Business Writing Basics manual - revieweds3.amazonaws.com/Careertec/Manuals and Texts/Business/Busines… · The Business Writing Basics course consists of 3 modules: • Business

Business W

riting

Basics

BWB/811

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Table of Contents Introduction ........................................................ iii

Business Writing: Know Your Readers and Your

Purpose ................................................................ 1

Write Effectively for Your Readers and Purpose ...........3

Reader Characteristics and Roles .................................................. 4

Effective Writing for Different Message Types .......................... 8

Using an Appropriate Tone in Business Writing ...................... 13

Business Writing: How to Write Clearly and

Concisely............................................................ 27

Writing Clearly and Concisely ............................................29

Techniques for Writing Clearly....................................................... 30

Applying the Techniques of Concise Writing ............................ 36

Importance of Organizing Your Content ..................................... 42

Business Writing: Editing and Proofreading..... 53

Editing and Proofreading Your Business

Documents................................................................................55

Introduction to Editing and Proofreading................................... 56

Editing Effectively .............................................................................. 61

Proofreading Your Document ......................................................... 68

Glossary ..................................................................................................... 81

iii

Introduction

The Business Writing Basics course consists of 3 modules:

• Business Writing: Know Your Readers and Your Purpose

• Business Writing: How to Write Clearly and Concisely • Business Writing: Editing and Proofreading

In the first module, you will learn ways to identify your readers and to create messages that convey the appropriate tone for different reader roles. This module also outlines how to write effectively for the three most common reasons for writing a business document – to inform, respond, or persuade.

• identify key characteristics to consider when analyzing the targeted readers of a business document

• identify attributes to consider when defining your relationship to the reader

• determine the appropriate written message to use for a given situation

• recognize the value of knowing the appropriate tone to use to address your readers

• use the appropriate writing tone to communicate a written business message for a given purpose and audience

In the second module, you will learn ways to make your writing more clear. Specifically, it covers the importance of using short, familiar words, appropriate connotations, concrete and specific language, and transitional words and

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phrases. The module also discusses ways to be more concise and explains some best practices for organizing content logically and appropriately.

• recognize sentences that reflect the techniques of clear writing

• recognize how to apply the techniques of concise writing to a given sample of business writing

• identify ways to organize content to increase reader understanding

In the third module, you will learn the importance of editing and proofreading your business documents. This module also describes some key areas to consider when editing – like tone, structure, clarity, and accuracy. You will also explore ways to proofread effectively. In particular, you will find out about some of the most common grammatical, punctuation, and spelling mistakes that people make.

• distinguish between editing and proofreading • identify general techniques that help you edit and

proofread effectively • recognize the types of errors made in a given business

document • recognize mechanical errors in a given business

document

You may use this manual to review and highlight important concepts as you progress through the media based course.

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Business Writing: Know

Your Readers and Your

Purpose

In this module, you will learn ways to identify your readers and to create messages that convey the appropriate tone for different reader roles. This module also outlines how to write effectively for the three most common reasons for writing a business document – to inform, respond, or persuade

The following lessons are covered in this module: Lesson 1: Write Effectively for Your Readers and

Purpose

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Lesson

1 Write Effectively for Your

Readers and Purpose

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• identify key characteristics to consider when analyzing the targeted readers of a business document

• identify attributes to consider when defining your relationship to the reader

• determine the appropriate written message to use for a given situation

• recognize the value of knowing the appropriate tone to use to address your readers

• use the appropriate writing tone to communicate a written business message for a given purpose and audience

Write Effectively for Your Readers and Purpose

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Topic 1

Reader Characteristics and Roles

he characteristics of your readers Four main considerations about your reading audience

should guide your writing.

1. Size of your audience 2. Gender of your reader 3. Knowledge level of your reader 4. Issues that are of concern to your audience

1. Size of your audience

It can be more difficult to write to multiple readers than to a single reader. If you have multiple readers, you should determine who your key readers are. Although you may include some extra explanation or definitions for other readers, this shouldn't become cumbersome for the key readers.

2. Gender of your reader

You need to know the gender so that you can use the appropriate title. This may require a phone call on your part – remember that many first names are used by both genders. If you address a female manager as "Dear Sir," for example, the reader may be offended. This indicates you haven't taken the time to do your research.

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Business Writing Basics

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3. Knowledge level of your reader

The knowledge level should guide the content and style of your message. You should explain technical content simply and avoid using jargon in messages for readers who may not share your level of expertise. More technical content would be appropriate if you were writing to a peer or manager in your field. If you're addressing a message to multiple readers, you may not know their knowledge levels. It's generally best to keep things simple. If you assume your readers know more than they actually do, your message is likely to frustrate many.

4. Issues that are of concern to your audience

It's critical to know the issues of concern relevant to your audience. Always start a message with the information that's most important to the reader. Make it clear how your message will benefit them, rather than focusing on what you want to achieve. Generally, use the word "you" more often than "the company" or "I." You should also try to predict any questions the reader might have and acknowledge these in your writing.

Information about your audience can come from various sources. You might check a company web site before writing a business proposal for the company's management, for example. Or you might contact a conference organizer for details of who'll be attending the presentation you're planning to write.

You might not always know exactly who you're writing for. But the more information you gather, the better you'll be able to tailor your writing so it has the desired impact.


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Your relationship to the reader

As well as identifying characteristics of the individuals you're writing for, you need to consider your relationship to your readers.

• What is their level of authority in relation to yours? • Do you have a personal relationship with your readers? • What level of interest do the readers have in what you

need to write?

What is their level of authority in relation to you rs?

It's important to tailor your messages based on whether they're for managers, colleagues, employees you supervise, or people outside your organization – like clients, suppliers, and the general public.

Consider how your level of authority in relation to that of your readers should affect the way you write:

• generally, messages for those above you in your organization should be fairly formal but to the point

• messages for colleagues, or peers, can be more informal

• instructions for employees you supervise – in other words, your subordinates – should be clear and direct

• a more formal style is usually appropriate for communicating with people outside your organization

Do you have a personal relationship with your reade rs?

You should also assess how well you know the person you're writing to. Is it someone within your department or perhaps a colleague you've known for many years? Do you


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have a social as well as business relationship with the reader?

If so, you can be slightly less formal. A tone that's too reserved may offend the reader or leave him feeling his personal relationship with you has been overlooked.

What level of interest do the readers have in what you need to write?

You need to consider the reader's level of interest in the subject you're addressing. Will your message have a direct effect on the recipient?

You become a more effective communicator if you adjust your written messages according to the relationship you have with the reader.

To write effectively in business, you should consider the size, gender, knowledge level, and issues of concern to your target audience.

In addition, you should tailor your writing based on the target reader's relationship to you and your message. This involves considering the reader's level of authority in relation to yours, any personal relationship you have with the reader, and the reader's level of interest in the subject you're addressing.


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Topic 2

Effective Writing for Different Message

Types

o write effective and appropriate business messages, you need to identify the purpose of your writing. Taking a few minutes to define your purpose can dramatically

improve your writing. It will help keep you focused on the point of your message and the reaction you want it to inspire.

There are two questions you can ask yourself to help identify your purpose in writing a business document:

• Why am I writing this document? • What do I want my reader to do and know after reading

the message?

Often your reason for writing and the response you want are similar. If you write to invite an important client to a company event, for instance, you want the client to be inspired to attend. Or there may be a more subtle link. For instance, you might regularly inform customers of new company developments because you want them to think of your company first when they need a particular service.

Whether you're writing a 50-page proposal or a five-line e-mail, your business writing will typically fall into one of three categories. Depending on your main purpose, it will be

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1. Informative – Informative writing conveys information to the reader. It may introduce, report, instruct, propose, summarize, or classify.

2. Responsive – Responsive writing provides a reply to some prior communication. It may confirm, acknowledge, follow up with, thank, sympathize with, remit, refer, refuse, apologize, or congratulate the reader.

3. Persuasive – Persuasive writing attempts to convince the reader.

It's important to remember that there's often some overlap in the message types.

