Technical Writing for University of Nevada, Reno Students

1. Technical Writing for University of Nevada, Reno Students Understanding MGT 321 Presentation developed by the University Writing Center

2. Biggest Issues • Audience Awareness • Length • Format • Compliance with Teacher Requirements

3. Primary Audience • Organization • Diction • Content

4. Organization • Direct Organization • Indirect Organization • Organization by Importance • Logical Organization

5. Direct Organization • Giving good news • Answering routine questions or requests • Giving news that won’t create emotional response • When the reader would prefer it

6. Indirect Organization • Refusing someone who expects a “yes” • Persuading someone • When the reader would prefer it

7. Avoid Misleading Buffers • Ex: If you’re refusing to do a live demonstration at a customer’s store during their anniversary sale, don’t start with, “Your tenth anniversary sale would be a great opportunity for us to promote our products.”

8. Organization by Importance To Convince: • Choose arguments • Place most compelling first • Place second-most compelling last

9. Organization by Importance To Inform: • Most important to least

10. Logical Organization • Alphabetical • Reverse-Alphabetical • Numerical Ascending • Numerical Descending • Chronological • Order presented by reader

11. Diction • Jargon • Forms of “not” • Use of “I” • Accusatory use of “you” • Negative Phrasing • Clichés

12. Jargon • Avoid defining words that your audience would absolutely know, even if they’re an abbreviation

13. Use of “I” Make the reader the focus: Instead of “I apologize for the delay in delivering your letter,” “We have enjoyed serving your delivery needs.”

14. “YOU” • Not: “I delivered this letter to you sometime in the early afternoon on December 3. Although you promised to deliver it by 3 p.m. the next day, you failed to do so.” • Quoted from page 191 of Contemporary Business Communication by Scot Ober

15. “YOU” • Instead: “As shown on the enclosed copy of my receipt, I delivered this letter to UPS at 3:30 p.m. on December 3. According to the sign displayed in the office, any package received by 4 p.m. is guaranteed to arrive by 3 p.m. the following business day.” • Quoted from page 191 of Contemporary Business Communication by Scot Ober

16. Negative Language Instead of: “We cannot process your order until we receive form 32a.” Use: “Fill out form 32a, found on page 56 of the catalogue, and submit it to the address listed on the form so we can process your order as soon as possible.”

17. Content • Choice of argument • Explanation of benefit • Direct indication of desired response

18. Never • Apologize • Make unrealistic promises • Place blame • Voice an opinion • Have unnecessary introductions • Have unnecessary explanations • Imply you may not have covered a key point • Refer to the bad news a second time

19. Memo Format • No salutation • No valediction • Bullet-points • Short, to-the point paragraphs • Ideally 1 page • 2 pages at most

20. www.unr.edu/writing-center