Purdue University Writing Lab 1 Global Business Writing Powerful Business Writing Skills for ESL Writers February 10, 2013.

Purdue University Writing Lab 1

Global Global Business Business WritingWriting

Powerful Business Powerful Business Writing Skills for ESL Writing Skills for ESL

WritersWriters

February 10, 2013

2Purdue University Writing Lab

Complete Self Complete Self Introduction SheetIntroduction Sheet

Write your answers in full sentencesWrite your answers in full sentences Think about a Business English first Think about a Business English first

namename You have ten minutes to finish your You have ten minutes to finish your

self introduction self introduction Get ready to work hard and have fun!Get ready to work hard and have fun! If you are a good English Speaker, If you are a good English Speaker,

think about running for Class think about running for Class PresidentPresident


Key IdeasKey Ideas

1. Why do we need to write well?2. Course Outline3. English Business writing tips


Why do we need to write Why do we need to write Business English well?Business English well?

To give you advantagesTo give you advantages

in business communicationin business communication To save you time writing To save you time writing

business English documentsbusiness English documents To save your customers’ time To save your customers’ time

reading your documentsreading your documents


Do your key documents Do your key documents meet global business meet global business

standards?standards? Business ReportsBusiness Reports EmailsEmails Power PointsPower Points ResumesResumes Cover lettersCover letters MemosMemos Research papersResearch papers


You are what you eatYou are what you eat


You are what you writeYou are what you write

Spoken English does not have to be Spoken English does not have to be perfect.perfect.

Spoken words disappear and are Spoken words disappear and are forgotten. forgotten.

However written English must However written English must

be perfect. Written documents arebe perfect. Written documents are

saved and forwarded tosaved and forwarded to

your customers and superiors.your customers and superiors.


Your business writing is Your business writing is your faceyour face

Even one error on a business Even one error on a business document makes you look like:document makes you look like:


Perfect Professional Perfect Professional writing makes you look writing makes you look

professionalprofessional


Business Writing is Business Writing is Brain WritingBrain Writing

For your BossFor your Boss

Employers view writing skills as your Employers view writing skills as your ability toability to

think clearly, examine alternatives, think clearly, examine alternatives, analyzeanalyze

information and make decisions.information and make decisions.


Business Writing is Business Writing is Brain WritingBrain Writing

For your customersFor your customers

You must create documents that yourYou must create documents that your

customers read first, documents that customers read first, documents that drive drive

action and documents that impress action and documents that impress youryour

readers.readers.


Global Business Global Business Writing Six StepsWriting Six Steps

1.1. Getting started Getting started

2.2. Creating HeadlinesCreating Headlines

3.3. Writing Drafts Writing Drafts

4.4. Designing for visual ImpactDesigning for visual Impact

5.5. Setting the right toneSetting the right tone

6.6. EditingEditing


Step 1 Getting StartedStep 1 Getting Started

With the course easy to use Start up With the course easy to use Start up Sheet, writer’s block, the pain of Sheet, writer’s block, the pain of starting an English paper is starting an English paper is eliminated. You can quickly identify eliminated. You can quickly identify your audience, purpose and key your audience, purpose and key issues.issues.


Step 2 Creating Step 2 Creating HeadlinesHeadlines

Use powerful headlines to Use powerful headlines to walk your reader through walk your reader through your message. your message.

Put headlines in a sequence, Put headlines in a sequence, an order that maximizes an order that maximizes impact.impact.


Step 3 Writing DraftsStep 3 Writing Drafts

Writing the draft is easy Writing the draft is easy because you created the because you created the structure in Steps 1 and 2.structure in Steps 1 and 2.


Step 4: Designing for Step 4: Designing for Visual ImpactVisual Impact

Good visual design organizes yourGood visual design organizes your

message into manageable, easy message into manageable, easy chuckschucks

that help readers easily find keythat help readers easily find key

information.information.


Step 5 Setting the Right Step 5 Setting the Right ToneTone

The tone of your message The tone of your message influencesinfluences

your reader as much as theyour reader as much as the

message itself.message itself.


Step 6 Proof Reading Step 6 Proof Reading and Editingand Editing

Sending a message or letter withSending a message or letter with

even one mistake makes you lookeven one mistake makes you look

unprofessional and unreliable. unprofessional and unreliable.

A perfect Written Business English A perfect Written Business English

document shows the world how document shows the world how talentedtalented

and valuable you are!and valuable you are!


What’s the most common What’s the most common business writing error?business writing error?

People who fail to use People who fail to use

spell and grammar spell and grammar

check before theycheck before they

print or email theirprint or email their

documents. documents.


Your Knowledge of the Your Knowledge of the TaskTask

Have you done this kind of writing task Have you done this kind of writing task before?before?

Did you read samples written by others? Did you read samples written by others? Bench mark yourself against samples on the Bench mark yourself against samples on the

internet.internet.

What questions do you have about the What questions do you have about the writing task?writing task?


Language ConcernsLanguage Concerns GrammarGrammarWhat are the patterns of grammatical errors What are the patterns of grammatical errors

I tend to make?I tend to make?

Word ChoiceWord ChoiceAm I using words that are too technical or Am I using words that are too technical or

too informal? too informal?

Check Check www.thesaurus.comwww.thesaurus.com


Your Best 24-7 TeacherYour Best 24-7 TeacherTells you word definitionsTells you word definitions Gives you examples of word usageGives you examples of word usage Provides word orderProvides word order Provides usage notesProvides usage noteswww.dictionary.comwww.dictionary.comwww.thesaurus.comwww.thesaurus.com a book of similar and a book of similar andcontrasting words Use an English/Chinese contrasting words Use an English/Chinese Dictionary and Dictionary and translate-google.comtranslate-google.com


Class RulesClass Rules

Plan ahead: schedule your time to prepare a first draft.Plan ahead: schedule your time to prepare a first draft.

Before you attend class, read the lesson plan and write Before you attend class, read the lesson plan and write your assignment to bring to class.your assignment to bring to class.

Do NOT write at the last minute because you will have Do NOT write at the last minute because you will have little time for revision!little time for revision!

Do NOT expect to finish your writing assignments in Do NOT expect to finish your writing assignments in class.class.


Questions, comments, Questions, comments, opinions?opinions?

Professor Dave Professor Dave JayeJaye

www.davejaye.comwww.davejaye.com

Purdue University Writing Lab 1 Global Business Writing Powerful Business Writing Skills for ESL Writers February 10, 2013.

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