It's helpful to know the message type you're writing. This is because the format and approach you use should differ depending on whether you need to inform, respond to, or persuade your readers.

Informative messages

The purpose of informative writing is to transfer information to the reader. So it must be direct, clear, concise, and accessible. It should use a neutral tone and present facts or events objectively.

To make informative writing effective, you should explain your reason for writing at the start. It's also important to organize key ideas, be specific, and separate fact from opinion.

Composing a clear and well-organized informative message ensures that the message will succeed in getting the required information across to your readers.


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Responsive messages

Responsive writing is often required in the business environment. For responsive writing to be effective, it must be

• Prompt and courteous – A good rule of thumb is to respond to a request within 24 hours, or sooner if the person is upset or has a complaint. Being prompt and remaining courteous lets the reader know that you've taken the request seriously and are addressing it in a professional way.

• Exact – You should state your response in the first or second sentence, be sure to answer all questions, use direct specific language, acknowledge important details, and provide additional information if possible.

• Sincere – To demonstrate your sincerity, you can open or close with a positive statement, use a conversational tone, or personalize your response.

• Brief – A brief response containing only what the reader requires is usually the most effective. However, it shouldn't be so short that it seems inconsiderate or abrupt to the reader.

It should also be straightforward in providing what a reader has requested.

Persuasive messages

Persuasive writing motivates the reader to support an idea or take action. It takes skill to write a persuasive document. You need to overcome readers' resistance to change and make it clear how your idea could benefit them or their organization.


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Elements of persuasion are found in almost all business communications. But you focus on being persuasive particularly when writing documents like a product brochure or sales pitch, a motivational memo, or a letter of commendation.

To make persuasive writing effective, you should ensure you

• Attract attention – An engaged reader is more likely to be persuaded. To attract attention, you should begin with a lead-in that's interesting and relevant to the reader. Once you've hooked the reader, you can introduce your idea.

• Stimulate interest – Self-interest usually plays an important role in persuasion. Personal advantages often convince a reader to agree with your message. Describe the pertinent points of your idea, but also explain how they will benefit the reader.

• Maintain focus – To maintain focus, you should spotlight one key benefit and develop it more fully than the others. Focus on the benefit that's most important or motivating to the reader. This benefit may be specific to an individual reader or broad enough to appeal to diverse readers.

• Create a desire – Once the benefits are clear to your readers, you can create desire. You must convince your readers that they will feel satisfaction if they achieve these benefits. The benefits should either provide something desirable to the readers or help them to avoid something undesirable.

• Prompt a response from the reader – The final step is to prompt readers for a response. Once they agree with your message, they must know what steps to take to show their agreement. You can make it easier for


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readers to act by taking responsibility yourself for any necessary action steps.

In business writing, it's vitally important to choose the right message type for your purpose, and then to write appropriately based on that purpose. This will ensure you communicate as effectively as possible with your intended audience and prompt the desired responses.

Business writing may be informative, responsive, or persuasive. The main purpose of your message will help determine the type it should take.

When writing an informative message, you need to identify your purpose clearly at the start, organize key ideas, be specific, and separate fact from opinion. Responsive writing should be prompt and satisfy the reader's original request. Effective persuasive writing attracts attention, engages the reader, stimulates interest, maintains focus, creates a desire, and prompts a response.


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Topic 3

Using an Appropriate Tone in Business

Writing

nalyzing your audience and the purpose of your message is the key to successful business writing. As well as helping you decide what content and how

much detail to include, it helps you apply the right tone in your writing.

Tone refers to the style or manner of expression you use, in your speech or writing. Just like in a conversation, the tone you use in your writing affects the way a reader interprets and responds to your message.

In a conversation, you can gauge the reader's immediate reaction and change your tone accordingly. But once you've committed words to paper, you won't have a chance to do this. So it's doubly important to choose the right tone in your written messages.

And the tone you choose in your writing should be guided by who you want to read the material, why you want them to, and what reaction you hope to get.

Using the appropriate tone will

• Prevent you from alienating the reader – If you use a tone that's too casual, you may cause offense. Similarly, using a tone that's too formal with

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teammates could appear "high-handed" and unfriendly.

• Positively influence the reader's attitude – Using the right tone can help set the mood and form the attitude of your reader. This makes it more likely you'll get the desired response to your message.

• Help the reader connect with your message – By using the right tone and choosing your words carefully, you can help readers "hear your voice." You can make them feel more connected to what you are writing about.

Choosing the appropriate tone

In all business writing, you should strive for an overall tone that is:

• Confident • Conversational • Positive • Courteous

This applies no matter who you're addressing.

Confident tone

A confident tone conveys your authority and helps assure the reader your message is important enough to warrant attention.

To use a confident tone, you should avoid qualifying your message with phrases such as "I think," "in my opinion," and "if you agree." Instead you should use words like "will" and "can," and state everything as a matter of fact. Also avoid undermining the importance of your message by using


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phrases like "I know you are busy but..." or "Although we're a relatively new company..." These convey insecurity.

Conversational tone

The norms for business communication have changed. Where highly formal, stilted wording was often used in the past, a more conversational tone is now preferred. This involves using natural-sounding wording similar to that used in everyday speech. For example, include contractions like "I'm" or "we've," and avoid highly formal language or dense jargon.

Positive tone

To maintain a positive tone, you should avoid expressions like "cannot" or "unable to." Instead, focus on the benefits of a message for the reader and on company strengths.

Courteous tone

A courteous tone is polite and respectful. It does not lecture the reader, state obvious truths, or use language that suggests that the reader is at fault or unreasonable. It's important that the way you write does not offend the reader.

Instinctively, most people adjust the way they speak depending on their relationships to those they're addressing. It's important to do this in your business writing also.

As well as keeping your tone appropriate overall, you should adjust your tone based on the reader's role.


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Generally, the role of the reader will determine whether your tone should be:

• Formal • Informal • Economical and direct • Authoritative

Formal

A formal tone is appropriate when you're writing to anyone outside your organization, such as clients, customers, vendors, or the public. Formal doesn't mean stuffy though. You should use conversational language but follow more formal protocols.

You should also remember to avoid using organizational jargon. Instead, stick to commonly understood words you know your reader will be familiar with.

Informal

An informal tone is suitable for communicating with coworkers and peers. It assumes familiarity and involves writing simply, without overly long sentences or technical terms. It also involves using devices like contractions to make text read more naturally.

However, note that it's never appropriate to use slang or too casual a tone in a business context. You also shouldn't assume a tone that's too familiar just because you're above someone else in an organization's hierarchy.


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Economical and direct

Using a tone that's economical and direct is most appropriate for managers, executives, and those at higher levels of an organization. These individuals are often pressed for time and appreciate writing that gets to the point quickly and concisely.

Executives also tend to focus on bottom-line information, so it's best to avoid unnecessary or overly technical details. Instead, start by making the benefits of reading your messages clear. Use straightforward language and cover critical information first.

Authoritative

It's appropriate to use an authoritative tone when you need to instruct or reprimand your subordinates. This type of tone involves using concise language to make instructions or requirements clear. Although your wording should be simple, it will lack the "friendliness" of more casual correspondence.

This doesn't mean you should always use this tone with subordinates though. Using the imperative and sounding too high-handed could cause offense and resentment. It's better to reserve this for when it's really important to exert your authority.

Although business writing is generally becoming more informal and straightforward, you still need to use your judgment to find the right tone. Ultimately, the best approach is to put yourself in your readers' place and consider the message from their viewpoint.


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It's important to use the appropriate tone in business correspondence. Your overall tone should always be confident, conversational, positive, and courteous. But you also need to adapt your tone based on the role of the reader you're addressing.

Typically, a formal tone is appropriate for people outside your organization. It's appropriate to use an informal tone for colleagues and peers, an economical and direct tone for senior managers, and an authoritative tone for instructing or reprimanding subordinates.

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��Job Aid

Using the Appropriate Business Tone

Purpose: Use this job aid as a checklist to ensure that you are using the appropriate business tone in your writing.

