W RITING E ASY - TO -R EAD D OCUMENTS Chapter 7

O VERVIEW Ineffective vs. Effective writing Writing effective sentences and paragraphs Actors Actions Emphasis Writing coherent documents

I NEFFECTIVE VS. E FFECTIVE W RITING Ineffective writing is Often wordy Often indirect Often contains unnecessary words Often contains ineffective verb phrases Often obscures the action and actors Effective writing uses Precise words Clear, direct statements An economy of words Active verbs Actors as subjects performing the action of the sentences Ineffective Writing Attributes Effective Writing Attributes

T O C REATE E FFECTIVE D OCUMENTS Every sentence must have a subject and a verb Make people the subjects of your sentences Make the subject the first word of the sentence (or very close to the first) Keep the actor and action close together Use active voice

M AKE P EOPLE THE S UBJECTS OF YOUR S ENTENCES At the previous meeting, a new organizational plan was selected, and a new budget was adopted. The executive committee selected a new organizational plan and adopted a new budget [at the previous meeting]. Actor ≠ SubjectActor = Subject

A brief satisfaction survey was taken by all customers who purchased a vehicle from our dealership last month. A $50 gas card was the incentive for customers to complete the survey. All customers who purchased a vehicle from our dealership last month took a brief satisfaction survey. They received a $50 gas card for completing it. Actor ≠ SubjectActor = Subject

U SE A CTIVE V OICE A VOID P ASSIVE V OICE Active voice is usually shorter (requires fewer words) Active voice is usually clearer Active verbs are more precise Active voice keeps the actor and action close together in the sentence Equation: Active Voice= actor + (action) verb + object The district manager will present the results.

P ASSIVE V OICE The actor and the subject are not the same Either moves the actor after the verb or leaves it out completely Often contains or implies a “by phrase” Equation: Passive Voice = Object + “to be verb” + past participle (+ “by” + actor) The results are presented by the district manager.

P ARTS OF A P ASSIVE V ERB “To Be Verbs” Am Is Are Was Were Be Being Been [got] Past Participles Usually contain action Usually end in –ed Usually look like past tense verbs

T O R EVISE A P ASSIVE C ONSTRUCTION 1. Identify the actor 2. Make the actor the subject of the sentence 3. Follow the actor/subject with the action verb 4. Follow the action with the object or the receiver of the action

P UT THE A CTION IN YOUR V ERBS Readers expect to find action expressed in verbs, not hidden in other parts of speech Often you will find nominalized verbs in words that end with –tion, -sion, “to be” verbs do not express action; they express states of existence—they are weak verbs Most sentences in which the verb does not express the action have one of both of these characteristics: A noun expresses the primary action of the sentence (called a nominalization) The verb of the sentence is a form of “to be”

The police are conducting an investigation of the robbery that occurred this morning. Her discovery of the missing bolts happened on Friday. There was a discussion of the zones by the city council. The police are investigating the robbery that occurred this morning. She discovered the missing bolts on Friday. The city council discussed the zones. Action not in verbAction in verb

E MPHASIZE W HAT ’ S I MPORTANT You can help readers identify what’s important by Putting important information at the end of the sentence Putting unfamiliar/technical terms at the end of the sentence Using visual clues such as Boldface type Italic type Large type (not all caps!) Color

C OMMON N OMINALIZATIONS Acceptance Analysis Commitment Consideration Discovery Discussion Evaluation Expectation Investigation Recommendation request Accept Analyze Commit Consider Discover Discuss Evaluate Expect Investigate Recommend request Nouns that contain actionVerb forms

You have not sent us your December progress report, according to our records. Our tests show that reliability increased by 15 percent, for example. According to our records, you have not mailed us your December progress report. For example, our tests show that reliability increased by 15 percent. Inappropriate EmphasisAppropriate Emphasis

Fast-twitch fibers and slow-twitch fibers are two basic types of muscle fibers. Muscles have two types of fibers: fast- twitch and slow- twitch. Inappropriate EmphasisAppropriate Emphasis

T IE S ENTENCES T OGETHER TO W RITE E FFECTIVE P ARAGRAPHS 1. Put old/familiar information near the beginning of the sentence 2. Use topics to tie sentences together First sentence in a paragraph introduces the topic Second sentence comments on that topic Subsequent sentences comment further on that topic 3. Use transitions (page 187, figure 7.3) 4. Put the transition at or near the beginning of the sentence 5. Repeat or restate key words or phrases 6. Use pronouns to avoid monotony 7. Restate summary words

To help them navigate, bats emit a high frequency sound wave. The size, distance, and movement of all objects in their path can be determined by the way the sound bounces off these objects and returns to the bat. Echolocation is the name used for their navigation system. Bats emit a high frequency sound wave that helps them navigate in the dark. They can determine the size, distance, and movement of all objects in their path by the way the sound bounces off these objects and returns to them. This navigation system is known as echolocation. Poor Old/New PatternImproved Old/New Pattern

H OW DO YOU W RITE C OHERENT D OCUMENTS Use overviews to introduce readers to your document Use parallel headings to show the organization of your document Use lists effectively

U SE 3 K INDS OF O VERVIEWS TO I NTRODUCE R EADERS TO Y OUR D OCUMENT 1. Overviews can introduce the types of information in the document 2. Overviews can identify the specific sections of the text 3. Overviews can tell readers how to use the document

U SE H EADINGS TO S HOW THE O RGANIZATION OF THE D OCUMENT ____________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ______ _______________ ____________________ ____________________ _________________ ________________________ ________________________ _______________________ _________________ _____________________ _______________________ ________________________ _________________

U SE E FFECTIVE L ISTS Break up long sentences Arrange text in a list to direct readers’ attention to important information Use a number when the list has an implied sequence or hierarchy—when one thing must precede another Use a symbol, usually a bullet, when you do not have an implied sequence or hierarchy

F OR D ISCUSSION :