Digital Key Concepts

Management 102
Professor Estenson

PREPARING TO WRITE
 Writing Apprehension
CAUSES
Early Efforts
Never Been Taught
Lack of Knowledge of
purpose, audience or point
of the effort
FIXES
Work Shops
Write then Right
Supportive Evaluation
 PLANNING
WHAT
Nature of the message
What needs to be communicated?
WHY
Why bother? Does the receiver know why message is being
sent?
WHO
Have I chosen the right person?
What channel is this person comfortable receiving?
WHEN
Too early or too late. Close to critical meetings
WHERE
Where should the message come from?
HOW
Channel (Letter, Memo, Report, Email, Phone Call,
Brochure, Newsletter, Manual
PRINCIPLE ONE: Choose Words Precisely
DENOTIVE - Word has a common meaning.
Malapropism - Confusing one word for another
Allegory or Alligator Immoral or Immortal
CONNOTATIVE - Words meaning is subjective.
Euphemism (Intended positive connotation)
Slim or Slender versus Skinny or Scrawny
Friendly Fire
Surgical Air Strike
LANGUAGE IS FLUID NOT STATIC
 PRINCIPLE TWO
Use Short Rather Than Long Words
The goal is clarity and understanding not a
chance to show how smart you are.
 PRINCIPLE 3
Use Concrete Rather Than Abstract Words

Concrete Specific at lower rung

General at the higher rungs
 PRINCIPLE 4
Economize on the Use of Words

Avoid Wordiness.
Break old writing habits.
Avoid use of old models of
organizational writing.
 PRINCIPLE 5
AVOID OVERUSED OR HACKNEYED
PHRASES OR JARGON

Hackneyed
At your earliest convenience
Pursuant to
Thank you in advance
Jargon
Buzzword Hell
 PRINCIPLE 6
Use Positive Words That Convey Courtesy

Minimize negative information

State information positively
Avoid gender terms
 PRINCIPLE 7
Use a Conversational Style
Everyday business language (face to face
communication with receiver)
Check your understanding of receiver
(knowledge, expertise, interests, culture,
and value system)
 PRINCPLE 8
Keep Sentence Relatively Short
Most effective business sentences are
between 15 to 20 words long.
Sentences express one main point
 PRINCIPLE 9
Prefer Active Voice to the Passive Voice

Subject - Verb - Object

David Leeper directed the meeting. (A)
The meeting was directed by David Leeper
(P)
 PRINCIPLE 10
Develop Effective Paragraphs

One Main Idea Per Paragraph

Determine if Deductive or Inductive
If Deductive - Present main idea in lst
sentence
If Inductive - Begin with details then main
idea
Use a Variety of Sentence Structures
Emphasize Important Points
Keep Paragraphs Short
 PRINCIPLE 11
DEVELOP COHERENCE
Create a smooth flow between sentences
Transitions can be created by
Repeating Key Words
Use pronouns and synonyms to avoid
repetition
Use transitional words or phrases
 PRINCIPLE 12
Edit and Rewrite
Read what was written
Exam for clarity, concreteness, and
conversational tone
Determine grammatical accuracy
Check organization to assure coherence
Accept that multiple drafts are necessary
 Specific Check Points

Look for Plain English terms

Eliminate Unneeded Words
Explain Abbreviations and Acronyms
Eliminate Jargon
Eliminate Unnatural Phrases
Use Small Words
 EDITING (Continued)

Use Active Instead of Passive Verbs

Use a Fog Index
Correct Spelling and Grammatical Errors
Correct Sexist Errors
 Work Products
Audience analysis for You are free to pick
each letter or memo. topic and audience.
Refusal Letter Remember to write in a
Persuasive Letter manner that matches
Memo to your leader your topic and
audience.
Transmittal Letter