Final Principles of Effective Writing Skills

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    Principles of Effective Business

    Writing

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    Objective

    We will focus on understanding the factthat :-

    Effectiveness of communication isfinally judged by the result it produces

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    Purpose Of Communication

    All business communication has 3 basicpurposes:

    To inform (explain)

    To request or persuade (urge action)

    To buildgoodwill (make a good image)

    Most messages have more than onepurpose

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    Benefits of Effective Writing

    Effective writing

    Saves time

    Increases ones productivity

    Communicates points more clearly

    Authentic

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    Criteria for Effective Messages

    Clear

    Complete

    Correct

    Concise

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    Principle 1: Orientation Towards The Receiver

    Understanding of recipients mind

    Analyze Your Audiences

    Try to judge their personality

    Sentences and style should match the thinkingprocess of receiver.

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    Principle 2: Choose Short, Simple AndUnderstandable Words

    Long and Short and

    Unfamiliar Words Familiar Words

    Domicile Home, house

    Utilize Use

    For the reason that Since

    Due to the fact that Because

    Remuneration PayFor the purpose For

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    Principle 3: Choose Specific words to bringvitality and exactness

    Abstract Concrete

    In the coming By Wednesday

    days afternoon

    The minority 15 percent

    A significant loss 65 percent loss

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    Principle 4: Prefer Active Voice

    Passive:

    Most letters are keyed by the executives.

    You are requested to get the following arranged.

    Active: The executives key most letters.

    You are requested to arrange the following

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    Whats Wrong withPassive Constructions?

    It generally adds length to a sentence -- 25% to 33%on average.

    The agent or human actor is often obscured ordeleted.

    Responsibility for actions in the sentence areobscure or missing entirely.

    Active: The department store delivered your clothinglate.

    Passive: Your clothing was delivered late.

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    Principle 5: Use Of Action Verb

    Use of strong action verbs conveys the force of yourpersonality and your sense of purpose

    E.g. The conflict is ongoingThe war rages on.

    He dived into the water.He plunged into the waves.

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    Principle 6 : Brief And Concise

    Verbosity conveys a poor impression to the reader.

    It consumes a lot of time

    E.g. May I have your blessings to apply for a days

    leave?May I have a days leave?

    E.g. We would like to invite you to attend thegraduation party.

    We invite you to attend the graduation party.

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    Principle 7: Use Short Sentences

    Wordy:

    She was very expressive in absolutely rejecting the

    newly assigned responsibility.

    Lean:She firmly rejected the new responsibility.

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    Principle 8 :Avoid Gender-Biased Language

    Bias-free language words that do not discriminate

    Biased Unbiased

    Businessman Executive

    Chairman Group leader

    Manmade Manufactured

    Salesman Sales representativeForeman Supervisor

    Lady or female doctor Doctor

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    Avoid Other-Biased Language

    Biased Unbiased

    Negro, black, colored African-American

    Chicano HispanicHandicapped Physically

    challenged

    Old man or old woman Older personAIDS patient Person with AIDS

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    Sentence Design

    Different grammatical structures create meaning for or affect thereader .

    Meaning of a message and the mind of the receiver.Oral communication: I never said thatWritten communication: Emphasis dictates structure.

    This year the sales increased, however the cumulative lossesincreased.

    Even though the sales increased, the cumulative lossesincreased.

    The cumulative losses increased, in spite of an increase in sales.

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    Principle 10

    Unity of thought and expression in acorrespondence.

    The structure of correspondence should be cohesiveand smooth flowing. The sentences must blend intoparagraphs and paragraphs into homogenous entity.

    Each sentence should have a single thought and eachparagraph should discuss a separate idea.

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    Principle 11 : Consistency And Continuity

    Each correspondence should deal with only onesubject.

    Each paragraph should deal with only one topic of

    the subject. Each sentence should deal with only one idea.

    Or else

    Their will be no intelligent articulation

    The contents would appear disjointed and abrupt.

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    Principle 12 : Coherent Linkage

    There must be smooth flow of ideas and each ideamust merge into next in an effortless and seamlessmanner.

    Each paragraph must end in such a manner thatthe next paragraph appears logical

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    Other important factors of communication

    Space allotment

    Font size and style

    Attachments

    Appendix (listed)

    Annexure

    http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://communitynewsletters.com/img2.gif&imgrefurl=http://communitynewsletters.com/BUSINESS.html&h=350&w=277&sz=39&hl=en&start=15&sig2=TNok6FgF8slr1urm5_cJvA&um=1&tbnid=PPGDfT1aYlfhgM:&tbnh=120&tbnw=95&ei=gaRUSKWkCofYswLClrmrAw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbusiness%2Breports%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DGGLF,GGLF:2006-18,GGLF:en%26sa%3DN
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    Principles

    These principles are applicable to allforms of writing