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SV 2: 15th Aug 2009 9.00 10.00 p.m. Chapter2: What Is Good Business Writing? Chapter 3: Developing and Revising Short Business Messages
Tan Cheng Ling Pusat Pengajian PJJ, U.S.M.
Learning Objectives
Manage aspects of style that lead to simple, clear, and concise writing. Revise sentences from passive to active voice. Develop an editing strategy to remove empty information, redundancy, and outdated expression. Correct sentences for parallel structure and align modifiers with their subjects. Build transition with adverbial and subordinating conjunctions. Apply principles of style to shape the tone of a business documents.
Section A:
Topics That Affect Style Controlling sentence structure, length, and content Using the active voice Being concise Mixing specific language with general language Building old to new information flow Using parallel structure Avoiding misplaced modifiers Using conjunctions to show relationships Bridging ideas effectively
Tan Cheng Ling Pusat Pengajian PJJ, U.S.M.
her fate.
Correct: Because the president is spending his time planning a new plant in Iowa, he has not yet examined policies about workers compensation.
The subject, verb, and object perform their prescribed grammatical functions. Readers have an easier time understanding meaning when the subject, verb, and object perform their prescribed functions.
Example:
Active: Billy threw the ball. (Who did what?) Passive: The ball was thrown.
Be Concise
Eliminate the following from your writing:
Redundant phrases Outdated expressions
For example:
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Be Specific
General Language:
The Riley proposal was good.
Specific Language:
The Riley proposal was comprehensive, and their recommendations were reasonable. By mixing specific language with general language, the reader will have a clearer idea of what you mean.
Tan Cheng Ling Pusat Pengajian PJJ, U.S.M.
More effective:
You are the most efficient person I know.
Less effective:
I would like to invite you to our next meeting.
More effective:
You are welcome to attend our next meeting.
Tan Cheng Ling Pusat Pengajian PJJ, U.S.M.
Nominalized: I want to express my appreciation for your help. Active: I appreciate your help.
Tan Cheng Ling Pusat Pengajian PJJ, U.S.M.
Coherent Paragraphs
Coherent paragraphs
develop the main idea in a logical way demonstrate a logical flow of ideas
topic develops in a consistent, rational way one idea leads to another
Revising changes the way the ideas are presented on the page by
moving sentences making sure the major parts of the document do what they are supposed to do
Tan Cheng Ling Pusat Pengajian PJJ, U.S.M.
demands that you shed some wellconstructed sentences and paragraphs that
Questioning
Identifying critical issues
Rewriting
The Introduction
Introduction
states the purpose and provides and
overview
The Body
Body breaks the topic into component parts covers all main points supports main points with evidence, examples, and details answers questions that may be posed in the introduction
Tan Cheng Ling Pusat Pengajian PJJ, U.S.M.
The Conclusion
Conclusion summarizes and draws conclusions for readers clarifies and restates main points reinforces the introduction, solidly establishing the purpose at times, reveals new questions and suggests
additional research
Evidence
What are the facts and details? Explanation or Examples What do you need to provide so that the reader understands the evidence and its significance? Recap Draw conclusions and make recommendations
Tan Cheng Ling Pusat Pengajian PJJ, U.S.M.
Conjunctions as Connectors
Adverbial Coordinating
Subordinating
Correlative conjunction
Tan Cheng Ling Pusat Pengajian PJJ, U.S.M.
Adverbial Conjunctions
Adverbial Conjunctions
provide transitions between sentences and paragraphs signal the meaning of the ideas that follow
however indeed furthermore consequently in summary fortunately
Tan Cheng Ling Pusat Pengajian PJJ, U.S.M.
Subordinating Conjunctions
Subordinating Conjunctions
define the relationship between the ideas show an inequality between ideas highlight one idea over another
even though
after before
whereas
since
Tan Cheng Ling Pusat Pengajian PJJ, U.S.M.
Coordinating Conjunctions
provide transitions between ideas help smooth the flow of choppy writing
FANBOYS
for and nor but or yet so
Tan Cheng Ling Pusat Pengajian PJJ, U.S.M.
Correlative Conjunctions
Correlative Conjunctions
pairs of conjunctions that place more emphasis on comparing or contrasting aspect of it
either . . . or neither . . . nor both . . . and
not . . . but
not only . . . but also
Tan Cheng Ling Pusat Pengajian PJJ, U.S.M.
Conjunctions in Pairs
When conjunctions come in pairs the structure following the second part of the correlative must be parallel with the first part Incorrect: We will not only service your account but also are providing monthly reports.
Revised:
Revised:
We will not only service your account but also provide monthly reports.
We not only will service your account but also will provide monthly reports.
Prepositions
A preposition
is a connective that shows a relationship between ideas
Gerund Phrases
Gerund phrases (the ing form of a verb that is used as a noun) often function as introductory connectors, for example:
Walking into the meeting late, Donald stumbled and dropped his papers.
Stopping to speak to employees, the president developed increased rapport.
Tan Cheng Ling Pusat Pengajian PJJ, U.S.M.
Infinitive Phrases
Infinitive phrases (the base form of the verb plus the word to) can also be used to introduce clauses, for example:
To go to the conference, he first had to complete his presentation. To communicate effectively, a person must express feeling behind the words.
Transitional Paragraphs
Transitional paragraphs achieve two purposes:
summarize the key ideas of the current section indicate how the major theme of the document will be developed in the next section