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Phil Druker/ Department of English/ UI |
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Proposal sample This is a good sample proposal. Note that the author followed the outline for proposals. The methods section is especially strong. Check the notes in green. A proposal for an article on escalating noise levels and the harmful effects to humans, habitats, and animals entitled “Curtail the Cacophony”
I. INTRODUCTION A. Background--the author used her "Place+Narration" assignment to write this section The sign outside the Comfort Inn reads NO VACANCIES. The lobby buzzes with sound. I stand at the check-in counter, strumming my fingers on the Formica top. Phones ring off the hook. The murmur of conversation surrounds me. A TV blares from the vending machine room around the corner. The clerk, with phone to her ear, nods her head and points down the hall. I smile and turn to go. The strap of my bulky bag digs into my shoulder. I shuffle through the thin door and turn right. I carry my purse, a motel map, and a plastic room key in one hand—my feather pillow tucked under my arm—while clenching my travel cooler and shopping bag in the other hand. The elevator doors clamor open. I heave myself in just as the doors ding closed. As I bend over to punch the button, my sunglasses fall to the floor. The trip up to Liberty Lake had been a raucous scramble. Determined to find some quiet time and do a little bit of shopping, I’d made a plan to get out of my hometown of Moscow for the night. I’d had a dozen things to do before I left town. Work, phone calls, bills, housecleaning—they’d taken me much of the day. Finally, with everything squared away and my bags packed, I jumped in the car. I drove through my neighborhood quickly. The area, once rolling hills of farmland, now appeared patch-worked with new houses and roads. An old farmhouse and horse pasture stood oddly out of place in the middle of the advancing sprawl of urban living. A pheasant ran out in front of me. I slammed on the brakes. Heading into the center of town, I soon reached the highway. The light at the intersection turned yellow just as I got there. I gunned my motor and, pulling out in front of a peapod-green 18-wheel chip truck, sailed through as the light turned red. I punched my cassette into the player and soon lost myself in a melody of country twang. I knew I’d gotten a late start, but I figured I could make up some time. What I hadn’t expected was road construction every 15 miles: not the slow-me-down kind of road construction, but the stop-me-for-20-minutes-so-I-can-bake-in-the-blistering-afternoon-sun road construction. The delays were so long, I had to turn my car off so it wouldn’t overheat. Without power for the air conditioner, my little 1995 Saturn quickly became an Easy Bake Oven. I rolled my window down, hoping to let a fresh breeze blow through. The growl of heavy-truck brakes caught my attention. I leaned away from the window when a 30-ton monster of a truck thundered by—a little too close for comfort. It blasted past me, and a ringing sounded in my ears. A twinge of pain flashed at my temple. I shook my head. Feeling deafened and with dust too thick to breathe rushing toward me, I rolled up my window. Finally, the pilot car arrived. The pickup truck in front of me lunged forward, flinging gravel at my grill. “Easy there buddy,” I thought. But, hoping to make up for lost time, I steered my Easy Bake Oven north on the highway and I, too, stepped on the gas. The hot pavement hummed as the miles passed below and the wind whistled past my window. Upon reaching the outskirts of the city, I lifted my foot off the accelerator. The engine rumbled, and I shifted into third. Coeur d’Alene was crawling with cars. I slowed and eased through town—destination Interstate 90, then west toward Spokane. The traffic thickened. I reached over and shut off the cassette. I needed to concentrate. I shoved the gearshift into second. Quivering heat waves floated on the hood of my car. Another block rolled away under my tires; I shifted into first. Ahead the light shone green, but the car in front of me wasn’t moving. Trapped in traffic stretching for as far as I could see, I had no place to go. The pain at my temple returned, tiny pulses thumped with each rapid beat of my heart. I rolled my eyes and stared at the gridlock and confusion. Five lanes of idling engines, backfiring exhausts, muffled music, and angry drivers with impatient horns: my biscuits were baking. My room is located on the third floor at the far end of the narrow hall. Lugging my belongings down the long, dark corridor, I stop at room 323. I swipe the plastic key card through the lock. The light blinks red. I swipe it again. Red. On the third time, the lock clicks and the light flashes green. I scramble through the heavy door barely clearing my bulky load before it slams shut. I am exhausted. I’d maneuvered my way through road construction, traffic jams, aggravating noise, road rage, and intensifying heat. I’d even gotten lost finding the motel in the dark, but I’d made it. Now I wanted peace and quiet. I set my bags and cooler in the corner and reach into the plastic ShopKo sack. It crinkles noisily as I pull out my new bottles of shampoo and conditioner. The shower is hot, at least for the first 15 minutes. The bathroom fan clamors overhead, and the heated lamp makes me sweat even as I towel off. Moving into the other room, I pull on cool cotton pajamas and jump between the sheets. I reach up and turn off the light. My still-wet hair plops down on the pillow. A moment passes. I take a deep breath and try to relax my body. Slowly I become aware of my surroundings. In irritation, I notice the air conditioner bellowing in the corner. It wheezes and rumbles. I squeeze my eyes closed. The fan begins to click and rattle. I roll over. The unit strains as it surges, then grinds itself down, then surges again. The blanket feels tight at my feet. I kick at it to make more room. Mounted below the window, the air conditioner blasts its