How to Write Right ASMC PDI 2010

1. How to Write RightASMC PDI 2010 Dr. John A. Kline Professor of Leadership Troy University www.klinespeak.com jkline@klinespeak.com or jkline@troy.edu

2. How can we write right? • It’s not that difficult • It’s as simple as ABC

3. ABC’s of Effective Writing • Accuracy • Brevity • Clarity

4. Today’s Objective • The Objective of this presentation is For each listener to be able to write Accurately, Briefly and Clearly with the reader in mind

5. Before we look at the ABC’s, consider this: Know your Readers Who are they? What interests them? What do they already know? What makes them different from others? What will make it easy for them to understand?

6. Think one Reader—Write to Many— i.e., imagine you are talking to each reader Not: We need all employees to turn in their reports on time. Instead: Please turn in your reports on time. (Please isn’t required, but it’s nice.) Not: We are asking all employees to consider contributing to the United Way. Instead: Please consider contributing to the United Way. Okay, now on to the ABC’s

7. Accuracy: 3 things • Structure • Content • Presentation

8. 1. Accurate Structure • Clear reader-centered objective • Deductive organization

9. Accurate Structure:Reader-centered Objective • Not what you—the writer—wants to do, but what you want the reader to understand, feel or do • My Objective today: “For each listener to be able to write Accurately, Briefly and Clearly with the reader in mind” • The TOOTDIFERT method keeps you reader-centered—The Objective Of This Document Is For Each Reader To…

10. Today’s Objective • The Objective of this presentation is For each listener to be able to write Accurately, Briefly and Clearly with the reader in mind

11. Audience-centered ObjectivesDecide them before you organize or write • For my readers to vote for Smith —not for me to tell them why to vote for Smith • For my reader to understand the new system —notfor me to tell him or her about the new system • For my readers to feel compassion toward homeless children —not for me to tell them they should have compassion for homeless children • For my audience to know how to write right —not for me to tell my audience how to write right

12. 1. Accurate Structure:Deductive Organization • Inductive thinking—arrive at a conclusion or generalization after learning the facts • Deductive Thinking—give the conclusion or generalization, and then support it with facts • We generally learn inductively (by experience) but we communicate deductively to others

13. Write DeductivelyGeneral to Specific • Start with an audience-centered objective • Choose main points to support your objective • Support your main points with audience in mind Write and speak for the audience, not for you

14. 2. Accurate Content • Facts—who, what, where, when, why, how • Numbers—dates, time, amounts, statistics, references, dollars, measurements, etc. • Information—check it out • Your responsibility

15. 3. Accurate Presentation • Spelling • Grammar • Punctuation

16. Spelling Use spell-check, but won’t catch all Have somebody proofread Use dictionary: www.m-w.com Or simply type the word in Google Learn commonly misspelled words

17. Spelling Exercise

18. Grammar Review parts of speech Know your common mistakes OWL—your source for information Two sore thumbs of bad grammar subject/verb agreement mistakes pronoun problems

19. Noun/pronoun Agreement A singular subject needs a singular verb A plural subject needs a plural verb E.g., A writer must use his or her skills, but writers must use their skills. Note: Sometimes it gets tricky, but 90% of the time, making nouns and pronouns agree is not that difficult.

20. Compound PronounsCan pose a subject/verb problem Treat anyone, no one, none, everyone, everybody, someone and somebody as singular. Consider this example: Everybody has his or her own opinion. Is everybody here?

21. Personal Pronouns Use I, it, you, he and she as subjects: e.g., “You and I should discuss the issue.” Use me, you, him, her, it, them as objects: e.g., “They asked you and me to join.” Use my, your, his, her, their and its (not it’s—which always means “it is”) when possessive: e.g., “The man cut his finger.” e.g., “The dog is in its house.”

22. Relative Pronouns Who is the subject, whom is the object. The boy who is in the car is my son. You can give it to whomever you wish. Who is this? To whom am I speaking?

