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Transcript of Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-1 Chapter 3 Improving Writing...
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6eMary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-1
Chapter 3
Improving Writing techniques
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-2
Formal Research Methods for Gathering Information
• Search manually (books, magazines, journals).
• Access electronically (Internet, databases, compact discs).
• Go to the source (interviews, surveys, questionnaires, focus groups).
• Conduct scientific experiments (measure variables using control groups).
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-3
Informal Research Methods for Gathering Information
• Look in organization files.
• Talk with your boss.
• Interview the target audience.
• Conduct an informal survey.
• Brainstorm for ideas.
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-4
Organize Information With an Outline
Title
I. First major componentA. First subpoint
1. Detail, illustration, evidence
2. Detail, illustration, evidence
B. Second subpoint1. Detail, illustration, evidence
2. Detail, illustration, evidence
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-5
II. Second major componentA. First subpoint
1. Detail, illustration, evidence
2. Detail, illustration, evidence
Organize Information With an Outline
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-6
Tips:• Define main topic in title.• Divide the topic into 3-5 main points.• Break the components into subpoints.• Strive to make each component exclusive (no
overlapping).• Don’t put a single item under a major component.• Use details, illustrations, and evidence to support
subpoints.
Organize Information With an Outline
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-7
Direct StrategyMain idea comes first followed by details and explanations
Indirect StrategyExplanation precedes main idea
Organizing Business Messages
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-8
Direct StrategyAdvantages:
• Saves reader’s time
• Sets a proper frame of mind
• Prevents frustration
• Appears businesslike
Indirect StrategyAdvantages:
• Respects feelings of audience
• Encourages a fair hearing
• Minimizes a negative reaction
Organizing Business Messages
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-9
Organizing Business Messages
Direct StrategyUseful when:
• Receiver is receptive
• Receiver requires no education about topic
• Message is routine
Indirect StrategyUseful when:
• Receiver may be upset
• Receiver may be hostile
• Receiver must be persuaded or educated
• Message is sensitive
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-10
Complete sentences have subjects and verbs and make sense (are capable of standing alone).
Example:
Subject Verb
Employees send many e-mail messages.
Effective Sentences
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-11
Clauses also have subjects and verbs. Independent clauses can stand alone; dependent clauses rely on independent clauses for their meaning.
Example: Dependent Clause Independent Clause
When you speak, you reveal yourself.
Effective Sentences
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-12
Phrases are groups of related words without subjects and verbs.
Example: Phrase Phrase
In the afternoon, I work at the mall.
Effective Sentences
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-13
Avoid sentence fragments. Fragment
Even though the pay was low. Many candidates
applied.
Revision:Even though the pay was low, many candidates
applied.
Effective Sentences
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-14
Avoid run-on (fused) sentences. Fused Sentences
Two candidates applied only one was hired.
Revisions:Two candidates applied. Only one was hired.
Two candidates applied; only one was hired.
Two candidates applied, but only one was hired.
Effective Sentences
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-15
Effective Sentences
Avoid comma-splice sentences. Comma Splice
Many were qualified, Jeff was hired.
Revisions:Many were qualified. Jeff was hired.Many were qualified; Jeff was hired.Many were qualified; however, Jeff was hired.Many were qualified, but Jeff was hired.
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-16
Try Your Skill
Revise the following to avoid fragments, run-on sentences, and comma-splices.
• You can create a Web-based job portfolio it will impress potential employers.
You can create a Web-based job portfolio; it will impress potential employers.
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-17
Revise the following to avoid fragments, run-on sentences, and comma-splices.
• Send a scannable résumé. When you apply for a job.
Send a scannable résumé when you apply for a job.
Try Your Skill
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-18
Revise the following to avoid fragments, run-on sentences, and comma-splices.• Although technical skills are important.
Communication skills are also in great demand.
Although technical skills are important, communication skills are also in great demand.
Try Your Skill
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-19
Revise the following to avoid fragments, run-on sentences, and comma-splices.• College used to be for young people,
however many older students now seek degrees.
College used to be for young people; however, many older students now seek degrees.
Try Your Skill
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-20
Underlining:
Which of these methods do you prefer?
Emphasis Through Mechanics
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-21
Italics and Boldface:
The use of boldface and italics captures the reader’s attention.
Emphasis Through Mechanics
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-22
All Caps:
Notice how EXPENSE-FREE stands out.
Emphasis Through Mechanics
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-23
Dashes:
Other methods–including dashes–may be used.
Emphasis Through Mechanics
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-24
Tabulation:
Listing items vertically emphasizes them:
1. First item
2. Second item
3. Third item
Emphasis Through Mechanics
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-25
Emphasis Through Mechanics
• Other means of achieving mechanical emphasis include the following: use of white space, color, lines, boxes, columns, titles, headings, and subheadings.
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-26
• To emphasize an idea:• Use a vivid expression (“bug-free software” rather than
“dependable software”).• Label the idea with expressions (“more importantly, the
principal reason, or the best alternative”).• Put the important idea first or last in the sentence.• Put the important idea in a simple sentence or in an
independent clause.
Emphasis and Deemphasis Through Style
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-27
Emphasis and Deemphasis Through Style
• To deemphasize an idea:• Use general words, rather than specific words (some
customers complained, rather than 125 customers complained).
• Place the idea in a dependent clause connected to an independent clause containing a positive idea.
Example:
Although items cannot be returned for cash, you will receive
store credit for any returned purchases.
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-28
Active-voice verbs show the subject performing the action.
