Deck 17: Writing Proposals and Progress Reports

Question 1

The methods section of a proposal for a class research project should clearly indicate how one will get information needed to answer questions posed in the remaining sections of the proposal.

Answer 1

True
Explanation: The methods section of a proposal for a class research project should clearly indicate how one will get information needed to answer questions posed in the remaining sections of the proposal. It should indicate procedures used to get answers to questions one has, and mentioning published sources one will use.

Question 2

Proposals must stress benefits for all affected audiences in order to achieve its goals.

Answer 2

True
Explanation: Proposals have two major goals of getting the project accepted and getting an individual or an organization accepted to do the work. In order to achieve these goals, it needs to stress benefits for all affected audiences.

Question 3

A good work schedule for a proposal of a class research project should provide idealistic estimates for each activity and avoid time for unexpected,unnecessary snags.

Answer 3

False
Explanation: A good work schedule for a proposal of a class research project should provide realistic estimates for each activity, allow time for unexpected snags, and indicate that one can complete the work on time.

Question 4

When writing a sales report,one needs to assume that the buyer understands why a product or system is good.

Question 5

A proposal that goes outside an organization is usually considered to be a legally binding document.

Question 6

"RFP" stands for Research Funding Programs that are often requested by non-governmental agencies.

Question 7

A proposal has one primary goal,which is getting a project accepted,and does not involve getting oneself or an organization accepted to get a job done.

Question 8

The call to action section in a proposal for a class research project should ask an instructor for suggestions on improving the research plan.

Question 9

While writing a sales proposal,it is imperative to know a buyer's priorities,

Question 10

While responding to a request for proposal,it is important to use the same headings,terminology,and structure as used in the document.

Question 11

Work schedules are not needed in proposals for class research projects because the instructor gives a due date for the final project.

Question 12

Proposals are mostly created for projects which are short and less expensive than routine work.

Question 13

Proofreading helps ensure that a proposal's appearance creates a good impression.

Question 14

A good proposal requires one to avoid anticipating questions that readers might have.

Question 15

Writing a proposal for action does not require research or information gathering.

Question 16

It is important to understand that the audience for a proposal are experts in the subject matter and one should prepare proposals accordingly.

Question 17

Writing a good proposal requires a clear understanding of the problem that one needs to solve,and the research and action needed to solve it.

Question 18

Noncompetitive proposals are compared with one another,and only one or a few are selected to receive the limited resources available.

Question 19

Progress reports consist of the work that needs to be done along with who will be doing it.

Question 20

One should begin a proposal with a brief but strong summary of major benefits of having one do the work.

Question 21

When preparing a budget for a proposal,it is important to ask for the least amount of requirements which helps the funder think that one understands the scope of the project.

Question 22

In a budget for a proposal,one should avoid listing out less obvious costs such as overheads.

Question 23

Which of the following questions should a proposal answer?

A) Why would one not be able to complete work within a deadline?
B) Why should one define a problem based on the audience's needs?
C) What problem is one going to solve?
D) Why are rates offered by other companies higher?
E) What benefits are other organizations giving?

Question 24

Kylie is writing the concluding section of a proposal on "Renewable Energy used in villages of Vietnam".Which of the following diction would be appropriate for her proposal?

A) "We will try to install a high number of solar power panels in the Dak Lang province."
B) "We hope to install many solar power panels in several villages of Dak Lang province."
C) "We are thinking of installing 50 solar power panels in the Dak Lang province."
D) "We plan to install 50 solar power panels in the Dak Lang province of Vietnam."
E) "We are visualizing the installation of 50 solar power panels in many villages of Vietnam."

Question 25

While writing progress reports,it is essential to present every detail as equally important instead of emphasizing on specific ones.

Question 26

A good progress report presents good news by speculating on the reader's feelings.

Question 27

Which of the following best represents a good proposal?

A) They are created exclusively for experts.
B) They avoid supporting generalizations and inferences.
C) They anticipate and answer questions by readers.
D) They are complex in form and nature.
E) They limit benefits toward the most influential reader.

Question 28

Which of the following purposes does a proposal serve,if a company knows it needs to change,but unsure of what they should do?

