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Page 65 LEARNING OBJECTIVES LO 4-1 Simplify writing by selecting familiar and short words. LO 4-2 use slang and popular clichés with caution. LO 4-3 Use technical words and acronyms appropriately. LO 4-4 Use concrete, specific words with the right shades of meaning. LO 4-5 Avoid misusing similar words and use idioms correctly. LO 4-6 Use active verbs. LO 4-7 Use words that do not discriminate. LO 4-8 Write short, clear sentences by limiting sentence content and economizing on words.
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LO 4-9 Design sentences that give the right emphasis to content. LO 4- 10
Employ unity and good logic in writing effective sentences.
LO 4- 11
Compose paragraphs that are short and unified, use topic sentences effectively, and communicate coherently.
LO 4- 12
Use a conversational style that has the appropriate level of formality and eliminates “rubber stamps.”
LO 4- 13
Use the you-viewpoint to build goodwill.
LO 4- 14
Employ positive language to achieve goodwill and other desired effects.
LO 4- 15
Explain and use the elements of courtesy.
LO 4- 16
Use the three major techniques for emphasizing the positive and de-emphasizing the negative.
Once you have analyzed your com-munication task, decided what kind of message you need to write, and planned your verbal and visual contents, youre ready to get down to the challenge of writing—putting one word, sentence, and paragraph after another to communicate what you want to say.
While each document you write will need to respond to the unique features of the situation, keeping in mind certain guidelines can help you make good writing choices. This chapter offers advice on selecting appropriate words, writing clear sentences and paragraphs, and achieving the desired effect with your readers. The goal is documents that communicate clearly, completely, efficiently, and engagingly. ▄
Page 66 workplace scenario
Writing with Clarity and Courtesy
This summer youre making some college money by working as a groundskeeper at a local hotel. Recently, you and the other hotel staff—including the rest of the maintenance crew and the housekeepers—received this written message from the new assistant manager:
It has come to my attention that certain standards of quality are not being met by personnel in service positions. For successful operations, it is imperative that we adhere to the service guidelines for staff in each functional area, as set forth by corporate in the training materials that were reviewed during your orientation and onboarding. Be advised that there will be two mandatory training sessions on May 1, one at 4:00 p.m. for daytime employees and the other at 3:00 for the late shift, to reinforce your understanding of performance standards. Just as a machine cannot work properly if the pistons are all firing at different times, we cannot achieve our goals if individuals are setting their own criteria for how to serve our guests. I assume that I will see each and every one of you at a training session so that we may move forward with better comprehension of our roles and responsibilities.
You’re no management pro, but youre sure this is a faulty message. In addition to being impersonal and insulting, it is difficult to understand, and the key point—that everyone will need to attend a training session—is buried in the
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middle of the message. How can you avoid writing like this? The advice in this chapter will help.
