1. Chapter 4 Writing Process Phase 1: Analyze, Anticipate, Adapt
Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Mary Ellen Guffey Copyright © 2008

2. The Business Writing Process: Phase 1
Defining Business Communication
Guffey’s 3-x-3 Writing Process
Team Writing
Analyze, Anticipate, Adapt
Reader Benefits and “You” View
Legal and Ethical Responsibilities
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

3. Business Writing Is… Purposeful Persuasive Economical Reader-oriented
It conveys information and solves problems.
Purposeful
Its goal is to make the audience accept the message.
Persuasive
Economical
It is concise and doesn’t waste the reader’s time.
Reader-oriented
It focuses on the receiver, not the sender.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

4. Guffey’s 3-x-3 Writing Process2 3 1
Prewriting
Writing
Revising
Analyze
Anticipate
Adapt
Research
Organize
Compose
Edit
Proofread
Evaluate
The writing process is recursive.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

5. Scheduling the Writing Process2 3 1
Prewriting
Writing
Revising
about
25 percent
of time
about
45 percent
for revising,
5 percent
for proofing
about
25 percent
of time
Don’t mar your effort by
skimping on revising!
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

6. Do All Writers Follow the Same Steps?
Writers have different composition styles.
The order of writing steps may vary.
The process is recursive, not linear.
Collaboration and working with a computer affect the writing process.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

7. Do Short Messages Require a Writing Process?
The steps may be condensed or performed rapidly, but good writers consider them all.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

8. Writing With Teams: Phase 1
Phase 1: Prewriting
Team members work closely to determine purpose, audience, content, organization 1
Prewriting
Analyze
Anticipate
Adapt
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

9. Writing With Teams: Phase 2
Phase 2: Writing
Team members work separately. 2
Writing
Research
Organize
Compose
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

10. Writing With Teams: Phase 3
Phase 3: Revising
Team members work together to synthesize, but one person may do final proofreading.
Revising
Edit
Proofread
Evaluate
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

11. Analyzing and Anticipating: Audience, Purpose
Message
Analyze the task
Identify
the purpose
Select the
right
channel
and
and
and
Anticipate
the audience
Visualize primary audience
Visualize secondary audience
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e 8

12. Anticipating Three Typical Business Audiences
© Comstock Images / Jupiterimages
Superiors
Colleagues
Customers
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e 8

13. Selecting the Best Channel
Fax? ?
Letter?
Memo?
Voice mail?
How important is the message?
How much feedback is required?
How fast is feedback needed?
Is a permanent record necessary?
How much can be spent?
How formal and confidential is the message?
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e 8

14. Adapting to Task and Audience: Eight Steps
Spotlight audience benefits. 1
The warranty starts working for you immediately. 2
Cultivate the “you” view.
You will receive your order. Your account is now open.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e 8

15. Adapting to Task and Audience: Eight Steps3
Use sensitive language, avoiding gender, race, age, and disability biases.
office workers, not office girls doctors/they, not doctor/he or nurse/she 4
Be conversational but professional.
Your report was excellent, not Your report was totally awesome!
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e 8

16. Adapting to Task and Audience: Eight Steps
Express your thoughts positively. 5
you will be happy to… not you won’t be sorry that… 6
Be courteous.
Please complete the report, not You must complete the report!
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e 8

17. Adapting to Task and Audience: Eight Steps
Simplify your language and use familiar words. 7
salary not remuneration begin not commence
Use precise, vigorous words. 8
fax me, not contact me buy staples, not get those things for me
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e 8

18. Developing Reader Benefits and “You” View
Sender-Focused
Receiver-Focused
We are requiring all staffers to complete these forms in compliance with company policy.
Please complete these forms so that you will be eligible for health and dental benefits.
Because we need more space for our new inventory, we are staging a two-for-one sale.
This two-for-one sale makes it possible for you to buy a year’s supply of paper but pay only for six months’ worth.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

19. Developing Reader Benefits and “You” View
“I” and “We” View
“You” View
We take pleasure in announcing an agreement we made with HP to allow us to offer discounted printers in the student store.
An agreement with HP allows you and other students to buy discounted printers at your convenient student store.
We are issuing a refund.
You will receive a refund.
We need your account number before we can do anything.
Would you mind giving me your account number so that I can find your records and help you solve this problem?
I have a few questions on which I would like feedback.
Your feedback is important. Please answer a few questions.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

20. Negative Expressions and Their Hidden Messages
You overlooked
You state that
You failed to
You claim that
You are wrong
You do not understand
Your delay
You forgot to
You are careless
But I don’t believe you
It is probably not true
I am right
You are not very bright
You are at fault
You are not only inefficient but also stupid and careless!
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

21. Adapting to Legal and Ethical Responsibilities
Avoid misleading information, exaggeration, half truths.
Investment
Information
Safety
Information
Warn consumers of risks in clear, simple language.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

22. Adapting to Legal and Ethical Responsibilities
Avoid statements that falsely advertise prices, performance, quality, or other product features.
Marketing
Information
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

23. Adapting to Legal and Ethical Responsibilities
Avoid subjective statements in evaluating employees; describe job-related specifics objectively.
Avoid promissory statements in job ads, application forms, and offer letters.
Human Resources Information
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

24. Adapting to Legal and Ethical Responsibilities
Assume that everything is copyrighted.
Understand that Internet items are NOT in the public domain.
Observe fair use restrictions.
Copyright
Information
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

25. Four-Factor Test to Assess Fair Use$
Four-Factor Test to Assess Fair Use
Purpose and character of the use
Is the item to be used for profit or nonprofit?
Nature of copyrighted work
Is the information necessary for the public good?
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

26. Four-Factor Test to Assess Fair Use
Amount and substantiality of portion used
Is the amount to be copied a small portion of a large work or a substantial portion of a small work?
Effect on the potential market for or value of the work.
Does the fair-use copying interfere with the author’s potential profit from the original?
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

27. How can you always be safe?
Ensuring Fair Use
How can you always be safe?
Ask for permission
to borrow.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

28. End Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 4, Slide 28