1 - Introduction ~5 mins
Welcome
Today you shape how your proposal looks on the page so a Work Experience supervisor, club coach or local customer can trust it in the first five seconds.
Practise clean formatting on a short sample, then use the same habits on your own {{code:03_proposal_draft}}.
If you do not have {{code:03_proposal_draft}} yet: tell your teacher now. In {{code:03_documents}}, create a new document, name it exactly {{code:03_proposal_draft}}, and type 4–5 lines stating your Something Real idea, who it is for, and one target (for example a first-month goal). You need this file before the Portfolio Build.
Starter template (copy and finish in your own words):
- I want to… (your idea in one sentence)
- It is for… (who benefits: placement, club, customer, community)
- My first target is… (one clear number or date)
Warm-up
Think of the last flyer or social graphic you scrolled past and ignored. Was it the idea, or was every word shouting in a different colour and size?
2 - Key Concepts ~6 mins
Formatting is not decoration. It is how you guide a busy reader through a vocational document without shouting at them.
Do this today: one body font at 12 pt, heading 16 pt and bold, exactly one bold phrase only. Underline and bright colour stay on the practice sample only.
Colour boundary: any colour trial is for the practice sample only today. Final {{code:03_proposal_draft}} stays black text (bold and size for contrast, not colour).
| Concept | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Readable body font — a clear typeface and size for the main paragraphs (often around 11–12 pt) | If the body text is hard to read, a placement supervisor or club treasurer may stop before they reach your plan | Calibri, Arial or similar at 12 pt for a Work Experience report body |
| Heading contrast — a larger or heavier style that marks a new section | Readers scan first; a clear heading lets them jump to Purpose, Plan or Cost without rereading everything | A bold 16 pt heading called "First-month plan" above your side-hustle steps |
| Emphasis (bold or italic) — making one phrase stand out inside a paragraph | One stressed phrase draws the eye to the decision that matters; five stressed phrases cancel each other out | Bold only "ten confirmed orders" in a sentence about your first sales target |
| Less is more — using few formatting tools, on purpose | Formal documents lose trust when every line is coloured, underlined and enlarged | A clean GAA club sponsorship letter beats a rainbow version of the same text |
| Colour with care — using colour only when it adds meaning | Colour that prints poorly or clashes can make a serious proposal look unfinished | Dark navy on a heading can be fine in general; for today's proposal, leave colour off and use bold size contrast only |
Before and after: same words, different trust
Noisy (avoid): every other word bold, two fonts, bright colour, underline everywhere.
Clean (aim for this on {{code:03_proposal_draft}}): one body font, one clear heading, one bold phrase on the number or decision you want remembered.
3 - Step-by-step Task ~15 mins
Build a short sample about a fictional custom embroidery side hustle and format a clean vocational version. That clean version is the model for your own proposal.
Required path (everyone): open folder → create {{code:03_formatting_practice}} → type heading and paragraph → body font 12 pt → heading 16 pt bold → bold only {{code:ten confirmed orders}} → confirm save.
Only if you already have a clean model (skip-ok if the class is moving on): optional dark heading colour trial, optional italic trial, one guided colour/underline locate-and-undo, then a quick noisy copy underneath for comparison.
Tip: text must be selected (highlighted blue) before any formatting click. A blinking cursor alone means Bold has nowhere to apply.
Still typing after a few minutes? Ask your teacher for the pre-loaded {{code:03_formatting_practice}} file so you jump straight to formatting judgement.
4 - Common Issues ~2 mins
Common Issues
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| I clicked Bold and nothing changed | Make sure the text is selected first (highlighted). Then click {{btn:B}} or use {{kbd:Ctrl+B}} / {{kbd:Cmd+B}}. If the cursor is only blinking with no selection, formatting has nowhere to apply. |
| My whole document went bold or changed font | You probably selected more text than you meant to. Use {{kbd:Ctrl+Z}} / {{kbd:Cmd+Z}} to undo, then select only the heading or the short phrase you want to change. |
| The font list looks different from the instructions | School accounts can show a shorter font list. Pick any clear, plain font (Arial, Calibri, or similar). Avoid decorative script fonts for body text in a formal proposal. |
| Colour looks fine on screen but I worry about printing | Stick to black text for body and for today’s final proposal. If you trialled colour on the practice sample only, keep real work on black bold and size contrast. |
5 - Portfolio Build ~22 mins
Portfolio Build
- Open your Project Portfolio → {{code:03_documents}} → {{code:03_proposal_draft}}. Keep this same file (do not create a copy or rename it).
- Apply one readable body font at about 12 pt across all main text.
- Make the title or main heading stand out (about 16 pt and bold).
- Add exactly one bold or italic emphasis on a phrase that carries a real decision or target for your project.
- Confirm the filename is still {{code:03_proposal_draft}} and the file shows as saved in OneDrive or Drive.
No underline. No colour on this file.
Quick order (same as clean practice): (1) body font + 12 pt (2) heading 16 pt + bold (3) one phrase bold or italic only.
Stuck with too much bold? Select the noisy phrase, turn formatting off, then rebuild: body 12 pt → heading 16 bold → one emphasis only.
- Body text uses one clear, readable font and a sensible size throughout
- The main heading stands out from the body without needing rainbow colour
- Exactly one key phrase uses bold or italic emphasis (not both stacked on the same words); no underline or colour on the finished proposal
- The finished page looks calm and professional, not noisy or over-decorated
- File stays named {{code:03_proposal_draft}} in {{code:03_documents}} and shows as saved in OneDrive or Drive
Stretch if you finish early: add a second short heading in the same style (for example Purpose and Plan) so both headings match while the body stays plain. Still use only one emphasised phrase in the whole document.
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