Introduction
Source: Razr billboard, Infrogmation, Wikimedia Commons
In this lesson, you will learn how to write an essay proposal. Usually essay proposals are required by teachers and professors for longer papers such as a research paper, an end-of-term project, or a dissertation. But even if a proposal for an essay is not required, it’s important to know what you need to consider before writing the draft of an essay and to have a plan for developing the essay in a clear and logical way.
Every piece of writing that you do can be judged as “good” or “bad” writing but only within the context of its purpose and audience. Good writing is writing that does what you want it to do. If you want to thank your young niece or nephew for something, you probably use first person and an informal or casual style. The point is, you want to make sure your writing “does what you want the writing to do.”
If you want your writing to demonstrate to a teacher that you have thought carefully about a topic, you shouldn’t turn in a paper that looks like a first draft or a journal page and uses casual expressions such as “you know,” “she was like,” “I guess what I mean is,” and others. This kind of writing won’t do the job. Even minimal writing on a billboard can be “good” writing if it achieves its purpose.
You probably don’t want to write an essay to shock anyone, nor will you want your essay to express your gratitude for a gift.
You can write the answers to questions in your notes.
Instructions for Using the Take Notes Tool
- Click the Take Notes button in the left Epsilen navigation menu to open the Take Notes popup page.
- You may edit the Title or leave it as the title of the course.
- Enter your notes in the Content box.
- Click the Save button. You may now refer to these notes whenever you open the Take Notes popup page.
Activity: Which one is good writing?
Just to make the point that good writing is writing that does what you want it to do, choose the best text for each of the following audience and purpose situations.
Type in your answers using your notes.
Source: La Divina Gelateria, Infrogmation, Wikimedia Commons
Audience: Patrons of a restaurant
Purpose: Make them feel welcome
Text #1: This restaurant has passed the recent safety inspection with almost perfect scores. All of our food is safe for human consumption. Extermination crews visit our kitchen monthly.
Sample Response:
This addresses the right audience but doesn’t do much to welcome them, so it fails at addressing the purpose.
CloseText #2: Make yourself at home. We’re here to make you comfortable.
Sample Response:
Pretty obvious that this is the best example in this set. It addresses both purpose and audience.
CloseText # 3: Hey, you. Glad you’re here. Tuck in a bib and elbow your way up to the trough.
Sample Response:
It would depend on the actual type of patron that the restaurant is targeting, but this text will not make ordinary restaurant patrons feel welcome.
CloseAudience: Your mother
Purpose: Get her to stop sending clippings from the local paper without offending her
Text #1: Mom, stop it.
Sample Response:
This one depends on what your mother is like, and what your relationship with her is. It may be that this works. However, most mothers would be somewhat offended.
CloseText #2: You know I love it that you are thinking about me, but I have probably more reading to do for my history course than I can handle. Why don’t you save the clippings for a time when I’m home on vacation?
Sample Response:
This one addresses the purpose of avoiding offense, so depending on the type of mother you have, it is probably the best choice.
CloseText #3: I love to read clippings. The ones you send are always interesting. I’m accumulating quite a collection. My friends say they want to meet the mother who sends all these clippings. You really don’t have to do it.
Sample Response:
This goes so far in avoiding offense that it might miss the part of the purpose that is getting her to stop sending clippings. Not the best choice.
CloseAudience: Your boss
Purpose: Get three extra vacation days
Text #1: I need three days extra added to my vacation. Please note this.
Sample Response:
Most bosses don’t take well to being given directives by their employees. This one fails to take the audience into account.
CloseText #2: I don’t deserve it of course. I know I’m not the best employee. I hope you will not fire me because of my excessive absences. I have a request to make. I hope you will take pity on me. Three more vacation days. Please.
Sample Response:
Unless the purpose is extended to include making your boss sick of your groveling, this one fails. You’re unlikely to get your extra days by using this as a model.
CloseText #3: Because of my hard work and diligence the past six months, I know you will understand my need for some time off. I would like to request three additional vacation days . . .
Sample Response:
This one is the best choice of a text that addresses both audience and purpose.
Close