Composing Business Messages Chapter 3 Composing Business Messages

The Writing Process Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 2

Phase 2 of the Writing Process Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 3

Phase 2: Researching Informal Research Methods/Idea Generation Look in the files. Talk with your boss. Interview the target audience. Conduct an informal survey. Brainstorm ideas. Formal Research Methods Search manually. Access electronically. Go to the source. Conduct scientific experiments. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 4

details and explanations Phase 2: Organizing DIRECT STRATEGY Organizing Business Messages Main idea comes first followed by details and explanations Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 5

Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 6

Phase 2: Organizing Organizing Business Messages Explanation precedes main idea Organizing Business Messages INDIRECT STRATEGY Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 7

Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 8

Phase 2: Composing Business writers must be able to: Develop effective sentences. Improve writing techniques. Draft powerful paragraphs. Compose a first draft. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 9

Effective Sentences Complete sentences have subjects Phrases Clauses Complete sentences have subjects and verbs and make sense (are capable of standing alone). subject verb Employees send many e-mail messages. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 10

Effective Sentences dependent clause independent clause Complete Sentences Clauses Phrases Clauses also have subjects and verbs. Independent clauses can stand alone. Dependent clauses rely on independent clauses for their meaning. dependent clause independent clause When you speak, you reveal yourself. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 11

Effective Sentences phrase phrase Complete Sentences Clauses Phrases Phrases are groups of related words without subjects and verbs. phrase phrase In the afternoon, I work at the mall. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 12

Effective Sentences Use four sentence types to achieve variety. Simple sentence (one independent clause) LinkedIn decided to sell its stock to the public. Compound sentence (two independent clauses) The company went public, and the price per share doubled the first day. Complex Sentence (one independent and one dependent clause) Because LinkedIn’s IPO was so successful, the entire stock market went up. Compound-complex sentence (at least two independent clauses and one dependent clause) Although many investors bought LinkedIn stock the first day, some were disappointed; however, they were able to purchase shares shortly after. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 13

Effective Sentences Avoid three common sentence faults. 1. Fragment Even though the pay was low. Many candidates applied. Revision: Even though the pay was low, many candidates applied. 2. Run-on (fused) sentence Two candidates applied only one was hired. Revisions: Two candidates applied. Only one was hired. Two candidates applied; only one was hired. Two candidates applied, but only one was hired. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 14

Effective Sentences Avoid three common sentence faults. 3. Comma Splice Many were qualified, Jeff was hired. Revisions: Many were qualified. Jeff was hired. Many were qualified; Jeff was hired. Many were qualified; however, Jeff was hired. Many were qualified, but Jeff was hired. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 15

Improving Writing Techniques Achieve emphasis through mechanics. Underlining: Which of these methods do you prefer? Italics and Boldface: The use of boldface and italics captures the reader’s attention. All Caps: Notice how EXPENSE-FREE VACATION stands out. Dashes: Other methods–including dashes–may be used. Tabulation: Listing items vertically emphasizes them. 1. First item 2. Second item 3. Third item Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 16

Improving Writing Techniques Achieve emphasis through style. To emphasize an idea Use a vivid expression, such as in error-free document rather than good document. Label the idea with expressions such as more important, the principal reason, or the best alternative. Put the important idea first or last in the sentence. Put the important idea in a simple sentence or independent clause. To de-emphasize an idea Use general, rather than specific, words (some customers complained, rather than 125 customers complained). Place the idea in a dependent clause connected to an independent clause containing a positive idea. Although items cannot be returned for cash, you will receive store credit for any returns. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 17

Improving Writing Techniques Use active- and passive-voice verbs. Active-voice verbs show the subject performing the action. Use active voice for most business writing. Most major employers provide health insurance. (Active voice; the subject is acting) Latoya submitted her report on time. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 18

Improving Writing Techniques Use active- and passive-voice verbs. In passive-voice sentences, the subject is being acted upon. Passive-voice verbs require helper verbs. Use the passive voice to emphasize an action or the recipient of the action and to deliver bad news. Health insurance is provided by most major employers. (Passive voice; the subject is being acted upon) The report was submitted on time by Latoya. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 19

Improving Writing Techniques Develop parallelism, balanced construction. Match nouns with nouns, verbs with verbs, phrases with phrases, and clauses with clauses. Poor Parallel Training sessions have been stimulat- ing and a challenge. Training sessions have been stimulat- ing and challenging. (Matches -ing verbals) Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 20

Improving Writing Techniques Avoid dangling and misplaced modifiers. For clarity, modifiers must be close to the words they describe or limit. Poor Improved After considering the problem carefully, new procedures were suggested by management. After considering the problem carefully, management suggested new procedures. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 21

Drafting Powerful Paragraphs A paragraph is a group of sentences about one idea. Paragraphs are most effective when they contain: A topic sentence Support sentences that expand and explain the main idea Techniques to build coherence Achieve paragraph coherence by using one of these devices: Repeat a key idea or key words. Use a pronoun. Use an appropriate transitional expression. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 22

Composing the First Draft Complete all necessary research. Find a quiet place to concentrate and work. Prohibit calls, visitors, and interruptions. Organize information into an outline. Decide whether to write quickly (freewriting) OR revise as you go. Imagine you are talking to a reader or listener. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 3, Slide 23

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