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Business Writing: Key Elements in Being Effective

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Ransford Mollison Clinton CodyDeanna Turner Ben MonroeDeborah York Wade MyersLester Relyea Ryan IversAnna Dewine TheresaLavern FosterAnyury Arciniegas Melanie LongMisty ScottBetty WebbHarriett LawsRosanna Davis

Be concise. Don’t waste the reader’s time.

Use good organizationProper structureKeep your overall message brief and

to the point

Understand the reader’s expectations

Identify with the reader Write at the receiver’s level

Key ideas or information is firstDo not make the reader wait for the

call to actionBe direct

StyleToneDesignLayout

Detail, Analysis, and BackgroundAvoid ExcessFormat short and effective

paragraphsUse headings and subheadings for

flowKeep it simple NO JARGON

READING IS:

Intellectual An Exercize A Skill Time-intensive Result of a decision Controlled, systematic

DO:

Use active words such as

He Ran vs. He has been running

Use clear and easy access to the information

SEEING IS:

Emotional Effortless An Instinct Immediate Nearly Unavoidable Spontaneous and

Simultaneous

DO:

Grab the reader’s attention

Design to keep the reader engaged

Use graphics to aid in giving facts and figures

Know your subject matterDo your homeworkDo give the reader an overviewMaintain purpose and reason for

your writingAlways cite your sources

PunctuationGrammarSpelling

WriteReview, read aloudWait a day and do it again If possible, have someone else read

or listen to you read the paperCut excess and make revisions

Flood, Timothy E. (2008) Business WritingKaplan Publishing

Thomas, Evan (Sept. 2006) Newsweek Video