1. Business Writing: Content and Organization

2. The Writing Process Analyze, anticipate, and adapt Analyze, anticipate, and adapt Research, organize, and compose Research, organize, and compose Revise, proofread, and evaluate Revise, proofread, and evaluate

3. Analyze, Anticipate, and Adapt Analyze Analyze What is my purpose? What is my purpose? Do I really need to write? (Channel) Do I really need to write? (Channel)Channel Anticipate Anticipate Who is the intended reader? Who is the intended reader? How will the reader react? How will the reader react? Adapt Adapt What’s in it for the reader? What’s in it for the reader? Did I use the best choice of words? Did I use the best choice of words?

4. Choose Best Channel Face-to-face Face-to-face Telephone Call Telephone Call Voice Mail Voice Mail Fax Fax Email Email To share personal message, be persuasive, or deliver bad news; richest communication channel To share personal message, be persuasive, or deliver bad news; richest communication channel For convenience when nonverbal cues are unimportant For convenience when nonverbal cues are unimportant To leave message for response when convenient To leave message for response when convenient To cross time zones, to produce written record, for speedy delivery To cross time zones, to produce written record, for speedy delivery To exchange information conveniently and quickly, but problematic for some messages (emoticons helpful) To exchange information conveniently and quickly, but problematic for some messages (emoticons helpful)emoticons

5. Choose Best Channel When group decisions and consensus are important When group decisions and consensus are important To disperse data or elicit consensus from geographically dispersed group To disperse data or elicit consensus from geographically dispersed group To produce formal, written record for insiders To produce formal, written record for insiders To produce formal, written record for customers and other outsiders To produce formal, written record for customers and other outsiders To deliver complex data internally or externally To deliver complex data internally or externally Face-to-face group meeting Face-to-face group meeting Video or teleconference Video or teleconference Memo Memo Letter Letter Report Report

6. Adapt to your Reader Spotlight receiver benefits Spotlight receiver benefits Cultivate the “you” view Cultivate the “you” view Use sensitive language avoiding gender, race, age, and disability biases Use sensitive language avoiding gender, race, age, and disability biasessensitive Express thoughts positively Express thoughts positively Use familiar words Use familiar words Use precise, vigorous words Use precise, vigorous words

7. Beware of Hidden Negatives You failed to.... You failed to.... (You are careless.) (You are careless.) You claim that.... You claim that.... (It’s probably untrue.) (It’s probably untrue.) You are wrong.... You are wrong.... (I am right.) (I am right.) You forgot to.... You forgot to.... (You are not only inefficient but also stupid and careless.) (You are not only inefficient but also stupid and careless.)

8. Your Turn TO: All Employees using the HP 5000 We have a serious security problem involving your failure to take appropriate measures to safeguard your log-in ID. Per company policy, you are not allowed to give your password out to anybody else. In addition, many of you are saving your log-in access so that the computer automatically logs you in when you boot up your computer. Don’t do that. You are exposing the entire organization to possible intrusion and malicious manipulation of company files. A violator wouldn’t even have to know your password to gain entry to the entire system!!! Consequently, I have developed a new computer security policy. Sign it and return it to me ASAP to indicate your understanding of the above two very serious issues and your promise to never do them in the future. Attachment

9. The Writing Process Analyze, anticipate, and adapt Analyze, anticipate, and adapt Research, organize, and compose Research, organize, and compose Revise, proofread, and evaluate Revise, proofread, and evaluate

10. Research, Organize, and Compose Research Research Formal: electronic, manual secondary, primary, tests Formal: electronic, manual secondary, primary, tests Informal: visit, files, informal survey Informal: visit, files, informal survey Organize Organize Direct for receptive Direct for receptive Direct Indirect for unreceptive Indirect for unreceptive Compose Compose Complete sentences Complete sentences Effective paragraphs Effective paragraphs

11. Direct for Receptive If pleased If mildly interestedIf neutral DIRECT PATTERN Start with Good News or Main Idea

12. Indirect for Unreceptive If unwilling or uninterested If displeased or disappointed If hostile INDIRECT PATTERN Cushion the Bad News or Main Idea

13. Write Complete Sentences Use short sentences Use short sentencesshort Emphasize important ideas Emphasize important ideas Use the active voice for most sentences Use the active voice for most sentences Use the passive voice to deemphasize the performer and/or to be tactful Use the passive voice to deemphasize the performer and/or to be tactful

14. Using Short Sentences 8 words 8 words 15 words 15 words 19 words 19 words 28 words 28 words 100% 100% 90% 90% 80% 80% 50% 50% Source: American Press Institute (API)

15. Write Effective Paragraphs One topic per paragraph One topic per paragraph Arrange sentences directly/indirectly Arrange sentences directly/indirectly Use transitional expressions for coherence Use transitional expressions for coherencetransitional Emphasize key idea via repeating and rephrasing it Emphasize key idea via repeating and rephrasing it Use pronouns to refer clearly to antecedents Use pronouns to refer clearly to antecedents

