Today: Resumes Writing

Memo #1 Avg: 13.04

High: 17
Brainstorming/meetings

Main Issues
Arguments did not go deep enough: if you make a claim, you must support with evidence. If you make a suggestion (we need to make sure we dont discriminate during searches) you need to state how you will do that
Inconsistent Layouts; low skim value Conciseness Clarity Proofreading

Strategy Decisions
What do you have to decide when planning a communication strategy?
 Communication objective: As a result of this communication, my audience will (What is your core idea? Purpose?)  Audience Who are they? What do they know and feel? How can you motivate them?  Approach: direct or indirect (mostly direct in Business Communication)  Communication style: tell, sell, consult, join  Method/medium: speech, informal discussion, memo, proposal

(Logos) Content
Pedant

As a team, write the lead for this school newspaper story. Here are the facts:
Kenneth L. Peters, the principal of Beverly Hills High School, announced today that the entire high school faculty will travel to Sacramento next Thursday for a colloquium in new teaching methods. Among the speakers will be anthropologist Margaret Mead, college president Dr. Robert Maynard Hutchins, and California governor Edmund Pat Brown.

Rhetorical Stance
Entertainer Advertiser

(Ethos) Communicator

(Pathos) Audience

Macro Issues:
Making it easy to understand

The lead to the story is: There will be no school next Thursday.

Document Design make it easy to see your main points Structural Signposts make it easy to follow your logic Effective Paragraphs - develop one idea

Design: High Skim Value

Use Sufficient White Space
 Margins, lists, short blocks of text

Use effective headings/subheadings

 Descriptive, parallel, complete

Choose type carefully for emphasis and readability

 Differentiate headings; use size 12 font for body

Use Structural Signposts

Introduction has 3 functions:
 Arouse interest and/or establish relationship  Explain purpose for writing  Give a preview (roadmap)

Effective Message - Why?

Last years brilliant advertising campaign established Godiva as the number 1 brand of luxury chocolate. However, the cost of cocoa has risen 40 % over the past three years, and our margins are now dangerously slim. We need to raise prices.

Body Explain and justify. Provide transitions and links Conclusion reinforce main point, give call to action, or create positive feeling

Use Effective Paragraphs

Every paragraph should have one main idea Start with a topic sentence (generalization) and support it (Munter p. 64-65)

Ineffective Paragraph
I am a leader who challenges people. I bring ethics and honesty to the group. I know that I am assertive but can also come off as rigid at times. I am the one on the team who will look for another way to solve the problem. I am also a thinker who can also see the big picture. It is easy for me to take on different roles as needed. I am forward thinking and independent. Sometimes I can be a dreamer. I know my weaknesses and try to learn from them. These aspects of leadership also affect my emotions as a leader.

Paragraphs and Signposts

As a rule, an effective paragraph will have 3 things: 1. Generalization 2. Support 3. Signposts

Business Writing Examples

Poor example:
 We believe that the new juice product should be launched in Denver in the next couple of months if possible.

Failing to follow this rule of effective paragraphs will likely present several drawbacks for your reader. First, your readers will not know your main point. Second, your paragraphs will lack development. Finally, your writing will be choppy and incoherent.

Better example:
 We recommend that the Breakfast Division launch the new juice product in Denver by May 1.

Micro Issues
Grammar and punctuation errors Wordiness Passive voice

Cut the fat from your writing

Cut the fat from your writing practice on these sentences by getting rid of unnecessary words
Running offers the single most immediate and beneficial fitness paycheck on the market. A string quartet played various selections of classical music. leaving many survivors living in virtual squalor. Given the fact that there have been death threats on his life. He was shot in the chest, and then ran away on foot. this rugged, isolated mountainous region that the main thrust of the program was offensive. From his small, cubbyhole office, he oversaw operations Mount Ranier last experienced an eruption 150 years ago.

Wordiness/Deadwood
He retired at the age of sixty years old. He retired at the age of sixty years old. He retired at sixty.

She is devoted to the old traditions of the past. She is devoted to the old traditions of the past. She is devoted to tradition. Shes traditional.

Business Writing Exercise: Writing Concisely

The thing which tended to bring about the Presidents decision to resign was the emergency caused by the sudden collapse of his wife.

Business Writing Exercise: Writing Concisely

Improvement of the sales picture this year is currently being expected by all companies of the area who anticipate that the total volume may be topped off at the 9 million level.

Passive Voice
sentence = an agent (subject) performed an action (verb) on something (object) passive voice = the object of the sentence mistakenly becomes the subject

Passive to Active

Her life was destroyed by meth. Meth destroyed her life.

Passive: New Orleans was devastated by Katrina. Active: Katrina devastated New Orleans.

Passive to Active
Education of the public is the best way to solve the problem. Whos the subject? (Use the by test.) Education of the public by our partner is the best way to solve the problem.

Get rid of these:

It is It was There are

To solve the problem, our partner must educate the public.

There were

Tips for Avoiding Passive Voice

Dont use these as subjects of your sentences: It There Find instances of verb to be (is, are, was, were) and see if sentence can be made active
Methamphetamine is a rapidly growing problem in Eugene which can now be labeled as an epidemic. Methamphetamine is a rapidly growing problem in Eugene which can now be labeled as an epidemic.

Methamphetamine is epidemic in Eugene.

In order to help fix this problem educational funding is needed. Funding will also go to help these impoverished families with medical needs. In order to help fix this problem educational funding is needed. Funding will also go to help these impoverished families with medical needs.

In order to inform the community about this issue, we plan on using education to middle and high school students to prevent them from doing drugs. When we educate these young students, we will try to explain how Meth can affect people and why it is important to stay away from abusing drugs.

In order to inform the community about this issue, we plan on using education to middle and high school students to prevent them from doing drugs. When we educate these young students, we will try to explain how Meth can affect people and why it is important to stay away from abusing drugs.

Impoverished families need educational and medical funding. We want to educate middle and high school students about the dangers of meth.

Design Thinking

TO DO
Write Weekly Blog post (by Friday) Continue Discovery phase of project

Discovery
Understand Challenge Understand Stakeholders Conduct Research

Interpreta on

Idea on
Generate Ideas Refine Ideas

Experimenta on

Evolu on
Evaluate Learnings Build the Experience

Read: Switch (course website) (for 3A) Complete Resume Assignment (due 3B) Begin: Writing Assignment #2 (Due 4A but you are required to visit a tutor in the Integrated Communication Program, 145 LIL during Week 3 to get feedback on first assignment. See Week 3 To Do List for Instructions).

Capture Learning Search for Meaning Frame Opportuni es

Make Prototypes Get Feedback

h p://www.designthinkingforeducators.com/