business writing classes

7/27/2019 Business Writing Classes

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ClassesYouValue- BusinessWriting Classes

ClassesYouValue

Phone: 702-446-0285

Website:

http://www.classesyouvalue.com/Kymberly-Williams-Evans/Write-To-Be-Read.html
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Objectives

To teach students that business letters are notthe only type of business writings they may haveto create.

To teach students that business writing istechnical writing required in the workplace.

To prepare students to format two types ofworkplace documents: memos and formalreports.


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First, What is Business Writing?

Business writing is workplacewriting, which is aform of technical writing.

Workplace writing is generally persuasive writing.Example 1: A Resume to persuade a potentialemployer to offer an interview

Example 2: A Findings Report to persuadeemployees to follow certain policies or proceduresin order to improve performance or correct errorsor problems.


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Some Types of Workplace Writings Business Letters (most common formal letter to an external recipient)

E-mail Transmissions (A more informal business message than abusiness letter that is sent electronically to one or more recipients, withinor external to the business).

Memoranda /memorandum (A more informal style of a business letter thatis usually sent to one or more business colleagues employed withinthe

same business unit or company)

Reports (financial, audit, or statistical report that identifies the specificproblem and presents collected data, research, or recommendations forthe change process (re-engineering process.)

Contracts (binding agreements orproposalsbetween two or more parties

that can become legal documents if they include an offer that is accepted.)

Manuals (a written set of instructions, procedures or policies)

PowerPoint (a soft-ware generated, visual slide show, with animationoptions, that hosts a set of notes or bulleted points, an agenda, or otherinformation that supports a discussion).


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General Business Tip . . .

Generally, it is an

expected and common

business practice to keepphotocopies / hard

(paper) copies of any

communication you send

to another personregarding any business

matter.


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BusinessWriting

is technicalcommunication

or technicalwriting.


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Business Writing:

Technical or Workplace Writing.

Definition ofTechnical Writing:Writing that transfers information about a situation,product, service, or concept . . . to audiences ofvarying levels of technical knowledge, so that eachmember of the audience clearly understands the

message.

The word technical means skilled, specialized, andstrict.

Technical writing follows rules and protocols.

Source: The Institute of Technical Communication (workshop) June, 1998


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How to Create Effective

Technical or Workplace Writings:

1. Focus on the purpose of your writing

2. Focus on your readers (Audience)

3. Satisfy document requirements (Documentation style; visuals; data)

4. Get to the point. (Concise, uncluttered sentences)

5. Provide accurate information (Research)

6. Present your material logically

7. Express yourself clearly (Grammar; Proofreading)

8. Use efficient wording (Word Choice)

9. Make your ideas accessible (Clarity)

10. Use lists for some information (organized bullets)

11. Format your pages carefully (be neat and leave white space)

12. Manage your time efficiently (Meet deadlines)


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Pay attention to Word Choice

The following is a short list of common word

choicemistakes to watch out for in business writing.

affect, effect-- Affectis usually a verb meaning "to influence."

Effectis usually a noun meaning "result." The drug did not affectthe dis ease, and it had several adverse side effects.

Effectcan also be a verb meaning "to bring about." Only thepresident can effect su ch a dramatic change.

a lot-- A lo tis two words. Do not write alot. We have had a lot o f

rain this y ear.

Data-- Datais the plural fordatum, which means "a fact orproposition." Newdatasugg est (not sugg ests) that our theory iscorrect. The singular (datum) is rarely used.

(the words mediaand staffalso are treated as plural nouns)


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Pay attention to Word Choice (cont.)

farther, further -- Fartherdescribes distances. IowaCity is far ther from Chicago than I thought. Furthersuggests degree. You extended the curfew fur therthan you should have.

Firstly --First lysounds pretentious, and it leads tothe ungainly series f i rst ly , second ly, th i rd ly,four th ly, and so on. Write f i rst , second , thirdinstead.

kind of, sort of-- Avoid using k ind oforsor t oftomean "somewhat." The movie was a l i t t le (not kindof ) bo r ing. Do not put an a after either phrase. Thatk ind of(not kind o f a)salesclerk annoys me.


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Pay attention to Word Choice (cont.)

principal, principle --Principalis a noun meaning "the head of aschool or organization" Or "a sum of money." It is also anadjective or meaning "most important." Principleis a nounmeaning "a basic truth or law."

Example: The principal expelled her for violating severalprinciples expressed in the school handbook.

Example: We believe in the principle of equal justice for all.

regardless, irregardless -- Irregardlessis nonstandard. Useregardless. Example: Regardless of what you think,conversated is slang and the correct word is conversed.

try and -- Tryandis nonstandard fort ry to. The teacher askedus all to try to (not t ry and) wri te an o r ig inal haiku .


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Formatting a . . .

