Financial Policy - Writing Assignment

2018ggoodwriting.ppt

Keys to good writing

Write in a clear and well organized manner.
Recommendations should be supported by reasons that make it clear why you are making the recommendation.
Each paragraph should have a topic sentence that clearly introduces the subject matter of the paragraph. The other sentences in the paragraph can support, clarify or expand on the topic sentence.
Avoid run-on sentences. These are sentences that are too long and may express multiple thoughts. They should be broken up into smaller sentences for clarity.
Be concise. Don’t add words and sentences that are not needed. Allow the reader to understand your recommendation and reasons quickly, without any excess discussion.

Example of a good paragraph with a topic sentence

The paragraph below is responding to the question of how TRX (a future case study firm) can increase its future free cash flows.
For TRX, the best way to increase its future free cash flows would be to increase its gross margins. TRX’s customer care business segment has lower gross margins than its other business segments. By growing its other higher margin business segments, while allowing the lower margin customer-care business segment to decline, overall corporate gross margins can be increased.

Paragraph responding to the same question that is not clearly written

TRX is growing fast. Customer care has been a big business segment of TRX. Customer care call centers respond to customer inquiries. There are also other business segments. TRX wants to increase its free cash flows. TRX should decrease the customer care segment.
The above paragraph did not use a topic sentence to clearly introduce the subject matter.
The above recommendation was not well explained and supported by reasons.
It was not clear, concise or well organized.

Bad paragraph that is adversely affected by run-on sentences.

TRX is a data processing company with three business segments, each with different gross margins, that wants to increase its free cash flows by increasing the average gross margin for the company as a whole. The customer care segment is the TRX business segment with the lowest gross margin and by growing the company’s other business segments which have the higher gross margins while allowing the customer care segment sales to decrease then TRX will have an increased average gross margin and that increased average gross margin will then have the desired effect of increasing TRX’s free cash flows.
Run-on sentences are too long. Break run-on sentences into shorter sentences. Let each sentence express one thought.