To remind yourself of the appropriate business tone, ask yourself the following questions as you write:

1. Does the message in this document come across as confident?

2. Are there any places where the message sounds insecure?

3. Is the message positive? 4. Does the message emphasize benefits to the reader? 5. Does the message sound courteous? 6. Does the message sound condescending or stuffy? 7. Is the tone consistent throughout the message? 8. Have you taken the role of your reader into

consideration? 9. Have you used a formal tone if you are writing to

someone outside the organization? 10. Have you considered using a more informal or

conversational tone if you are writing to a colleague? 11. Are you addressing a subordinate? If so, would using

an authoritative tone be more appropriate? 12. Have you used an economical or direct tone if writing to

a senior manager or executive?

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��Job Aid

Reader Checklist

Purpose: Use this job aid as a checklist to analyze your reading audience.

Answer the questions in relation to a business document you need to write.

1. Who are my readers? 2. How big is my reading audience? 3. What gender am I writing for? 4. How much do my readers already know about the

subject? 5. What knowledge do they bring to the document? 6. What attitudes will they have about my document? 7. Is this a topic of interest to my readers? 8. What is the most important information I need my

readers to know? 9. How will my readers benefit from my message?

10. Are some readers more important than others? 11. Do my intentions differ from those of my readers? 12. What do I want my readers to do in response to my

message? 13. What do I want to achieve by writing this document?

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��Job Aid

Informative Writing Characteristics and Examples

Purpose: Use this job aid as a guide when you need to write an informative message.

The purpose of informative writing is to transfer information to the reader. To make informative writing effective, you should explain your reason for writing at the start. It's also important to organize key ideas, be specific, and separate fact from opinion.

Examples

Simple announcements

Subject: Todd Brenner named head of the Marketing Department

The highly experienced Todd Brenner has accepted our offer to become head of the Marketing Department. Todd's duties will be effective as of September 1. His responsibilities will include formulating a sales and marketing plan, with specific reference to brand management, and handling the sales budget.

Todd previously held a similar role in a highly reputed company, where he helped increase sales by 12%. We are excited to welcome him on board.

Informal Writing Characteristics and Examples

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Giving instructions

Subject: Policies affecting subcontractor agreements

Under normal circumstances, any preexisting subcontractor relationships can stay in place after you obtain a new contract. This also applies to arrangements you make after you have submitted an offer but before the contract is awarded to you. In all instances, please provide the following details:

1. name(s) of all subcontractors 2. effective dates of arrangement 3. names of the key contact individuals for each company

Please submit this information directly via e-mail.

Regards,

Tom

Answering questions

Please call me if you need more information.

Regards,

Ross

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��Job Aid

Responsive Writing Characteristics and Examples

Purpose: Use this job aid as a guide when you need to respond to a previous communication.

The purpose of responsive writing is to provide a response to previous communication. For responsive writing to be effective, it must be prompt and courteous, exact, sincere, and brief. It should be straightforward in providing what a reader has requested.

Examples

Thank-you note

[Production development staff],

All of you did an excellent job during our last sales quarter. You completed three big projects on tight deadlines. Consequently, our profits for the quarter look excellent.

On behalf of myself and the rest of the management team, let me say thank you and congratulations on a job well done.

Gratefully,

Michael Cassidy

Responsive Writing Characteristics and Examples

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Inquiry reply

Dear Mr. Ryan,

We received your inquiry yesterday regarding our latest software release. This letter will answer your questions concerning our technical support policy.

We handle a large volume of customer inquiries daily, and for this reason, the majority of our technical support is provided by e-mail, which allows us to respond more quickly to each customer. In addition, there is a technical support phone number you may call if you require further assistance. This number is 555-223-1212.

Sincerely,

Michael Cassidy

Sympathy note

Dear Jane,

I've been deeply concerned since I learned that Herb has been hospitalized two days ago. It was a shock to all of us because he seemed to be in such good health.

If you have any questions about company health insurance, I would be happy to help. Please call my office or cell phone directly if there is anything I can do.

Best wishes,

Michael

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��Job Aid

Persuasive Writing Characteristics and an Example

Purpose: Use this job aid to help you write persuasive business documents.

The purpose of persuasive writing is to motivate the reader to support an idea or take action. To make persuasive writing effective, you should ensure it attracts attention, stimulates interest, and maintains focus. It must also create a desire and prompt a response from the reader.

Example

Dear Homeowner,

[ATTRACT ATTENTION]

Three and a half million homes in the United States will be burglarized this year. Don't let yours be one of them.

[STIMULATE INTEREST]

When you have a SafeGuard Home Alarm System, there's no need to worry. SafeGuard protects your home from unwanted intruders so you can relax, knowing your home is safe.

Persuasive Writing Characteristics and an Example

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[MAINTAIN FOCUS]

The SafeGuard Home Alarm system can detect unusual sound in any room. SafeGuard's scanner ignores everyday sounds like crying babies, televisions, or barking dogs. However, hostile noises, such as crashes or breaking glass, will trigger the alarm. Its 110-decibel siren is enough to deter any burglar while alerting your neighborhood to danger.

[CREATE A DESIRE]

A direct phone line connection to your local police station allows SafeGuard to contact the authorities instantly when alerted. Built-in batteries that recharge automatically keep SafeGuard active even during power failures. You can contact our technical support 24 hours a day by calling our toll-free hotline.

[PROMPT A RESPONSE]

Our Customer Service Department is waiting to take your SafeGuard Alarm system order at 555-227-SAFE, or log on to our user-friendly web site and place your order online. Enjoy peace of mind knowing your home is secure - order SafeGuard today.

Sincerely,

(Name and title of salesperson)

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Business Writing: How to

Write Clearly and

Concisely

In this module, you will learn ways to make your writing more clear. Specifically, it covers the importance of using short, familiar words, appropriate connotations, concrete and specific language, and transitional words and phrases. The module also discusses ways to be more concise and explains some best practices for organizing content logically and appropriately.

The following lessons are covered in this module: Lesson 1: Business Writing: How to Write Clearly an d

Concisely

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Lesson

1

Writing Clearly and

Concisely

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• recognize sentences that reflect the techniques of clear writing

• recognize how to apply the techniques of concise writing to a given sample of business writing

• identify ways to organize content to increase reader understanding

Writing Clearly and Concisely

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Topic 1

Techniques for Writing Clearly

ften the importance of writing clearly in business is overlooked. But poor writing can mean you fail to get your message across, waste readers' time as they

struggle to interpret what you mean, and make a bad impression overall.

Clear writing needs to be read only once to be understood. It uses simple, straightforward words. In addition, it presents relevant examples – those that relate to readers' experiences.

Specific guidelines can help you ensure your writing is clear

• Use short, familiar words • Favor concrete and specific language • Use words with appropriate connotations • Revise noun clusters • Use adjective and adverbs sparingly • Use transitional words or phrases

Using short, familiar words

Business writing needs to be direct. So you should use short, familiar words that are easy to understand. Whenever there's a choice, use words with fewer syllables. As well as being easier to read, these make more of an impact.

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As well as using shorter words, you should choose familiar words – those that most readers are likely to know. Using too many uncommon words can make your writing harder to follow. It can also come across as stuffy, pretentious, or even silly.

So as you write, it's a good idea to replace long words with shorter, simpler equivalents. Remember that using a formal or respectful tone doesn't have to involve being wordy.

Similarly, you should replace uncommon words with more familiar equivalents.

Another aspect of keeping your words short and familiar is avoiding industry-specific jargon, or "corporatese." Within organizations, it can be common for employees to develop acronyms and words that are specific to their work environments. It's best to avoid these in your writing because they might not be understood by people outside your organization, or by new staff.

There are times when you need to use technical terms or jargon. In these instances, ensure that you initially define the terms or provide equivalents.

You should also limit the use of clichés in your writing. These are stock phrases that have little impact because they're overused. In modern business writing, they often add to the length but not the meaning of a message. So “thinking outside the box,” for example, is a cliché that may sound impressive, but contains little meaning.

