CHAPTER 6 : WRITING PROCESS PHASE 2

1. CHAPTER 6 :WRITING PROCESSPHASE 2 • Research, Organize and Compose Presented by Business students at John Molson School of Business, Concordia: Nina Ansermino, Eliyah Assedou, and Stewart Sullivan

2. PHASE 2 of Mary Ellen Guffey’s 3-X-3 Writing Process

3. Three Simple Steps to Writing • Research data on your topic • Organize text elements • Compose a coherent article

4. First Step to Writing: • Research

5. First Step to Writing • Before writing a message, collect all the information that you will need for your message • This information will help shape the message that you are trying to convey to the reader

6. First Step to Writing • To avoid an inaccurate message, gather information that answers these primary questions: • What does the receiver need to know about this topic? • What is the receiver to do? • How is the receiver to do it? • When must the receiver do it? • What will happen if the receiver doesn’t do it?

7. First Step to Writing • When you are conducting your research, be sure to follow the right research method • Formal Research Method • Informal Research Method

8. First Step to Writing • Formal Research • Long reports and complex business problems

9. First Step to Writing • Ways of conducting formal research • Access electronically : websites, databases, CD’s, public records and organizations • Search manually : through the library, book, magazine, news papers • Investigate primary sources : interview, survey • Experiment scientifically

10. First Step to Writing • Informal Research • Used to find information for most routine tasks : emails, memos, letters and reports • Ways of conducing Informal Research • Look in files : find previous documents to help you with content and format • Talk with your boss • Interview a target audience • Conduct an informal survey : conduct phone surveys or questionnaires

11. First Step to Writing • Once you have gathered all the information you need through research, you can start finding other ways to generate ideas

12. First Step to Writing • Brainstorming : Creating a Cluster Diagram • In the centre, write your topic name and circle it • Around the circle record any topic ideas that come to mind • Circle each separate idea • Avoid censoring ideas, record everything • If ideas seem related, join them with lines

13. First Step to Writing • Example of a Cluster Diagram

14. First Step to Writing • Ideas for productive group brainstorming • Define problem and create an agenda that outline the topics to be covered • Establish time limits, short sessions are best • Set a quota of ideas, quantity not quality • Encourage “out of the box” thinking

15. First Step to Writing • Write ideas on flip charts or on sheets of paper hung around the room • Require each participant to contribute, accept and improve their ideas and the ideas of others • Organize and classify the ideas, searching for the best

16. Second Step to Writing: • Organize

17. Second Step to Writing • To ensure that your message is well organized: • Group similar items together • Ideas should follow a sequence • Unorganized messages can leave the reader confused and will not emphasize the important points

18. Second Step to Writing • Organizing Ideas From a Cluster Diagram • Analyze the previous ideas • Cross out irrelevant ideas • Add new ideas that seem appropriate • Study these ideas for similarities • Group similar ideas into classifications • For further visualization, make sub-cluster circles around each classification

19. Second Step to Writing • There are two other simple techniques that will also help you organize your data • The scratch list • An outline

20. Second Step to Writing • When developing your message, make a scratch list of the topic that want to cover • Possibly make scratch list in margins of letter or memo that you are responding to • Then, compose a message at you computer from your scratch list

21. Second Step to Writing • Use an outline to organize and group ideas to make a plan of what you want to write • Examples: • Alphanumeric Outline • Decimal Outline

22. Second Step to Writing • Format for Alphanumeric Outline • Title : Major Idea, Purpose • I. First Major Component • A. First subpoint • 1. Detail, illustration, evidence • 2. Detail, illustration, evidence • B. Second subpoint • 1. Detail, illustration, evidence • 2. Detail, illustration, evidence • II. Second Major Component • A. First subpoint

23. Second Step to Writing • 1. Detail, illustration, evidence • 2. Detail, illustration, evidence • B. Second subpoint • 1. Detail, illustration, evidence • 2. Detail, illustration, evidence • III. Third Major Component • A. First subpoint • 1. Detail, illustration, evidence • 2. Detail, illustration, evidence • B. Second subpoint • 1. Detail, illustration, evidence • 2. Detail, illustration, evidence

24. Second Step to Writing • Formal for Decimal Outline • Title : Major Idea, Purpose • 1.0 First Major Component • 1.1 First Subpoint • 1.1.1 Detail, illustration, evidence • 1.1.2 Detail, illustration, evidence • 1.2 Second Subpoint • 1.2.1 Detail, illustration, evidence • 1.2.2 Detail, illustration, evidence • 2.0 Second Major Component • 2.1 First Subpoint

25. Second Step to Writing • 2.1.1 Detail, illustration, evidence • 2.1.2 Detail, illustration, evidence • 2.2 Second subpoint • 2.2.1 Detail, illustration, evidence • 2.2.2 Detail, Illustration, evidence • 3.0 Third Major Component • 3.1 First Subpoint • 3.1.1 Detail, illustration, evidence • 3.1.2 Detail, illustration, evidence • 3.2 Second Subpoint • 3.2.1 Detail, illustration, evidence • 3.2.2 Detail, illustration, evidence

26. Second Step to Writing • Each major category is divided into two or more subcategories • Subcategories should consist of examples, details, statists, case histories and other data • Each sub-point should be more subdivided into more specific illustrations and details depending on the audience

