns. Use tables to summarize lists that the audience will try to find later (the budget, for instance).
Table 1. Format guidelines for requested proposal.
Aspect Font for headings Font for text portion Margins Layout Paragraphing Page number Figure names Figure captions Table names Table headings Description Boldface serif or sans serif: size in accordance with hierarchy 12-point serif such as Times New Roman or Book Antiqua Standard,