1. Chapter 5 Writing Process Phase 2: Research, Organize, Compose
Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Mary Ellen Guffey Copyright © 2008

2. The Business Writing Process: Phase 2
Research Methods
Organizing Data
Effective Sentences
Effective Paragraphs
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

3. Formal Research Methods
Access electronically
The Internet
Databases
Search manually
Books, articles
Other secondary sources
Investigate primary sources
Interviews
Surveys
Experiment scientifically
Tests with experimental and control groups
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

4. Informal Research and Idea Generation
Look in the company files.
Talk with your boss.
Interview the target audience.
Conduct an informal survey.
Brainstorm for ideas.
Develop a cluster diagram.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

5. Organizing Data Listing and outlining Grouping ideas into patterns
Direct pattern for receptive audiences
Indirect pattern for unreceptive audiences
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

6. Organizing Data: Creating Cluster Diagrams
Paid gym membership
Smoking- cessation programs
Gifts and premiums
New menu in cafeteria
Financial incentives
Improving employee health
Flex time for workouts
Seminars and workshops
Peer mentors
Guest speakers
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

7. Organizing Data: Subcluster Diagrams
Analyze the ideas in the original cluster diagram.
Cross out irrelevant ideas; simplify and clarify.
Add new ideas that seem appropriate.
Study the ideas for similarities.
Group similar ideas into classifications (such as Incentives, Organizational Changes, and Programs).
If the organization seems clear, prepare an outline.
For further visualization, make subcluster circles around each classification.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

8. Organizing Data: Making Outlines
Define the main topic (purpose of message) in the title.
Divide the main topic into three to five major components. If needed, combine small components into one larger category.
Break the components into subpoints.
Don’t put a single item under a major component; integrate it with the main item above it or reorganize.
Strive to make each component exclusive (no overlaps).
Use details, illustrations, and evidence to support subpoints.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

9. Organizing Data: Alphanumeric Outline
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

10. Organizing Data: Decimal Outline
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

11. Grouping Ideas into Patterns: Direct for Receptive Audiences
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

12. Grouping Ideas into Patterns: Indirect for Unreceptive Audiences
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

13. Creating Effective Sentences
Recognize phrases and clauses.
Clauses have subjects and verbs; phrases do not.
Independent clauses are complete; dependent clauses are not.
Phrases and dependent clauses cannot function as sentences.
Independent clause: They were eating pizza.
Dependent clause: that they wanted to return
for a refund
Phrase: to return for a refund
© C Squared Studios/Photodisk/Getty Images
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e 8

14. Effective Sentences: Sentence Length
Use short sentences.
Those under 20 words are most readable.
Sentence Length
8 words
15 words
19 words
28 words
Comprehension Rate
100%
90%
80%
50%
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e 8

15. Effective Sentences: Emphasis
Emphasize important ideas.
Put main ideas first; use them as subjects. Choose vivid words.
Unlabeled
Send your crisis response team, but also hire a public-relations specialist.
Labeled
Send your crisis response team; but, most important, hire a public-relations specialist.
General
One business uses personal selling techniques.
Vivid
Herbalife uses face-to-face selling techniques.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e 8

16. Effective Sentences: Emphasis
Emphasize important ideas.
Place important ideas first or last in the sentence.
Unemphatic
All production and administrative personnel will meet on May 23, at which time we will announce a new plan of salary incentives.
Emphatic
On May 23 all personnel will meet about salary incentives.
Although you are the first trainee that we have hired for this program, we have interviewed many candidates and expect to expand the program.
You are the first trainee that we have hired for this program.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e 8

17. Effective Sentences: Active and Passive Voice
Use active-voice verbs for most sentences.
Examples: We lost money.
The accountants made a mistake.
Use passive-voice verbs to de-emphasize the performer and/or to be tactful.
Examples: Money was lost (by us).
A mistake was made (by the accountants).
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e 8

18. Effective Sentences: Dangling Modifiers
Avoid dangling phrases.
Keep phrases close to the words they describe.
Not this:
An autopsy revealed the cause of death to be strangulation by the coroner.
But this:
An autopsy by the coroner revealed the cause of death to be strangulation.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e 8

