cps ® and cap ® examination review office adminisration, fifth edition by schroeder and graf...

CPS ® and CAP ®Examination ReviewOFFICE ADMINISRATION, Fifth EditionBy Schroeder and Graf

©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.Pearson Prentice HallUpper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Office Administration

Chapter 7: Composing and Editing Written Communication

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Positive Language and Tone

Focus on the reader by using pronouns like “you” and “your” People react to positive

Limit the use of negative expressions in a message Avoid words using not, regret, neglect, fail

Tone should be friendly, conversational, and professional

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Familiar Words Use common synonyms for unfamiliar words Avoid using unfamiliar technical words

outside of your profession Use English equivalents for foreign

expressions Refrain from using jargon in business writing Spell out acronyms the first time they are

used in a document Avoid slang

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Concrete vs. Abstract Language

Concrete refers to the use of words that are precise in meaning; abstract to those where meaning can be interpreted differently

A word or phrase may be added to an abstract word to define it more precisely

The abstract term may be defined in the sentence

Use the most specific word when it impacts the meaning

Short, simple words convey meaning more directly

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Active Words Active verbs convey precise meaning, the

action happening Active voice refers an emphasis on the

performer of the task and passive voice to an emphasis on the action being taken

Descriptive adjectives are also called key words or descriptors

Descriptive adverbs convey precise meanings

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Contemporary and Confusing Words

Use of contemporary words makes writing more relevant

Effective word selection between confusing words takes a lot of effort and practice. Be sure to distinguish between

• accept and except• advise and advice• all ready and already• among and between• awhile and while• bad and badly• complement and

compliment

• effect and affect• good and well• lay and lie• lose and loose• most and almost• proceed and

precede• principal and

principle

• real and really• set and still• site, cite, and sight• stationary and

stationery• their, there, they’re• than and then• to, too, two• who, which, that

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Unbiased Language Gender-free language should be used

instead of masculine or feminine word, men and women should be treated equally Avoid labels, stereotypes, and using “man”

and “woman” as the prefix or suffix of a word

Language should be ethnically and racially unbiased

Types of jobs held by people should not be stereotyped

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Constructing Effective Sentences

Avoid common sentence construction errors like fragments, run-on sentences, and comma-splices

Vary sentence types for interest; use a combination of simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex

Vary sentence length Sentences should be connected to show related

ideas Choose the best sentence format for the

message

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Writing Organized Paragraphs

Thoughts or ideas should be separated to begin writing paragraphs

Choose between a deductive (direct) and inductive (indirect) approach for the paragraph

Compose each paragraph to include an overview statement, supporting statements, and detail statements referring to the main idea

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Effectiveness Criteria Coherence is demonstrated through consistency

in style, word choice, and usage Emphasis means that greater importance is

placed to a particular fact or idea Unity suggests a coherent flow of ideas Concise writing is brief, yet comprehensive Variety in writing maintains the reader’s interest Clarity is accomplished by knowing the purpose Accuracy in message, format, and language is

key

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Development of Goodwill

Considerateness for others Empathy toward the reader, use the

“you” approach Courtesy and concern for the reader Sincerity expresses confidence in others Respect should be shown to the

company, products, and readers

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Proofreading Techniques Proofread for typographical errors BESIDES

using spell check Proofread by office professionals, read aloud if

two people are available Proofreading technique

Proofreading symbols should be used

1. Read the copy slowly and concentrate on the material2. Align the copy with a ruler, especially with statistical material3. Proofread vertically if keyed horizontally4. Count entries and compare with the original5. Delay final proofreading, if possible wait to proofread

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Copyediting The revision of a draft for consistency,

conciseness, and grammatical accuracy Revisions are marked manually in the

text or using software tools Document should be keyed in rough-

draft format Editing skills should be strong in areas of

grammar, punctuation, spelling, and composition

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Editing for Organization Check for clear and logical writing There should be open dialog and

communication among the team of writers There should also be open communication

between the writer(s) and copy editor The copy editor should be aware of the

writing approach used The outline used by the writer can also be

used by the copy editor

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Editing for Completeness and Content

Use reference manuals to look up rules as necessary

Check and double-check the document for accuracy in facts and structure

Be consistent with grammar and punctuation Maintain the author’s writing style while

editing Use specific document formatting guidelines The document should have a neat, attractive

appearance

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Use of Editing Software, Style Sheets and Symbols

Spelling and grammar check tools are available in all productivity software

Software editing tools may include highlighting changes, tracking changes in text, and collaborative writing

A style sheet displays all the formatting points the author is expected to follow, helps editor

Copyediting symbols are used to make manual editing easier

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