Business WritingOverview

Barriers to Communication

Verbal Barriers

•Inadequate knowledge or vocabulary•Differences in interpretation•Language differences•Inappropriate use of expressions•Over abstraction•Ambiguity•Polarization

Nonverbal Barriers•Inappropriate or conflicting signals•Differences in perception•Inappropriate emotions•Distractions

Communication Cycle

Reader Receives

the Message

(stimulus)

Reader Reads the Message

Reader Must

Understand the

Message

Reader needs to

Act

PDA Purpose

Details

Action

Document Expected Reader Action

Sales letter which describes a trip to Alaska

Purchase the trip

Letter requesting a recommendation

Provide the recommendation

Proposal to purchase a new computer

Approve the proposal

Letter asking for a job Grant interview or give writer the job

Rhetorical Awareness

Purpose

Audience

Stakeholders

Context

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/624/1/

User Centered Design

Focus on Audience Expectation(s) Characteristics Goals Context

Identify Audience Needs (Details) Who, What, Where, When, Why, How or

How Much

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/629/02/

Audience AnalysisPrimarySecondaryShadow Stakeholders

Questions to ask before writingWhat is your relationship with the audience?How will the audience react?What does the audience already know?What is unique about the audience?

Document Organization

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/548/1

Explain purpose and present main ideas What is this? Why am I getting it? What you do want me to do?

Logical progression of ideas State most important information first Keep like information together Organize each paragraph around one main idea Begin each paragraph with one key sentence

Document Design

Format must conform to document Resume, cover letter, memo, report,

email Easy to locate information Key points use bold, underline or italics Clear headings and subheadings Improve readability with indentation or

bullets

HATS, http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/632/01/

Document Development

A. PersuasiveB. InformativeC. Concise

Provide background information Use specific examples to support Use charts, diagrams and tables Eliminate noise Proof for clarity, further explanation, details

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/rresource/548/1

Situation SubjectLine

Purpose Statement

Details Expected Action

Ask your supervisor to take a course, attend a workshop, or attend a national conference for reimbursement (funding for this is encouraged) 

   

   

Inform classmates of the procedures required to log in to student portal, student email, PC login in computer lab

    

     

Summarize progress made in the planning of a student sponsored event (fundraiser, service project, guest speaker, other)

   

     

Request the purchase of new furniture/technology for student lounge and study areas on campus

       

Inform students, faculty and staff about technology procedures to follow to access student email, student portal, AU website and computer login 

       

Summarize the status regarding career fair exhibitors 

       

Choose the Right Words Write Clearly

Accurate and complete Familiar words; write to express not to impress Specific, concrete language Avoid dangling expressions Avoid clichés, slang, jargon Write concisely (redundancy and wordiness)

Write Effective Sentences Simple sentence Compound sentence Complex sentence Sentence variety

Active vs. Passive Words Parallel Structure

Use Appropriate Tone

Write confidently

Use a courteous and sincere tone

Use appropriate emphasis and subordination

Use positive language

Stress the YOU attitude