Professional Writing and Editing Skills Presented by Kim McCrackin Oklahoma State University November 9, 2012

Advantages of Quick exchange of information You can reach almost anyone No time zones Provides a searchable record Works on your terms and schedule Allows you to attach and include additional information (maps, charts, etc.)

Disadvantages of 1.It can lead to unnecessary exchanges 2.Not every phone call should be replaced 3.You can reach everyone but everyone can reach you 4. is an interruption 5.You can be held accountable for your electronic correspondence

6.Everything you write can be forwarded 7.Your words can be changed (send sensitive documents via PDFs) 8.Attachments come with baggage

Using To, Cc, and Bcc 1. Put names in To field in proper order 2. To is not Cc 3. Do not share private addresses 4. Be aware of escalation with Cc 5. Tell recipients to reply or reply to all 6. Use Bcc with caution internally

Subject Line Guidelines Always use them Make sure they say something informative Make sure they don’t sound like spam Make sure they reflect the entire content Remember shorter is better Stay current; update subject line when conversation changes

Openings Do not address people by their full names Be aware of generation preference Use titles where appropriate Move to first person when appropriate Know when to eliminate the opening

The Closing Select a closing based on level of formality (sincerely, best wishes, thanks) Stick with a closing so as not to change the relationship (formal vs informal) Can end with simply your name Include a signature block

Appearance The font should never overwhelm the message Use standard 12 point font Stick with black font (unless you need to differentiate your words from another’s) Do not use backgrounds, emoticons, or electronic signature quotes Only use caps when the message is positive

Make Sure the Intent is Clear For replies, give your answer in the first sentence. For requests, tell the reader straight out what you want. For updates, summarize the situation in the first sentence. If you have a question, ask it right away.

Short and Simple Short sentences keep ideas on track and eliminate grammar issues. Short paragraphs encourage skimming. Common vocabulary is more efficient. Screen-size document length targets its subject (no scrolling).

Formality Tone should be informal yet professional. Use clear rather than lofty vocabulary. Don’t put on airs or show off your intellect. Avoid adolescent tone by using abbreviations, emoticons, etc. Be friendly and straightforward. Prefer a conversational tone.

Proofreading for Mistakes Change the typeface to see the contents freshly. Change the type size. Print out a hard copy. Read the aloud. Type the document in Word first.

Editing: Are commas necessary? If you decide to purchase our company will promise delivery before the holidays. To my friends Liz Thomas and Professor Steffens. Woman without her man is nothing. Jack said Harry wrecked the car.

Perplexing Punctuation The serial comma(___, ___, and ___) Rebecca was proud of her new muffin recipes: blueberry, peanut butter and chocolate chip and coconut. Put commas and periods inside quotation marks Use two spaces after periods

Pesky Apostrophes Its and it’s Whose and who’s Your and you’re There, their, and they’re Were and we’re Abbreviations do not require an ‘, simply add an s to the end (CDs)

Number Nuisances When do I spell out the number? For numbers ten and under (ordinal & cardinal) If the number begins a sentence When one number immediately follows another Exceptions: For consistency In dates, money, clock time, decimals, percents, addresses, scores, and surveys

Tricky Time Use lower case letters with periods for a.m. and p.m. Prefer the words noon and midnight to 12 a.m. and 12 p.m. Eliminate time redundancies (8:00 a.m. in the morning)

Repetitive Redundancy Do not follow an abbreviation with a word that repeats the final term (PIN number) Do not use two words when the meaning is clear with one (print out, revert back) Omit obvious words (first priority, honest truth)

Final Tips In most business writing, you will be successful if you are Professional Personal Proper Precise