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What is the importance of effective business writing
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Good Business Writing
As the discussion of good writing evolved in class, I began to wonder what made good business writing. I thought about the purpose in writing both within a particular company and between different companies and organizations. I decided that most writing in business is meant to be either informative, persuasive, or a combination of both. Whether informative or persuasive in nature, I have decided that most good business writing is very similar to other good writing. I have chosen to focus on three elements that contribute to good usage in business. They are:
Simplicity
Jargon for the target audience
Grammar
Some business writers mistakenly believe that by adopting a lofty tone and utilizing complex sentences containing numerous subordinate clauses along with multiple polysyllabic words, they will be taken more seriously. The previous sentence contrasts directly with George Orwell's advice to cut out words if possible. I think Orwell means the writer is to get rid of the excess, the fluff that fails to really communicate an idea or concept. Orwell seems to advocate simplicity. Simplicity does not dilute the author's intended message. Simplicity actually clarifies the author's meaning since it is direct and uses common English words. This type of writing is also efficient. Readers can easily understand the content and can move along to the next task. Since many employees in business today suffer from information overload, given the choice, most people will read a shorter document first. If a writer can communicate the information in either three or twelve pages equally well, it is to better use the more tightly written three-page version. While both documents may have equal merit, it is simply co...
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...onventions. These conventions may vary slightly from business to business, but are basically the same across the United States. These devices include:
The use of bullets to emphasize particular points
Large amounts of white space
Gender neutral language
I have explored some of the elements I think are present in good business writing and result in good usage. Through this exploration, I see that there are other elements of good usage I could have examined, but chose not to. A variety of advice on writing is available, but there is not one definitive rule or even one handbook to which a writer must strictly adhere. There are guidelines a writer might consider, but ultimately, the writer must adapt his or her writing according to each writing situation. Rules are guidelines meant to be helpful. When rules cease to be helpful or become too dogmatic, disregard.
J. A. Reinking & R. von der Osten, R. (2007). Strategies for successful writing: A rhetoric, research guide, reader, and handbook (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentiss Hall. ISBN: 0-13-189195-2.
Cromie, Jenny. Short Story Criticism, Volume 42: Excerpts from Criticism of the Works of Short Fiction Writers. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, 2000. Print
While reading “The Man Who Was Almost a Man” and “Paul’s Case,” both of the main characters face the struggles of coming to age as men. Dave and Paul are at the point in their lives where they are rebellious and yearn to have freedom. Despite the difference in setting and the time eras these two short stories were written, the journey to manhood is prevalent in both of the characters lives. This journey to manhood both character come across is expressed through comparable literary techniques used throughout both short stories.
“LOL” and “BRB” are common uses of words that we utilize in our communication. These phrases create a simplicity to our writing and provide enough information to convey our point. While this form of communication would get straight to the point in a general conversation, it is certainly unprofessional in a different perspective. With supporting texts from “The Joy of Texting” by Lynne Truss and “I Won’t Hire People Who Use Poor Grammar. Here’s Why” by Kyle Wiens, they defined clearly that these types of casual writing can ultimately become detrimental in our professional careers. As casual writing has greatly expand towards our daily lives, we should ask ourselves whether this informal writing is affecting our professional lifestyle. With
Frahm holds a similar point of view encouraging clear, straightforward writing not one with a “Confusing introduction. Lack of content. Bad transitions. (and) Excessive grammatical errors.” (Frahm 271).
Doering A., Barton B., Sprague K., Linderman K., Morgan L., & Thomas S. (2004) Business Practices. Retrieved from the Internet on 7/15/06 at: http://oregonstate.edu/~thomasse/BA352/practices/
Although numerous internal writing techniques remain evident, some of the major points that Hamill illustrates in his article prove very effective.
The Elements of Style written by William Strunk and E.B. White, and Style: Toward Clarity and Grace written by Jospeh Williams both offer suggestions for establishing the comprehensive application of literary techniques and style. Each book, constructed differently, focuses on various areas of writing through comprehensive basic rules and guidelines. These books specifically identify the basic foundation for writing rules of usage, principle composition and offer suggestions for different types of style approach. The information provided also compels the average writer toward the necessary elements of the writing process through various methods of grammar, punctuation, and style implications. Though they are presented completely different, some of the basic style suggestions found in Strunk and White are somewhat similar to those in Williams. Both books propose that good writing style must consist of: clarity, precision, length, revision, cohesion, and reader sensitivity_all with the application of basic writing rules and guidelines. Although each book can be very helpful to the average writer, the intense amount of instruction may, at first, seem overwhelming.
Writing is an art form that some people are blessed with being naturally talented at, and some individuals must learn and be instructed in order to become a talented writer. In our modern day American society, there is a strong need to have talented writers, so there is a large push to teach writing from grade school all the way up through college. I am an individual who was never naturally good at writing, but I was taught how to be a good writing. From my education I think I have made great strides in my ability and can pick out some qualities that distinguish good writing from bad writing. Overall, good writing takes many forms.
When constructing a piece of writing, a student may sometimes find herself struggling to remember grammar rules or style principles. A handy reference guide would help her out immensely. William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White’s book, The Elements of Style, and Joseph Williams’ book, Style: Toward Clarity and Grace, assist writers improve their work in various ways. Strunk and Whites’ book took a simple approach, while Williams went more in-depth, with elaborate explanations and varying choices for each writing style.
As a college student and as an administrator I have had to write various documents, reports, essays and correspondence. I have taken a few writing courses that have marginally helped to improve my writing skills but I still do not feel completely comfortable with the final drafts I have produced. This journal entry will examine my previous experience with writing courses, strategies that have been successful, my strengths and weaknesses in writing and what I hope to gain from this course.
writing” by R. Ramsey, the ability to write competently is a requirement for success in any field.
When attempting to understand and define professional writing, there are many questions that come to mind. Who uses professional writing? Or how does professional writing differ from more commonly practiced disciplines of writing and communicating? Upon researching and inquiring about how professional writing is used to communicate in the workplace, I have gathered opinions from scholars and professional writers of different discourses, both who use various genres to relay information. A brief definition of professional writing is a style of written communication used in a workplace. This mode of communication allows professionals (e.g. professors, business people, doctors, lawyers, etc.) to make informed decisions. Professional writing generally
...Moreover, by having paragraphs smaller and/or larger then others, it helps the reader identify what is important within the confines of the text.
I have learned many things throughout the course of the term, including such things as: how to write an essay and how to improve on essays that I have already written, how to locate and composite better research through the use of numerous resources found at the campus library, the internet, and the “Common Sense” textbook, how to cite research, examples, and quotations properly within the contents of my research paper as well as document it accurately according to MLA standards. Through the exploration of the “Subjects and Strategies” textbook, I have learned nine different methods used when writing an effective essay and how the different writing styles affect the overall theme and tone of the essay when used properly. This past semester, I have encountered many difficulties when trying to write these essays, but through the use of the textbooks, the aide of the instructor, and once I was able to classify the different types of essays and styles, I found them possible to overcome.