Part #1: Choose a Research Topic and an Interviewee
This research proposal letter will be directed to an audience who can create change (Congressperson, business administrator, or other similar audience). In the proposal, you need to suggest a change or a solution to a current problem. Examples of strong proposal topics would be things like funding ideas for an animal shelter, starting a recycling program in a community, suggesting a better plan for public transport, or another idea that interests you. You will be proposing solutions for these issues. Choose a topic that you are passionate about and for which you will be able to develop at least one solution.
Once you choose a topic, it’s time to choose a credible expert to interview on that subject. In other words, you should avoid choosing an interviewee who is a close friend or family member unless that person truly is an expert in the field. This credible expert should have 10+ years of experience in his or her discipline. Choose an interviewee who not only could offer some specific details about the problem but one who may also be able to offer suggestions of a plausible solution.
Part #2: Summarize and Synthesize Your Interview
1) Provide Background Information:
In your introductory paragraph, introduce your audience to your interviewee. What is his/her name? What is his/her experience? if relevant, where is the interviewee employed?
2) Summarize the Interview:
While you want to avoid the all-too-predictable question and answer format, you should provide information about what you learned from the interview. Take a look at your original questions, group them into categories, and use those categories to build your body paragraph(s). Also, you may note the interviewee’s reactions in your summary as well. Was the interviewee nervous about answering a question? Did he/she seem knowledgeable in the subject matter? Make this summary work for you by including whatever details and responses you feel are important and will help you when you write the research proposal.
3) Synthesize the Interview:
In the conclusion, synthesize the interview. To synthesize just means that you should consider all of the information you gathered from this interview and draw conclusions. What did you learn from the interview? How did the interviewee and/or the interview help you gain a deeper understanding of your topic? Other findings?
Length: This assignment should be a minimum of 350 words.
Header: Include a header in the upper left-hand corner of your writing assignment with the following information:
Your first and last name
Course Title (Composition II)
Assignment name (Interview Summary)
Current Date
