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(Quiz c17 proposals.doc)
Chapter 17—Writing Proposals1
Mark the letter(s) of the best response(s) to each question.
1. Proposals have two kinds of deliverables. What are they?
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2. To be persuasive, proposal writers must demonstrate that they understand the readers' needs. According to
Chapter 17, what other two things must they demonstrate?
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3. What are indirect costs?
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4. What are the three graphics most often used to portray a task schedule in a proposal?
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5. What is the difference between formative evaluations and summative evaluations?
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6. ABC Furniture Company wants additional security on its premises. The company wants someone to install a
top-of-the-line burglar alarm system for its two buildings that not only sounds an alarm but also
simultaneously notifies authorities and the company president. Video surveillance of the premises should be
included in the security system. In order to obtain price quotes, the company should write
a. an unsolicited proposal
b. an internal proposal
c. an external proposal
d. a request for proposal
7. Read the following proposal summary. What information is missing?
As a business-management major seeking an internship abroad, I quickly discovered that students seeking
professional jobs overseas have no central source of information to assist them in their pursuit of an
international internship. Consequently, I propose to compile a booklet that will serve as an information bank
for all majors in the College of Business who are seeking internships abroad. I plan to interview students
who have already worked abroad and faculty who have aided these students, as well as survey
organizations that offer internships in foreign countries. I will submit to you a master copy of the booklet, as
well as the booklet's PageMaker file. For the past three years, I have worked in the desktop publishing
division of Mills Printing and am confident that I have the skills to produce a professionally designed booklet.
a.
b.
c.
d.
1
the advance organizer
the cost of the project
the task list
reference citations
Taken from online reading quiz for Chapter 17 at TechComm Web, 20 July 2005
<http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/techcomm/> that accompanies Mike Markel’s Technical Communication (7th ed., Boston:
Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004).
8. From the following list of sentences, select those that might appear in the introduction to a proposal about
expert systems. The proposal is an internal one submitted by a newly hired computer programmer
introducing expert systems as an innovative means to improve the company's data management.
a. An expert system is a computer program that uses knowledge and inference to solve problems previously
requiring human expertise.
b. The following sections will outline the proposed program, the budget, and my qualifications to research
expert systems.
c. I propose to write a report describing the advantages and disadvantages of expert systems.
d. The report will give readers a basic overview of an expert system: the problems that expert systems can
solve, the software tools needed, the human expertise required, and a summary of successful software
designs.
e. All of the above.
9. Hardy Grocery Store has published an RFP for a two-story warehouse addition to its main store. The
warehouse must be built on 5,000 square feet of adjacent property, but must have space for up to 9,000
square feet of storage and have loading platforms for both North and East Street entrances. R & F Architects,
Inc. has responded with a proposal acknowledging the grocery's property restrictions and space requirements.
R & F's proposal includes a sketch of the proposed warehouse with multiple entrances to the exterior, as well
as entrances to the existing building. It adds a chart showing the phases of the project, including the
completion date. R & F also adds a section describing its staff and similar past projects and ends with a bid.
What should R & F add to the proposal to better compete with other organizations bidding on the project?
a. a description of its quality-control measures
b. a listing of the research methods to be used
c. a description of the problem or opportunity
d. a clearer focus on the readers' needs in an internal proposal
10. Read the following excerpt from the Proposed Program section of a proposal for determining the best stereo
system to install in a restaurant. Then choose the statement below that is an INAPPROPRIATE criticism of
the task list.
Task 1. Determine the best brands of stereo equipment to research.
For stereo brands, we will begin by researching Sony, Denon, and JVC. For compatible speakers, we will
research Klipch, Infinity, and Bose. As we obtain specifications for each brand, we will prepare comparative
tables for stereo and speaker brands. If we find other good brands, we will add them to our listings.
Task 2. Obtain expert opinion about stereo and speaker brands.
Once we determine the best two stereo and speaker brands, we will interview employees from two retail
stores: Circuit City and Dave's Electronics SuperStore. These interviews will assist us in understanding the
quality of each brand and the range of equipment costs. We will use this knowledge to determine the stores
that carry the desired brands of stereo and speaker systems.
a.
b.
c.
d.
It needs to report on some initial research justifying the brands chosen for study.
It needs to explain why the two retail stores were chosen for interviews.
It needs to include textual citations to the reference list.
It needs to insert a new Task 1 that describes the problem or opportunity being addressed.