As well as avoiding clichés, you should avoid euphemisms. These are indirect terms that disguise or "soften" your intended meaning. In some cases, a euphemism is


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appropriate because it shows sensitivity to the reader's feelings. So the words passed away” is an appropriate euphemism for “died”.

In most cases, though, it’s best in business to say what you mean, directly and in the simplest way you can. For example, you should replace terms like “revenue enhancement” and “wage-based premium” with “tax increase” if this is what’s really meant.

Being concrete and specific

Concrete nouns refer to or name particular things, ideas, or actions.

They vary in how specific they are. For example, you can move from identifying a broad category of entities to being highly specific.

Typically, concrete words answer questions like who, what, where, when, why, or how. In other words, they provide concrete information.

More abstract nouns name entities that aren't easy to visualize or sense. They often refer to qualities and ideas – for example, management, culture, or freedom. Although you may sometimes use them, they can be vague and have less impact. Often replacing more abstract words with concrete ones can make your writing clearer and easier to follow. So the abstract word “individual” is replaced by the name of the individual you’re referring to – James.


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Using appropriate connotations

In addition to their literal meanings, words can have connotations – or implied meanings. These often have emotional associations.

Words with similar meanings – like "aggressive" and "assertive" – can have different connotations. It's important to choose your words carefully based on what you want to convey. If you're not sure whether a word has a particular connotation, you can refer to an unabridged dictionary or word usage guide.

Revising noun clusters

Another key guideline for writing clearly is revising noun clusters. These are groups of nouns that aren't separated by functional words, such as articles and prepositions.

The example “Systems design implementation program documentation outline,” for example, is a phrase that contains an unnecessary rather confusing noun cluster. The phrase becomes clearer once you revise it to “Document outlining the design of the system and its implementation.”

The aim of clear writing is not simply to convey your message in as few words as possible. Sentences also become clearer when you add functional words.

Another example of a noun cluster within a sentence is “Planning project management considerations are outlined in the document”.” Simply- reordering the nouns and inserting the functional words “of” and “for” makes the meaning of this text more clear. The revised – and clearer – wording of the


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sentence is “Considerations of project management for planning are outlined in the document.”

Using adjectives and adverbs sparingly

Strong nouns and verbs are the framework of well-written sentences. And although modifiers like adverbs and adjectives can help create more accurate and complete images in the mind of your readers, you should use them sparingly.

Too many modifiers can detract from the importance of a message and make it harder to follow. When you take out the unnecessary modifiers in the sample text, its meaning becomes clearer.

Generally, you should use adjectives and adverbs only when they're really necessary to clarify the meaning of your text.

Using transitional words and phrases

Another way to make your writing clear is to include appropriate transitional words or phrases. These make it clear how the ideas in your writing are linked. For example, words like "but" and "however" tell your reader that you're moving from one idea to a contrasting one. Words like "therefore" indicate you're moving from an explanation into a conclusion. Transitional words can come at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence.


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Transitional words can be used to indicate several types of connections:

• the addition of one idea to another, showing the reader that you are adding more information to what you have already stated

• a concession about an initial idea, or showing compromise or allowance within text

• a logical relationship, in which one idea leads to another or relates logically to another

• place or direction • any similarity or difference between elements within text • time or sequence, connecting ideas and text by means

of succession, progression, or time

Sometimes sentences don't make sense or are unclear because they need a transitional word or phrase. Using transitions effectively can help make your writing more clear.

In a business context, it's especially important to write clearly. Techniques to help you do this include using simple, familiar words, being concrete and specific, and choosing words with appropriate connotations. In addition, you should avoid long noun clusters, use adverbs and adjectives sparingly, and include appropriate transitional words and phrases.


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Topic 2

Applying the Techniques of Concise

Writing

common complaint from business people about the text they have to read at work is that it's too wordy. Using more words than you have to can bury the core

purpose of a message. And it forces readers to work harder to identify what you mean, which wastes time.

In all business writing, it's vital to be concise. Concise writing is clear, focused, and uncluttered. It conveys ideas in as few words as possible, without watering them down.

You can use four simple techniques for writing more concisely:

1. Compose short sentences 2. Avoid unnecessary words 3. Choose precise verbs 4. Use the active voice

1. Write short sentences

Readers lose attention when text contains long sentences. This makes it more likely they'll miss vital information or have to read the same text more than once.

So, ideally, you should aim to include a maximum of 15 to 17 words per sentence.

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Where possible, write some longer sentences as well as short ones to add more variety and rhythm to your writing. Remember, text can become rigid and boring if all sentences are the same length.

The easiest way to keep sentences short and to the point is to ensure you include only one idea in each sentence.

2. Avoid unnecessary words

Avoiding unnecessary words can help you write concisely. Some words can pad or clutter sentences without adding to their meaning. Removing them makes messages clearer and more direct.

Take the sentence “in my opinion, a bonus element is something that motivates and encourages employees to meet scheduled deadlines.” Once you’ve deleted all the unnecessary words, the message becomes clearer – “A bonus motivated employees to meet deadlines.”

So how do you identify which words can be cut out of the sentences you write? You can delete these types of words because they don't add any meaning:

• long prepositional phrases • unnecessary repetition, where more than one word or

phrase means the same thing • unnecessary sentence starters, which lead into the

message • unnecessary phrases that can be replaced by single

words • long-winded conjunctions • unnecessary modifiers, such as adjectives and adverbs

that don't add meaning


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The trick to avoiding unnecessary words is to identify what it is you wish to communicate to your readers. This will enable you to cut out any words that don't assist in conveying your message.

Once the unnecessary words are identified and removed, the message becomes more direct and concise.

It's also important to eliminate any unnecessary repetition in your text. Including more than one word or phrase that means the same thing just leads to cluttered writing.

Use precise verbs

Choosing precise verbs is another way to make your writing more concise. A verb is a word or group of words indicating the action or state of being of the subject in a sentence.

Verbs tell the reader that something exists, acts in a certain way, or has certain features.

As a writer, you can use fewer words to greater effect when you replace long strings of words containing vague verbs with more precise verbs. This adds force and impact to your writing.

Forms of the verb "to be" – such as am, are, is, was, were, being, and been – are the most commonly used vague verbs. Often you can replace them with more precise action verbs to create more concise sentences.

Other verbs, especially those that don't indicate action – such as "do," "exist," and "perform" – are often used vaguely. If you add more words to clarify the meaning of


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these vague verbs, the combination may make your document long and lifeless.

Again, it's better to substitute precise verbs for vague ones and their additional terms. In this way, you can be more concise without having to sacrifice the clarity of your message.

It's also possible for verbs that signify an action to be far from precise. For instance, the verb "look" is an action verb, but it's still vague. You may need to add other words to clarify the particular meaning of "look" when used in a sentence. Alternatively, to be more concise, you can replace "look" with a more precise verb, such as "glance," "observe," or "peer."

Precise verbs should also be used to replace vague verbs linked with nouns. Nouns are words that designate a person, place, thing, state, or quality. In most sentences, you can replace verb-noun combinations with one precise verb without losing any vital information.

Use the active voice

In the active voice, a basic sentence includes three main parts in a specific order:

• first a subject, which identifies who or what performs an action

• then a verb that identifies the action • finally an object, which is the entity acted upon

In the passive voice, this order is reversed.


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In business writing, it's almost always best to use the active voice. This is because readers instinctively expect a subject to come before a verb.

Reversing this relationship by using the passive voice can slow down a reader's understanding. For example, in the sentence “Claims are submitted to Jenna by the Accounting Department,” it’s confusing who the subject is. The revised sentence “The Accounting Department submits claims to Jenna” clearly identifies the Accounting Department as the subject

Passive voice also results in writing that’s vague and unclear. If the writer doesn’t identify the person who acts, the reader may not get complete information. In some cases, it can seem that the writer is being evasive, as in the case of “A mistake has been made.”

