Report Proposal Memo
Report Proposal Memo
Business Writing: English 205
Professor Alred
Date Due ~ See Course Schedule
Submit a memo proposing a topic for your formal report. This memo is your
request to me (as the instructor of this class) for approval of a topic
that you have selected. Your memo should give me the answers to the
following questions--but not necessarily in the order or wording that
follows. In other words, these questions should help you give me the
information that
I need to feel confident that you can do
the job and that I should approve your topic.
Audience: Who will your hypothetical readers be? primary?
secondary?
Context: What is the hypothetical organizational setting or reason
you've
been asked to prepare this report?
Objective: What do you want your readers to know or believe after
having read your report?
Subject: What do you plan to investigate? Be as specific as
possible at this point.
Problems: What problems might you face in gathering material? Are
you reasonably sure the answer can be found in the time available for the
report?
Scope: What information will you likely give your reader? What
aspects of the topic will you discuss in depth? in general? What will
help you make such decisions?
Schedule: What activities, tasks, or goals will you need to
accomplish to meet the schedule you must follow?
Sources: Where do you expect to get your information? Are you sure
the sources are available to you? Why?
In a concluding paragraph, indicate your willingness to discuss your
proposal and to keep in touch with me. You should urge me to approve your
topic quickly, but you should suggest a reason or advantage for a prompt
approval so your urging does not sound arbitrary.
Format: Follow the entry
memorandums (Figure M-4) and you should
single space. As usual, follow the general
guidelines on the syllabus.