I came away with so much more than my original expectations of the course. I work in a research environment where I work with grants and proposals all day, every day. It is all too easy to get caught up in the day-to-day process of getting a proposal out the door and forgetting what the objective of a proposal actually is.
Proposals are tools for managing change. The proposal writer’s primary responsibility is to develop a rhetorical strategy to persuade the reader his or her proposal is worth funding. Rhetorical strategy is a phrase that is often preached, but how often is it explained in depth for an individual to understand what the true meaning of rhetorical strategy is?
During the development phase I found a great deal of research about proposal writing that talked all around rhetorical strategy; however, none defined it enough for the reader to come away with a clear understanding and ability to use it. I also learned I have been a preacher of rhetorical strategy in my position in the Office of Research and Graduate Studies in AAH. I can look back on situations where I assisted in editing or framing proposals where I prompted the writer to revisit his or her rhetorical strategy. Ironically, I have been preaching rhetorical strategy just as the authors of the books and articles I reviewed. I never tried to enable the writer to understand how and why their rhetorical strategy could be improved.
Rhetorical strategy is more than just the writing. Rhetoric is a tremendous tool if you use it wisely. Every word, every image, every page, and every punctuation mark of a proposal is rhetorical strategy. Writing a proposal is more than writing words to obtain funding for a project. Writing a proposal is a way of persuading the reader your proposal is the project that will be the tool for managing change he or she is looking for.
I also learned that proposal writing should not be done alone. Peer review is vital to the success of a proposal. Individuals not associated with the proposal can offer a fresh perspective and constructive criticism.
I thoroughly enjoyed this course, and it will benefit me as a MAPC student, as well as in my position at Clemson. I have a new appreciation of theory and the power of rhetoric, not only in proposal writing, but in writing and communication in general.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Chapter 12, The Final Touches
The deadline is looming and the writer is tired but there is still more to do before the proposal can be submitted. Working with faculty and students in AAH I always stress the importance of trying to have the document ready for submission three to five days prior to the deadline. That gives the writer and our office time to make last minute revisions and changes prior to submission. It also allows a fresh set of eyes to review the document and offer suggestions. A few weeks ago I worked with a faculty member and graduate student on a proposal that we actually submitted three minutes past the deadline. Frankly, the proposal presentation reflected a last minute, rushed proposal. When a reviewer sits down to read proposals they have a stack of proposals to read and is probably tired before they even start to read. My guess is that particular proposal was probably never read from start to finish. This is so important to allot time to put the finishing touches on your proposal. It is a shame to put time and effort into a proposal that is not even read.
The writer should not wait until the last minute to try to obtain letters of support, subawards, bios, and contract documentation. These are all items that tend to be forgotten about until the last minute. They are also all items that take a considerable amount of time to obtain. These contacts should be made at the beginning of the proposal process.
Revise the proposal one last time. The writer is probably tired of looking at the document and it may be a good idea to have someone not associated with the project to review it. If writing a proposal for an institution contact a grants coordinator or someone in the administrative office to acquire a checklist to make sure nothing has been left off. Review the sponsor’s guidelines again to make sure the package has everything that is required.
The writer should not wait until the last minute to try to obtain letters of support, subawards, bios, and contract documentation. These are all items that tend to be forgotten about until the last minute. They are also all items that take a considerable amount of time to obtain. These contacts should be made at the beginning of the proposal process.
Revise the proposal one last time. The writer is probably tired of looking at the document and it may be a good idea to have someone not associated with the project to review it. If writing a proposal for an institution contact a grants coordinator or someone in the administrative office to acquire a checklist to make sure nothing has been left off. Review the sponsor’s guidelines again to make sure the package has everything that is required.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Chapter 11
In Chapter 11 Johnson-Sheehan talks about the importance of graphics in proposals. Our society is becoming more and more digital literate. With this comes the reality that as a whole we are becoming more visual and want more visuals in the text we read. Graphics should be used in a proposal to augment the writing, not to simply fill space. The graphics should be informative and placed closely to the topic they are referencing. I recall a proposal where all of the tables and figures were in the appendix. It takes far too much time to have to flip back and forth to reference a table ten or more pages away. The writer should design his or her proposal with the graphics reinforcing the text it is associated with.