Overall, the active voice is more concise, direct, and forceful.

The sentence “The client accepted our proposal” is to the point. The same sentence in the passive voice – “Our proposal has been accepted by the client” – may sound more impressive, but isn’t concise writing. It confuses the subject and it uses more words to convey the same message.

Although it's best to write in the active voice, there are times when the passive voice is appropriate. For example, it might be important to be subtle about who was responsible for an action as in “The security of our server was breached last night.” This information might also be besides the point- or you may not know it.


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Sometimes using the odd passive sentence can help vary your writing style – but using this voice shouldn't become the norm.

To help identify sentences written in the passive voice, you can ask yourself three questions:

• Who or what is the actor? In other words, what is the subject?

• What is the action or verb? • What has been acted upon? This is the object of the

sentence.

It’s worth remembering that sometimes an illustration or diagram can convey a message much more concisely than text.

Concise writing is succinct and direct. It includes only the words required to convey a message effectively.

Techniques for writing concisely include using short sentences, avoiding unnecessary words, using precise verbs wherever possible, and writing in the active voice rather than in the passive voice.


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Topic 3

Importance of Organizing Your Content

s a business writer, organizing your content is an essential part of the writing process. It involves combining sentences into coherent paragraphs, each

of which has a clear purpose.

The two key benefits of organizing your content well are as follows:

1. It’s easier to follow 2. It’s easier to understand

1. It’s easier to follow – Your sentences may be clear and concise, but if they're not logically connected, or your main point is buried in a third paragraph, they may frustrate and confuse your readers. Organizing content so each element of a document leads clearly and logically into the next helps "lead" the reader through a document.

2. It’s easier to understand – Organizing content well involves arranging it so that your purpose in writing is immediately clear. Further content should then support or expand on the main idea you're presenting. Doing this makes it far more likely readers will understand what you need to communicate. In turn, this makes it more likely they'll respond in the way you hope.

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There's no one best way to organize a business document. Ultimately, this will depend on who you're writing for and on what your purpose is.

Methods of organizing content

Four techniques can help you organize the content of your writing well:

1. Include an introduction 2. Ensure the body of the document supports the main

idea 3. Provide a clear conclusion to close the document 4. Use design and layout features to improve clarity

1. Include an introduction

Your introduction should grab your readers' attention. Most readers are busy and need to be persuaded that it's worth their time to read your message. Include a hook that encourages the reader to continue reading – such as a general statement, a question, or an interesting fact. Your introduction should also include a brief statement of your key message and an explanation of the purpose of your document.

A poor introduction fails to engage your reader with the rest of your text and does not get the message across to your audience effectively. A weak introduction can even confuse a reader and create some doubt as to what they're reading about.

A good introduction serves to set the context for the reader from the outset so that they're clear about what the text is dealing with.


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2. Ensure the body of the document supports the mai n idea

The body of a document is where you present the most information. It's important to remember that all this information should support or expand on the main idea outlined in your introduction.

The body may include background details, supporting facts and statistics, anecdotes, or any other information readers need to understand the main idea of the text.

The most important information should come first so it gets the reader's attention.

If the body of a document must contain anything more than a few sentences, you should divide the text into paragraphs. This will make it easier to read. However, it's common for writers to start new paragraphs as soon as it appears as if there's a big enough chunk of text on the page. This is a mistake. Instead, paragraphs should group ideas logically. Using them should be a conscious part of how you get your message across.

A good paragraph starts with a topic sentence. This provides the reader with a core point. Further sentences in the paragraph then expand on this point.

As well as grouping sentences into logical paragraphs, you should consider how best to order your paragraphs. These are like the building blocks for a message. It's important they flow in a logical order to build an overall structure that will make sense to readers.


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These are some of the ways you can choose to organize content in the body of a document:

• in chronological order, if you're outlining a sequence of events or steps in a process

• divided according to advantages and disadvantages, if you're presenting an argument

• according to level of importance – for example if you need to outline recommended actions

• in categories, if you need to present, contrast, or compare different information types

3. Provide a clear conclusion to close the document

After the body of a document, it's important to add a clear conclusion. This provides closure. It should also draw the reader back out from details in the body to the core purpose of your message. It may restate the message, discuss its implications, or request action.

4. Use design and layout features to improve clarit y

Several aspects of a document's layout and design can affect readers' comprehension of text:

• White space – White space helps readers "breathe" as they navigate text. It makes text less dense and easier to digest. One good way to include white space is to ensure there's a large enough margin – generally of at least 25 millimeters – between your text and the edges of the page.

• Graphics – Appropriate graphics add visual interest and convey information, sometimes much more clearly than text alone. However, adding unnecessary graphics can detract from your message.


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• Short lines – Short lines of text that don't all end at the same point are easier to read than long sentences of uniform length.

• Bullets – Bulleted lists are useful for presenting logically related points clearly and concisely. Use them for when they assist in the logical flow of information.

• Headings – Headings contribute significantly to the structure of text. They make it clear how text has been grouped and help break it into sections that are easy for a reader to identify. Once you've grouped points logically, you'll be able to identify where headings are required.

Ensuring the content in business documents you write is well organized will make your writing easier to follow and understand.

Techniques for doing this include using an introduction to grab the reader's attention and outline your main message, following this with body text that supports the main message, and ending with a suitable conclusion. In addition, you should consider how the layout and design of a document can make it easier for readers to understand.

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��Job Aid

Six Techniques for Writing Clearly

Purpose: Use this job aid to review the guidelines for writing clearly.

Techniques and examples

Technique Unclear sentence without principle applied

Clear sentence with principle applied

Use short, familiar words

Approval of employee sick leave extending consecutively over two or more days is subject to the employee's provision of mandatory and satisfactory supporting evidence from a general practitioner upon return to the workplace.

Employees must provide a doctor's certificate after taking sick leave of two or more consecutive days.

Favor concrete and specific language

The guide is informative and will be useful in several areas.

The guide to the new quality standards is informative and will be useful for our Manufacturing and Testing Departments.

Use words with appropriate connotations

Our products are cheap. Our products are inexpensive.

Revise noun clusters

Our computer software development and testing strategy document is attached.

A document outlining our strategy for developing and testing computer software is attached.

Use adjectives and adverbs sparingly

The excited staff appeared extremely enthusiastic about the interesting conference this morning.

The staff was enthusiastic about the conference this morning.

Six Techniques for Writing Clearly

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Technique Unclear sentence without principle applied

Clear sentence with principle applied

Use transitional words and phrases

Brian has worked for this company for 27 years. He is retiring.

After working for this company for 27 years, Brian is retiring.

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��Job Aid

Ways to Structure Content

Purpose: Use this job aid to review ways you can organize document content logically.

The way you order the points in a business document depends on the nature of the content. However, it's always important that the points flow logically and clearly.

Chronological order

If you're outlining a sequence of events or steps in a process, it makes sense to order your points chronologically. This means that you present the events or steps in order, from beginning to end.

For example, you outline your company's history with a particular client or the steps employees must take to complete a task in chronological order.

Advantages and disadvantages

If you're presenting an argument, you list its advantages first and end with its disadvantages. Or you start with the disadvantages and illustrate how the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

Ways to Structure Content

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For example, you use this method in a proposal or sales promotion, or in a report outlining the implications of a particular course of action.

Level of importance

If you choose to organize content based on its priority, you normally start with what's most to what's least important. This helps readers focus on the critical points in your message, which are at the start.

You apply this method to, for example, a document that explains how a process will impact your company.

In some cases, it is appropriate to reverse the order and list the points from low to high priority. You do this so that each of your points builds in significance and increases the impact of the final conclusion.

For example, you do this in a document that explains the types of incidents that should be escalated to senior managers. In this case, you begin with common, low-priority incidents and move toward the more significant incidents.

Categories

Categories are useful for presenting, comparing, or contrasting different information types in one document.

For example, you're writing a document outlining how a new process affects each department in your company. You group the information by department so that it is quick and easy to read.

