know about this topic? What is the receiver to do? Collect information that answers How is the receiver to do it and these questions: when? What will happen if the receiver doesn’t do it? Search manually. RESEARCHING Access electronically. Formal Research Methods Conduct scientific experiments. Go to the source.
Look in the files.
Informal Research Methods and Talk with your boss.
Idea Generation Interview the target audience. Conduct an informal survey. Brainstorm ideas. INVOLVING 2 PROCESSES (GROUPING & STRATEGIZING) Well-organized messages group Grouping similar ideas together.
You must decide where in the
Strategizing message to place the main idea. ORGANIZING Define main topic in title. Divide the topic into three to five Tips for Making Outlines main points. Break the components into subpoints. CHAPTER 3 : COMPOSING BUSINESS MESSAGE
Make each component exclusive
(no overlapping). Don't put a single item under a major component. Use details and evidence to support subpoints. Main idea comes first followed by details and Direct Strategy explanations Saves reader’s time Sets a proper frame of mind * Advantages Prevents frustration Appears businesslike R * Useful when R Organizing Business Messages M Indirect Strategy Explanation precedes main idea R * Advantages E M R * Useful when R M Develop effective sentences. 3 common sentence fault: Complete sentence - clauses - phrases Business writers must be able 1. fragment 1. Complete sentence has subject & verb COMPOSING 2. Clauses have subject & verb to: 2. run-on (fused) sentence 3. Comma splice 3. Phrases are groups of related words without subjects and verbs CHAPTER 3 : COMPOSING BUSINESS MESSAGE
Achieve emphasis through mechanics.
1. Underlining 2. Italic and boldface 3. ALL CAPS Improve writing techniques. 4. Dashes 5. Tabulation (list number) 6. Use active- and passive-voice verbs. 7. Develop parallelism 8. Avoid dangling and misplace modifiers
A paragraph is a group of sentences about one
idea. Must contain : 1. A topic sentence Draft powerful paragraphs. 2. Support sentences that expand and explain the main idea 3. Techniques to build coherence * Repeat a key idea or key words.* Use a pronoun * Use an appropriate transitional expression.Paragraphs with eight or fewer printed lines lookinviting and readable. Complete all necessary research. Find a quiet place to concentrate and work. Prohibit calls, visitors, and interruptions. Organize information into an outline. Compose a first draft. Decide whether to write quickly (freewriting) OR revise as you go. Imagine you are talking to a reader or listener.a reader or listener.