When writing a proposal it’s important to have an effective plan. The plan describes the problem and how it should be solved. The plan should first explain the proposed procedure and then certain steps which should be clearly labeled and easy to understand. There should also be a timeline chart that explains the plan. The chart should have effective labels and graphics to appeal to the audience. It is important for the plan to be consistent throughout the proposal. In the following paragraphs I will describe and critique the different research plans and focus on the strengths and weaknesses of each.

            The first research plan is proposing for a renovation of the recreational intramural fields. In my opinion this is a good concept, but this plan did not explain the importance of the renovation or why it was needed. This plan was difficult to understand. I think it could be improved by using more everyday terms that the average person can understand. The time periods for this project seem unrealistic to me. I think it will take longer than the time shown.  The strengths of this plan are that the six steps are labeled and in a consistent order with one another. The timeline chart for this plan is color coded and labeled according to the steps previously described. The timeline also keeps record of the dates in which the steps are to be completed.

            The next plan is proposing changes to be made to the health code in all
Lubbock area restaurants.  I found this plan to be very effective. The proposed procedure is clearly stated and easy to understand. Like the first proposal the steps are labeled and in a consistent order. Bullets are also used which makes information stand out.  The time period for this proposal is realistic. Another strength in this plan is the timeline chart. It is clearly labeled and color coded. The only thing I would add to this plan is a budget section.

            The last research plan is describing a proposed plan for an underground pedestrian tunnel. I thought this plan was effective and well written. The procedure is clearly stated. It explains the possible benefits of having a tunnel and why one is needed.  This plan also included research from other universities with pedestrian tunnels. Another strength was the budget was included in the plan. The steps are clearly labeled and easy to identify and the timeline chart is color coded and labeled accordingly. Overall, this plan was very consistent throughout; the only thing I might change would be to add bullets so that important information can be viewed easily.

            After doing this reader response, I now have a better understanding of what to include in a research plan, as well as what to leave out. This assignment will help when we are drafting our group proposal. I will be sure to include all of the correct information in order to have a good research plan.

          Gestalt’s five document design principles are balance, alignment, grouping, consistency and contrast. These principles are used to help grab the readers’ attention and to make the document easier to read and understand. The bulletin used for this assignment includes some of these principles but not all of them. The following will explain the design principles found in this bulletin and suggest areas where I think they can be improved.                   

 Balance is important because it creates a stable feeling in the text. The bulletin has three columns so the text appears balanced. However, the green line at the bottom of the page is not equally balanced with the large graphic at the top. I think the balance would be more even if the size of the graphic was decreased because it would allow more attention to focus on the actual text of the document and not  be so over powering. The “Message from the CIO” is lost in the clutter of the graphics. An important message such as this should have been placed more appropriately. To create more balance within the bulletin it might be helpful to add a sidebar or margin comments.           

The next design principle is alignment. Images and text in a document should be alligned to show the document’s structure or hierarchy. The bulletin shows a hierarchy by using lists throughout the document. It has a horizontal alignment. To improve the alignment of the bulletin I would allign the graphics and the text that goes with it so it will be easier to read. Again, the top “Message from the CIO” is not aligned with the graphics. Neither complements the other.           

The next design principle is grouping. Grouping seperates the text using headings, rules and borders to make words and images stand out and easier to read. The bulletin does have a few headings but I would also add sub-headings to separate the text. It does a good job on using white space, it is evenly distributed throughout the document. In the banner space at the top I would not have put the red “Special Edition” graphic or “IT Spring Cleaning”. Those two headlines would have been more appropriately grouped over the clothesline graphic.           

   Consistency is the next design principle. It makes documents more accessible. Inconsistent documents are more difficult to read and interpret. The bulletin is consistent in the font for the most part and it uses lists consistently within it. I would add explanations with the graphics to fully explain them and create more consistency. The font in the Message from the CIO is too small and hard to read. An important message such as this should have been placed in the body of the text  set apart by a border. The text of this bulletin is fairly consistent, but I find the headline graphics and text inconsistent.          

The last design principle is contrast. Contrast is used to make text and other features stand out. One should be careful when using contrast because when you have too much contrast it can make the elements compete with each other. The background color and border of the document show contrast and make the text easy to read. Using a green font for the headings and also bolding and italicizing the text creates contrast. Again, this is where the headline has a few problems. There is too much contrast. The text, font sizes, and graphics all compete with one another.