A) Providing a record of the implementation and evaluation process
B) Assessing whether change is a good idea and analyzing why
C) Developing a plan to decide what course of action should be taken
D) Providing insight on whether change is desirable or not
E) Implementing a suitable plan and increasing measurable outcomes

Question 29

If a company is unsure whether it should change or not,a proposal serves the purpose of:

A) Creating a record of the implementation process
B) Developing a plan for achieving the desired change
C) Implementing a suitable plan which meets its needs
D) Increasing measurable outcomes of possible changes
E) Assessing whether change is a good idea.

Question 30

For which of the following reasons are proposals generally created?

A) When projects are shorter than routine work
B) When projects involve costs lower than routine work
C) When project activities are similar to routine work
D) When projects are identical to regular work
E) When projects create larger changes than routine work

Question 31

Good writers of progress reports spend less space explaining the value of their work for the organization and more space writing about the details of what they have done so far.

Question 32

Recommendation progress reports organize information under various tasks one has worked on during a project.

Question 33

Cynthia is writing a proposal to the Wildlife Foundation (WLF)for a project on "Protection of the endangered Snow Leopard in Sri Lanka".The project will aim at providing a safe habitat for the species which will protect them from hunters and collectors.Which of the following is most likely to be a primary goal of her proposal?

A) To get the project accepted by the Wild Life Foundation
B) To review the feasibility of the project and possible outcome
C) To analyze the costs and resources required for the project
D) To monitor the current statistic figures of the species
E) To analyze if the snow leopard species can still be protected

Question 34

While writing the budget section of a proposal,it is important to clearly justify costs that may seem to benefit oneself instead of the sponsor.

Question 35

Sales proposals,particularly for complicated systems costing millions of dollars,are often short and crisp.

Question 36

Which of the following best represent noncompetitive proposals?

A) They often lose out on resources against other proposals.
B) They consist of applications for research funding.
C) They have no real competition from other proposals.
D) They are always awarded to the lowest bidder.
E) They rarely get accepted to be implemented.

Question 37

Which of the following guidelines need to be followed while preparing a proposal?

A) Defining a problem as one sees it, instead of as the audience sees it
B) Avoiding suggestions for predicted consequences if a problem is currently unsolved
C) Provide an ambiguous schedule that shows overall work instead of work completed in each phase
D) Showing that money, time, health, or social concerns do not solve a problem
E) Specifying topics that will be investigated and how data will be gathered

Question 38

Sales proposals which are long,should be presented with a one-page cover letter that presents the proposal clearly.

Question 39

In chronological progress reports,one should summarize progress in terms of goals and the original schedule using measurable statements.

Question 40

If a company needs to change and knows what needs to be done,but needs help doing it,a proposal helps in:

A) Accessing whether change is a good idea or not
B) Providing a plan for achieving desired changes
C) Providing insight on positive and negative impacts
D) Implementing the plan to bring about the change
E) Suggesting alternate outcomes if it decides not to change

Question 41

Abigail who is working on the "Clean Energy Campaign" needs to write a business plan to install solar power panels in 30 villages of Jakarta.Which section in her business plan should she give careful attention which the funding agency will read to make initial decisions about her proposal?

A) Background/history
B) Executive summary
C) Conclusion
D) Title page
E) Body

Question 42

Which of the following is a feature of a good work schedule for a proposal?

A) It provides idealistic time-frames for challenging activities.
B) It avoids time for unexpected snags and delays.
C) It shows that one may be unable to complete work within deadline.
D) It provides realistic estimates for each activity.
E) It avoids using a chart to maintain schedule details.

Question 43

Which of the following guidelines should be followed while writing business plans?

A) Aligning the business plan idea to meet the writer's crucial needs
B) Using me-attitude to demonstrate confidence in one's project
C) Having an ambiguous, lengthy beginning listing out all details
D) Stressing needs the project will meet for the organization
E) Skipping the executive summary which investors find unnecessary

Question 44

Which of the following should be undertaken while writing proposals?

A) Ensure unimportant information is provided in the beginning
B) Place most important data in the beginning or end of the proposal
C) Use a different structure from the RFP to help the proposal stand out better
D) Use headings distinctly different from the RFP when replying to it
E) Avoid using the same terminology as used in the RFP

Question 45

Which of the following should be undertaken if one is not following an RFP?

