Download to read offline
More Related Content
Similar to Chapters 4-6 Preparing Written MessagesPrepari.docx
Chapters 4-6 Preparing Written MessagesPrepari.docx
- 1. Chapters 4-6: PreparingWritten Messages Preparing Written Messages Lesson Outline Seven Steps to Preparing Written Messages Effective Sentences and Coherent Paragraphs Revise to Grab Your Audience’s Attention Improve Readability Proofread and Revise Seven Steps to Preparing Written Messages Seven Preparation Steps Step 1: Consider Contextual Forces Step 2: Determine Purpose, Channel, and Medium Step 3: Envision Audience Step 4: Adapt Message to Audience Needs and Concerns Step 5: Organize the Message Step 6: Prepare First Draft Step 7: Revise, Edit, and Proofread
- 2. Effective Sentences and CoherentParagraphs Step 6: Prepare the First Draft Proceed Deductively or Inductively Know Logical Sequence of Minor Points Write rapidly with Intent to Rewrite Use Active More Than Passive Voice Craft Powerful Sentences Rely on Active Voice—Subject Doer of Action (Passive—Subject Receiver of Action Sentence Is Less Emphatic) Passive Voice Uses Conceal the Doer/Avoid Finger Pointing Doer Is Unknown Place More Emphasis on What Was Done (Receiver of Action)
- 3. 5 Emphasize Important Ideas Techniques SentenceStructure—place important ideas in simple sentences/place in independent clauses (emphasis) Repetition—repeat a word in a sentence Labeling Words—use words that signal important Position—position it first or last in a clause, sentence, paragraph, or presentation Space and Format—use extraordinary amount of space for important items or use headings Develop Coherent Paragraphs Develop Deductive/Inductive Paragraphs Consistently Link Ideas to Achieve Coherence Keep Paragraphs Unified Vary Sentence and Paragraph Length Position Topic Sentences and Link Ideas Deductive—topic sentence precedes details Inductive—topic sentence follows details Link Ideas to Achieve Coherence (Cohesion) Repeat Word from Preceding Sentence Use a Pronoun for a Noun in Preceding Sentence Use Connecting Words (e.g., Conjunctive Adverbs)
- 4. Link Paragraphs byUsing Transition Words Use Transition Sentences before Headings, But Not Subheadings Paragraph Unity Keep Paragraphs Unified—support must be focused on topic sentences Ensure Paragraphs Cover Topic Sentence, But Do Not Write Extraneous Materials Arrange Paragraphs in a Logical and Systematic Sequence Vary Sentence and Paragraph Length Vary Sentence Length (Average—Short) Vary Sentence Structure (Sentence Variety) Vary Paragraph Length (Average—Short 8-10 Lines) Changes in Tense, Voice, and Person in Paragraphs Are Discouraged Revise to Grab
- 5. Reader’s Attention Cultivate aFrame of Mind (Mind-set) for Revising and Proofreading Have Your Revising/Editing Space/Room View from Audience Perspective (You Attitude) Revise until No More Changes Would Improve the Document Be Willing to Allow Others to Make Suggestions (Writer’s Pride of Ownership?) Ensure Error-Free Messages Use Visual Enhancements for More Readability Add Only When They Aid Comprehension Create an Appealing, Easy-to-Read Document Use Enumerations—place a number, bullet, or letter before text elements Enumerated or bulleted lists (called chunking—increases retention by 50 percent) Headings—readers more likely to pay attention Tables and Graphs—simplifies/clarifies information Lines and Borders—partitions text/focuses attention Relevant Images—use various interesting shapes (e.g., clip art and photos) Improve Readability Measure the Reading Difficulty of Your Writing (i.e., size of words/# of syllables) Fog Index Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Calculator—measure length of sentences and difficulty of words
- 6. Grammar and StyleFeature Improve Readability Step 7: Revise for Style and Tone Eliminate Outdated Expressions—they provide a dull, stuffy, unnatural tone Curb Jargon and Clichés—overused words/ expressions, respectively Eliminate Profanity Use Simple, Informal Words—enable reader to understand message clearly and quickly Communicate Concisely—all details using the fewest possible words Techniques to Produce Concise Messages Eliminate Redundancies Use Active Voice Review the Main Purpose of Your Writing Eliminate Clichés Do not Restate Ideas That Are Implied Shorten Sentence Length Use Compound Adjectives
- 7. Project a Positive,Tactful Tone Suggestions State Ideas Using Positive Language Avoid Using Second Person (“you”) When Stating Negative Ideas Use Third Person When Presenting Negative Ideas Use Passive Voice When Conveying Negative Ideas Use Active Voice to Promote Positive Ideas Use the Subjunctive Mood—speak of a wish, necessity, doubt, or condition contrary to fact Include a Pleasant Statement in Negative Sentences Use Euphemisms Cautiously Euphemism—a kind of word used that may offend or suggest something unpleasant Avoid Too Much Sugarcoating/Exaggeration Avoid Doublespeak—the distortion of truth often found in military, political, and corporate language Avoid Condescending or Demeaning Expressions Condescending—coming down from a level of superiority (i.e., talking down to people) Demeaning—makes an idea seem negative or disrespectful (e.g., bean counters, ambulance chasers, shrinks, and spin doctors) Use Respectful Expressions That Build and Protect “Goodwill”
- 8. Use Connotative ToneCautiously (i.e., literal meaning plus extra message) Connotative Words Can Be Misinterpreted Use Specific, Bias-Free Language Guidelines Guidelines to Avoid Biased Language Avoid Referring to Men and Women in Stereotyped Roles and Occupations Four Approaches to Avoid Gender Bias: Avoid Using a Pronoun Repeat the Noun Use a Plural Noun Use Pronouns from Both Genders Use Occupational Titles That Reflect Gender Sensitivity (e.g., Flight Attendant and Office Assistant) Avoid Designating an Occupation by Gender Avoid Using Perceived Gender-Biased Expressions Avoid Racial or Ethnic Bias Avoid Age Bias Use Specific, Bias-Free Language Guidelines Guidelines to Avoid Biased Language Avoid Referring to Men and Women in Stereotyped Roles and
- 9. Occupations Four Approaches toAvoid Gender Bias: Avoid Using a Pronoun Repeat the Noun Use a Plural Noun Use Pronouns from Both Genders Use Occupational Titles That Reflect Gender Sensitivity Avoid Designating an Occupation by Gender Avoid Using Perceived Gender-Biased Expressions Avoid Racial or Ethnic Bias Avoid Age and Disability Bias Proofread and Revise Effective Proofreading Must Be Done Several Times: Each Time for a Specific Purpose Use the Spell Checker to Locate Simple Keying Errors and Repeated Words First, Proofread the Document in Three Areas: Content Organization Style 21 Proofread and Revise Second, Proofread for Mechanical Errors Grammar, Punctuation, Numbers, etc. Word Substitutions (e.g., Homonyms)
- 10. Entire Document Edit forFormat and Layout Document Using the APA Style Guide Ensure Numbered Items Are in Correct Order Evaluate Visual Impact of Document Ensure Document Is Signed or Initialed Proofread and Revised Third, Print a Draft and Proofread Again Print on High-Quality Paper Sample Rough Draft (p. 72)