Graphics should be considered when writing the text, not in the final hours of the proposal. Each graph, table, or picture should be numbered consecutively and labeled properly and neatly with the reader in mind. Data taken from another source should include the name of that source. Another point Johnson-Sheehan makes is that graphics should be credible and ethical. The writers (and the company or institution he or she represents) is on the line. It would be wise to not use data if what it represents is questionable.
Visuals in the document should not clutter the document, but clarify an important point to the readers. The writer should keep in mind that visuals are powerful tools that can make or break a proposal depending on the time, effort and quality they portray. The writer should be certain the graphics in the proposal are enhancing the proposal, not taking away from it. If the writer is not skilled in graphics he or she may want to employ someone to assist with the graphics in a proposal. This will ensure a quality document.
Graphics should be considered when writing the text, not in the final hours of the proposal. Each graph, table, or picture should be numbered consecutively and labeled properly and neatly with the reader in mind. Data taken from another source should include the name of that source. Another point Johnson-Sheehan makes is that graphics should be credible and ethical. The writers (and the company or institution he or she represents) is on the line. It would be wise to not use data if what it represents is questionable.
Visuals in the document should not clutter the document, but clarify an important point to the readers. The writer should keep in mind that visuals are powerful tools that can make or break a proposal depending on the time, effort and quality they portray. The writer should be certain the graphics in the proposal are enhancing the proposal, not taking away from it. If the writer is not skilled in graphics he or she may want to employ someone to assist with the graphics in a proposal. This will ensure a quality document.
Style Sheet
Diana Thrasher Style Sheet
Line Level
Body Text: 12pt Arila
Underline: each header of each section of the proposal
Paragraph Level
Leading: 1.5 spaces
Headings: Level 1, 14 pt. Arial, bold, underlined
Justification: Left
Nonsequential lists:circles (filled)
Page Level
Columns: one
Header: none
Footer: centered page number one each page (excluding the cover)
Borders: around figure boxes only, ½ pt. lines
Graphics: Tables fit into one column.
Graphics Level
Font: 10pt.Arial, bold
Borders: ½ pt around each table or graph if necessary
Captions: None
Document Level
Binding: 3 ring binder
Cover stock: Same as body
Paper: 25lb. white standard 8.5x11
____________________________________________________________________
Project Plan
Incorporating research expectations in a predominately humanities teaching college will require careful planning and support in order to build a research culture. It will not happen overnight, and it will take more than one individual to make it happen. Therefore, my primary aim at this point is to produce two complete resource documents for the new grant writer in the College of Architecture, Arts, and Humanities (AAH) to use in developing an idea into a proposal that conforms to the overall goal of a selected funding agency. First, a resource manual containing a set of guidelines to assist in successful proposal development will be compiled. Second, a multimedia document housed on the AAH Research website will be developed that will introduce and highlight the key points of the manual.
AAH can succeed in research but in order to develop a research culture the College must be willing to put the resources into place to enable the new grant seekers to produce winning proposals. This starts at the top and will trickle down. President Barker has laid the ground work with his push for Top 20 status. In order to reach this goal, Clemson’s research dollars must excel at a rapid pace.
The first phase of the project will be to enlist the support from the department chairs. If the chairs are not behind this project, the faculty will not feel it is their best interest to pursue research dollars. The department chairs will be presented with the research history of the University and the future forecast from President Barker. A list of benefits will also be presented to the chairs. These benefits include:
o Grants allow exploration of interest.
o Grants help move a department toward its goals.
o The department/school needs the results that grants generate, such as equipment, personnel and research findings.
o Grants can get things that the institution cannot afford to purchase (e.g., equipment, post doctorial employees, and top-notch graduate students)
o Grants can lead to publishing, the deliverance of papers at professional meetings, and travel.
o Increased indirect return dollars for the department.
This encouragement to pursue research dollars will result in more individuals needing tools and guidance in grant writing in our college. Building a research philosophy will take time, effort, and support. A well laid out plan is important to the success of this project.
Line Level
Body Text: 12pt Arila
Underline: each header of each section of the proposal
Paragraph Level
Leading: 1.5 spaces
Headings: Level 1, 14 pt. Arial, bold, underlined
Justification: Left
Nonsequential lists:circles (filled)
Page Level
Columns: one
Header: none
Footer: centered page number one each page (excluding the cover)
Borders: around figure boxes only, ½ pt. lines
Graphics: Tables fit into one column.
