Investigation Proposal Background
You work for a 9-person non-profit agency. Your boss has asked you to select an inexpensive used company car
that can seat four people easily and everyone can drive (e.g., a 4-door automatic).
Notes from the meeting with the boss:
Find a car that is low in cost, high in reliability, a good performer, and reasonably safe, in that order.
Consider year made, roominess, and mileage
Mileage guidelines: under 90k--great, 90-110--good, 111-135--fine, 135+=too high
Don’t want to spend more than $4,000-5,000
Not too nice, not a beater.
Compare a couple of cars
Need to balance year—mileage—price
Don’t worry about financing, payments, etc.
Other metrics:
Use Consumer Reports, for most if not all your research.
Find two local cars
--might need to find contrasting cars
--make a print-out of the suggested cars
http://consumerguide.cars.com
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/autos/aut03.shtm
http://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/10-steps-to-buying-a-used-car.html
Autotrader.com
Craigslist (watch out for scams: don’t bother with any good car at a cheap price)
Dealer websites.
Investigation Proposal Criteria
Abstract: In two hundred words or less, states the project goal, explains the criteria and presents the proposal,
with the most compelling evidence; be sure to include any qualifications. Print on separate page, staple at the
front.
Content:
--find two local cars that fit the criteria
--support the proposal with most significant facts, statistics, examples, reasons, and expert opinions.
--anticipate and respond to the most significant qualifications or opposing arguments.
--clarify and expand the evidence with your own thoughts
Conclusion: The writing concludes with a reasonable proposal, which briefly recaps the evidence that supports
this conclusion.
Works Cited: Includes all works cited on a separate, final page. Any style is acceptable, even one of your own
making.
Organization:
--proposal is clear
--focused paragraphs with topic sentence used as needed
--aids the reader in comparing distinctive differences that contributed to a final decision
Format: Parenthetical citations are inserted in the text to connect the statement with the source of the
information for the statement:
“The LeCar remains one of automotive history’s most unhappy jokes” (Consumer Reports 15).
The LeCar is not a good choice (Consumer Reports 15).
If the entire paragraph’s information comes from the same page, you may place the parentheses at the end of the
paragraph.
Grammar: Run-ons/comma splices, fragments, opening commas, spelling, and standard usage
Format: Double-spaced, paragraph indentation, proper heading and header
Tone/Word Choice
--Communicates clearly and precisely in a reasonable tone and confident voice. The message is highly readable
with no slang or informality.
Sentence Fluency
--Clear, varied sentence structures; avoid choppy, incomplete, rambling, awkward, or repetitive sentences
Word choice: clear, precise, confident, highly readable