Written Communication Skills

Feedback
 What you liked
 Topic useful
 Verbal presentation engaging
 What you didn’t like
 Too fast
 Slides boring, not helpful

Agenda
1. Writing an Email
a. Motivation
b. What makes a good email
2. Writing a Report
a. Planning
b. Structure
c. Style

Motivation
 How many emails in your in-box?
 How much time do you spend figuring out
your next action after reading an email?
 How long do you spend deciphering your text
books?

Example #1
Hey Tom,
I can't believe it has been almost 2 weeks since you sent this e-mail. I
intend to respond to you each morning, and I am back to getting in by 6:30
or 7:15 most mornings, but ... you know how busy it gets. I want to get the
8 o'clock train tonight, because the next one doesn’t leave until 10pm. I am
going to see Kemal Wednesday night (he has a short stay in U.S. with
regard to visiting Citi bank on-site, the client he his supporting on an
offshore project). So I just wanted to ask you if you could be more specific
in what you want to know about "offshore" financials. He'll provide me
with the info you are interested in.
Regards,
Angelo

Example #2
Tom,
In order to help you better, please explain in
more detail what you mean by “offshore
financials.” Are you looking for financial
statements or for salary levels?
Regards,
Angelo

Example #4
Gd 2 hear fm u. The LBJ is OK. Y R U going
w/o him? C u soon. M.

Part 1.b
What makes a good email

"Everything should be made as simple
as possible, but not simpler.“
- Albert Einstein

What makes a good email?
 Response within 36 hours
 To the point – short
 Clear
 Organized

Pretend you are the reader and ask:
 What is the point?
 What action am I supposed to take?
If the answers aren’t immediately obvious, your
message may just be ignored!

Organizing for the reader’s benefit
The first section summarizes key “take aways”:
 Make your point early
 Request responses up front
 For long emails:
 Write a summary
 Create headings for each major section.

Get to the point #1
Dear Personnel Director:
On March 27, I received a
phone call from Mrs. Karen
Krane from New York, who
was once a data entry clerk
in your Ohio office. She was
under the direct supervision
of.....
 Example of a hidden
main point

Get to the point #2
 The same example
rewritten so that the
main point is clear.
Dear Personnel Director:
Please verify the
employment of Mrs.
Karen Krane? She was a
data entry clerk in your
Ohio office… (fill in the
details)

Avoid explosions
 Do not wait until the
end of the day to
introduce a problem.
 Avoid writing a list of
concerns that you have
been thinking about for
a long period of time.

Avoid explosions
 Strongly worded emails
can create more conflict
than intended
 Angry emails give a
negative impression
 What you say cannot be
taken back
 When possible, call or
meet in person instead

Use active and passive voice appropriately
 Active places blame:
“You are past due on your registration payment.”
 Passive is less confrontational:
“Your registration payment is past due.”
Source: Purdue University

Proofread!
Re-read to ensure:
 Accuracy, grammar, spelling
 Message clearly delivered
Rewrite or reorganize if necessary!

Finally: Take the 20-second test
 After a 20 second scan, what stands out most?
 Did your main idea come through?
 Will the reader know what action to take?
Source: Purdue University

Report writing topics
3.a Planning
3.b Structure
3.c Style

What is a Report?
 A structured written presentation which gives:
 A response to specific request
 An account of something
 An answer to a question
 A solution to a problem

The report-writing process
1. Identify your audience
2. Define your purpose
3. Collect your ideas
4. Select the material and decide
how to show the significance of your facts
5. Structure your ideas

1. Identify your audience
 Who is your audience?
 Professor
 Manager
 Client
 Colleagues
 Helps decide level and purpose
 Write more persuasively
 Know their expectations
 Organize your message to address their needs

The Audience: your professor
 What will your professor be looking for?
 Coherent, cohesive organization
 Clearly articulated ideas
 Detailed research
 Compelling arguments to support thesis

2. Define your purpose
 What is the purpose of the report?
 What are you trying to prove?
 What question are you answering?
 What problem are you solving
 What process or experiment are you describing?

Collect your ideas
 Collecting is:
 Taking notes
 Doing research
 Performing experiments

Select the material
 Selecting is:
 Ensuring each idea
supports your main
objective
 Deciding if the
information relevant, or
just something you
happen to know on the
subject?

Structure your ideas
 Structuring is:
 Organizing into logical blocks
 Creating a logical flow
 Enhancing clarity through charts or graphs
 Deciding which data should be moved to
appendices

Critical success factor for life
The majority of your
perceived ability comes from
how you communicate
70% How you
communicate it
30% What you know
Source: CGAP Direct

What makes a report effective
 An effective report is:
 appropriate to its purpose and audience
 accurate
 logical
 clear and concise
 well organized with clear section headings

Report Format
1. Title page
2. Table of contents
3. Abstract/Executive Summary
4. Introduction
5. Discussion
6. Conclusions
7. Recommendations
8. Bibliography
9. Attachments / Exhibits

1. Title Page
Title
Author's name
(position and qualifications)
Place of origin
Date

 Number pages starting with the Introduction
 Abstract usually numbered with lower case
Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, etc.)