icy air straight into the heavy curtains. They rustle and billow in the darkness. I reach up, flick on the lamp, and jump out of bed. Turning off the air conditioner, I slide open the window. The evening air has cooled, and a fresh breeze blows on my face. I crawl back into the messy covers. Expecting silence, I am startled by the inundation of sound. The traffic that haunted me on my trip up here now blares from outside my window. The rumbling blasts of semi-trucks barreling down the freeway assault my ears. Big cars, small cars, motorcycles, I can hear them all. The noise shocks. I leap out of bed without turning on the light. Crossing the room, I slam the window closed and punch blindly at the buttons below. As the AC bellows back to life, I throw myself into bed and yank the pillow over my face. Perhaps my mistake was driving to the city to find peace and quiet. I’d left the hustle of my own town for the bustle of another. Looking for a break and longing for relaxation, I’d found myself, instead, caught up in a chaos of sound. Noise followed me wherever I went and trapped me in a sleepless night. Splashing water on my face the next morning, I realized that this was not an isolated incident. Big cities, small towns, or open country, noise pollution has become a growing issue in our country. Increasing population, strained infrastructures, advancing technology, and urban living contribute to the problem. The cacophony threatens and deafens. Our highways hammer with huge volumes of traffic; our cities vibrate with manufacturing, motors, music, and mowers. This assault on silence has serious consequences to our health and the quality of our lives. The insidiousness and intrusiveness of noise pollution can have real and negative consequences on our well-being. In 1996, the World Health Organization declared that noise represented “a significant health threat.” Health issues include reduced regenerative sleep, hearing loss, increased stress—that overtime can produce elevated blood pressure levels, and psychological disorders (Blanchard, 1998). My road trip to Liberty Lake illustrates just that. The heavy road construction equipment, the toxic traffic, the motoring of my car, and even the melodies that floated from the cassette player in my dash created a constant inundating din. My stress, anxiety, and pulse rose, and my ability to concentrate declined. Even in the privacy of my motel room, I could not find peace and quiet. This loss of environmental silence threatens our well-being. Our health is at stake—the cacophony has become inescapable. B. Problem Statement--note the question that the final essay will answer Students interested in environmental issues need to know about how increasing noise levels have detrimental effects on humans. II. SOLUTION A. Objectives--note the outline for the final report that she proposes I propose to write an article that describes the physical and psychological risks associated with escalating noise levels and prolonged exposure. My goal is to increase awareness of the potential risks, so that people may make informed decisions to protect their health and quality of life. Thesis: We can curtail the cacophony by raising awareness and educating the public to the risks associated with collective or long-term noise exposure and to the protection and prevention measures available. Objectives: The purpose of this article is to inform readers of the harmful effects of noise pollution on humans and animals in land and aquatic environments. Through education, the public will be better prepared to protect themselves and the environment from rising noise levels. This article is intended for people who are concerned about health issues. Numerous magazines that offer information on maintaining health may be interested in my article. Examples include the following: Health, a magazine for women, Prevention, a magazine for young and middle-age adults, and Parents, a magazine for people with children. Area newspapers may also be interested in this article. OUTLINE: I. Introduction II. Has the amount of noise increased? A. Measurement of noise levels B. Negative effects of growing population and urban sprawl C. Negative effects of advances in technology III. How does this affect the environment? A. Physical effects on people B. Physical effects on animals C. Psychological effects on people D. Cultural changes IV. What solutions are available? A. Awareness B. Prevention measures and personal responsibility C. Additional research D. Stronger regulations and government labeling standards V. What’s at stake?: health, hearing, well-being VI. Conclusion C. Methods--the author provides good summaries and evaluations that relate specifically to the objectives. (See Summary Samples for ideas about writing the summaries for this section.) I hope to interview Assistant Professor Ella Inglebret at the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, on the causes and physical effects of noise-induced hearing loss. I will also refer to the following journal articles: 1) Blanchard, N. (1998, March-April). The quietest war: for many Americans, noise pollution is no joke. The Environmental Magazine. Retrieved September 6, 2005 from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1594/ia_n2_v9/ai_20492806/print This article describes the serious health problems that noise pollution causes in children and adults. Physical health issues include loss of hearing, increased stress, high blood pressure, and reduced sleep. Psychological health issues include increased anxiety and inability to concentrate. As a result, people are experiencing greater distraction during waking hours and lowered productivity at work. This article states that, in addition to affecting health, noise pollution is an infringement on civil liberties. Finally, the article suggests that people need to take personal responsibility to reduce noise levels in their neighborhoods. This article is extremely informative and well thought out. It provides me with basic background as well as information on health issues and the cultural effects on people. This article provides information relating to sections III. A. Physical effects on people, III. D. Psychological effects on people, and IV. A. Awareness in my proposal outline. 