Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and tips and do the exercises.
There are plans to stop production of your university newspaper. You feel that the newspaper should be saved. You decide to write a proposal to the university suggesting a digital version of the paper.
A proposal for a digital version of the university newspaper
Introduction
This proposal intends to outline how a digital version of the university newspaper, The Scallion, could function and aims to show that an online paper is viable for the future of the newspaper. It draws on the views of 3,000 students surveyed in May.
Background
The Scallion is printed weekly and distributed free in faculty buildings, with a readership of approximately 10,000 students. It is written and produced entirely by students. The survey shows that the newspaper is highly valued by university students and staff for entertainment, cultural enrichment and work experience.
Current problems
The cost of printing newspapers is significant. Furthermore, some students do not have easy access to the paper, since the only way to obtain a copy is to physically go to university. An additional environmental issue is that a large number of copies end up as litter on campus.
Proposed solution
It is proposed that the newspaper could shift to an online format. An overwhelming majority (95 per cent) of survey respondents were 'keen' or 'very keen' on this.
The key benefits would be:
- Lower costs. Electronic publication is much cheaper than printing, and the website would require minimal maintenance. Although there are considerable initial costs of developing a website, these would be offset over time.
- Improved accessibility. Students unable to collect a copy and those with visual impairments would be able to read the paper online.
- Eco-friendliness. A website would reduce paper usage and produce no litter.
- Digital media experience. For student journalists, gaining experience in running a web-based news site would be invaluable for any job which involves digital communication.
Drawbacks
One issue is information management. The site would have to comply with data protection and privacy laws. Advice should be sought from the IT department.
Another drawback may be personal preference. Twenty-five per cent of survey respondents liked having a physical paper to flick through in a café. However, as this is a minority view, I would suggest that the benefits of the online paper outweigh the inconvenience on this issue.
Conclusion
The results of the consultation suggest that moving the paper online is the best option given that it would reduce costs, be more environmentally-friendly and reach a larger audience. A change to a digital format is therefore recommended to maintain the benefits of the newspaper while addressing its current difficulties.
Tips
- Start by reading the question carefully. Brainstorm all your thoughts about the proposal first. Then choose your best ideas and plan your paragraphs.
- Use subheadings to make the structure clear. Start by stating the aim of the proposal (Introduction) and giving information about the context (Background).
- Next, move on to the Current problems and your Proposed solution. You can also mention the Drawbacks and how to address them before you finish (Conclusion).
- You should use an impersonal, formal tone for your proposal. Passive verb forms (e.g. It is proposed that … , Advice should be sought …) are a useful way to avoid I think or You should.
- The final section should include an overall recommendation based on your previous points.
Do you prefer to read a newspaper online or on paper?
Personally, I'm not interested in following the news, especially on a daily basis. But if I were a big fan of the news, I would have preferred to read a newspaper online. There are some advantages to accessing the news online.
First, Given that speed and time are important in publishing the news, being online makes the news publish in the least possible time.
Second, it causes many high-quality pictures and videos to be used along with the news which, in turn, makes the news more interesting and real. Things that before the advent of the internet weren't possible.
Third, there is no need to take time to buy the newspaper. You can access the news whenever or wherever you want. I mean anywhere you have internet access, so to speak.
Fourth, you can comment on the news and share it with others, as well as read other's ideas.
As a matter of fact, The more I have thought about online news, the more I am convinced that the internet has brought massive growth in the news industry.
A proposal for the work permit of graduate students
Introduction
This proposal intends to outline how the work permit during studies for master's students could increase the quality of study and students' motivation to continue their education and aims to show that it's viable to work part-time and study at the same time.
Background
The faculty of Science has implemented the law of work prohibition of graduate students for several years to improve the quality of their education. The survey shows that applying this law has made many students give up their studies due to not being able to provide current expenses.
Current problems
Many graduate students have encountered a problem regarding the financing of their current expenses and university tuition. Furthermore, these financial issues, in turn, have led to a decrease in the quality of concentration and motivation of the students. Unlike what was supposed to happen.
Proposed solution
It is proposed that a work permit could be issued for graduate students. An overwhelming majority (98 percent) of survey respondents were 'eager' or 'very eager' on this
The key benefits would be
increase students motivation
Having part-time work gives students a freer mind to concentrate on their studies and reduces their financial concerns.
Preparing for a true job position
Although some of their time isn't spent studying, accepting responsibility even if their job doesn't concern their major directly makes them more responsible and confident.
