Business Communication Today Chapter 6 Completing Business Messages Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 1 Chapter 6 ̶

Revising Your Message: Evaluating the First Draft Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 2 Chapter 6 ̶

Evaluating Your Content, Organization, and Tone Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 3 Chapter 6 ̶ Tone Is It Too Formal?Is It Too Casual? Organization Order and EmphasisRepetition and Grouping Content Clear and AccurateRelevant and Complete

Evaluate, Edit, and Revise the Work of Others  Promote the Writer’s Success Help the writer succeed. Don’t impose your own style or agenda.  Support the Writer’s Intent Learn what the writer wanted to accomplish. Base suggestions on the writer’s goals. Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 4 Chapter 6 ̶

Questions When Evaluating Someone Else’s Writing What is the purpose of the message? Who is the audience? What do they need? Are there special circumstances or issues? Is the document well organized? Does the writing convey a “you” attitude? Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 5 Chapter 6 ̶

Questions When Evaluating Someone Else’s Writing Is the tone of the writing appropriate? Can the readability be improved? Is the writing clear? Can it be improved? Is the writing as concise as it could be? Does the design support the message? Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 6 Chapter 6 ̶

Revising to Improve Readability s. Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 7 Chapter 6 ̶

Creating Readable Documents Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 8 Chapter 6 ̶ Readability Indexes Skimmable Documents Words Sentences Paragraphs Key Ideas Conclusions Recommendations

Varying Your Sentence Length Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 9 Chapter 6 ̶ Up to 15 Words Short 15 – 25 Words Medium Over 25 Words Long

Keeping Paragraphs Short Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 10 Chapter 6 ̶ Average 100 Words Make Reading Easier Promote Careful Reading Emphasize Key Ideas Maintain Clear Flow Don’t Go Overboard Connect Your Ideas Guide With Transitions

Using Lists to Clarify and Emphasize Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 11 Chapter 6 ̶ Set Off Ideas in a List Sequence Ideas Heighten Visual Impact Surface Key Points Simplify Complex Subjects Highlight Main Points Let Readers Skim Documents

Adding Headings and Subheadings Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 12 Chapter 6 ̶ Descriptive Informative Primary Functions Surface the Organization Draw Attention to Key Points Show Connections and Transitions

Editing for Clarity and Conciseness Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 13 Chapter 6 ̶

Editing for Conciseness Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 14 Chapter 6 ̶ Delete Unnecessary Words and Phrases Replace Long Words and Phrases Eliminate Redundant Word Combinations Recast “It is/There are” Starters

Producing Your Message Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 15 Chapter 6 ̶

Designing for Readability Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 16 Chapter 6 ̶ Detail Consistency Balance Restraint Design Elements

Document Design Elements Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 17 Chapter 6 ̶ White SpaceProvides Visual Contrast MarginsSet Space Around Text/Columns JustificationArrangement of Lines of Text Type FacePhysical Design of Text Characters Type StyleLends Contrast/Emphasis to Type

Formatting Formal Letters Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 18 Chapter 6 ̶ Letterhead Stationery XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx Date Inside Address Salutation The Message Complimentary Close Signature Block

Formatting Memos Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 19 Chapter 6 ̶ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XX: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx XXXX: xxxxxxxxxx XXXXXXX: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XX: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx XXXX: xxxxxxxxxx XXXXXXX: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Memo Title Headings The Message

Proofreading Your Message Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 20 Chapter 6 ̶

Careful Proofreading Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 21 Chapter 6 ̶ Avoid an Uncertain Conclusion  Make Multiple Passes Avoid an Uncertain Conclusion  Use Perceptual Tricks Avoid an Uncertain Conclusion  Double-Check Priority Items Avoid an Uncertain Conclusion  Give Yourself Some Distance

Careful Proofreading Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 22 Chapter 6 ̶ Avoid an Uncertain Conclusion  Maintain Your Vigilance Avoid an Uncertain Conclusion  Focus on Your Task Avoid an Uncertain Conclusion  Print Complex Digital Documents Avoid an Uncertain Conclusion  Take Your Time Proofreading

Distributing Your Message Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 23 Chapter 6 ̶

Distributing Messages Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 24 Chapter 6 ̶ Factors of Distribution Concerns with Cost Overall Convenience Time Constraints Security and Privacy

Business Communication Today Chapter 6 Completing Business Messages Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 25 Chapter 6 ̶

Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. 26 Chapter 6 ̶ All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America.