Examples:
Most major employers require drug testing. (Active voice; the subject is acting)
Dr. Smith recommended Tina for the job. (Active voice; the subject is acting)
Active- and Passive-Voice Verbs
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-29
In passive-voice sentences, the subject is being acted upon. Passive-voice verbs require helper verbs.
Examples:Drug testing is required by most major employers.
(Passive voice; the subject is being acted upon)
Tina was recommended for the job by Dr. Smith. (Passive voice; the subject is being acted upon)
Active- and Passive-Voice Verbs
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-30
Active- and Passive-Voice Verbs
• Use the active voice for most business writing.• Use the passive voice to emphasize an action
or the recipient of the action–rather than the actor (i.e. Specialists were hired; Laura was honored).
• Use the passive voice to break bad news (i.e. Although your lease cannot be renewed, we can offer . . . ).
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-31
Convert the following sentence to active voice. You may have to add a subject.
• Our membership meeting was postponed by the president.
The president postponed our membership meeting.
Try Your Skill
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-32
Convert the following sentence to active voice. You may have to add a subject.
• The résumés of job candidates are sorted quickly by the software program Resumix.
The software program Resumix sorts résumés of job candidates quickly.
Try Your Skill
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-33
Convert the following sentence to active voice. You may have to add a subject.
• Computer paper was ordered yesterday.Rachel ordered computer paper yesterday.
Try Your Skill
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-34
Convert the following sentence to passive voice.
• We must delay shipment of your merchandise because of heavy demand.
Your merchandise shipment must be delayed because of heavy demand.
Try Your Skill
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-35
Try Your Skill
Convert the following sentence to passive voice.
• The technician could not install the computer program.
The computer program could not be installed.
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-36
Parallel expression results from balanced construction.
Match nouns with nouns, verbs with verbs, phrases with phrases, and clauses with clauses.
Developing Parallelism
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-37
Poor: The process of writing involves organizing, composing, and
revision.
Parallel: The process of writing involves organizing, composing, and revising.
(Matching endings of verbals)
Developing Parallelism
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-38
Poor: We are very concerned with the quality of raw materials, where they are located, and how much it costs to transport them.
Parallel: We are very concerned with the quality, location, and transpor-tation costs of raw materials. (Matching nouns)
Developing Parallelism
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-39
Developing Parallelism
Poor: Serena takes the telephone orders, Matt locates the items in
the warehouse, and the items are sent by Yolanda.
Parallel: Serena takes the telephone orders, Matt locates the
items in the warehouse, and Yolanda sends the items.
(Matching voices of verbs)
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-40
Try Your Skill
How could parallelism be improved in the following sentence?• Our knowledge management system focuses
on the collecting, storage, and sharing of best practices.
Our knowledge management system focuses on the collecting, storing, and sharing of best practices.
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-41
How could parallelism be improved in the following sentence?
• We are pleased to recommend Elizabeth because she has sincerity, she is reliable, and she works with diligence.
We are pleased to recommend Elizabeth because she is sincere, reliable, and diligent.
Try Your Skill
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-42
For clarity, modifiers must be close to the words they describe or limit.
Be particularly careful to place a logical subject immediately after an introductory verbal phrase.
Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-43
Poor: After considering the problem carefully, new procedures were
suggested by management.
Revised: After considering the problem carefully, management
suggested new procedures.
Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-44
Poor: Any student has full online privileges who is enrolled in the
college.
Revised: Any student who is enrolled in the college has full online privileges.
Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-45
Poor: It’s hard to understand why employees would not go to our
technical support staff with software problems.
Revised: It’s hard to understand why employees with software
problems would not go to our technical support staff.
Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-47
Try Your Skill
Revise the following sentence to correct any misplaced modifiers. Retain the introductory phrase.• To be hired, two years of experience is
required.To be hired, one must have two years of
experience.
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-48
Revise the following sentence to correct any misplaced modifiers. Retain the introductory phrase.
• Dipped in butter, you can really enjoy a fine lobster.
Dipped in butter, a fine lobster can truly be enjoyed.
Try Your Skill
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-49
Revise the following sentence to correct any misplaced modifiers.
• She died in the house in which she was born at the age of 88.
At the age of 88, she died in the house in which she was born.
Try Your Skill
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-51
To help guide your reader or listener from one thought to another, develop coherence by using one of these devices:
1. Repeat a key idea or key word(s).
Next month we plan to launch a promotion for our new Web site. The
promotion will involve newspaper and TV campaigns.
Three Ways to Achieve Paragraph Coherence
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-52
2. Use a pronoun.
Considerable interest is now being shown in our extended certificates of deposit. They
are more profitable when left on deposit for long periods of time.
Three Ways to Achieve Paragraph Coherence
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-53
3. Use an appropriate transitional expression.
Time Associationbefore, after
first, second
meanwhile
next
until
when, whenever
Contrastalthough
but
however
instead
nevertheless
on the other hand
Three Ways to Achieve Paragraph Coherence
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-54
3. Use an appropriate transitional expression.
Cause–Effectconsequently
for this reason
hence
therefore
Additional Ideafurthermore
in addition
likewise
moreover
similarly
Three Ways to Achieve Paragraph Coherence
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-55
Three Ways to Achieve Paragraph Coherence
3. Use an appropriate transitional expression.
Illustrationin this way
for example
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-56
Paragraph Length
Paragraphs with eight or fewer printed lines look inviting and readable.
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-57
Composing the First Draft
• Complete all necessary research.• Find a quiet place to concentrate and work.• Prohibit calls, visitors, and interruptions.• Organize information using an outline.• Decide whether to sprint write (get your thoughts
down quickly and revise later) or revise as you go.• Imagine you are talking to a reader or listener.
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Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6eMary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e Ch. 3-59
End