Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Business Communication Workshop Course Coordinator:Ayyaz Qadeer Lecture # 12

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Improving Writing techniques

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition We have discussed….. Emphasis Through Mechanics: Italics and Boldface : All Caps: Notice how EXPENSE-FREE stands out. Dashes: Tabulation : Emphasis and Deemphasis Through Style Effective Sentences (Comma-splice Sentences)

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition We have discussed….. Effective Sentences (Developing Parallelism) Effective Sentences (Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers)

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Sentence Readability 5 Number of wordsReadability 8 or lessVery easy 11Easy 14Fairly easy 17Standard 21Fairly difficult 25Difficult 29 or moreVery difficult

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Avoid Strings of Choppy Sentences Choppy:Both models offer safety belts, Both models have counterbalancing. Each one has a nor. Each one has lights. One offers wing-sided seats. These seats enhance safety. Clear:Both models offer safety belts, counterbalancing, a horn, and lights. Only one offers wing-sided safety belts, which enhance safety.

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Long Lead-Ins Instead of this: This memo is to inform you that all employees meet today. I am writing this letter to say thanks to everyone who voted. Try this: All employees meet today. Thanks to everyone who voted.

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Outdated Expressions Outdated: as per your request pursuant to your request attached hereunto under separate cover Modern: at your request attached separately

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Fillers Revise sentences to avoid fillers such as there and it when used merely to take up space. Instead of this: There are two employees who should be promoted. It was Lisa and Jeff who were singled out. Try this: Two employees should be promoted. Lisa and Jeff were singled out.

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Try Your Skill Revise the following sentences. This message is to inform you that in all probability we will actually finish in two weeks. We will probably finish in two weeks. There are many brokers who are quite certain that these stocks are completely safe. Many brokers are certain that these stocks are safe. Pursuant to your request, there are two contracts that are attached hereto. As you requested, two contracts are attached.

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Redundant Words Avoid unnecessarily repetitious words. What words could be omitted in these expressions? advance warning close proximity exactly identical filled to capacity final outcome necessary requisite new beginning past history refer back thought and consideration

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Jargon Avoid technical terms and special terminology that readers would not recognize. Computer jargon: queue export bandwidth Alternative language: list of documents waiting to be printed transfer data from one program to another Internet capacity Is jargon ever permissible?

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Slang Avoid slang (informal expressions with arbitrary or extravagantly changed meanings). to bag on clueless turkey chill/chill out to tease, to nag, to complain unaware, naïve someone stupid or silly relax

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Clichés Avoid clichés (overused expressions). Substitute more precise words. Last but not least, you should keep your nose to the grindstone. We had reached the end of our rope. Finally, you should work diligently. We could go no further.

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Clichés 15 Poor useBetter use ResideLive TerminateEnd Utilization ofUse OptimumBest FinalizeFinish At this point in timeNow

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Try Your Skill Revise the following sentence to avoid slang, clichés, and redundancies. Last but not least, the attorney referred back to an exactly identical case. Finally, the attorney referred to an identical case. With a little advance warning, we could have sold out before our stocks tanked. With warning, we could have sold out before our stocks hit bottom. Ms. Miller, who shoots straight from the shoulder, demanded final completion by January 1. Ms. Miller, who is straightforward, demanded completion by January 1.

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition 3.Choose a Tone for the Reader Forceful: Use the active voice Use the subject-verb structure Do not use ‘weasel words’ (possibly, may be, perhaps)

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition 3.Choose a Tone for the Reader Passive: Avoid imperatives Use the passive voice Use ‘weasel words’ Use longer sentences Do not explicitly take responsibility

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition 3.Choose a Tone for the Reader Personal: Use the active voice Use first names Use personal pronouns Use short sentences Use contractions Direct questions at the reader

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Recapitulation Avoid Strings of Choppy Sentences Avoid long lead-ins, Outdated Expressions, Fillers, Redundant Words Avoid technical terms and special terminology that readers would not recognize. Avoid slang (informal expressions with arbitrary or extravagantly changed meanings). Avoid clichés (overused expressions). Substitute more precise words. How to choose a Tone for the Reader

Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Thank You