A) End the proposal with a statement of why one is doing the job
B) End the proposal with implications of a proposed action
C) End the proposal with why a certain action is important
D) Begin with a statement of what one is proposing to do
E) Begin with major benefits of having one to do the job

Question 46

Which of the following should one undertake to write a good proposal?

A) Use a language that an audience expects to see and understand
B) Use bragging diction which gains the respect of the audience
C) Use "believing" diction to make arguments more convincing
D) Choose an unexpected format to capture the audience's attention
E) Avoid the use of facts and figures which make proposals boring

Question 47

Jason Jacob is writing a proposal on providing funds for weaving wheels in townships of Myanmar.He is writing the proposal as part of the "Empowering Women Campaign" of his organization.Which of the following questions should be addressed in the audience section of the proposal?

A) Why does the opportunity of providing spinning wheels need to be explored?
B) Is there a history on the usage of spinning wheels in Myanmar?
C) Can 100 wheels be provided to Myanmar's villages by the end of the financial year?
D) Who in the organization will serve as a gatekeeper?
E) Is necessary information provided to the audience?

Question 48

Which of the following questions does the problem section of a proposal for a class report address?

A) Why does a certain issue need to be solved?
B) How does one know that an opportunity can be explored?
C) What watchdog audiences may read the report?
D) Can a solution be found in the available time?
E) Who will be affected by a recommendation?

Question 49

Which of the following guidelines need to be followed while writing sales reports?

A) Understanding the buyer's requirements and priorities
B) Using technical terminology and jargon which indicate expertise
C) Assuming that the buyer will understand benefits of products
D) Indicating benefits only for specific, important products or services
E) Using me-attitude to present benefits which indicates confidence

Question 50

Sarah who works for Animal Aid Foundation is writing a progress report on efforts to rescue elephants,tigers,and monkeys from circuses.Which of the following would most likely be the best subject line for her report?

A) Circus Animals -What we have done so far
B) Animal Cruelty should be banned by you and me
C) Efforts undertaken by us to save animals
D) Efforts by Animal Aid Foundation to rescue circus animals
E) Show that you care - Stand up against animal cruelty in your city

Question 51

Ethan Hill who works for Small Steps,a child rights organization,is writing a proposal as part of the Literacy Campaign he is working on.The proposal is written for a top-notch multinational company to provide funds for the purchase of computers for underprivileged school children in Taiwan.Which of the following dictions should Hill be using in his proposal?

A) "The campaign has massive potential to tackle illiteracy in Chung-li city of Taiwan."
B) "The campaign will transform the current education system in Chung-li city."
C) "The campaign will help educate children of 20 schools in Chung-li city."
D) "We feel that the campaign will educate children of 20 schools in Chung-li city."
E) "I believe the campaign has huge capacity to transform the education system of Taiwan."

Question 52

Scott is writing the budget section of a proposal on funding for a concert,"Music for a Cause." After careful calculation,he has found that a total of $12,000,000 will be required for the event.Which of the following does he need to do which will help him win the bid?

A) State an amount lower than $12,000,000 which will increase his chances of winning.
B) Exclude less obvious costs such as overhead which can be negotiated.
C) Avoid including costs that will be paid from other sources since they are irrelevant.
D) Ask for $12,000,000 since it is required for the event to be successful.
E) Find out what others are bidding and quote a budget accordingly.

Question 53

Audrey Jones is planning to write a proposal on "The Harmful Impacts of using Chemical Fertilizers" in Ireland.In this proposal,she intends to write about banning the use of chemical fertilizers as a possible solution to the problem of groundwater contamination,as well as its impact on health.Which of the following sections in the proposal would this information be included in?

A) Feasibility
B) Procedure
C) Facilities
D) Resources
E) Audience

Question 54

Lee is researching for a project titled,"Harmful Impact of Electronics on our Lives" and will soon have a research assistant joining him in his project.With another person working on the project,Lee is glad that the work will be completed much before the deadline.However,when he conveyed the good news to the funding agency,they found his statement slightly offensive.Which of the following did Lee most likely say?

A) "You will be overwhelmed to know that a research assistant will be joining me to work on the project."
B) "There will be an additional member on the team who will help fasten the process substantially."
C) "From next week, we will have a research assistant working on the project with me. We expect to finish the work before deadline."
D) "Having a research assistant work on the project will help us complete the work a week before the expected date."
E) "A research assistant will start working on the project from next week to help complete the project at the earliest."

