BCT Ch06.ppt

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education Chapter 6 - 1

Completing Completing Business MessagesBusiness Messages


Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives• Revising your message• Improving readability• Improving clarity and conciseness• Understanding effective design• Proofreading your message• Distributing your message

Revising Your Message: Revising Your Message: Evaluating the First DraftEvaluating the First Draft



The Revision ProcessThe Revision Process

• Content • Organization• Proper tone


Review Work of OthersReview Work of Others

• Help the writer succeed• Understand the writer’s intent

Revising to Improve Revising to Improve ReadabilityReadability



Sentence LengthSentence Length

• Short—up to 15 words• Medium—15 – 25 words• Long—over 25 words


Paragraph LengthParagraph Length

• Appearance• Readability• Emphasis


Use Lists and BulletsUse Lists and Bullets

• Show sequence of ideas• Heighten visual impact• Simplify complex subjects• Identify main points• Promote “skimming”• Give readers a break


Headings and Headings and SubheadingsSubheadings

• Descriptive or informative– Organization– Attention– Connection

Editing for Clarity and Editing for Clarity and ConcisenessConciseness



Editing for ClarityEditing for Clarity

• Break up overly long sentences• Rewrite hedging sentences • Impose parallelism• Correct dangling modifiers


Editing for ClarityEditing for Clarity

• Reword long noun sequences• Replace camouflaged verbs• Clarify sentence structure• Clarify awkward references


Editing for ConcisenessEditing for Conciseness

• Delete unnecessary words and phrases• Shorten long words and phrases• Eliminate redundancies• Recast “It is/There are” starters


Revising with Revising with TechnologyTechnology

• Text tools• Spell checker• Thesaurus

• Revision tools• Grammar check• Style checker

Producing Your MessageProducing Your Message



Design for ReadabilityDesign for Readability

• Consistency• Balance• Restraint• Detail


Design TechniquesDesign Techniques

• White space• Margins • Justification• Typefaces• Type styles


Multimedia DocumentsMultimedia Documents

• Level of skills• Tools• Time and cost• Content• Message structure• Compatibility


Production TechnologyProduction Technology

• Templates, themes, and style sheets• Page setup features• Column and paragraph formatting• Numbered and bulleted lists• Information in tables• Photos, images, textboxes, and objects


Format for Business Format for Business LettersLetters

• Letterhead stationery• Date• Inside address• Salutation• The message• Complimentary close• Signature block


Format for MemosFormat for Memos

• Memo title• Headings • The message

Proofreading Your MessageProofreading Your Message


Careful ProofreadingCareful Proofreading• Make multiple passes• Use perceptual tricks• Double-check high-priority items• Give yourself some distance• Be vigilant and stay focused• Print complex electronic documents• Take your timeCopyright © 2012 Pearson Education Chapter 6 - 24

Distributing Your MessageDistributing Your Message



Distributing MessagesDistributing Messages

• Cost concerns• Convenience• Time constraints• Security and privacy

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education 27Chapter 6 -

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