2) Chepesiuk, R. (2005, January). Decibel hell. Environmental Health Perspectives, 113. A35-A41. This article provides information on the growing problem and causes of noise pollution. Population growth, urban sprawl, and increases in traffic and aircraft transportation are having a marked effect on noise levels. Escalating decibel levels and prolonged exposure increase the risks to hearing and health. In the United States, 30 million employees are vulnerable to the possibility of hearing loss because of hazardous noise levels on the job. Children and animals are also at risk to the physical effects of noise, such as stress, elevated blood pressure, and increased heart rate. This article provides basic background on how decibel levels are measured. It allows me to illustrate the health and hearing risks due to combined decibel levels and extended exposures that occur in everyday life. This article provides information relating to sections II. A. Measurement of noise levels, II. B. Growing population and urban sprawl, IV. A. Awareness, and IV. D. Stronger regulations and government labeling standards in my proposal outline. 3) Kawada, T. (1999, September). Change in rapid eye movement sleep in response to exposure to all-night noise and transient noise – REM. Archives of Environmental Health. Retrieved September 6, 2005 from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0907/is_5_54ai_57872307/print This article summarizes a study conducted to determine the effects of Non-rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep suppression due to noise exposure. REM sleep is crucial for the brain to recover from activity and fatigue. This study explored the minimum amount and length of noise exposure that affected REM. Results showed a negative correlation between sleep stability/attainment of REM and exposure to all-night and temporary traffic noise. This article, along with descriptions of the physiological benefits of sleep, allows me to illustrate the possible long-term health effects connected with loss of REM sleep. This article provides information relating to sections III. A. Physical effects on people and III. C. Psychological effects on people in my proposal outline. 4) Manuel, J. (2005, January). Clamoring for quiet. Environmental Health Perspectives, 113. A47-A49. This article provides information on new technologies that are being developed to fight noise pollution. Currently, NASA is developing technology to reduce commercial aircraft take-off noise and to more effectively contain aircraft noise within airport boundaries. This article presents a positive perspective on the problem. It allows me to effectively present a counterbalance for my argument by providing information on what is being done to combat the noise pollution problem. This article provides information relating to sections IV. B. Preventaion measures and personal responsibility, and IV. C. Additional research in my proposal outline. 5) Montgomery, S. (1997, March-April). From sea to noisy sea – undersea noise pollution – Special Report. Animals. Retrieved September 6, 2005 from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FRO/isn2v130/ai19225853/print This article focuses on the effects of noise pollution on underwater species and environments. The author interviews whale researchers and describes the damaging effects that noise levels have on the acoustic environment of whales. High levels of sound can make underwater animals vulnerable, because it disturbs their ability to communicate, find mates, guide migrations, hunt, and avoid predators. The disrupting noise pollution taxes and may endanger whales or other marine species. This article provides me with information on the direct consequences of noise pollution to animals. It allows me to illustrate that noise pollution threatens animals as well as humans. This article provides information relating to sections II. C. Advances in technology and III. B. Physical effects on animals in my proposal outline. 6) National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). Noise-induced hearing loss. Retrieved September 27, 2005 from http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/noise.asp This web page contains information on noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). It describes the functioning of the inner ear and the sounds that cause damage and may result in hearing loss. Reduced ability to hear may be compounded with other symptoms, such as ringing or buzzing in one’s ears. This tinnitus can add to the distortion or muffling of sound and impede the person’s ability to understand speech. More than 28 million Americans suffer from some degree of hearing loss; one-third of those are the result of NIHL. This web page provides me with background information on hearing loss. I will use it to discuss the effects of NIHL and suggest prevention measures. This article provides information relating to section IV. B. Prevention measures and personal responsibility in my proposal outline. 7) National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). Protect yourself and your family from noise-induced hearing loss. Retrieved September 27, 2005 from http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/wiseears.asp This web page contains information on how to prevent noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). It recommends that everyone take action to protect his or her hearing. NIHL has reached epidemic proportions in work environments, putting 30 million Americans at risk. Currently, NIHL is the most common work-related disease. The NIDCD suggests that people wear hearing protection devices to prevent hearing loss. This web page provides me with background information on hearing loss and the hearing protection devices that are available. I will use it to discuss the effects of NIHL and suggest prevention measures. This article provides information relating to section IV. B. Prevention measures and personal responsibility in my proposal outline. 