Business format writing details for Introduction to Business assignments The instructions regarding the business format are

e divided into three sections (Format, Word Usage, and General Writing Guidelines). Format This memo should be concise and informative. It can be difficult to write concisely after you draft the paper, you should go back and reread what you wrote and look for extraneous words/sentences/phrases. In business, managers tend to read differently than academics; managers tend to skim documents. Therefore, the use of descriptive headings, white space, bullets and numbered lists are essential. Your work product should be clean and easy to read. The paper should be written using block formatting. Single space paragraphs and do not indent the first line. Double space between paragraphs. The previous formatting instructions mean that a single blank row will separate your paragraphs. Word Usage To put your best foot forward, you will want to use terms and grammar properly. Your manager will think you are smart if you save her time and use simple language to make your points clear quickly. Here are some business writing conventions: Avoid clutter words--words that creep into writing that do not add meaning, such as actually and basically. Pay attention to the differences between to, too, and two. Its means it is (or it has.) Always. The possessive is its. Always. There is no such word as its. So, unless you mean it is or it has, use its. Then and than are different words with different meanings. Then refers to a future time. Than is a comparative, as in Shaquille is taller than LaBron. Avoid lazy wordsa word you do not really mean. For instance, do not say countless when what you really mean is many or millions or billions or too many to count efficiently. Numbers written in text are hard to read. Avoid them. If you must use one, use an approximation, and numbers (not words). Use things rather than utilizing them. Being clear, organized, and logical are the best ways to get the reader to think well of your work. Drop the ly when counting your points. Example: Not Firstly, we must sell . . . . but First, we must sell . . . . and Second, we will . . . . Use who when referring to people rather than that. Example: Say He was the person who . . . . not He was the person that . . . .

Refer to people as people or to a person as a person and not as an individual. An easy way to get complex sentences correct is to remember their general form, as shown below. First sentence that could stand alone; linking word such as therefore or however, second sentence that could stand alone. Notice that a semicolon comes after the first sentence and a comma comes after the linking word. Also notice that you can avoid the problem of punctuating complex sentences by using two short sentences instead of a long complex one. Short sentences and short paragraphs ease readability. Long, complex sentences do not.

Understand how to and when to use commas. comma before and in the following situation:

For example, do not use a

We need to develop a plan to increase both sales, and profits. The comma before and is a mistake. Use commas to separate items in a series of 3 or more (example: Tom, Dick, and Harry) but avoid them when linking two items with and. Avoid sentence fragments. A sentence fragment happens when you have not written a complete sentence. The error could also be called an incomplete sentence. Fragments usually occur when you have no subject and write just a phrase, such as Which resulted from pricing the product incorrectly. The preceding has no subject and thus is not a sentence. Do not separate compound verbs with a comma. Example, properly write I analyzed and found . . . . but not I analyzed, and found....

General writing guidelines Keep sentences short. Keep paragraphs short. Use definite subjects that name things. For example, using this or it as the subject of your sentence is poor technique. Almost always, when you use an indefinite subject such as this or it, you are not thinking about the needs of the reader. Instead, you are being a sloppy writer. When you use an indefinite subject, you force the reader either a) to have to remember what the subject of your previous sentence was or

b) to backtrack to the previous sentence to figure out what you are talking about. Thus, your poor technique impedes the quick reading of the text. Instead of helping your reader, you are wasting his time. Delete extraneous words. Example: Not in the month of January, but in January. We all know January is a month. You do not have to waste our time telling us the obvious. We also know that 2009 is a year. Keep the major thought in the subject and verb. Avoid winding up to deliver the message of a sentence. Example: Not It is apparent that... but Apparently, Note that you can avoid this problem by using a real subject for your sentence rather than the wimpy and thoughtless it. Use active rather than passive voice. Example: Not The problem was fixed but I fixed the problem. Passive voice suppresses the doer of the action and thus evades responsibility. You need to learn to take responsibility for your observations, conclusions, and recommendations. Get in the habit of taking responsibility for your work. Use active voice: I recommend that we . . . . Or, better yet, get to the point and simply make the recommendation: We should increase inventory to avoid lost sales.