three page executive summary

Successful Business Writing Assignments

Writing a successful business report is different from fiction writing. You must capture the reader’s interest, not by surprise, but by quickly identifying the scope of your work and then driving it home with clear writing. Repetition, repetition, and more repetition are the keys to successful communication. I will demonstrate a successful three page report - a three page report on how to write a three page report. The report identifies the structure of a successful business writing assignment (introduction, body, and conclusion) and concludes with some guidelines for good writing.

Introduction: The introduction of a business writing assignment is critical because the introductory paragraph is your best opportunity to capture the reader’s attention. This paragraph may give a brief statement of background or problem statement or perhaps even a challenge for the reader. However, the key to the introduction is a thesis statement, which provides a roadmap for the rest of the report. It clearly identifies the major points you want to make for your reader and assures the reader of the scope of his reading task.

Body: The introduction provides the outline of the body! The body should follow this roadmap exactly, but it is so much more than mere repetition. The body provides detail for each of the major points identified in the introduction of your essay. Each major point should have two to five sub-points. The body provides content.

Provide real substance. Convince me that you have learned lessons worthy of a college course. If you haven’t yet learned what you think you should, then ask questions or research in the text or online to make the course worthwhile. Take responsibility for learning and then communicate the lessons you learned.

The body of the assignment also provides evidence to support the points you are making, whether you are arguing for or against the author’s points. Avoid excessive use of “I feel” or “I think” and focus on objective evidence – include sources as appropriate. Be careful of faulty logic in your evidence as well as exaggeration.

Conclusion: The conclusion of the assignment repeats the major points identified in the introduction and described in the body in order to ensure good communication. Emphasize your most important points. You should not fail to cover major points identified earlier. Consider using different color highlighters to ensure that you have addressed the major points.

You should not introduce new points here. If you find yourself needing to discuss new material or wanting to omit points, re-write the introduction and/or the body.

Guidelines for Good Writing: General guidelines for good writing include using good proof-reading techniques, maintaining consistency in your writing, using an appropriate paragraph structure, and avoiding exaggeration or unsubstantiated arguments. Poor grammatical structure and spelling errors signs of sloppy work and failure to proof-read. If you are unwilling to spend the time to use spell-check, then how sloppy is your reasoning? Do you hand in your work when you finish writing or do you read and refine it? Do you search for vampire words1 (e.g., “quite, fairly, sometimes, often, may, things”) and replace them?

Consistency in writing is more difficult than catching spelling errors. You should strive for consistency in word tense and voice (active, not passive2) within and between paragraphs. You should also maintain consistency of key wording throughout your paper. Major points you identify in your introduction, should be the same points in your body and conclusion (in the same order), but should also use the same words! Repetition, repetition, and more repetition is essential for communication success!

Paragraphs assist the reader by providing structure and consistency. Paragraphs can have a thesis sentence and should follow the structure of the thesis. Indent to show the paragraph beginning. Make your paragraphs three to five sentences long, which is a structure within a structure. Longer paragraphs were used in earlier times, but do not appeal to modern readers due to shorter attention spans.

Finally, avoid exaggeration. Exaggeration is the worst possible mistake you can make!!! Actually, exaggerations (such as the one I just made) cause readers to question your reasoning. Exaggerations are likely to be unsubstantiated, but be watchful for other unsubstantiated assertions as well. How do I know what I just wrote? Am I a recognized expert in the field? If not, did I refer to one?

My brief report on good business writing assignments is not intended to win prizes for literature, but to communicate by example and by repetition. It is a three page report on how to write a three page report. If you use the required structure (introduction, body, and conclusion) and follow the guidelines for good writing you will communicate successfully. You will capture the reader’s attention by quickly identifying the scope of your work and by communicating through clear writing.

1. http://www.copyblogger.com/vampire-words/

2. http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/active-voice-versus-passive-voice

When you write an assignment, your headings should not be “Introduction, Body, and Conclusion,” but the body should be the three or four points you identify in your intro, cover in your body, and re-state in your conclusion. I used these headings because my topic was the structure of the writing assignment. Your topic is different. See my example in the Personal Eco assignment.