Table of Contents
Table of Contents iii
Abstract iv
1. Introduction 3
2. Discussion 3
2.1 Subjects 3
2.2 Apparatus 3
2.3 Procedures 3
3. Conclusion 4
4. Recommendations 4
5. Bibliography 5
5.1 Internet Sources 6
6. Attachments 7
Exhibit A 8
Exhibit B 9
Exhibit C 9

 Concise summary of the essential elements of the report
 Purpose
 Scope
 Achievements
 Main points
 Conclusions
 Recommendations
 Independent (can be read on its own)
 Comprehensive (covers all the main points)
 Clear and concise
 Short, only 10-15% of the length of the report
 Written in full sentences and paragraphs

4. Introduction
 States purpose, assumptions, scope, approach,
intended audience, possible benefits
 Defines special terms
 Explains why the report is necessary
 Gives motivation for writing the report

5. Discussion
 Main body of the report
 Headings clearly identify the content
 E.g. “WebServices in the Financial Sector”
 Should NOT be entitled “Discussion”
 May include:
 Theoretical basis of research
 Analysis of data and findings
 Charts and Graphs
 Evaluation of the methods used
 Structure should reflect the analysis and objective

5. Discussion
 Presented in an order that leads logically
towards the conclusions and recommendations.
 Chronological based on your research
 Past, current, future technologies
 Problem, solution 1, solution 2, solution 3
 Simple  Complex
State how it is organized up front

Any volunteers?
Tell me about your project
and how it is structured

6. Conclusions
 Drawn from evidence, analysis, interpretation and
evaluation presented in the discussion
 No new material introduced
 Follows logically from the Discussion
 Conclusions section should give:
 Key points
 Main findings
 NOT another Executive Summary
 Overview of the research, where you've reached, and
where further investigation might be warranted

7. Recommendations
 Suggestions for possible actions
based on the research
 Applications of your research in
industry
 Recommendations to scientific or
business community
 Possible improvements to your
research
 Areas for further research
be definite
be perceptive
be imaginative
be rational

8. Bibliography
 The bibliography lists all publications either cited or referred
to in preparing the report
 Give full details of all publications and web pages either
cited or used for background research while preparing the
report.
e.g.
1. R. Resnick, D. Halliday and K.S. Krane, (1992), Physics 4th
ed. (Wiley: New York) p. 55.
2. J.P. Gordon, H.J. Zeiger and C.H. Townes, "The maser -
new type of microwave amplifier, frequency standard, and
spectrometer", Phys. Rev. 18, 1264-1274 (1955).
3. Sigma Pro Inc,
http://www.sigmaprotraining.com/outsourcing.htm

 Includes detailed data or information that
would affect the coherent flow of the report
 For example
 a long derivation of an equation
 a listing of a computer program written to assist in
analysis of data
 Supporting, yet not essential, data: companies,
addresses, pages of findings

Report Format (again)
1. Title page
4. Introduction
5. Discussion
6. Conclusions
7. Recommendations
8. Bibliography

Effective whitespace
 Blank line between paragraphs
 Bullet points where appropriate
 Not right-justified

Effective whitespace
2. Method
Describes the study in enough detail to permit another investigator to replicate it. The Method
section is often divided into three subsections:
• Subjects
• Apparatus
• Research Instruments/Tools
• Procedures.
Method section continues on the same page after the end of the Introduction. Describes the
study in enough detail to permit another investigator to replicate it. The Method section is often
divided into three subsections:
2.1 Subjects
This sub-section is optional. the study in enough detail to permit another investigator to replicate
it. The Method section is often divided into three subsections. the study in enough detail to
permit another investigator to replicate it. The Method section is often divided into three
subsections.
2.2 Apparatus
permit another investigator to replicate it. The Method section.

Ineffective whitespace
Describes the study in enough detail to permit another investigator to replicate it. The Method
section is often divided into three subsections: Method section continues on the same page after
the end of the Introduction. Describes the study in enough detail to permit another investigator to
replicate it. The Method section is often divided into three subsections: This sub-section is
optional. the study in enough detail to permit another investigator to replicate it. The Method
section is often divided into three subsections. the study in enough detail to permit another
investigator to replicate it. The Method section is often divided into three subsections. This sub-
section is optional. the study in enough detail to permit another investigator to replicate it. The
Method section is often divided into three subsections. the study in enough detail to permit
another investigator to replicate it. The Method section. ethod section is often divided into three
subsections. the study in enough detail to permit another investigator to replicate it. The Method
section is often divided into three subsections. This sub-section is optional. the study in enough
detail to permit another investigator to replicate it. The Method section is often divided into three
section. ethod section is often divided into three subsections. the study in enough detail to permit
another investigator to replicate it. The Method section is often divided into three subsections.
detail to permit another investigator to replicate it. The Method section is often divided into three
section. ethod section is often divided into three subsections. the study in enough detail to permit
another investigator to replicate it. The Method section is often divided into three subsections.

