Memo to Peer: Sample #1

Date: June 12, 2001
To: Danika Brown
From: Rebecca Snow
Re: Proposal Recommendations

I have read and reviewed your proposal to complete a web based resource analyzing Tucson’s Living Wage Campaign. You indicate that your purpose for the project will be to “create awareness, provide resources, and suggest actions” regarding this issue. Based on the background you provide in the proposal, I believe the project will be a useful and informative analysis. At this time, I would like to make some recommendations for your consideration as you finalize this proposal for submission.

Scope

You have identified a clear subject for your research, the Tucson Living Wage Campaign, however, you also indicate that you will place this campaign within a national “context, reviewing the history of other campaigns.” While that national context would be highly relevant and useful, any extensive research and write up of the national context may be beyond the scope of this particular project. Your proposal makes the promise that your final project will include that in depth national research. You might consider qualifying that research as a brief review or a bibliography for additional research.

Audience

Your proposal indicates that you will publish the final write up of your project as a web page of analysis and resources on this issue. By making the web page the “general resource” you have proposed, you have not really identified a specific audience. You might consider focusing a bit more on a particular audience. For example, you might consider your audience to be primarily people who do not make a living wage, providing them with important information about what is going on in the community that concerns them and how they might get involved. This would not limit others from learning about the issue from your project, but would focus your pages a bit more clearly so you will be able to make choices about tone, content, and emphasis. You might choose a different primary audience from what I have suggested here, but I would recommend that you do identify a primary audience for the information and analysis you will be doing.

Resources

You have an impressive list of research materials and local contacts for the project. One resource that you might consult as you work on the proposal and project would be the Primavera Foundation, as I believe they are working on a related campaign on the conditions of day laborers in Tucson. If you need their contact information, please let me know and I will give you that information.

I am looking forward to seeing your presentation of the final project. If any of the suggestions I have made here are not clear or would like to talk about your project further, please let me know in class, or by email at rsnow@email.com.