Business

Memo


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What should you know about

Business Memos? They . . . almost always are used within an organization

usuallyare informal in style

normallyfunction as a non-sensitive communication

are short and to-the-point have a direct tone / language

have a business tone / no slang or jokes

do not require a salutation (formal greeting)

do not have a complimentary closing as does a business letter (END)

have a format very different from a business letter

mayaddress one person or a group of individuals

Examples: To: Mr. John Doe, CEO of Pepsi

or

To: All Student Support Services Participants

Source: http://oregonstate.edu/dept/eli/buswrite/memos.html


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Memo Sample 1

College of Business Administration Business Communication

Memorandum

To: CBA Students

From: Dale Coattail

Date: September 10, 2007

Re: How to Write a Memo

Your instructor has asked you to write a memo, which is the most common form of written communication in business. In order to perform thistask successfully, you should conform to general business standards of content, format, structure and language use. Regarding Content,

the first rule of writing a good memo is "Get to the point!" The second rule is "Kn ow what your purpose is. "Before you start writing, be surethat you know what your "answer" is to the boss's or colleague's question. Don't include all your thinking in the memo. While several pages ofthinking might get written as you come up with the answer, the memo includes onlythe answer. Citations, financials, or justifications that mustbe available to the reader can be added as appendices or written as a separate, formal report. The memo should include only those ideas thatare required for the reader's action or decision.

FormatThis memo is an example of memo format. Note especially the routing information, the use ofheadings, and the single spaced blockparagraphs. If your memo looks like a memo, there's a better chance a business reader will take your ideas seriously. If you are working in aCBA lab, the easiest way to duplicate the proper memo format is to use a template. (Select "new" from the File MENU and select the "memo"tab on the dialogue box.)

StructureThe typical memo is only 2 or 3 paragraphs and fits on one page. The first paragraph summarizes the gist of the whole memo, then the mainpoints are covered in the same order they were previewed. Again, this memo provides an example of the typical structure.

Language UseA memo is often less formal than a letter, but should still be written with a businessl ike tone. You can be friendly, but not cute. Yourprofessional image depends on perfect spelling and grammar, but you can usually get away with a few "down home" expressions. Edit forwordiness and get di rect ly to the point. Use language to communicate your ideas effectively and efficiently. (END)

cc: Your Instructor

Executive Summary or

Introduction

Headings w/ routing

information

Special notation

Start the Body / Body Headings


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Memo Sample -- Practice Exercise

Directions: Label four parts of the sample

memo you have been provided.

Answers Below

Headings w/ Routing

Information

Executive Summary or Introduction

Start of the Body / Body Headings

Special Notation: Attachments, CarbonCopies, etc.


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In short, for a Business Memo . . .

Use block format (no indents).

Single space the text. Use 10 or 12 point font size.

Business may require use ofletterhead.

Margins may vary, depending on letterhead style of if letterhead has abusiness address side bar, as this example shows.

BODY OF THE MEMO

Memorandum (heading)

To:

From:

Reference or Subject:

Start the introduction or provide an executive summary (depending on type ofmemo). You do not necessarily have to label this part.

Present main body of the memo with labeled parts.

You may provide some indication of the end of the memo (END)


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Center for Student Success

Trio-Student Support Services

109 Shackelford Hall Annex

Troy, Alabama 36082

Phone: 334-670-5985

Sample of a Letterhead with a BusinessAddress Left Side Bar.

You may have to adjust your margins toaccommodate the side bar.

Therefore, instead of a left margin of 1 or1.25, you may have a left margin of 1.8.

TRiOStudent Support Services

TROYUNIVERSITY


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What is a Business Report?

A business report is a technical report

designed to persuadereaders.

A written business report communicates

research findings, progress evaluations,

proposals plans, or other information

regarding a business practice, situation, or

project.


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Why create Business Reports?

In a global society, the ability to report findingsand develop expansion plans and proposesolutions to business-related problems givescompanys a strategic advantage in worldmarkets.

Business reports, formal or informal, are

technical communications that support businessby persuadingbusiness leaders, employees,clients and other business stakeholders.


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Regardless of what you write, Consider

the Rhetorical Triangle. . .

Subject

(the logic you will present

-- your topic or message)

Writer

(your ethics, morals,

skill set

and Plans to use

Your characteristics

to meet your purpose)

Audience

(the passions, interests, or

characteristics of the onesyoure trying to persuade

and their characteristics)


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Know your reading audience . . .

Two Main Types of

Business Report Readers

Skimmers read quickly and

look for key words in reports

look for bulleted information.

Skeptics read every word

and are looking for logic flaws

or reasons to disbelieve or sayNo Provide them with plenty

of examples, details, support

statements

What type are you?

Source: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/pp/audorg.ppt#277,10,When you do not know your reader


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Know Your Purpose and Outline First.

Outlining: create a

hierarchy of your ideas.

Outlining helps you to

identify (1) what your

main points are, (2) what

supporting material isavailable, and (3) what

other information you

need to include.