Easy to read
 Clear, concise language
 Short sentences
 Correct grammar and spelling
 Pitch at appropriate level: not everyone knows
what you know
 Concrete examples that support, not distract

Keep it simple
 An example using
“impressive” words:
“Subsequent to the
passage of the subject
legislation, it is incumbent
upon you to advise your
organization to comply
with it.”
 An example using
simple words:
“After the law passes,
you must tell your
people to comply with
it.”

Coherent
 Obvious signposts guide your reader through
the report
 Follow a logical sequence
 Chronological based on your research
 Past, current, future technologies
 Problem, solution 1, solution 2, solution 3
 Simple  Complex

Cohesive
 Every sentence supports your objective
 Topic sentences introduce a paragraph’s main idea:
“There are three main reasons why CORBA technology
is used in web application development…”
“The advent of the Internet provided new ways for
people to communicate which has caused a revolution
in the fields of sociology and anthropology.”

Effective paragraphs
Place information where it will be seen:
 First and last paragraphs
 First and last sentences
Keep paragraphs simple:
 Short paragraphs are more likely to be read
 Each paragraph should contain one main point

Passive sentences
 Rare occasion where “passive” style is preferred
 Not good: "You cannot import those goods from Africa."
 Good : "Those goods cannot be imported from Africa."
 Fix these sentences:
 “We will discuss the economic consequences of the
reunification of Germany.”
 “Solving this problem is difficult if you are renovating the
office.”
 “People considered him one of the best designers.”

Consistent, obvious headings
 Use Microsoft Word “Style” function
 Automatically insert Table of Contents using
“TOC” field - example

Templates from the Web
 In Microsoft Word
 Select “File, New”
 Click on “Templates on
Microsoft.com” Title of Term Paper
Your Name
Course Number
Date

Templates from the Web
 Take what is given and
customize to match your
style
 This IS NOT
SUFFICIENT for your
purposes. It must be
customized.
Outline Title
Your name
Date
Table of Contents inserted by Tom Atkinson
I. Create an outline numbered list....................................................................................... 2
A. Definition: An outline numbered list is a list created to apply a hierarchical
structure to any list or document..................................................................................... 2
1. A document can have up to nine levels. ............................................................. 2
2. Microsoft Word does not apply built-in heading styles to the items in the list. . 2
B. Procedure ................................................................................................................ 2
1. On the Format menu ........................................................................................... 2
a) click Bullets and Numbering .......................................................................... 2
b) click the Outline Numbered tab...................................................................... 2
2. Click a list format that does not contain the text "Heading",.............................. 2
3. Click OK. ............................................................................................................ 2
(a) The first number of the list is displayed in the document................... 2
4. Type the list text, pressing ENTER after each item............................................ 2
(a) Subsequent numbers are automatically inserted at the beginning of
each line at the same numbering level. ........................................................... 2
II. Working with outline numbered text ............................................................................. 2
A. Move an outline numbered item to the appropriate numbering level..................... 2
1. On the Formatting toolbar:.................................................................................. 2
a) To demote the item to a lower numbering level ............................................. 2
(1) click a list number................................................................................... 2
(2) click Increase Indent. .............................................................................. 2
b) To promote the item to a higher numbering level........................................... 3
(1) click a list number................................................................................... 3
(2) click Decrease Indent.............................................................................. 3
III. Other ways of working with outlines............................................................................ 3
A. Create a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation from a Word outline......................... 3
1. About creating a PowerPoint presentation from a Word Outline....................... 3
a) PowerPoint uses the heading styles in your Word document......................... 3
(1) Heading styles are applied when you use numbered outlines................. 3
(2) Heading styles are already turned on for you in this template................ 3
(3) For example, each paragraph formatted with the Heading 1 style
becomes the title of a new slide, each Heading 2 becomes the first level of text,
and so on. ............................................................................................................ 3
2. Procedure ............................................................................................................ 3
a) Open the document you want to use to create a PowerPoint presentation. .... 3
b) On the File menu, point to Send To, and then click Microsoft PowerPoint... 3

Spread the load
 Not all of your ideas will come at once
 Spend time noting initial ideas and set the
document aside
 When you come back to it later, you will find
that your ideas have gelled and that you can
see the way ahead more clearly.

Repeat: your professor is the audience
I am suggesting that your professor grade as follows:
 Coherent, cohesive organization – 33 ⅓ %
 Use of standard report structure
 Ideas appropriately placed in each section
 Clearly articulated ideas – 33 ⅓ %
 Use of topic sentences
 Simple syntax and correct grammar
 Correct use of bullets, whitespace
 Charts and graphs
 Quality and depth of research – 33 ⅓ %
 Thesis pushes boundaries of what was learned in classroom
 Research from a variety of sources (web, interviews, original ideas)
 Compelling arguments to support thesis

Feedback
 Give an assessment of today’s session
 What did you like most and least?
 Assess the verbal presentation?
 Assess the slides?
 How useful do you think this topic will be for
future classes on communications?
tom.atkinson@alum.mit.edu

Written Communication Skills

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