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Writing—An Essential Job Skill

Writing is a part of every job– It keeps business moving– It allows individuals working for a company

to communicate With one another With the customers and clients they must serve

if the company is to stay in business

Job-related writing is also called occupational writing

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Four Keys to Effective Writing

1. Identify your audience• Who will read what I write?

2. Establish your purpose• Why should they read what I write?

3. Formulate your message• What do I have to say to them?

4. Select your style and tone• How can I best communicate?

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Identifying Your Audience

Who is my audience?

• How many people will make up my audience?

• How well does my audience understand English?

• How much does my audience know about the topic?

• What is my audience’s reason for reading my work?

• What are my audience’s expectations about my written work?

• What is my audience’s attitude toward me and my work?

• What do I want my audience to do after reading my work?

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Establishing Your Purpose

Why should they read what I write?

To formulate your purpose you must understand– The readers’ needs– Your goal in communicating

Your purpose statement should state precisely– Why you are writing– What you want your

readers to do or know

The most important rule in occupational writing: Get to the point right away

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Formulating Your Message

What do I have to say to them?

A message includes the scope and details of your communication– Details

Those key points you think readers should know in order to perform their jobs

– Scope Refers to how much information you give the

readers about those key details

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Selecting Your Style

How can I best communicate? Style

– How something is written– It involves the choices you make about

The construction of your paragraphs The length and pattern of your sentences Your choice of words

You will have to adapt your style to take into account

different messagesdifferent purposes

and different audiences

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Selecting Your Tone

Tone– Expresses your attitude toward

A topic Your audience

– Range of tone

Formaland

Impersonal

Informaland

Personal

Unprofessionallysarcastic

Diplomatically agreeable

A scientific report

An e-mail to a friend

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A Description of Heparin for Two Different Audiences

Technical/Scientific Style and Tone

Nontechnical Style and Tone

HEPARIN SODIUM INJECTION, USP

STERILE SILUTION

Description: Heparin Sodium Solution Injection, USP is a sterile solution of heparin sodium derived from bovine lung tissue, standardized for anticoagulant activity.

Each ml of 1,000 and 5,000 USP units per ml preparations contains: heparin sodium 1,000 or 5,000 USP units; 9 mg sodium chloride; 9.45 mg benzyl alcohol added as preservative. Each ml of the 10,000 USP units per ml preparations contains: heparin sodium 10,000 units; 9.45 mg benzyl alcohol added as preservative…

Your doctor has prescribed a drug called heparin for you. This drug will prevent any new blood clots from forming in your body. Since heparin cannot be absorbed from your stomach or intestines, you will not receive it in a capsule or tablet. Instead, it will be given into a vein or the fatty tissue of your abdomen…

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Characteristics of Job-Related Writing

Six basic functions of job-related writing1. Providing practical information

2. Giving facts, not impressions

3. Providing visuals to clarify and condense information

4. Giving accurate measurements

5. Stating responsibilities precisely

6. Persuading and offering recommendations

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Providing Visuals

Tables Charts Photographs Flow charts Diagrams Drawings

Used to clarify and condense

information

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Using Graphic Devices

Graphic devices may also be used to make your writing easier for your audience to read and follow:

Headings Subheadings Numbers within a (1) line or

(2) paragraph different types of s p a c i n g CAPITALIZATION Italics

Underscoring Boldface Scripting Icons Hypertext Asterisks* Lists with “bullets”

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Giving Accurate Measurements

Much of your work will depend on measurements

Acres Bytes Calories Centimeters Degrees Dollars and cents

Grams Percentages Pounds Square feet Units

Numbers are clear and convincing

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Persuading and Offering Recommendations

Persuasion – Determines how successful you and your company

or agency will be

Issues you will have to write persuasively about– Financial– Psychological– Political

You may also be called upon to write convincingly to improve or sustain your company’s image in the face of

product recalls, customer complaints, or corporate mistakes.

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Ethical Writing in the Workplace

Ethical writing means– Doing what is right and fair– Being honest and just with your employer,

co-workers, and customers

Can you list some significant bywords in the world of business that reflect an ethical commitment to honesty and fairness?

accountability community involvementhigh professional standards

full disclosurehonest advertising

fair play truth in lendinggood faith effort

public trust equal opportunity employersocial responsibility

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Eight Ethical Requirements on the Job

1. Supply honest and up-to-date information about yourself in your résumé and job applications

2. Maintain accurate and current records at work

3. Comply with all local, state, and federal regulations

4. Adhere to your profession’s code or standard of ethics

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Eight Ethical Requirements on the Job

5. Follow your company’s policies and procedures

6. Honor guarantees and warranties and meet customer needs impartially

7. Cooperate fully and honestly with any collaborative team of which you are a member

8. Respect all copyright obligations and privileges

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The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics

Computer Ethics Institute, London.

1. Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.

2. Thou shalt not interfere with other people’s computer work.

3. Thou shalt not snoop around in other people’s computer files.

4. Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.5. Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false

witness.6. Thou shalt not copy or use proprietary software

for which you have not paid.

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The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics

Computer Ethics Institute, London.

7. Thou shalt not use other people’s computer resources without authorization or proper compensation.

8. Thou shalt not appropriate other people’s intellectual output.

9. Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you are writing or the system you are designing.

10. Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that insure consideration and respect for your fellow humans.

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Some Ethical Guides to Help You Reach Ethical Decisions

1. Follow your conscience and “to thine own self be true”

2. Be suspicious of convenient (and false) appeals that go against your beliefs

3. Maintain good faith in meeting your obligations to your employer, your co-workers, your customers, and your community

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Some Ethical Guides to Help You Reach Ethical Decisions

4. Take responsibility for your actions

5. Weigh all sides before you commit to a conclusion

6. Anticipate the consequences of your decisions

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Ethical Dilemmas

… are situations where there is no clear-cut right or wrong choice, even with regard to the six ethical

categories just described

Sometimes you may have to make concessions and compromises to be ethical in the world of work

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Writing Ethically

In your written work, – Strive to be careful and straightforward– Report events and figures honestly, and without

bias or omissions– Be fair, reliable, and accurate

Avoid the three Ms– Misquotation– Misrepresentation– Manipulation

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Examples of Unethical Writing

1. Plagiarism2. Selective misquoting3. Arbitrary embellishment of numbers4. Manipulation of data or content5. Using fictitious benefits to promote a product

or service6. Unfairly characterizing (by exaggerating or

minimizing) hiring or firing conditions7. Misrepresenting through distorting or slanted

visuals

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√ Revision Checklist

Identified my audience Made it clear what I wanted my

audience to do after reading my work Tailored my message to my audience’s

needs and backgrounds Pushed to the main point right away Gave my audience accurate

measurements, facts, and carefully researched material

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√ Revision Checklist

Used appropriate visuals Used persuasive reasons and data Ensured that my writing is ethical Followed the Ten Commandments of

Computer Ethics Gave full and complete credit to any

sources I used Avoided plagiarism and unfair or

dishonest use of copyrighted materials