1. Hints on Writing Skills Milly Grillone FAO Junior Consultant

2. Communication Skills Communication links people Communication links people Verbal vs Non-Verbal Communication Verbal vs Non-Verbal Communication Effective Communication = Effective Communication = good information + good image Barriers to effective communication: Barriers to effective communication: 1. Accurate Information accompanied by a bad image 2. Good image accompanied by confused information

3. Communication Writing Skills Information is transmitted effectively if it is properly structured …and well presented. Information is important as much as the way you communicate it. What do I mean by the way to communicate an information? Designing your paper taking into account not only good graphics and formatting but, above all, good grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary and organization. The role of words in communication…. The role of words in communication…. Word Choice Word Order Punctuation Sentence Structure Paragraph Development

4. ABOUT THE Communication enhances the visibility of the Center and strengthens its linkages with the outside world Communication enhances the visibility of the Center and strengthens its linkages with the outside world Think about formal and informal communication channels Think about formal and informal communication channels Writing skill as a Communication Tool, an ability to transmit information and, above all, to raise your reader’s interest Writing skill as a Communication Tool, an ability to transmit information and, above all, to raise your reader’s interest

5. How to write a summary Summarizing means extracting the most relevant information Summarizing means extracting the most relevant information A summary ranges from the brief one sentence condensation to more lengthy paraphrase: it must reduce the amount of information A summary ranges from the brief one sentence condensation to more lengthy paraphrase: it must reduce the amount of information The shorter the summary, however, the greater the danger of oversimplification or outright misrepresentation The shorter the summary, however, the greater the danger of oversimplification or outright misrepresentation

6. First Step Attentive Reading Do justice to what you read, rather than reading into a work only what is familiar to you Do justice to what you read, rather than reading into a work only what is familiar to you Observe how the author structured his writing Observe how the author structured his writing

7. Second Step Selection of information Identify key sentences (underline them as you read): Thesis Statement (which sums up the major point of the whole work) and topic sentences. I. Grasp the Core Information

8. II. Sort Out the Major Points Look for the most relevant points expressed in the paragraphs (underline them as you read) Second Step Selection of information (2)

9. Third Step Write your Summary Put into words the Thesis Statement, add the other major points Put into words the Thesis Statement, add the other major points Reduce Explanations Reduce Explanations Formulate in your own words (not by copying and pasting randomly) squeezing major points that seem to be implied by the author but not spelled out in any sentence (remember that your purpose is to report what is said, not to interpret it) Formulate in your own words (not by copying and pasting randomly) squeezing major points that seem to be implied by the author but not spelled out in any sentence (remember that your purpose is to report what is said, not to interpret it)

10. Third Step Write your Summary Omit passages that restate the same point and needless words Omit passages that restate the same point and needless words Do not mention irrelevant details Do not mention irrelevant details

11. “Economical Wording” Try to sum up Try to sum up When the author uses a phrase, try to use a single word. When the author uses a phrase, try to use a single word. Where several synonyms restate the same idea, choose the one that gives the central common meaning Where several synonyms restate the same idea, choose the one that gives the central common meaning Preserve Preserve The emphasis of the original text, giving more relevance to a point treated at length than to one mentioned in passing The emphasis of the original text, giving more relevance to a point treated at length than to one mentioned in passing

12. Proofreading is your lifebelt SELF ASSESSMENT Revision Your judgment will be objective and rigorous as much as you are able to have the reader’s critical eye OTHERS’ ASSESSMENT

13. The commitment concerning export subsidies is probably the most important element of the agreement because of it’s immediate and direct impact on world market Seven more Members Since the establishment of the WTO on 1 January 1995: Ecuador, Estonia, Latvia, Kyrgyz republic, Magnolia and Panama Agricultural exports to the countries of AFTA reached an increase of 28% along the whale of the 90s The multiple exchange rate system was also used as an instrument for stabilizing prices and limiting importation to essential commodities Several related resolutions were issued such as allowing the General Establishment of Meat to export the Awas sheep mails This in turn requires producing commodities that meat foreign market requirements and supporting export oriented industry Proofreading is a fundamental step: it helps you identify the following…

14. Some final suggestions Check for.. …. Words Overusing Overusing Concerning agricultural planning, agricultural planning was centralized till 1987 What is Syria is going to lose in case of not adhesion to the WTO? This is particularly true, in a world that is becoming more even more inter-dependent Although political motivation is considered as a dominant aspect of the international cooperation, the economic considerations, are considered crucial in assessing the impact of international cooperation by addressing the gains and losses on economic criteria

15. Check for extra long sentences … We can conclude that also in the case of export the increased trade activity between Syria and AFTA countries was not mainly a result of AFTA or of any other bilateral agreement, but it came as general effect probably, the case of this effect has to be indicated in the Government allowances and encouragement for export in general as it was mentioned in section 2.1 In this context, contractual trade relations between neighboring countries strengthen political ties and exchange between civil societies can all support the multilateral process and reinforce political satiability, unless they use this relation for more protectionism Both residents and non-residents by national of Arab and foreign countries development project within the framework of general economic, social and political development plans in the field of agricultural projects, both plant and animal production, agro-industrial, industrial and transportation projects