Question 55

Daniel Perez is writing a proposal on "Relief Efforts for Flood Victims in Laos." In the proposal he states that he will gather information by interviewing flood victims and government officials.He also mentions that he will be contacting news reporters who have covered significant information on the catastrophe.Which of the following sections will this information be covered under?

A) Topics to investigate
B) Methods/procedure
C) Audience
D) Qualifications/resources
E) Problem/opportunity

Question 56

Which of the following needs to be followed while preparing progress reports?

A) Using me-attitude to demonstrate a confident attitude
B) Presenting every detail as equally important
C) Exceeding expectations of funding agency or employer
D) Adapting the report to one's own needs
E) Using emphasizing techniques to highlight all features

Question 57

Which of the following questions does the feasibility section of a proposal discuss?

A) Is there a background to the problem discussed?
B) Who in the organization will serve as a gatekeeper?
C) Why does a problem need to be solved or explored?
D) Can a solution be found in the allotted time?
E) What problem or opportunity exists in a situation?

Question 58

Joshua Baker,who works for a telecom company,recently prepared a proposal for a road show in Manhattan.In the proposal,he listed out activities such as production of banners and props,permission from government officials to host the show on Houston Street,organizing volunteers to interact with crowds,along with timelines for each activity to be completed. Under which of the following sections was this information covered in the proposal?

A) Work schedule
B) Call to action
C) Methods
D) Feasibility
E) Qualifications

Question 59

Taylor is writing a progress report on development of a new software program for a client.She and her team faced a technical glitch last week which however,has been solved now.Which of the following is the best way to present this information to the client?

A) "I'm really sorry, but we're running 2 days behind schedule. We will however be back on schedule by the end of the month."
B) "We have had a major problem last week because of which our work is affected to an extent. However, we should be able to finish by the due date."
C) "We overcame a major technical glitch last week. We are now on track and expect to finish the work by the due date."
D) "After correcting the huge problem we had last week, we should be back on track by due date if we face no other glitches."
E) "Please accept our sincere apologies. We will be unable to complete the work according to the estimated deadline."

Question 60

Isabella has completed writing a chronological progress report on marketing a newly launched line of clothing.Which of the following statements would best summarize her report?

A) "As discussed, we are more or less on track with the project deadline and work schedule."
B) "Things are going well and we have only had one significant setback so far."
C) "The project is 25 percent complete and going according to our planned work schedule."
D) "Though we had planned on progressing at 10% pace every week, we are doing much more."
E) "We had strived to achieve our targets by the end of the month, but we are outdoing our targets."

Question 61

What are some of the questions that a good proposal must answer convincingly?
To write a good proposal,one needs to have a clear understanding of the problem that one hopes to solve and things that are needed to solve it.A proposal must convincingly answer the following questions:
1.What is the problem that one will solve?
2.Why does a problem or opportunity need to be solved or explored immediately?
3.How will the problem be solved?
4.Can one do the work needed to solve a problem or explore an opportunity?
5.Why should one be the person to be doing the work?
6.When will one finish the work?
7.How much will one charge?
8.What exactly will one provide for the organization?

Question 62

What are the sections that a proposal for a student report consists of?

Question 63

Explain with an example,the work schedule section of a proposal.

Question 64

What is the best way to organize a cover letter for a long sales proposal?

Question 65

What are proposals for action? Explain.

Question 66

What does the qualifications/resources/facilities section of a proposal cover? Discuss with the help of an example.

Question 67

How important is an executive summary in a business plan?

Question 68

Explain with the help of an example,what the problem section of a proposal deals with.

Question 69

Discuss with the help of an example why calculating figures conservatively is recommended in preparing budgets for a proposal.

Question 70

Discuss with the use of an example,the methods section of a proposal.

Question 71

What are competitive proposals and how are they different from noncompetitive proposals?

Question 72

Why should a substantial amount of time be allotted before a due date for a proposal?

Question 73

What are task project reports? Explain.

Question 74

What are RFPs and what guidelines should be followed when responding to one? Explain.

Question 75

Olivia is preparing a proposal on a marketing plan for new line of leather boots.In the proposal,she states,"I believe that marketing the Chic line of leather boots through new media offers a great opportunity to showcase the product." Explain whether Olivia has used the correct diction required for a proposal.