Effective Writing Techniques and Strategies

Study Notes

Researching and Finding Information

Formal research involves finding information not available within the company and using outside resources.
Informal research involves using readily available information.

Organizing Information

Arrange information logically to make it easier to understand.
Use scratching to write ideas randomly and then organize them.
Create an outline to separate major and minor points.

Composing Effective Sentences

Structured sentences should be used in business writing, including simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences.
Use active and passive voice correctly.
Avoid errors such as sentence fragments, disguised sentences, fused sentences, and comma splices.
Use parallelism consistently throughout the sentence or paragraph.

Developing Parallelism

Inconsistent forms can be revised to improve parallelism.
Example: "We are very concerned with the quality of raw materials, where they are located, and how much it costs to transport them."

Revising Grammar

Use proper grammar, including subject-verb agreement and pronoun-antecedent relationships.
Verbs must agree with subjects in number and person.
Avoid redundancy and revise verbs that have been converted to nouns.
Use precise language and avoid unclear pronouns.

Mechanics and Writing Conventions

Spelling and capitalization are important in business writing.
Use proper design and physical appearance, including background, margins, and alignment.
Use style and face, bullets, numbers, and letters correctly.

Communicating in the Workplace

Organizational communication involves internal and external communication.
Internal communication involves interaction between company representatives.
External communication involves interaction between the company and outsiders.

Components of Emails and Memos

Emails and memos can be used for various purposes, including informing, enumerating, procedures, requests, and replies.
A good email or memo should have a clear subject line, opening, body, and closing.
Use attention-grabbing subject lines, avoid reviewing background, and use numbered or bulleted lists.

Tips for Creating Email Messages

Consider composing off-line and type the receiver's address correctly.
Don't use email to avoid contact, and scan all messages before replying.
Revise the subject line if the topic changes, and never respond when you are angry.
Don't use company computers for personal matters unless allowed.

Description

Learn how to research, organize, and compose effective written content. This quiz covers the importance of formal and informal information, arranging ideas logically, and using structured sentences with active and passive voice.