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��Job Aid

Four Techniques for Writing Concisely

Purpose: Use this job aid to review the guidelines for writing concisely.


Technique Explanation Nonexample Example

Write short sentences

Aim to keep sentences to a maximum length of 15 to 17 words.

It has come to my attention that in order to rectify our current computer problems I should make haste in contacting our IT Department.

We need to fix our computers, so I'm informing the IT Department as soon as possible.

Avoid unnecessary words

Avoid using unnecessary words that clutter sentences without adding to their meaning.

Please be advised that it has come to my attention that members of staff are unhappy about the additional amount of work.

I'm aware that staff is unhappy about the extra work.

Use precise verbs

Precise verbs make your writing more concise and less vague.

Our procedures exist to encourage accountability at every level.

Our procedures encourage accountability at every level.

Use active voice

It's generally best to use the active voice in business writing as passive voice can slow down a reader's understanding of a sentence.

Queries are directed to Jonathan by the Finance Department.

The Finance Department submits claims to Jonathan.

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Business Writing: Editing

and Proofreading

In this module, you will learn the importance of editing and proofreading your business documents. This module also describes some key areas to consider when editing – like tone, structure, clarity, and accuracy. You will also explore ways to proofread effectively. In particular, you will find out about some of the most common grammatical, punctuation, and spelling mistakes that people make.

The following lessons are covered in this module: Lesson 1: Business Writing: Editing and Proofreadin g

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Lesson

1

Editing and Proofreading

Your Business

Documents Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• distinguish between editing and proofreading • identify general techniques that help you edit and

proofread effectively • recognize the types of errors made in a given business

document • recognize mechanical errors in a given business

document

Editing and Proofreading Your Business Documents

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Topic 1

Introduction to Editing and

Proofreading

enefits of editing and proofreading Taking the time to carefully check documents you

write enables you to eliminate any errors and weaknesses. This ensures your writing will convey a professional image.

Editing and proofreading aren't just about making a document "look good." Clarity is also crucial. Even basic spelling or grammatical errors can prevent a message from being understood. A simple mistake to make is to use a contraction where it isn't appropriate. So carefully reviewing what you write is a way to ensure you communicate as effectively and clearly as possible.

Mistakes in documents can cost you time and money. For instance, you may have to resend or reprint a document. Editing and proofreading can help prevent costly errors.

You may think spell-checking and grammar-checking software can do the work for you. This software is useful, but there are many types of errors it can't detect. For example, it won't detect a word you've used incorrectly if the spelling of the word is correct. It also won't pick up wording that's confusing or ambiguous unless it violates a basic grammar law the software has been designed to recognize. So

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manual editing and proofreading are essential for finding and correcting errors no software can.

How editing and proofreading differ

Ideally, you should divide the process of creating a business document into three stages:

1. Plan and create a draft of the document. 2. Edit the document. 3. Proofreading.

1. Plan and create a draft

To draft an effective business document, you should generally start with a planning phase. This is when you focus on the bigger picture. You identify the main components of what you want to communicate and the best order in which to present them. So you start with a structural outline or a diagram, for example. You then convert the plan into sentences, paragraphs, and sections. It's important to revise, rewrite, and reorganize your text until you have the most effective version possible.

2. Edit the Document

In the editing stage, you start by reading the document you've written. You review and examine it critically, looking for ways to make it more focused, better organized, and more complete. Although you may notice and fix grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors at this stage, they're not the main focus. Instead you should concentrate on content and structure.


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While editing, your focus should be on these areas:

• checking that your text is organized with logical transitions between points

• ensuring the text is clear, complete, and factually accurate

• checking that the text uses the appropriate tone for the audience you're addressing

• ensuring the terminology you've used is correct and will be understood, and

• rewriting and reorganizing content to improve the clarity and flow of the document

So editing involves actively rearranging and restructuring what you've written. You may add, delete, or move sentences and even whole paragraphs. You should also use resources like online dictionaries and handbooks to double-check the meanings and connotations of terms you've used.

3. Proofreading

Whereas editing focuses on content and structure, including clarity, diction, and flow, proofreading focuses on the finer details or mechanics of your text. By the time you start proofreading, you should be satisfied with the content of a document – so it shouldn't require major content changes or restructuring.

During a proofread, you should check grammar and sentence structure, spelling, and punctuation. You should also check for and fix any inconsistencies in fonts, spacing, and other elements of formatting.


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Editing and proofreading techniques

When editing and proofreading your documents, you need to think like a reader, not a writer. These general techniques can help you:

• Ask someone to read your document – After inspecting your work, it helps to get someone else's perspective. Often this person will be more objective and able to pick up errors you've missed.

• Edit or proofread in stages – Editing and proofreading documents with a large number of issues in mind can be tricky. Instead, aim to work through a document several times, each time focusing on no more than a few issues at once. This helps you focus and avoid becoming distracted. It's generally best to start with the biggest issues and end with more minor ones.

• Read out loud – Your own writing always sound foreign when you read it aloud. However, reading it aloud can give you more perspective on what you've written and on how a reader will interpret it. Your ears will pick up any errors that your eyes might have missed.

• Have good resources at hand – You should have online dictionaries, usage guides, and handbooks available for checking your grammar, spelling, and word use.

• Don’t put too much trust in your computer – Always remember that the software applications that check grammar and spelling on your computer have their limitations. There are many types of errors they won't detect so it's important to go over your writing yourself.


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• Concentrate – Picking up mistakes in your text requires concentration. So when you're editing and proofreading, you need to avoid all types of distractions.

Editing and proofreading your documents can ensure that you convey a professional image and communicate clearly, and can prevent you from making costly or embarrassing errors. They also enable you to detect errors that spell-checking or grammar-checking software can't find and correct. Editing involves checking a document's content and structure, and reworking text where necessary. Once you've edited a document, you should give it a proofread to check for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting errors. General techniques for proofreading and editing will assist you during these processes.


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Topic 2

Editing Effectively

eneral techniques

To edit effectively, you have to move out of the role of writer and instead focus on thinking like a reader.

You need to consider who will be reading what you've written, and how you can make your text as relevant and easy to understand as possible for your audience.

So, to edit well, it’s important to get some distance from what you’ve written.

One way to do this is to leave some time, a day if possible, or even a few hours, before you edit a document you've composed. You can print a document, especially onto paper that is not white, to "trick" your eye into being more objective.

As well as distancing yourself from your writing, you can follow these guidelines to ensure you edit a document effectively:

1. Read paragraphs out of order to make sure that each one makes sense on its own

2. Stop at the end of each paragraph to confirm you've completed all relevant edits, and

3. Create an editing log so you can keep track of recurring problems

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1. Read paragraphs out of order

This is a good way to check your actual text, without getting caught up in the flow of underlying ideas. It’s also a good way to make sure each paragraph makes sense on its own. During the editing process, you must also read the paragraphs in order though, to establish the logical flow of the text.

2. Stop at the end of each paragraph

You should stop at the end of each paragraph to confirm that you’ve completed all relevant edits for the paragraph. This is a systematic approach that helps you remember to make the changes you intended.

3. Create an editing log

It helps to keep track of problems that frequently appear in your work in an editing log. Before you start editing a new document, you go through this log to remind yourself of previously recorded problems.

Accuracy and completeness

It's very important that what you write in a business document is reliable, so you should check for accuracy during editing. Although all errors are distracting, inaccuracies in certain types of data are more damaging than others. Inaccurate names, dates, and numbers can cause particular confusion and inconvenience for the reader – and embarrassment for yourself.

Say you misspell a client's name, enter the wrong month in a date, or misquote the actual sales figure recorded for a


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month. It's crucial that you pick up errors like these in an edit. They prevent a message from achieving its purpose. And worse, they offend readers, resulting in readers who mistrust your message, damage to your credibility, and faulty business decisions.

To check for accuracy, you need to check the data on which you've based information in your writing.

