Reports and proposals
Write persuasive reports and proposals: clear headings, evidence-based findings, costed recommendations and a professional tone.
In this lesson you will
- Distinguish reports (what is) from proposals (what should be)
- Structure a proposal with justification
- Use persuasive but professional language
Learn
A report describes and evaluates a situation (findings); a proposal argues for a future action (plan, benefits, costs). Both use headings and a formal, reader-friendly layout.
Proposal structure: Introduction/Purpose → Current situation → Proposed plan → Benefits → Costs/Practicalities → Conclusion/Recommendation.
Persuasive professional language: I propose that… ; This would enable… ; A key advantage would be… ; The initial outlay would be offset by… ; I would strongly recommend…
Evidence: support claims with data, examples or precedent: A similar scheme in X reduced costs by 15%. Anticipate objections: While there would be some disruption, this could be minimised by…
Examples
- The purpose of this proposal is to recommend a staff mentoring scheme.
- This would enable new employees to become productive more quickly.
- The initial cost would be offset by lower staff turnover.
- I would therefore strongly recommend a six-month pilot.
Vocabulary
proposal
a formal plan or suggestion
outlay
money spent at the start
offset
balance by an opposite effect
pilot
a small-scale trial
precedent
an earlier example
Practice
A proposal mainly…
Speaking
Pitch your proposal to a panel in two minutes, then answer one imagined objection.
Writing
Write a proposal (250–300 words) to your college principal for a new student well-being centre, with headings, benefits, costs and a recommendation.
- ☐ Headings
- ☐ Current situation
- ☐ Clear plan
- ☐ Benefits with evidence
- ☐ Costs and practicalities
- ☐ Objection anticipated
- ☐ Clear recommendation
Lesson quiz
A “pilot” is…
Review
Key points
- Report = what is; proposal = what should be.
- Headings and clear structure.
- Benefits, costs, evidence.
- Anticipate objections; recommend.
What you learned
- ✓ I can write proposals.
- ✓ I justify recommendations.
- ✓ I sound persuasive and professional.