Making a clear and decisive decision about the future
Without being under financial concerns, students can consider everything in the cold light of the day whether they would like to enter the Ph.D. or not.
Drawbacks
One issue is the approval of the new directive by the science faculty. The proposal should be brought up to the committee before the new year in order to be implemented in the next semester.
Conclusion
The results of the consultation suggest that the issue of a work permit for graduate students is the best option for creating reasonable conditions for students to continue their studies given that it would increase the student's motivation and the quality of their studies. Approval of a new directive is therefore recommended to improve the educational experience for graduate students.
I prefer to read a newspaper online. When I read an article on my phone or on my laptop, I can tap/click on words that I do not know the meaning of. The definition of the word and the example sentences appear instantaneously. If I were to read a newspaper in print and encounter unfamiliar vocabulary, I would need to use the search engine on my electronic device. I find this process inconvenient and inefficient. When these interruptions become too frequent, I gradually lose track of what I am reading. The content becomes difficult to digest, and I get discouraged by my inability to digest what I am reading.
For my perspective, I’m neutral to the idea of changing print newspaper into the online format one. I can’t agree more that digital newspaper will cost less money and help students have access to online paper way easier. Moreover, this kind of newspaper especially improves young people’s reading experience. It is interesting and appealing to look at an online newspaper with colorful words, images and even some may have videos or gifs. Also, digital version can be designed with further articles or blogs after every single text to give you more sources of reading. However, besides the drawbacks that the writer discussed, one more disadvantage of online reading is causing bad effects on your health and visual ability due to screentime and electronic wave. In contrast, the paper version do no harm to your health. Another issue is it depends on personal preference. Some people, especially millennials and the elderly, favor traditional newspaper over the digital one. Print newspaper gives you the feelings of calmness and relaxation while flipping through the pages with a cup of drink, which brings people tranquility of mind and keeps the old vibe of lifestyle. As the writer mentioned about littering problems caused by newspaper, I think the matter is people’s poor awareness of protecting the environment. We should raise their conciousness and organize educational campaigns about the environment so that they perform well behavior. As a teenager, I’m interested in being close to technology but sometimes I still try reading on newspaper and I find its own attraction to do the traditional way.
It is no doubt that the majority of people are currently getting information from online sources than conventional newspapers. Needless to say benefits of online media over traditional one in detail, our focus on online newspapers should be aimed at how to maintain the source reliability from a lot of rumors and wrongful intents.
In spite of the shortcomings, print newspaper is my preferred format. Holding the Sunday newspaper and scanning the articles is one of my favorite feelings. Even though not immediately accessible and free, it is permanent and complete. Articles are easily deleted from the online paper, and some articles are left out of the online version. I enjoy visiting the store to purchase a newspaper and spending time turning the pages browsing through it.
I agreed with the issues brought up in the above proposal as there are more advantages to online publications than not. The environmental issues mentioned are those that hit me hard whenever I'm thinking of procuring a print thus I've not purchased any for quite sometime. The number of trees cut and the overfilling landfills cross my mind whenever I see any form of papers. Apart from that, online publications are more a blessing as the news are updated throughout the day. Thus, I am always in the loop. In addition, it's at our finger tip as we always have some kind of gadgets handy. All in all, it's obvious that online publications are my definite choice.
I prefer reading in a digital newspaper because it's convenient, I can read anytime and anywhere I want, and it keeps me updated to current news.
I prefer both because reading from a printed newspaper is traditionally a good pastime activity, while the digital version of a newspaper is both interactive and offers increased accessibility.
It's hard to answer because I don't read the newspapers at all but I used to read football magazines for a long time and I liked to read them in a paper version. And not only read but also collect them and reread them sometimes.
But! It was quite a long time ago when Steve Jobs hadn't invented yet his life-changing iPhone and the only alternatives to paper magazines were websites which you can read only with computes. It wasn't too comfy, telling the truth.
I also liked to buy some expensive magazines about nature with interesting articles and good photos. Like National Geographic or Around the World (the oldest Russian magazine, published by Russian Geographic society).
However, these days when we have smartphones, tablets, laptops it's quite handy to read all you want to with them. Of course, it's nice to touch and smell the expensive paper and collect the good-looking magazines on your bookshelves but less paper more trees, and also less litter.
Another good point - you can not only read articles and look at pictures - you can watch interesting videos as well.
As for me, I like watching videos about animals and nature. I'm a big fan of this topic.