8) O’Brien, B. (1992, July-August). Quest for quiet – efforts to reduce noise pollution in wilderness areas. Sierra. Retrieved September 6, 2005 from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1525/is_n4_v77ai_12449675/print This article explores the deteriorating effects that increasing noise pollution is having on our environment. Noise levels are interfering with animal mating calls, bird song communication, and winter hibernation. Although current federal restrictions are in place for airplane flights in some designated areas, increased restrictions are necessary to deal with this growing problem. This article allows me to expand the issue of noise pollution beyond the effect it has on humans. It provides me with detailed information about the harmful effects to animals. This article provides information relating to outline sections III. B. Physical effects on animals and IV. D. Stronger regulations and government labeling standards in my proposal outline. 9) Roberts, R.A., Koehnke, J. & Besing, J. (2003, Dec.) Effects of noise and reverberation on the precedence effect in listeners with Normal hearing and impaired hearing. American Journal of Audiology, 99, (2), 96-105. This article summarizes a study that was conducted to determine the effects of reverberation and noise on the precedence effect to those with hearing loss. In people with hearing loss, reverberant environments decrease understanding of speech and identification of the location of sound. Sounds that reflect off walls, floors, or objects in the environment, interfere not only with the ability to fuse and make sense of sound, but also with the time required to fuse the sound. The precedence effect occurs when initial sound waves fuse with subsequent sound waves in the process of localizing sound. This article provides me detailed descriptions of the difficulties experienced by people with impaired hearing to comprehend and make sense of sounds in realistic listening situations. The article allows me to illustrate the importance of protecting one’s hearing by limiting noise exposure and wearing protective devices. This article provides information relating to sections V. What’s at stake?: health, hearing, well-being and VI. Conclusion in my proposal outline. 10) Weiten, W. (2001) Variations in consciousness. Psychology Themes & Variations, 5th ed., 179-192. This chapter summarizes the sleep and waking cycle of the human body. It explores the physical and mental activities that occur during periods of sleep. There are five stages of sleep. Each stage coordinates with specific brain function. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep aids in restoring energy and bodily resources. Studies have shown that without REM sleep, people experience negative effects on cognitive and perceptual-motor tasks and on mood. This source provides me with basic background information on the nature and importance of sleep. This chapter provides information relating to sections III. A. Physical effects on people, III. C. Psychological effects on people, and V. What’s at stake?: health, hearing, well-being in my proposal outline. III. CREDENTIALS-write a short paragraph about what qualifies you to write the final essay Currently, I am an English major at the University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho. I will graduate in May 2006. I have taken extensive writing classes as well as introductory biology and geography, Health and Safety First Aid: Emergency Response, and psychology classes on such topics as personality, social psychology, and abnormal psychology. Immediately prior to returning to college, I worked for five years for the USGS National Gap Analysis Program (GAP), a federally funded program that promotes research and regional assessments of the conservation status of native vertebrate species and natural land cover types. I interacted and interfaced with government and nongovernmental agencies, administered project budgets, and processed contracts. My experience with GAP increased my understanding of the science of conservation and the importance of making the public aware of the environmental risks and the need for research. This experience, combined with my interest in health issues and human psychology, provides me with the background and resources to write this important article.
IV. CONCLUSION--focus on the need/usefulness of the proposed final essay Please accept my proposal for this article on the detrimental effects that increasing noise levels are having on our environment and lives. Noise pollution has become an insidious and invisible enemy in our active world today. Most people are unaware that rising noise levels put them at considerable risk. Noise-induced hearing loss affects nearly ten million Americans, and the damage doesn’t stop there. Non-auditory effects include loss of sleep, increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure levels, and psychological distress (NIDCD, 2005). However, it’s not too late. With greater awareness and education, Americans can make better noise-related decisions. Hearing protection devices and personal responsibility are two choices available to everyone. In addition, public interest and engagement may encourage the government to review and update noise regulation policies. With awareness and education, we can make a difference. This article has a clear message for readers: we can curtail the cacophony. V. REFERENCES Blanchard, N. (1998, March-April). The quietest war: for many Americans, noise pollution is no joke. The Environmental Magazine. Retrieved September 6, 2005 from http://www.findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m1594/ia_n2_v9/ai_20492806/print National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). Noise-induced hearing loss. Retrieved September 27, 2005 from http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/noise.asp
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