Tools to Help you Write Effectively AGRICULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN ACTION

Professional Communication Communication is both written and oral.The foundation of good communication in the work place is writing.The principles of effective writing can also apply to effective oral communication.Effective writers think about their purpose before they write and try to develop a plan for their writing to achieve their goal.Effective writers must know and understand their audience Effective writers select writing tools designed to be effective in communicating

to their intended reader

Questions Effective Writers AskWhen effective writers start writing they ask themselves the following questions.What is the ultimate message I want to convey?What are the key points I want to make?What supporting points or evidence can I add to establish credibility for the

point I am making?How can I organize my points visually to produce the desired result?Should I use bullet points, headings and subheadings, bolding, underlining and italics?

What language and word choices can I make to get the level of understanding I wan to achieve or have the reader identify with what I am saying?

Questions Effective Writers AskIf the effective writer can answer all of the questions then they have begun to develop their message strategy.A message strategy is a conscious decision to communicate with some purpose in mind.Starting with the purpose in mind can help the writer be clearerWriting without a strategy in mind usually wanders off into tangents that do not relate to the main purpose

Writing Tips There are 7 general writing tips for effective writingUse a thesis statementConcentrate on areas you need helpRead work out loudRead good writersRead textbooks if you do not have time to readSave good examples of writingVary sentence structure

Thesis Statement A thesis statement states your main point and purpose for writing and is a way of getting your key message across to the reader. Thesis statements are usually at the beginning or end of the introductory paragraph

Concentrate Concentrate onthe areas in your writing that you need help with by taking you time and using reference materials such as a dictionary or thesaurusPay extra attention to these areas when editingCheck for things like comma placementIf you edit consistently it will become a habit

Read Your Work Aloud- Every time

If you read aloud your ear will pick up punctuation mistakesYou will also be able to hear if the word choice is correct

Read Good Writers

Your writing will improve the more you read excellent writers

If You Cannot Find the Time to Read…

If you cannot find the time to read, read your textbooks for your classes thoroughly; review how a sentence or paragraph you especially like is structuredTake advantage of the times you have to read to appreciate the writers skill

Save Examples of Good Writing

When you need to write something similar for a class, pull out your good example as a modelYou should not just copy it, but it can be a good guide for organization, style and tone

Vary Sentence StructureVary your sentence structureYour writing should be interesting to readEach paragraph should have a topic sentence and supporting sentencesUse examples to explain key points

Effective Communication Occurs by actively engaging the readerEffective writers strive for maximum readabilityReadability is the ease or difficulty a reader can understand writingYour writing should be tailored to the audience you are writing for

To Be An Effective WriterUse correct grammarUse correct punctuationUse writing tools-message strategiesMake your point clear to your audienceChoose words and phrases carefullyMake your writing interesting

Paragraph StructureHave one main idea and a topic sentence in each paragraphBreak long complicated sentences in to smaller sentences

Key PointsAlways keep the audience in mindWhat is the ultimate outcome of your writing?Who are you writing for?Why are you writing about this topic?By answering these questions each time you write you will improve your writing