As well as checking for accuracy, you should inspect a document for completeness. In other words is everything that needs to be in the document there? You do this by checking for any gaps in the information or argument you've presented. You can also check your document against the original plan, if you created one, to make sure you haven’t left anything out or deviated from it.

A simple checklist can help prevent you from leaving important information out.

Structure

Most business documents should have an introduction that states the writer's main idea or purpose. They should also include a logically organized body with supporting details, and a conclusion that provides closure and makes clear what's expected from the reader.

An important aspect of editing your writing is checking its structure. You should double-check that a clear introduction begins the document, that a body provides more detail in logically structured paragraphs, and that a conclusion leaves readers with the key message and an understanding of any action they need to take. You should also check that the method you've used to organize your points into paragraphs


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– and to sequence these paragraphs – is appropriate. Each part of your text should flow logically into the next.

During editing, your focus should be on making sure your points flow clearly and well. You should check that sentences are logically arranged into paragraphs and that these paragraphs are in the most appropriate sequence. Also determine how each paragraph in the body of the document is related to your main point – and take out paragraphs that aren't relevant.

One way to check the structure of a document is to create an outline of it after you've written it. You examine the structure within paragraphs, including whether:

• each paragraph starts with a clear sentence identifying the topic it addresses

• each paragraph sticks to one idea, and • there are any missing sentences

Clarity

Editing also involves checking for clarity. You need to ensure your writing is concrete and specific, and easy for readers to follow. Find the words that are vague, imprecise, or abstract, and replace them with clearer, less ambiguous terms.

A common mistake is to use pronouns – like "she," "it," or "this" – without making it clear what they identify. Except when text immediately before a sentence makes the meaning of the pronoun absolutely clear, it’s best to replace the pronoun with the name of the entity it refers to.

Initially using acronyms or technical jargon can create an unnecessary barrier to readers' understanding.


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Another common mistake is implying a comparison without making it clear what you're comparing a point to.

Conciseness

Business writing needs to be concise because people are typically too busy to wade through unnecessarily long e-mails or reports. To do this, you eliminate any wordy expressions, delete redundancies, and replace imprecise verbs.

Tone

Tone refers to the manner in which you've addressed the reader. The appropriate tone depends on the purpose of your message and the audience you're addressing.

You should consider several factors when checking the tone of a document you've written:

• Is your tone courteous, polite, and respectful? • Have you used words with the right connotations? • Have you avoided gender stereotypes? • Is your tone too formal or informal, based on whom

you're addressing?

It's important to check that you've addressed the reader with respect. You should change writing that seems to lecture the reader, state obvious truths, or suggest that the reader is at fault or unreasonable. Checking the tone of your message also includes checking that you've used words with the appropriate implications. Often it's best to replace potentially negative text with more positive language.


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This requires that you know the possible connotations of words. For example, words like aggressive, stubborn, and fussy have negative connotations. Assertive, determined, and conscientious have positive connotations.

To write professionally in business, it’s important to avoid gender stereotypes. Ensure that you don’t presume something about a group or individual because of gender.

You also need to make sure you use gender-neutral language. Avoid the use of pronouns like he or she, as well as gender-specific words like spokesman.

Also check that your tone is appropriate for your reader and purpose. Always consider whether a document needs to be more or less formal, based on whom you're addressing.

When you edit your writing, remember to focus on the six main aspects of editing including:

1. Accuracy 2. Completeness 3. Structure 4. Clarity 5. Conciseness 6. Tone

A thoughtful editorial review will help make sure that your writing achieves its purpose, that your ideas are clearly, concisely, and correctly stated, and that you have used a courteous and inoffensive tone.

General guidelines for editing effectively include reading paragraphs out of order, stopping at the end of each paragraph to confirm all changes have been implemented,


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and creating an editing log. Specific areas to focus on during an edit are accuracy, completeness, structure, clarity, conciseness, and tone.


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Topic 3

Proofreading Your Document

eneral techniques

Mistakes such as dropping a zero from a number or mixing up people's names can be costly. The final

step in any writing that you do is proofreading.

Proofreading is always the final stage of reviewing a document. Once you're happy with the document's content and structure, you proofread it for mechanical errors. These include spelling, grammatical, and punctuation mistakes.

Both proofreading and editing require close and careful reading. To proofread effectively, it helps to employ these techniques:

• Read from bottom to top – As you read the text you've written, your brain may automatically correct errors based on what you know the text is meant to say. This prevents you from identifying the errors. You avoid this problem by reading your writing from bottom to top.

• Add paragraph breaks – Adding paragraph breaks after each sentence enables you to isolate them on screen. This gives you a clearer picture of each sentence, which makes it easier to identify specific errors. You remove the added paragraph breaks once you've finished proofreading.

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• Read with a "cover" – Using a page to cover all text below the line you're reading enables you to concentrate on one line at a time. This prevents you from being distracted by other text.

• Read slowly – By reading slowly, you focus more on every word. This makes it easier to pick up errors in your writing.

Proofreading is a learning process. You're not only focusing on errors that you recognize, but you're also teaching yourself to recognize and correct new errors. To continue learning, it's important to look up any grammar or spelling rules that you're unsure of. By using an organized proofreading strategy each time you need to examine a document, you'll soon become more proficient at picking up and correcting errors.

Word usage and punctuation

Some of the most common mechanical errors that you should check for when you proofread relate to:

• Correct word choice • Punctuation • Grammar • Spelling • Consistency

A common problem related to correct word use is mixing up words that sound alike. Examples are accept and except, complement and compliment, and their and there. Even words with similar spellings may be confused. For example, illusion – meaning a false impression – may be confused with allusion, which is an indirect reference to something.


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A common type of punctuation mistake involves misusing apostrophes, especially in contractions. For example, writers often mix their and they're, its and it's, and your and you're. It's also important to check that you haven't accidentally used an apostrophe to turn a plural noun into a possessive noun.

Another common punctuation mistake is failing to add a comma after an introductory clause. A pause is needed in such cases to show that the first part of the sentence is a separate clause.

The same rule applies to missing commas in compound sentences. Remember that a compound sentence is one that includes two parts that could stand alone. Often these are joined by a conjunction. To indicate a pause between the two, a comma must be present.

Remember that it's not always correct to join separate ideas using a comma. In an error known as a comma splice, only a comma separates two full sentences. This creates a run-on sentence. Instead, the sentences must stand on their own or be joined by a semi-colon, a dash, or a conjunction.

Finally, remember not to use commas unnecessarily because they can change the meaning of sentences entirely. For example, "Joe, said the CEO, is resigning at the end of June" means that Joe is resigning. Removing the commas so the sentence reads "Joe said the CEO is resigning at the end of June" changes the meaning entirely. Now it's the CEO who is resigning.


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Grammar and spelling

There are a number of grammatical errors you should consider when proofreading. They include, but are not limited to:

• Incorrect or missing noun and verb endings – It is easy to forget certain noun and verb endings if they are not pronounced clearly when spoken out loud. For example: “Roger drop the projector on the floor.” Should be rewritten as “Roger dropped the projector on the floor.”

• Incorrect subject and verb agreements – To be grammatically correct, the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number and person. For example: “Peter, as well as his development team, are coming on board the project” is incorrect in terms of subject and verb agreement. This is because “as well as his development team” is a nonessential clause, so it’s not included as part of the subject in the sentence.

• Unnecessary shifts in tense – These can confuse readers. For example, “Todd walked into the boardroom and begins his presentation,” should be written as “Todd walked into the boardroom and began his presentation.”

• Incorrect or unclear pronouns – any pronoun must clearly refer to the word that it replaces. Ambiguous pronouns must be clarified during proofreading. For example, “The organization banned personal use of the internet, which they resented.” Should be rewritten as “The organization banned personal use of the Internet, which the employees resented.

• Sentence fragments – remember to include only full, grammatically complete sentences. For example: “To


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apply for a position in the IT Department” is a fragment because it has no subject. It should be rewritten or combined with another clause.

