1 Business Writing in a Technical Environment Prepared by Graham Associates copyright 2002 copyright © 2002

2 The Writing System Analyze Purpose Analyze Audience Write Purpose Statement Gather Information Write Sentence Outline Write Draft Revise Content & Organization Edit for Coherence Edit for Clarity Edit for Economy Check Readability Check Correctness Proofread Page 5

3 Analyze Purpose Audience’s purpose for reading Do not confuse Audience’s purpose with your purpose for writing your purpose for writing the topic or underlying work the topic or underlying work Page 10

4 How Audience Wants Information In the body of the document, order the content according to audience: ExpertSources-methods-data>findings> conclusions or recommendations ManagerRecommendation or result>discussion OperatorExpected result>instructions LaypersonConclusion>discussion Page 12

5 Analyze Audience What Audience needs to know Audience’s purpose for reading Page 16 Limit what Audience needs to know to accomplish the purpose— not everything you know about the purpose— not everything you know about the subject.

6 Analyze Audience What Audience needs to know High or low level of knowledge Audience’s purpose for reading Page 18 High or low depends on what the Audience needs to know.

7 Analyze Audience What Audience needs to know High or low level of knowledge Believes or needs proof Audience’s purpose for reading Page 20

8 Multiple Audience Partition subject matter three ways: 1.Write separate documents. 2.Break core document into sections. 3.Use front and back matter. Page 22

9 Purpose Statement Actor -- Names the document Action -- Sets expectations and tone Audience -- Identifies the primary audience What Audience needs to know Topic -- Tells What Audience needs to know Audience’s purpose for reading Outcome -- Defines Audience’s purpose for reading Page 26

10 Sentence Outlining 1. Write points using short words in short sentences. 2. Evaluate points to eliminate irrelevancies and redundancies. 3. Group points as major and minor. 4. Sequence points. Page 39

11 Tips for the Writing Phase 1. Put yourself in a good environment. 2. Write swiftly -- don’t edit! 3. Write details to support each point in outline. 4. Use personal shorthand. 5. Write in order--body, conclusion, introduction. 6. Take short breaks. 7. Select tools to make the job easier. Page 58

12 Overview Your Document Introduction Executive Summary Abstract Purpose statement Purpose statement Topic Purpose statement Purpose statement Topic Plan of document Recommendations Significance Plan of document Recommendations Significance Background Key findings Methods Background Key findings Methods Audience What happens next Results Audience What happens next Results Sources-methods Conclusions Sources-methods Conclusions Key terms Key terms Limitations Limitations Page 66Page 62-64Page 68

13 Revision Means Re-Seeing 1. Take a break before starting revision. 2. Work with a hard copy of the draft. 3. Put yourself in the reader’s place. content and organization tests. 4. Use the content and organization tests. Page 71

14 Content Test Content includes points plus supporting details. Your content must answer three questions : 1. What is the topic? You owe the reader a clear purpose statement. 2. So what? Or What’s the point? Why do I care? 3. Specified how? You must back your points with relevant, adequate, and accurate details. Page 72

15 Organization Test You must organize points and details to help the reader use the information. If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, you must re-organize your message: 1. Does message read like a data dump? 2. Does message read like a story? 3. Is message filled with I, me, and mine instead of you and yours ? Caution: You cannot edit your way out of an organization problem. Page 74

16 Revise with Outlining 1. Pull points from paragraphs. Analyze purpose and audience. Write a purpose statement. Add points you think are missing. 2. Evaluate points to eliminate irrelevancies and redundancies. 3. Group points as major and minor. 4. Sequence points. Page 76

17 Edit for Coherence Repeat key words. Ensure paragraphs begin with points. Use transition words. Use vertical lists and tables to present series. Page 79

18 Edit for Clarity Clarity is the chief stylistic concern! First, ambiguity at the word level. Second, check sentence structure. Page 95

19 Choose Words Carefully Use concrete and specific words. Avoid passive voice, future tense, and would, should, could verbs. Eliminate ambiguous pronouns. Use Standard English Be positive Make sentences and series parallel. Test modifiers. Page

20 Edit for Economy Deadwood causes these problems: 1. hides the message 2. fills message with general and abstract words 3. slows the reader 4. increases grammar and punctuation errors Page 121

21 Cutting Deadwood Cut empty verbs -- find buried verbs Cut unnecessary prepositions Cut who, which, that, and there Cut repetition Cut redundancy Cut implied phrases Cut unnecessary or vague modifiers Page

22 Check for Readability The Gunning Fog Index 1. Use a sample of a hundred words or more. 2. Average sentence length = #words/#sentences 3. Long words = #long words per 100 Note: Long words have three or more syllables. However, do not count capitalized words, abbreviations, Arabic numbers, or words whose third syllables are es or ed endings. 4. (ASL + LW) x.4 = Fog Index (Grade Level) Page 138

23 Typical Readability USA Today Hunt for Red October Hunt for Red October Time Magazine Time Magazine Washington Post Washington Post The Writing System The Economist The Economist IEEE IEEE Page 138

24 Improve Readability Replace long words with short words. Cut sentence length. Page

25 Check for Correctness In this order, check 1. Word Choice 2. Grammar 3. Punctuation 4. Mechanics Page 145

26 The Writing System Analyze Purpose Analyze Audience Write Purpose Statement Gather Information Write Sentence Outline Write Draft Revise Content & Organization Edit for Coherence Edit for Clarity Edit for Economy Check Readability Check Correctness Proofread