writing exercise
omerberat41
writingprocessprowriting_bus_103-1_1.ppt5 Steps to Successful Professional Writing
Preparation and Planning
Research
Organization
Writing
Revision
Step 1: Preparation
Preparation requires an analysis of:
Audience
Purpose
Context
Scope
Medium
Tone
Audience – who are you writing to?
Purpose – why are you writing? What do you want the reader to walk away with?
Context – What impacts the situation surrounding why you’re writing?
Scope – what do you need to cover in the writing?
Medium – how will you be communicating your message? (Email, report, etc.)
Tone – what attitude should you convey in the writing?
*
Step 2: Research
Primary
Information you collect yourself.
Secondary
Information that has been analyzed, assessed, evaluated, compiled, or otherwise organized by someone else.
The amount of research you will need depends on the scope of your project (page XIX of BWH). Another key issue with research is the quality of your sources – they not only need to be current but also credible and accurate. Consider numerous sources of information when you are conducting research:
Knowledge from colleagues
Internet sources
Library resources
Printed and electronic documents
Primary Research: Examples: interviews, direct observations, surveys, experiments, questionnaires, or audio and video recordings.
Image from: https://www.recruiter.com/i/how-video-interviewing-differs-from-a-video-chat/
Secondary Research: Examples: books, articles, reports, Web documents, e-mail and blog/wiki discussions, business letters, minutes of meetings, operating manuals, and brochures.
Image from: http://www.vbctulsa.com/ready-set-read/
*
Step 2: Research (cont’d)
SCENARIO:
You are writing a proposal to your supervisor requesting that your company implement a rideshare corporate social responsibility (CSR) program to help combat the smog and high traffic volume in your community.
What sorts of primary research could you use?
What sorts of secondary research could you use?
Did you know that most fundraising departments in major universities have an entire Research division? Most corporations invest in R&D (research in development). Have a look at these two articles to see how much companies are spending in research and development: http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2012/10/focus-7 OR http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57543370-37/apple-r-d-spending-up-nearly-40-percent-in-2012/
*
Step 3: Organization
Short Documents, such as emails, memos, or letters, often require a simple plan to arrange information in a logical order.
Longer Documents, such as reports and proposals, required more planning.
According to a study, Technical Writing in a Corporate Culture, by Christine Barabas, more than three times the number of good writers as compared with poor writers create a written outline. 36% of poor writers (in corporate setting) never use an outline or plan, either written or mental.
A key benefit of organizing the writing that you produce for the workplace is that effective organization can reduce the number of drafts or re-writers you may need to produce, thus saving you time.
*
Step 3: Organization
Select an organizational pattern and outline:
Sequential
Spatial
Division and classification
Increasing order of importance
Decreasing order of importance
General to specific
Specific to general
Comparison
According to a study, Technical Writing in a Corporate Culture, by Christine Barabas, more than three times the number of good writers as compared with poor writers create a written outline. 36% of poor writers (in corporate setting) never use an outline or plan, either written or mental.
*
Step 3: Organization
Four main characteristics of an effective outline: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/01 /
Sample outline: https:// owl.english.purdue.edu/media/pdf/20081113013048_544.pdf
*
Step 4: Writing the Draft
Drafting Techniques:
- Expand your outline into paragraphs
- Start with the most interesting or easiest part
- Don’t wait for a good opening
- Concentrate on conveying key ideas
- Keep writing without interruption
- Don’t stop to perfect each word or sentence
- Write in a plain, natural, and direct style
- Imagine the reader in front of you
- Remind yourself that you are writing a draft
Step 5: Revise
Revise for:
- Concise content (see Week 1 exercises)
- Clear and fluent language
- Coherent writing, with logical organization
- Ethical writing
- Accurate and precise word choice
- Professional tone
- Proper use of grammar
- Readability
- Document design and appearance
We will be discussing revision strategies throughout the semester, and you will have an opportunity to revise a draft.
*
*
First Draft
*
*
Revised Draft, What makes this one better?
*
References
- Alred, G. J., Brusaw, C. T. & Oliu, W. E. (2012). The Business Writer’s Handbook. Boston: St. Martin’s Press.
- Alred, G. J., Brusaw, C. T. & Oliu, W. E. (2013). Writing That Works: Communicating Effectively on the Job. Boston: St Martin’s Press.
- Lannon, J. M. & Gurak, L. J. (2011). Technical Communication. Boston: Pearson.