• Run-on sentences – Always insure that any two or more independent clauses in a sentence are joined by punctuation or a conjunction. For example: “It is nearly 4:30 the meeting won’t be finished for another hour” should have a conjunction between 4:30 and the to make it grammatically correct.

• Dangling or misplaced modifiers. – Dangling or misplaced modifiers are confusing because they modify the wrong element of a sentence. For example: “They almost worked six months on that program,” the word almost is attached to the wrong word, which changes the meaning of the sentence entirely. The sentence should be written as “They worked for almost six months on that program.”

To check for spelling errors, you can use the spell checker on your computer. But remember that it isn't always reliable. As well as running a spell check, you need to check every sentence for errors yourself. It's especially important to check all proper names, including the names of people and places. Often a spell checker can't correct these for you.

Some of the most commonly misspelled words in business documents are accommodate, acknowledgement, argument, commitment, and consensus.

Consistency

Besides checking for correct word choice, punctuation, grammar, and spelling while you're proofreading, you must also check the consistency of your document. If you decide


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to hyphenate a word then you should do this throughout, your document. Also, remember to keep your capitalization consistent. The style you apply to headings should be consistent too, such as using bold or italic formatting.

In some cases, the company may have a style guide that you can use. This won't give a ruling on every style decision you need to make, but it can provide useful guidelines for keeping certain elements of your writing consistent.

Proofreading a document

When proofreading, you should also confirm that all of the facts and figures in your document were verified for factual accuracy during the editing phase.

Although proofreading your work for mechanical errors can be a tedious process, its importance shouldn't be underestimated. It will improve the quality and standard of your work. However, no matter how many proofreading attempts you make, you can't guarantee that a document you write will be completely free of minor errors.

When proofreading your writing, you should check for correct word use, punctuation, grammar, and spelling, as well as consistency in style. This will help ensure that your work is well presented and professional.

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��Job Aid

General Editing Techniques

Purpose: Use this job aid to review guidelines for editing your writing effectively.

You're able to edit your work more objectively if you allow some time to pass after you've finished writing. Also, if you print out your document – especially on paper that's not white – you'll trick your eye into being more objective.

In addition, you should

• read paragraphs out of order so you can focus on the text they contain and ensure they make sense in isolation

• stop at the end of each paragraph to check you've implemented all necessary edits, and

• create an editing log and check this to make sure you're aware of problems that occur frequently in your writing

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��Job Aid

What to Examine While Editing

Purpose: Use this job aid to review the aspects of a document you should examine while editing.

When you examine...

Ask the following...

Accuracy Have you backed up claims with sufficient data? Has your data been verified? Have you checked all calculations? Are dates, names, and numbers accurate?

Completeness Is any required information missing? Have you specified the who, what, where, when, why, and how?

Structure Does your document have an appropriate introduction, a logically organized body, and a conclusion? Is your method for structuring the content into paragraphs and for ordering the paragraphs suitable? For example, do your paragraphs have a unified theme, and does the first sentence of each paragraph introduce the main idea of the paragraph?

Clarity Is your message easy to follow? Have you used any vague, imprecise, or abstract words? Have you used vague pronouns? Have you included unnecessary acronyms or technical jargon?

Conciseness Can you replace or remove any wordy expressions? Can you delete any redundancies?

What to Examine While Editing

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When you examine...

Ask the following...

Can you make verbs in the document more precise?

Tone Have you used language with appropriate connotations? Is your writing courteous, polite, and respectful? Have you used any words that might offend the reader? Have you used gender-neutral language? Have you used language that suggests gender stereotypes? Is the tone appropriate for the reader and purpose of your message?

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��Job Aid

General Proofreading Techniques

Purpose: Use this job aid to review the general techniques for proofreading effectively.

Proofreading is always the final stage of reviewing a document. Proofreading is a learning process. You're not only focusing on errors that you recognize, but you're also teaching yourself to recognize and correct new errors.

The following are techniques that will help you proofread effectively:

• read text from bottom to top • add paragraph breaks after each sentence • read with a "cover" – one line at a time, and • read slowly and read every word

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��Job Aid

Proofreading Checklist

Purpose: Use this job aid as a checklist of what you should focus on when proofreading.

1. Is your use of words correct? For example, have you accidentally used a word with a similar sound but a different meaning as the word you intended to use?

2. Is the punctuation correct?

• Have you misused any apostrophes – for example, in contractions like "it's"?

• Are there any missing commas in compound sentences?

• Are there any comma splices?

3. Is your writing grammatically correct? Check for

• incorrect noun and verb endings

• incorrect subject and verb agreements

• unnecessary shifts in tense

• incorrect pronoun references and unclear pronouns

• sentence fragments

• run-on sentences, and

• misplaced or dangling modifiers

Proofreading Checklist

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4. Have you used the spell checker to check your document for any spelling errors? Have you also checked for spelling mistakes yourself?

5. Is the style of your writing consistent? Check for consistency in terms of

• headings

• capitalization, and

• hyphenation

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Glossary

A abstract word

A word describing an entity that can't be visualized or sensed.

adjective A modifier that describes or qualifies a noun or pronoun .

adverb A modifier that describes or qualifies a verb , adjective , or phrase.

apostrophe A punctuation symbol. It can be used before an "s" to indicate possession, as in "John's umbrella." It can also be used to signal that one or more letters have been omitted from a word, as in "we've" in place of "we have."

C cliche

An expression or phrase that has lost its original meaning through over-use.

comma splice A punctuation error in which only a comma separates two clauses that could each stand alone as a sentence.

concrete word A word describing an entity that can be visualized or sensed.

conjunction A word used to link other words, phrases, or clauses. Examples are "and", "but", and "or."

connotation Implied meaning, which may be either positive or negative. Many words have connotations as well as literal meanings.

contraction A word or joined words in which one or more letters has been left out. A missing letter is typically marked by an apostrophe. Examples are "it's" in place of "it is" and "haven't" in place of "have not."

corporatese Similar to jargon , terminology that is specific to a company or industry.

D dangling modifier

A modifier that appears to be associated with a different word than the writer originally intended.

draft An early version of a written document, before it has undergone revision.

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E editing

The review stage during which you examine a document critically and improve or refine its content and structure.

euphemism An indirect expression designed to soften or conceal the nature of another word or phrase. An example is "passed on" in place of "died."

F function word

A word that serves to clarify the role or relationship between other words in a sentence.

G grammar

The rules according to which sentences are constructed.

I informative messages

Messages designed to transfer information to the readers.

J jargon

Terminology that's specific to a particular field, profession, or group.

M modifier

Any word or phrase that qualifies the meaning of other words or word groups. Adjectives and adverbs are both modifiers.

N noun

A word that identifies a person, place, thing, idea, or quality.

noun cluster In a sentence, a group of nouns. Including too many nouns in a cluster can make text difficult to understand.

P persuasive messages

Messages designed to motivate readers to support an idea or take action.

preposition A word that describes the relationship between other words. Examples are "on", "at", and "above."

pronoun A substitute for a noun . Examples are "he", "she", and "they."

proofreading The review stage during which you focus on correcting superficial, or mechanical, errors in a written document. The focus during proofreading is on identifying grammar, spelling, and punctuation

Glossary Business Writing Basics

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errors, as well as style inconsistencies.

R responsive messages

Messages designed to respond to previous communications.

run-on sentence Where two or more independent clauses are joined without punctuation.

T target audience

The individuals to whom a communication is directed.

tone The style or manner of expression, in speech or writing.

V verb

A word that expresses an action or a state of being.

Notices

Copyright Copyright 2011 by Career Tech Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

Information in this document is subject to change without notice

and does not represent a commitment on the part of Career Tech

Services.

Trademark Notices All product names and services identified throughout this book

are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective

companies. They are used throughout this book in editorial

fashion only and for the benefit of such companies. No such use,

or the use of any trade name, is intended to convey endorsement

or other affiliation with the book.

Disclaimer Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this manual.

While we take great care to ensure the accuracy and quality of

these materials, all material is provided without any warranty

whatsoever, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties

of merchantability of fitness for a particular purpose.