SAMPLE

Progress Report for January 2002I. Background

A. Detailed plan regardingstaff hired in Dec. 2007

B. Objectives set for the firstmonth

1. Training/Orientation

2. End-of-Month testing

II. Work completed to date

A. Developed a training planand presented it to the

necessary committeeB. Plan approved Jan. 2008

III. Work to be completed

A. Plan to be initiated byMarch 2008

B. Contact new staff

C. Train new staff


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Formal Business Report Format

General Sections of a longBusiness Formal Report:

Title Page (Headermay start on this page, depending on the style you use.)

Letter of Transmittal (a general letter identifying routing information)

Table of Contents (listing of subject content and page)

List of Tables and Illustrations (name of graphics and page)

Synopsis / Executive Summary / Abstract(may be required)

Introduction (required) (Header may start on this page)

Methods of Research (How did you find your data? Did you reviewliterature, conduct a field experiment or survey?)

Findings / Analysis (Discussion)

Conclusions

Recommendations

Appendix (Graphs and Tables)


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Sample: Letter of Transmittal

A Letter of Transmittal accompanies a business report and may take the form of asimple memo with the following parts:

TO: Dr. Rose Norman

FROM: Heather Cross

DATE: June 24, 2008

SUBJECT: EH 501 Final Report: An Analysis of Training Manuals for Peer Tutors inPost-secondary Writing Centers

[Open with an overview.]Enclosed you will find my final report for EH 501 entitled "An Analysis of Training Manuals for Peer Tutors in Post-Secondary Writing Centers" due December 7, 1999. [Then state your main finding] From interviews with five writingcenter directors and four consultants, I found that each writing center has its own unique circumstances for training. Themanuals from these same writing centers do contain some consistent areas of attention. The manual produced for theUniversity of Alabama in Huntsville Writing Center should reflect these findings.

[Then comes the descriptive abstract.]The purpose of this report is to develop recommendations for a new training manual for peer tutors in a post-secondarywriting center. Initially the report gives a brief description of the writing center environment, pedagogy, and theory. For thespecific application of peer tutor training, the findings from interviews with Dr. Diana Calhoun Belldirector of the UAHWriting Center, directors of other writing centers, and consultants are presented. The report compares information from

these practitioner inquiries with the content and form of the sample manuals obtained from three other university writingcenters and with the existing UAH manual. The report concludes with recommendations for the UAH Writing CentersTraining Manual.

[Then add whatever else you need to say.]After an initial email request to twenty-five writing centers, I was able to collect three peer tutor training manuals and receiveanswers to interview questions from two other directors. I interviewed four consultants in the UAH Writing Center using anabbreviated form of the questions. Dr. Bell has continued to express interest in this study and its continuation into an actualproduct. I hope to undertake the writing of the UAH Writing Center Consultant Training Manual as an independent study inthe next semester.

Enclosure: Final Report (2 Copies)


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Practice Exercise --

Simplified Language

One of the most challenging business ortechnical writing task is to constructunderstandable, direct statements.

The practice exercise is to determine ifyou have that skill or if you need todevelop the skill of direct writing orStandard Writing English (SWE).

Complete the sample practice exercisehandout and then compare youranswers with those provided on thenext slide.


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Possible Practice Exercise Answers

1.All previously sent memos relating to thissubject with earlier dates may be disregarded.1. Disregard previous memos on this subject.

2. The consensus of opinion is that the end resultwill be favorable in a positive manner.2. Opinion is that the result will be positive/favorable).

3. I would like to extend my thanks to you for youraid and assistance on the Humbolt operation.3. Thank you for your help on the Humbold operation.


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Possible Practice Exercise Answers (cont)

4. There is an almost certain possibility that the entire completeorder will not arrive by the assigned due date.4. The complete order will not arrive on time.

5. The end result of our in-house, on-site production activitiesis various different products and output.

5. Our production results in a variety of products.

6. For all intents and purposes, payroll will basically beappending your comp time towards your designated vacationallowance.6. Your comp time will be applied toward your vacation time.

7. Let me know if for some reason you dont get this e-mail.Otherwise, please respond to it as soon as possible.7. Please respond to this e-mail by (specific time).


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Possible Practice Exercise Answers (cont)

8. A proportion of people who work here feel that it may well be thatthey should be able to respond to the survey sometime in the future,

at a later date.8. Some employees feel that they should be allowed to respond to thesurvey later.

9. It proved to be the case that, as a result of the on-going weeklyupdates, a significant percentage of the staff not infrequently has theability to, in all cases, complete their assigned, work-related activitiesin a shorter time period.9. Due to the weekly updates, (specific figure) percent of the staff cancomplete their work in less time.

10. Due to the fact that the next Wednesday following Tuesday is the

day before Christmas, the normal work day will be truncated for thepurpose of allowing employees to join their respective families incelebration of the holiday.10. Because Wednesday is Christmas Eve, the office will close early soemployees can be with their families.


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Before You Go . . .

Visit ClassesYouValue- Business Writing Classes

Phone: 702-446-0285

Website:

http://www.classesyouvalue.com/Kymberly-Williams-Evans/Write-To-Be-Read.html
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