BUS 305Week 2

Agenda

• The writing process

• Outlining

• Strategic communication decisions

• Crafting messages

The Four Major Phases of Writing

Content Determine the information you want to communicate

Organization Arrange the content into an appropriate structure, preferably using an outline to arrange information in an appropriate hierarchy and sequence.

Writing Compose and revise all the sentences and paragraphs.

Design Add appropriate visual elements, such as headings, art, typographic enhancements, and spacing.

Composing Messages

Identify your Purpose

Analyze your Audience

Develop an Outline

Decide on a Strategy

Clarify Your Purposes

• General purposes of a Message• To inform• To persuade• To build relationships or develop trust

• Specific purpose (goal)

• For example

Analyze the Audience

Analyze Audience Emotions

Negative Neutral Positive

Frustrated Passive Interested

Defensive Complacent Motivated

Angry Apathetic Excited

Hostile Aloof Happy

Choose the Best Channels

Channel Evaluation Factors

Create an Outline

DetailDetailDetail

Category

DetailDetailDetail

Category

Main Message

Top-down Outlining(Categories down to details)

Bottom-up Outlining(Details up to categories)

Top-Down Outlining

On-the-Job Injuries1. Impact of occupational injuries on workplace

A. Injury statisticsB. Death statistics

2. Major causes of injuriesA. OverexertionB. FallsC. Contact with objects or equipment

3. Most Injury-prone industriesA. MiningB. ConstructionC. ManufacturingD. Agriculture

4. Prevention StrategiesA. TrainingB. Workplace design

On-the-Job Injuries1. Impact of occupational injuries on workplace

A. Injury statisticsB. Death statistics

2. Major causes of injuriesA. OverexertionB. FallsC. Contact with objects or equipment

3. Most Injury-prone industriesA. MiningB. ConstructionC. ManufacturingD. Agriculture

4. Prevention StrategiesA. TrainingB. Workplace designT

radi

tiona

l Out

line

Tra

ditio

nal O

utlin

e

Top-Down Outlining

Tree Structure

Top-Down Outlining

Why a New Training Director

Errors Increasing

Errors Increasing

MoreEmployees

MoreEmployees

BurdenedLine Mgrs.BurdenedLine Mgrs.

Need Tng.StandardsNeed Tng.Standards

Detail

Detail

Detail

Detail

Detail

Detail

Detail

Detail

Detail

Detail

Min

d M

apM

ind

Map

Bottom-Up Outlining

Three Steps 1.Create “free list”2.Classify into categories3.Choose best sequence

Free List Categories Sequence

Evaluate the Outline

5 Test

s

Effective Strategy

3 Strategy Decisions

1 Logic Emotion Both logic & emotion

2 Positive Negative Both positive & negative

3 Direct Indirect

Important Style Factors

ReadabilityReadability——Sentence lengthSentence length——Word difficultyWord difficulty

FormalityFormality——More formalMore formal——Less formalLess formal

DictionDiction——SlangSlang——FloweryFlowery——PreferredPreferred

Writing Styles

Academic Writing

Creative Writing

Scholarly Writing

Business Writing

Readability

RatingAverage Sentence Length

Percentage of Difficult Words

Very Easy <10 <10

Average 11-20 11-20

Difficult 21-30 21-30

Very Difficult 31+ 31+

The importance of structure

• OABC

• Opening

• Agenda

• Body

• Conclusion

OABC

Opening

a. The reason for the messageb. The problem you will later

addressc. A major recommendation you

are makingd. An answer to the reader’s

previous communicatione. Other key information

OABC

AgendaTypes

a. Quantify

b. Identify

c. Organize

d. Symbolize

OABC

BodyDevelop the key point(s) given in the opening or agenda

OABC

Ways to develop main ideas

ExplanationsIllustrations

EvaluationsApplications

Persuasion

Indirect Order Direct Order1 Fact 1 1 Conclusion or action

2 Fact 2 2 Fact 1

3 Conclusion or action 3 Fact 2

Enemies of Logical Reasoning

=Indefensible Conclusions

Paragraph Standards

Coherence

Length

OrganizationUnity

Development

OABC

Closinga. Summary

b. Conclusions

c. Recommendations

Activity

• In groups of 4 create a topical, top down outline for delivering a 5 minute speech on the corporate purchase of iPhone or Android phones for an entire organization

• What strategy would you use (direct or indirect? Heart and/or head? Positive and/or negative?) Give examples

• Would you try to inform or persuade?

For Wednesday

• Have an electronic copy of your resume available!