23. Punctuation It’s beyond scope of this presentation It is beneficial to learn accepted rules Some punctuation is a matter of choice Punctuate to help the readers Remember the ABC’s Again, check OWL

24. Brevity & Clarity • Requires getting rid of unneeded words • Requires good structure & expression • Requires us to edit what we write • The rest of today we’ll focus on Brevity and Clarity

25. Think about that last slide a minute.

26. Brevity & Clarity • Requires getting rid of unneeded words • Requires good structure & expression • Requires us to edit what we write

27. Brevity & Clarity • Strive for brevity • Seek to be clear • Edit what you write

28. Brevity & Clarity • Be brief • Be clear • Edit

29. Brevity & Clarity • Requires getting rid of unneeded words— Be Brief • Requires good structure & expression— Be Clear • Requires us to edit what we write— Edit

30. Position ideas for Emphasis • I want to congratulate you for being selected as Financial manager of the year. • Instead: Congratulations on your selection as Financial Manager of the year. • Or: Congratulations on being named FM of the year.

31. Use Everyday Words • Utilize smaller ones. • Instead:Use smaller ones. • Use the optimum ones. • Instead: Use the best ones. • Initiate the process. • Instead:Start the process.

32. Use Everyday Words • Request compliance with the recently established policy by forwarding an additional copy of the report to headquarters and retaining the original. • Instead: Please comply with the new policy by sending another copy of the report to headquarters. Keep the original. • Or: Please send a copy of the report to headquarters; keep the original.

33. Avoid Redundancy • An important and significant project • Instead: An important project • Extensive and far-reaching damage • Instead:Extensive damage • What is its function and role? • Instead: What is its ? Take your pick. • Stamp out, annihilate and do away with redundancy. 

34. Simplify • in the near future • Instead: soon • in order to • Instead: to • in the event that • Instead: if

35. Be Direct • All doors must be checked and locked. • Check and lock all doors. • Personnel with dependents must stop at the housing office. • If you have dependents, (please) stop at the housing office. • Personnel with dependents; please stop at the housing office.

36. Be DirectAvoid Circumlocutions • At this particular point in time • Now • He has the ability to make it happen • He can make it happen. • In accordance with your request • As you requested

37. Editing Exercise

38. Avoid “it is” • It is recommended that you edit ruthlessly. • We recommend that you edit ruthlessly. • Or: Please edit ruthlessly. • It is incumbent upon leaders to . . . • Incumbent? Ugh! Remember—use everyday words. • Leaders must . . . • Also watch out for, it will be, it appears, there is, there are.

39. Avoid pompous language • It passed into a solid condition. • It solidified. • I am pleased to make your acquaintance. • I’m glad to meet you.

40. Avoid unnecessary technical language • Reduce the mean diameter of the spray spectrum. • Make the spray finer.

41. Don’t smother verbs • You must make a choice. • You must choose. • He provides guidance. • He guides. • They made a decision to give their approval to it. • They decided to approve it.

42. “the __ion of” problem • I recommend the adoption of the plan. • I recommend adopting the plan. • He wants the participation of the unit. • He wants the unit to participate. • I.e., Don’t turn verbs into nouns with “ion.”

43. “the____ment of” problem • The sustainment of our effort involves the continuation of the build up of resources. • Instead :Sustaining our effort involves continually building up resources. • OR: To sustain our effort, we must continue to build our resources.

44. That and which problem • We think that the change which they want will cost too much. • We think the change they want will cost too much. • A little juggling will rid your writing of many “thats” and “whiches.”

45. Change that, who and which clauses into phrases • All applicants who are interested in the job must • All job applicants must • The solution that is best • The best solution • The article which recently was printed • The recently printed article OR The recent article

46. Use Personal Pronouns • Your support is appreciated. • Rather: We appreciate your support. • Or:I appreciate your support. • Or: Thanks for your support.

47. Use Personal Pronouns • It is necessary that we receive your materials in our office not later 1 July. • Instead: We need your materials by 1 July. • OR: Please send us your materials by 1 July. • Quite possibly this office will be unable to respond in a timely manner to the suspense. • Instead:We may miss the suspense.

48. Consider using Contractions • Use them in everyday writing. Common ones are: I’m, we’re, you’d they’ve, can’t don’t, let’s. • They sound less stilted. • They communicate. • Negative ones may keep people from skipping over not. (Or you might underline not.) Be careful not to SHOUT, though.

49. Use Simple Transitions • We don’t have any of them, however, we soon will. Therefore, please check with us later. • We don’t have any of them, but we soon will. So please check with us later. • Or just: Please check with us later.

50. Change phrases into single words • The employee with skills • The skilled employee • The athlete showing the most improvement • The most improved athlete • The cadet who was the best • The best cadet • Use X instead of Y • Use X • The thing to do before anything else is • First