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Completing Business Messages. Chapter 5: Learning Objectives. Learn how to… Evaluate drafts and Proofread Checklist Ensure that each message follows main idea/thesis and has a logical order, as per business Message Outline Improve readability -Modifiers
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Chapter 5: Learning Objectives Learn how to… • Evaluate drafts and Proofread • Checklist • Ensure that each message follows main idea/thesis and has a logical order, as per business Message Outline • Improve readability -Modifiers • Improve clarity and concision -Parallelism -Redundancy • Use software tools for revision-thesaurus, dictionary, Grammarly • Use principles of effective design for document readability- White space, margins, titles • Distribute your message
Tips for Success “Revision can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be: it’s simply reading your own work with a critical eye, and it’s necessary if you want to write well. The art of writing is really the art of revision.” -Leo Babauta, Author and blogger
Evaluating Drafts and Proofread Content and Correctness, Organization, and Tone. Your work, and the work of others Content and Correctness: • Accurate, relevant, complete, grammar and usage. **when evaluating someone’s work: Focus on making the piece you are editing more effective, not on being more like something you would have written. Organization: • Logical and convincing order • Important ideas have the most space and greatest emphasis • Repetition • Logical grouping of details Tone: • Formal, but not too formal
Editing for Clarity and Conciseness
Proofreading Your Message • Make multiple passes • Use perceptual tricks • Obtain impartial reviews • Distance yourself • Be vigilant • Stay focused • Practice caution
Largest Problems: Clarity And Conciseness • Run-On sentences/poor sentence structure • Redundancy- repetition, too many adjectives (enthusiasm??) • Faulty parallelism • Dangling, squinting and misplaced modifiers
Redundancy • Redundancy is the using of unnecessary words or using them for a second time (repetition). • E.g. -If all of us cooperate together, we will succeed. -• If all of us cooperate, we will succeed. • If all of us work together, we will succeed The three brothers had nothing in common with each other. The three brothers had nothing in common.
Parallelism • Parallelism is the use of components in a sentence that are grammatically the same; or similar in their construction. Look out for faulty parallelism when any of the following constructions are present: -a and b -a, b, and c. -a or b -not only a, but also b e.g. I like to walk and biking. I not only like to eat cheese, but also eating crackers. In order for Elise and Josh to finish repairing the walls, they will tape, fill, and finish painting the walls.
Modifiers • A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause which functions as an adjective or an adverb to describe a word or make its meaning more specific. Examples: Adjectives: modify a noun. E.g. pink bunny, hyper child, Adverbs: modify a verb e.g. run quickly, read thoughtfully, hastily grab, Toughie!! “ONLY”-functions as both!!!-modifies whatever it is closest to! “John hit Peter in the nose.” -Only John hit Peter in the nose. (John was the sole hitter)-adjective -John hit only Peter in the nose. (hit one person)- adjective -John hit Peter in the nose only. (just the nose was hit)-adjective -John only hit Peter in the nose. (the nose was hit, not scraped, punched or ?)-adverb
Using Technology to Revise Your Message • Revision tracking (MS Word) • Commenting (MS Word) • Spell checkers: watch out for homonyms • Thesaurus: not all suggestions are correct for your situation • Grammar Checker: limited ability to identify mistakes. (Grammarly.com) • Style checker: can suggest word alternatives and promote consistency
Activities • 1) Complete practice sheets to practice clarity and grammar -modifiers, parallelism, redundancy -3 booklets with extra explanation. 2) Complete in Text Chapter 5- Apply Your Knowledge#1-5, pg. 105 3) Practice Your Skills-Exercises for Perfecting Your Writing pg. 105 #1-21, 30-41, 46-49 4) Activities- Pg. 107, #1,4, and 5
Designing for Readability • White space • Headings • Margins • Layout • Typefaces • Typestyles
Typefaces and Typestyles Enough said. You should not use more than 2 or 3 typefaces or fonts in a document
Designing Multimedia Documents • Creative and technical skills • Tools • Time and cost • Content • Message structure • Compatibility
Real-WorldApplications Why should you let your draft “age” a day before you begin the revision process?
Real-World Applications Why is it important that your business messages be clear and concise?
Real-World Applications How does design contribute to a document’s overall effectiveness?
Learning Objectives • Electronic media for brief messages and compositional modes • Social networks, user-generated content sites, and community Q&A sites • Applying the three-step writing process to email messages • Applying the three-step writing process to blogging and microblogging • Applying the three-step writing process to podcasts
Tips for Success “Customer reviews in the hotel industry are king.” -Mandy Farmer, President, Accent Inns
Media Choices for Brief Messages • Social networking • Email • Instant messaging • Text messaging • Blogging and microblogging • Podcasting • Online video
The Human Side of Electronic Communication • Keep emotions in check • Remember that electronic messages are permanent • Try face-to-face when electronic communication fails • Respect information security and privacy
Compositional Modes for Electronic Media • Conversations • Comments and critiques • Orientations • Summaries • Reference materials • Narratives • Teasers • Status updates and announcements • Tutorials
Social Networks • Gathering market intelligence • Recruiting and connecting • Marketing communication • Fostering brand communities • Location-based social networking Facebook MySpace LinkedIn Specialized networks
User-Generated Content Sites Make it valuable Make it easy find, consume, and share Keep it short YouTube Flickr
Community Q&A Sites Dedicated customer support sites: Get Satisfaction Public sites: Yahoo! Answers Members only sites: LinkedIn Answers • Build your personal brand • Demonstrate commitment to customer service • Counter misinformation
Adapting the Three-Step Process for Successful IM Planning IM messages requires the same care as other types of communication Writing business IMs is more formal than writing personal IMs Completing IMs requires checking carefully before sending
Project management • Company news • Customer support • Public and media • Relations • Recruiting • Policy and issue discussions • Crisis communication • Market research • Brainstorming • Viral marketing • Media influence • Employee engagement • Community building Understanding the Business Applications of Blogging Continual information stream
Adapting the Three-Step Process for Successful Blogging Plan for an entire communication channel Consider your audience, purpose and scope Write with a personal style Provide value Curate Evaluate content and readability Provide newsfeed capability Use tagging
Understanding the Business Applications of Podcasting • Replace traditional audio and video • Training • Marketing • Sales • Recruiting
Real-World Applications Is it ever okay to use an indirect approach when writing an email? How can you put off the bad news when you have to state your purpose in the subject line?
Real-World Applications For what purpose could a company use social networking technologies? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using this technology from the company’s point of view?
Real-World Applications Why do you think good internal communication improves employee attitudes and performance?
Real-World Applications What do you think is important about matching the formality of your message to the formality of the situation and audience expectations?
