Drafting

Lesson 2: Technical Writing ProcessOrganizing, Outlining, Allocating (Time and Funds), and Drafting

Organizing and Outlining Definitions and Tasks

DefinitionsTypes:Organizing

a. to systematize: to organize

e.g. the files of an office.

(dictionary.com)

b. : to arrange and plan (an event or activity)

: to arrange or order things so that they can be found or used easily and quickly : to put things into a particular arrangement or order

(Merriam-Webster.com)

(outlining)

Sample

More specifically, on March 4, 20XX, there was a delay in starting Phase II of our project because you did not place the special order for flasks and pipettes.

Consequently, we did not have enough equipment to begin our work. As you know, time is of the essence. This delay could have easily been avoided.

Cause

Effect

Source: Written Warning Poor Work Performance

(http://www.med.umich.edu/medschool/staff/discipline/section4/letterN.pdf)

Sample

It began three months ago, in April, when I was awarded a promotion by our boss, Mr. Lim. Even though Ms. Smith is still my superior, she has taken my promotion as a means to degrade me. She constantly calls me stupid, ignorant, sloppy, and ugly. She tells me that I can’t do anything right, even when I believe my work to be efficient. She comments on my lack of education and lack of wealth. The first month it started happening, it wasn’t so awful, but especially this past month, I have not been able to handle it anymore, and I don’t feel that I should have to.

Illustration

Source: Sample Emotional Abuse Letter of Complaint

(http://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Emotional-Abuse-Letter-of-Complaint)

SampleAs an Assistant Director of this company, I have recently found that keeping the work area tidy is not observed as one of the foremost to-do tasks. I have the following suggestions for maintaining the cleanliness of the office:

• Make it a point, to recurrently, clean the hand-set and the mouthpiece of the phone because it offers a haven for germs

• There should be sterilized wipes available for quickly cleaning up coffee spots and other similar material

• A can-liner for collecting trash should be kept in close vicinity so that the bags containing the waste material can be quickly emptied and replaced

• A handy tool for dusting purposes must always be present in the drawer for cleaning the settled dust on computers, furniture etc.

Process Analysis

“Notice the bullets?”

Source: Sample Memorandum for Keeping the Office Clean

(http://www.topjobapplications.com/sample-memorandum-for-keeping-the-

office-clean/)

Definition

Five Tasks:

1. Group Similarities

2. Ordering the items in the group

3. Organizing the Group

4. Avoiding Common logical problems

5. Choosing an outline format

Outlining

a : a style of drawing in which contours are marked without shading

b : a sketch in outline

(Merriam-Webster.com)

Despedida Party

Who

What

When

Where

Why

Despedida

Who

When

WhereWhy

What

Vikings

Friday

6 pm

Casual

Boss

Bossin

g

All

EmployeeRetirement

Farewell

Party

Despedida

Who

• ALL Employee

• Boss Bossing

When

• Friday

• 6 pm

Where

• Vikings

Why

• Retirement

What

• Farewell Party for

• Boss Bossing

Allocation of Time and FundsDevising a Schedule and a Budget

Project Proposals

A detailed description of a series of activities aimed at solving a certain problem (NEBIU 2002). In order to be successful, the document should (REPOA 2007): provide a logical presentation of a research idea.

(Source: Project Proposal Writing http://www.sswm.info/content/project-proposal-writing)

Drafting EffectivelyDefinitions and Suggested Guidelines in Making and Editing a Draft

Definition

A stage of the writing process during which a writer organizes information and ideas into sentences and paragraphs (about.com).

A first or preliminary form of any writing, subject to revision, copying, etc. (dictionary.com)

Remember

the strategies

for writing?

Get comfortable Start with the easiest topic

Draft quickly Don’t stop to get more information or to revise

Try invisible writing Stop in the middle of a section

Templates & StylesTo use of not to use

Definition

Template

These are preformatted designs for different types of documents, like letters, memos, etc.

Style

They are similar to templates in that they apply to the design of smaller elements, such as heading & body texts.

Considered more valuable than templates

TNR, 12”, Black

5” margin

Header required but with default fonts

Boarder design included

Aligned right

Font color and style is different

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Default Templates (and styles)

Advantages

Timesaver

Easy to use

Auto Saved

Organized

Disadvantages

Unoriginal

Basic

Unchallenging

Restrictive