16. The Writing Process Analyze, anticipate, and adapt Analyze, anticipate, and adapt Research, organize, and compose Research, organize, and compose Revise, proofread, and evaluate Revise, proofread, and evaluate

17. Revise, Proofread, and Evaluate Revise Revise For clarity For clarity For conciseness (KISS) For conciseness (KISS)conciseness For readability For readabilityreadability Proofread Proofread for correctness for correctnesscorrectness Evaluate Evaluate for feedback for feedback

18. Revise for Conciseness Fillers Fillers There are three new styles of laptops we offer. There are three new styles of laptops we offer. Empty words Empty words Not all employees who are registered will attend. Not all employees who are registered will attend. Nouns Nouns We must conduct an investigation of computer- security issues before consideration of your complaint We must conduct an investigation of computer- security issues before consideration of your complaint Trite Business Phrases Trite Business Phrases Thank you in advance Thank you in advance Enclosed please find Enclosed please find

19. Revise for Readability Develop parallelism Develop parallelism We can collect, store and update information. We can collect, store and update information. Use numbered and bulleted lists Use numbered and bulleted lists Letters such as (a) and (b) within text Letters such as (a) and (b) within text Numbers and bullets in vertical lists Numbers and bullets in vertical lists Add headings and subheadings Add headings and subheadings Emphasize with bold, italics, underline Emphasize with bold, italics, underline Indent content below Indent content below

20. Proofread for Correctness Spelling Spelling Grammar Grammar Punctuation Punctuation Names and numbers Names and numbers Format Format

21. Why Accuracy in Proofreading is Important If you believe that 99.9 percent accuracy is acceptable, then If you believe that 99.9 percent accuracy is acceptable, then Every hour: Every hour: 18,322 pieces of mail would be mishandled 18,322 pieces of mail would be mishandled 22,000 checks would be deducted from the wrong bank account 22,000 checks would be deducted from the wrong bank account Every day: Every day: 12 newborn babies would be given to wrong parents 12 newborn babies would be given to wrong parents 55 incorrect drug prescriptions would be written 55 incorrect drug prescriptions would be written

22. Why Accuracy in Proofreading is Important If you believe that 99.9 percent accuracy is acceptable, then If you believe that 99.9 percent accuracy is acceptable, then Every week: Every week: 500 incorrect surgical procedures would be performed 500 incorrect surgical procedures would be performed 48,000 books would be shipped with the wrong cover 48,000 books would be shipped with the wrong cover Every year: Every year: 81,000 faulty rolls of 35mm film would be loaded 81,000 faulty rolls of 35mm film would be loaded 2 million documents would be lost by the IRS 2 million documents would be lost by the IRS

23. Why Accuracy in Proofreading is Important If you believe that 99.9 percent accuracy is acceptable, then If you believe that 99.9 percent accuracy is acceptable, then In addition In addition 320 entries in Webster’s Third New International Dictionary of the English Language would be misspelled 320 entries in Webster’s Third New International Dictionary of the English Language would be misspelled

24. Your Turn! To: Professor Smith From: Jane Student Subject:Nuclear Fission Credit Research I’ve thought a lot about what I want to do for my research project in your CS 589 class and I’ve decided that it might be kinda interesting to figure out who really deserves the credit for discovering nuclear fission: Hahn or Meitner and Strassman— who I think really should have won the Nobel Prize. But anyway, this topic should also meet a couple of your criteria…..it’s interesting to me (after all, I am a woman studying nuclear research!) and I think I can find some research sources on it. You also said that you wanted our research topics to be technical and provide depth. It does. Well, just let me know if this topic is okay so I can get started on it.

25. To: Professor Smith From: Jane Student Subject:Request for Research Topic for CS 589 For my CS 589 project, please permit me to study the way in which credit has been awarded for the discovery of nuclear fission. Although Otto Hahn received the 1946 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery, several people assert that Lise Meitner and Fritz Strassman should have also received credit. In my research, I will attempt to discern if credit was given appropriately. Research to determine the proper credit for the discovery of nuclear fission meets the following three CS 589 project criteria: (a) the research topic is of interest, (b) the research topic can be researched quickly, and (c) the research topic is technical and provides depth. Research Topic is of Interest I am interested in the topic. As a nuclear engineering student, I realize that the discovery of nuclear fission was perhaps the single most important discovery this century in my field. As a woman scientist, I am also deeply interested in the successes and challenges faced by other women scientists. Research Topic Can be Researched Quickly The discovery of nuclear fission can be quickly researched. A computer search in the library has revealed many sources available on this topic. Attached to this memo is a summary of one such source, Lise Meitner: A Life in Physics by Ruth Sime. Research Topic is Technical and In-depth The fission of a uranium nuclear is clearly technical in that it involves an understanding of both chemistry and physics principles. Additionally, by focusing on this single discovery, I believe that I can provide the required depth of subject. If you have any suggestions for modifying this topic, please let me know. With your permission, I will continue researching. Attachment

26. Go Forth and Communicate Clearly