Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Chapter 3 Notes Student Notes
Chapter 3 Notes Student Notes
Improving Writing
Techniques
Look in
organization files.
Talk with your boss.
Interview the
target audience.
Conduct an
informal survey.
Brainstorm for
ideas.
Format
for an
Outline
Organizing
Organizing
Business
Business
Messages
Messages
DIRECT
DIRECTSTRATEGY
STRATEGY
Main
Mainidea
ideacomes
comesfirst
first
Followed
Followedby
bydetails
detailsand
and
explanations
explanations
Organizing
Organizing
Business
Business
Messages
Messages
Explanation
Explanationprecedes
precedes
main
mainidea
idea
INDIRECT
INDIRECTSTRATEGY
STRATEGY
DIRECT
DIRECT
STRATEGY
STRATEGY
Advantages
Advantages
INDIRECT
INDIRECT
STRATEGY
STRATEGY
Respects feelings of
audience
Encourages a fair
hearing
Minimizes a negative
reaction
Receiver is receptive
Receiver requires no
education about topic
Message is routine
DIRECT
DIRECT
STRATEGY
STRATEGY
Useful
UsefulWhen
When
INDIRECT
INDIRECT
STRATEGY
STRATEGY
Effective Sentences
Complete
Sentences
Clauses
Phrases
verb
Complete
Sentences
Clauses
Phrases
Complete
Sentences
Clauses
Phrases
phrase
Avoid
sentence
fragments.
Fragment
Avoid
sentence
fragments.
Fused Sentences
Avoid
sentence
fragments.
Avoid
commasplice
sentences.
Comma Splice
Revisions:
Many were qualified. Jeff was hired.
Many were qualified; however Jeff was
hired.
Send a scannable
resume when you
apply for a job.
Emphasis Through
Mechanics
Underlining:
Which of these methods do you prefer.
Italics and Boldface:
The use of boldface and italics captures
the readers attention.
All Caps:
Get your attention
Dashes:
Other methodsincluding dashesmay be
used.
Tabulation: listing items vertically
emphasizes them:
1. First item
2. Second item
3. Third item
Which of
these other
means of
achieving
mechanical
emphasis
is/are
appropriate in
business
letters?
White space
Color
Lines
Boxes
Columns
Titles
Headings
Subheadings
x
x
x
Which of
these other
means of
achieving
mechanical
emphasis
is/are
appropriate
in memos?
White space
Color
Lines
Boxes
Columns
Titles
Headings
Subheadings
x
x
x
Which of
these other
means of
achieving
mechanical
emphasis
is/are
appropriate
in e-mail
messages?
White space
Color
Lines
Boxes
Columns
Titles
Headings
Subheadings
x
x
x
x
Which of
these other
means of
achieving
mechanical
emphasis
is/are
appropriate
in reports?
White space
Color
Lines
Boxes
Columns
Titles
Headings
Subheadings
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
To deemphasize an idea
Active- and
Passive-Voice Verbs
Active-voice verbs show the
subject performing the action.
Most major employers require blood
testing.
(Active voice; the subject is
acting)
Our membership
The president
meeting was postponed postponed our
by the president.
membership meeting.
Rachel ordered
computer paper
yesterday.
Developing Parallelism
Parallel expression results from balanced
con-struction. Match nouns with nouns,
verbs with verbs, phrases with phrases,
and clauses with clauses.
Poor
Parallel
Training sessions
have been
stimulating and
challenging
(match ending of
verbs)
Our knowledge
management system
focuses on the
collecting, storing and
sharing of best practices.
We are pleased to
recommend Elizabeth
because she is sincere,
reliable, and diligent.
Dangling and
Misplaced Modifiers
For clarity, modifiers must
be close to the words
they describe or limit. Be
particularly careful to
place a logical subject
immediately after an
introductory phrase.
Poor
By advertising
extensively, all
open jobs were
filled quickly.
Revised
By advertising
extensively, we filled all
open jobs quickly.
.By advertising
extensively, we filled all
open jobs quickly.
(Tricky!)
Use a
pronoun.
Considerable interest is
now being shown in our
extended certificates of
deposit. They are more
profitable when left on
deposit for long periods of
time.
Use an appropriate
transitional expression.
Time Association
before, after,
first, second,
meanwhile,
next, until,
when,
whenever
Contrast
CauseEffect
although
consequently
But
for this reason
However
hence
Instead
therefore
Nevertheless
On the other hand
Additional Idea
furthermore
In addition
Likewise
Moreover
Similarly
Illustration
in this way
for example
TIP: Paragraphs
with eight or fewer
printed lines look
inviting and readable.