27. Second Step to Writing • Tips for Making Outlines • define the main topic in the title • divide the main topic into major components of classifications (three-five) • break components into sub-points • strive to make each component exclusive • use details, illustrations and evidence to support sub-points

28. Second Step to Writing • Typical Major Components to Business Outlines • Letter or Memo • I. Opening • II. Body • III. Close • Informational Report • I. Introduction • II. Facts • III. Summary

29. Second Step to Writing • Procedure • I. Step 1 • II. Step 2 • II. Step 3 • IV. Step 4 • Analytical Report • I. Introductions • II. Facts / Findings • III. Conclusions • IV. Recommendations (if requested)

30. Second Step to Writing • Proposal • I. Introduction • II. Proposed Solution • III. Staffing • IV. Schedule, cost • V. Authorization

31. Second Step to Writing • Organizing Idea’s into Patterns • There are two organizational patterns which provide a plan of action for typical business messages • Direct Pattern • Indirect Pattern

32. Second Step to Writing • Direct Pattern for Receptive Audiences • When deciding on the message that you wish to convey, you need to anticipate the audiences reaction • Make sure you put the purpose of your message in the first or second sentence • Explanations and details should follow the opening

33. Second Step to Writing • Direct Method is also called “front-loading” and has some benefits • Saves the reader’s time : messages that take too long may lose the reader along the way • Sets a proper frame of mind : learning purpose upfront helps reader put details into perspective • Prevents frustration : poorly organized messages create negative impression of writer

34. Second Step to Writing • Works best with audiences that are likely to be receptive • Typical business messages that follow the direct pattern : routine requests and responses, orders and acknowledgements, non-sensitive moms, email messages, information reports and informational oral presentations • None have a sensitive subject matter

35. Second Step to Writing • Indirect Pattern for Unreceptive Audiences • A most suitable approach of writing if you wish to leave the audience displeased or even hostile • Only expose the message after you have delivered explanation and evidence • Works well with bad news, persuasion and sensitive messages

36. Second Step to Writing • Typical business messages that use this method : letters / memos that refuse requests, deny claims and disapprove credit, persuasive requests, sales letters, and sensitive messages

37. Second Step to Writing • This method also has many advantages • Respects the feelings of the audience : bad news is painful but this way they will be prepared for it • Encourages a fair hearing : if main idea is read at the beginning, reader might not listen anymore • Minimizes a negative reaction : negative reaction will be improved is news is delivered gently

38. Third Step to Writing: • Compose

39. Third Step to Writing • After all of the researching and organization, it is time to begin composing your message • Composing is made easier as you have all of your ideas organized and ready to work with • It is made easier if you have a quiet working environment

40. Third Step to Writing • As you begin, keep in mind that this is a first draft, not your final copy • Get your thoughts down on paper and go back and edit at the end • If you can’t think of the right word, insert a substitute or type “find word later” • If you handwrite, make sure to double space that you have room for change

41. Third Step to Writing • Effective Sentences : some basic sentence elements • Complete Sentences • Include subjects and verbs • They must make sense • Example - Your essaywas very creative.

42. Third Step to Writing • Clauses and Phrases • Key building blocks to sentences • Clauses have subjects and verbs • Phrases do not • Example of clauses - Because she can sing, they want her to be in the choir. • Example of phrases - The manager of Gap Inc. sent an email to the staff.

43. Third Step to Writing • Independent and Dependent Clauses • Dependent clauses rely on independent clauses for their meaning to make sense • Independent clauses can stand on their own as they are grammatically correct • Example - Because you have all learned how to write well,I think you should write an essay.

44. Third Step to Writing • In order for sentences to be as effective as possible, they must be short and concise • Limit them to about 20 words or less • Break up complex sentences with periods • However, make sure to still have a balance between long and short sentences to keep the reader interested

45. Third Step to Writing • Emphasizing Important Ideas • Make use of bold, italics and underscore • Use vivid words : reader can picture ideas • Label the main idea

46. Third Step to Writing • Place the important idea first or last in the sentence : that way the ideas will have less competition with surrounding words • Place the important idea in a simple sentence or in an independent clause • Make sure the important idea is the sentence subject

47. Third Step to Writing • Active-Voice • Sentences with active-voice verbs has the doer of the action as the subject • We use active-voice for most business writing • Used to make a blunt announcement • Example : Tyler made a major error in the estimate

48. Third Step to Writing • Passive-Voice • In passive-voice sentences, the subject is acted upon • Use to emphasize an action or recipient of the action • Use to de-emphasize negative news • Use to conceal the doer of an action • Example : A major error was made in the estimate

49. Third Step to Writing • To tell if a verb is active or passive, identify the subject of the sentence • Then decide whether the subject is doing the acting or if it is being acted upon • Another clue to identifying passive-voice verbs is that they usually include a “to be” helping verb such as is, are, was, were, being or been

50. Third Step to Writing • Drafting Meaningful Paragraphs • Discuss only one topic and connect other ideas logically • Construct sentences and make into a paragraph • Main sentence : primary idea of paragraph • Supporting sentence : provides evidence to support main idea • Limiting sentence : acts as an opposition to main idea but suggesting contrasting ideas