19. Effective Paragraphs: Focus
Discuss only one topic in a paragraph.
Group similar ideas together.
Paragraphs may be composed of three kinds of sentences:
Main sentence: expresses the primary idea of the paragraph.
Supporting sentence: illustrates, explains, or strengthens the primary idea.
Limiting sentence: opposes the primary idea by suggesting a negative or contrasting thought; may precede or follow the main sentence.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

20. Effective Paragraphs: Three Plans
Create paragraphs that follow one of three classic paragraph plans:
Direct plan
Pivoting plan
Indirect
plan
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

21. Effective Paragraphs: Direct Plan
Direct Plan
common in business
Pivoting Plan
Indirect Plan
Define, classify, illustrate, or describe
Main sentence
(Limiting Sentence)
Supporting Sentences
Main sentence
Supporting Sentences
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

22. Direct Plan: Example with Optional Limiting Sentence
Main
Sentence
Limiting
Supporting
Sentences
Flexible work scheduling could immediately increase productivity and enhance employee satisfaction in our entire organization.
Such scheduling, however, is impossible for all employees.
Managers would be required to maintain their regular hours. For many other employees, though, flexible scheduling permits extra time to manage family responsibilities. Feeling less stress, employees are able to focus their attention better at work; hence they become more relaxed and more productive.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

23. Effective Paragraphs: Pivoting Plan
Direct plan
Pivoting plan
Indirect plan
Compare and contrast
Limiting sentences
Main sentence
Supporting sentences
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

24. Pivoting Plan: Example
Limiting
Sentence
Main
Supporting
Sentences
Foreign service careers are certainly not for everyone. Many representatives are stationed in remote countries where harsh climates, health hazards, security risks, and other discomforts exist.
However, careers in the foreign service offer special rewards for the special people who qualify.
Foreign service employees enjoy the pride and satisfaction of representing the United States abroad. They enjoy frequent travel, enriching cultural and social experiences in living abroad, and action-oriented work.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

25. Effective Paragraphs: Indirect Plan
Direct plan
Pivoting plan
Indirect plan
Persuade; deliver bad news; describe cause and effect
Supporting sentences
Main sentence
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

26. Indirect Plan: Example
Supporting
Sentences
Main
Sentence
According to a recent poll, more than half of all white-collar workers are now dressing casually at work. Many high-tech engineers and other professionals have given up suits and ties, favoring khakis and sweaters instead. Our own consultants say they stand out like “sore thumbs” because they are attired in traditional buttoned-down styles, while the businesspeople they visit are usually wearing casual clothing.
Therefore, I recommend that we establish an optional “business casual” policy allowing consultants to dress casually as they perform their duties both in and out of the office.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

27. Build Coherence, Link Ideas
Sustain the key idea by repeating or rephrasing it.
Our philosophy holds that every customer is really a guest. All new employees to our theme parks are trained to treat guests as VIPs. These VIPs are never told what they can or cannot do.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

28. Build Coherence, Link Ideas
Use a pronoun as a link to an antecedent
All new park employees receive a two-week orientation. They learn that every staffer has a vital role in preparing for the show. This training includes how to maintain enthusiasm.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

29. Build Coherence, Link Ideas
Dovetail sentences. Connect the beginning of each new sentence with a word from the end of the previous sentence.
New hosts and hostesses learn about the theme park and its facilities. These facilities include telephones, food services, bathrooms, and attractions, as well as the location of offices. Knowledge of administrative offices and the internal workings of the company, such as who’s in administration, ensures that staffers will be able to serve guests fully. Serving guests, of course, is our No. 1 priority.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

30. Use Transitional Expressions
To Add or Strengthen
To Show Time or Order
To Clarify
additionally
after
for example
again
before
for instance
also
earlier
I mean
besides
finally
in other words
likewise
first
that is
moreover
meanwhile
this means
furthermore
next
thus
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

31. Use Transitional Expressions
To Show Cause and Effect
To Contradict
To Contrast
accordingly
actually
as opposed to
as a result
but
at the same time
consequently
however
by contrast
for this reason
in fact
conversely so
instead
on the contrary
therefore
rather
on the other hand
hence
though
similarly
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

32. Compose Short Paragraphs
Eight or fewer printed lines are most readable.
Don’t put the reader to sleep!
Improve comprehension.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

33. End Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 33