Graphics Level
Font: 10pt.Arial, bold
Borders: ½ pt around each table or graph if necessary
Captions: None
Document Level
Binding: 3 ring binder
Cover stock: Same as body
Paper: 25lb. white standard 8.5x11
____________________________________________________________________
Project Plan
Incorporating research expectations in a predominately humanities teaching college will require careful planning and support in order to build a research culture. It will not happen overnight, and it will take more than one individual to make it happen. Therefore, my primary aim at this point is to produce two complete resource documents for the new grant writer in the College of Architecture, Arts, and Humanities (AAH) to use in developing an idea into a proposal that conforms to the overall goal of a selected funding agency. First, a resource manual containing a set of guidelines to assist in successful proposal development will be compiled. Second, a multimedia document housed on the AAH Research website will be developed that will introduce and highlight the key points of the manual.
AAH can succeed in research but in order to develop a research culture the College must be willing to put the resources into place to enable the new grant seekers to produce winning proposals. This starts at the top and will trickle down. President Barker has laid the ground work with his push for Top 20 status. In order to reach this goal, Clemson’s research dollars must excel at a rapid pace.
The first phase of the project will be to enlist the support from the department chairs. If the chairs are not behind this project, the faculty will not feel it is their best interest to pursue research dollars. The department chairs will be presented with the research history of the University and the future forecast from President Barker. A list of benefits will also be presented to the chairs. These benefits include:
o Grants allow exploration of interest.
o Grants help move a department toward its goals.
o The department/school needs the results that grants generate, such as equipment, personnel and research findings.
o Grants can get things that the institution cannot afford to purchase (e.g., equipment, post doctorial employees, and top-notch graduate students)
o Grants can lead to publishing, the deliverance of papers at professional meetings, and travel.
o Increased indirect return dollars for the department.
This encouragement to pursue research dollars will result in more individuals needing tools and guidance in grant writing in our college. Building a research philosophy will take time, effort, and support. A well laid out plan is important to the success of this project.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Week 3 update
To: Dr. Holmevik
From: Diana Thrasher
Introduction
This project proposes to develop a set of guidelines for the new grant writer in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities to use in developing an idea that conforms to the larger overall goal of a funding agency. This project will not contain instructions on how to do research. This guide will focus on how to seek out funding opportunities and write a winning proposal. A new grant writer needs to be able to identify the needs of the targeted funding agency or approach an agency with an unsolicited request. This project will look at successful versus unsuccessful proposal submissions, and attempt to understand how the project fits into the philosophy and mission of the agency or organization targeted. This manual is designed as a new reference document that will be housed in the Office of Research and Graduate Studies in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities. It will also be available on the AAH Research web site, and will be incorporated into the training cycle conducted by the research office.
Work Completed
As of today I have met with my POC regarding the project section of the proposal. It was suggested I add more research methodology in this section to show the reader(s) how and why I will gather the data to put my project together. I also revisited my current situation. Looking at it through a critical lense, I felt it necessary to add more of the MAPC readings to this section. Writing of the introduction and conclusion was still a challenge even after working through the outline in class. Referencing our class readings to date was very helpful in narrowing down my thoughts for these two sections. I put together the bibliography and put the proposal together to submit the first draft.
I also have reviewed various media for the multimedia project. I am not sure if I can acquire enough footage on the topic to use Final Cut or Movie Maker. Adobe Presenter may be the best package to use. I have downloaded various clips related to our college that I may be able to incorporated into the project.
Future Work
I will revise my first draft of my proposal based on the comments I receive. I will move forward with my multimedia project. I anticipate I will draft a few options and move forward with the one that I feel will be most suited for my project.
Conclusion
I am pleased with my progress to date. I feel the text book we are using in this class is a really good fit for proposal writing, whether the proposal is for academia, business or an external sponsor. There is still a great deal of work to do and a limited amount of time to complete it.
From: Diana Thrasher
Introduction
This project proposes to develop a set of guidelines for the new grant writer in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities to use in developing an idea that conforms to the larger overall goal of a funding agency. This project will not contain instructions on how to do research. This guide will focus on how to seek out funding opportunities and write a winning proposal. A new grant writer needs to be able to identify the needs of the targeted funding agency or approach an agency with an unsolicited request. This project will look at successful versus unsuccessful proposal submissions, and attempt to understand how the project fits into the philosophy and mission of the agency or organization targeted. This manual is designed as a new reference document that will be housed in the Office of Research and Graduate Studies in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities. It will also be available on the AAH Research web site, and will be incorporated into the training cycle conducted by the research office.
Work Completed
As of today I have met with my POC regarding the project section of the proposal. It was suggested I add more research methodology in this section to show the reader(s) how and why I will gather the data to put my project together. I also revisited my current situation. Looking at it through a critical lense, I felt it necessary to add more of the MAPC readings to this section. Writing of the introduction and conclusion was still a challenge even after working through the outline in class. Referencing our class readings to date was very helpful in narrowing down my thoughts for these two sections. I put together the bibliography and put the proposal together to submit the first draft.
I also have reviewed various media for the multimedia project. I am not sure if I can acquire enough footage on the topic to use Final Cut or Movie Maker. Adobe Presenter may be the best package to use. I have downloaded various clips related to our college that I may be able to incorporated into the project.
Future Work
I will revise my first draft of my proposal based on the comments I receive. I will move forward with my multimedia project. I anticipate I will draft a few options and move forward with the one that I feel will be most suited for my project.
Conclusion
I am pleased with my progress to date. I feel the text book we are using in this class is a really good fit for proposal writing, whether the proposal is for academia, business or an external sponsor. There is still a great deal of work to do and a limited amount of time to complete it.
Chapter 10 Designing Proposals
Chapter 10 stresses that a well thought out proposal will be visually interesting as well as being well written. Considering balance, alignment, grouping, and consistency is very important to proposal development. It is not just how you say it, but how you present it.
This chapter talks about balance and grids. These grids seem to be designed for western culture where the reading path is top to bottom, left to right. What if someone not from our culture was reading the proposal? What can and cannot be seen within a frame all are directly involved with the positioning and reading of the image (how the reader download and interprets). The images and text interact to create meaning. As stated above, balance, alignment, grouping and consistency are all very important. This is just one more item to carefully consider when putting a proposal together. This ties back in to your rhetorical strategy and knowing your audience.
Consistency is also a critical part of the proposal. Problems often arise when proposal are written in teams. All too often it is evident the sections of a proposal were written by multiple individuals. It more than a good idea to have one individual delegated at the start of a proposal to oversee this area and make sure everyone is in compliance in regards to page format, font and consistency with key words throughout.
This chapter talks about balance and grids. These grids seem to be designed for western culture where the reading path is top to bottom, left to right. What if someone not from our culture was reading the proposal? What can and cannot be seen within a frame all are directly involved with the positioning and reading of the image (how the reader download and interprets). The images and text interact to create meaning. As stated above, balance, alignment, grouping and consistency are all very important. This is just one more item to carefully consider when putting a proposal together. This ties back in to your rhetorical strategy and knowing your audience.
Consistency is also a critical part of the proposal. Problems often arise when proposal are written in teams. All too often it is evident the sections of a proposal were written by multiple individuals. It more than a good idea to have one individual delegated at the start of a proposal to oversee this area and make sure everyone is in compliance in regards to page format, font and consistency with key words throughout.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Chapter 9 Writing with Style
Style is all about credibility. Your credibility as well as the institution or company you are representing credibility is on the line. Most funders specify the quantity they expect in a proposal, but it is the quality of the proposal that will determine if the funders deems you and your company credible and committed to the proposed project.
The section on writing paragraphs seems pretty basic; however, it is surprising how many proposals are sent out that do not follow these basic guidelines. Stay on point. Do not try to "flatter" the reader(s) with your education and knowledge. Stick with the need to know instead of the want to tell you format. A proposal is intended to prompt future discussions, not rejection.
The goal of a proposal is to be rhetorically persuasive. Using metaphors may not always work to your advantage. A reviewer may be of another nationality or not familiar with the metaphor you deem as familiar. This could result in a negative review.
The section on writing paragraphs seems pretty basic; however, it is surprising how many proposals are sent out that do not follow these basic guidelines. Stay on point. Do not try to "flatter" the reader(s) with your education and knowledge. Stick with the need to know instead of the want to tell you format. A proposal is intended to prompt future discussions, not rejection.
The goal of a proposal is to be rhetorically persuasive. Using metaphors may not always work to your advantage. A reviewer may be of another nationality or not familiar with the metaphor you deem as familiar. This could result in a negative review.
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