Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 1

Completing Completing Business MessagesBusiness Messages

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 2

Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

• Discuss the value of careful revision and list

the main tasks involved in completing a

business message

• List four writing techniques for improving

the readability of your messages

• Discuss how you can improve the clarity and

conciseness of your writing

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 3

Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

• Explain how design elements help determine

the effectiveness of your documents

• List eight tips for improving message quality

through careful proofreading

• Discuss the most important issues to

consider when distributing your message

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 4

Beyond the First DraftBeyond the First Draft

• Content

• Readability

• Clarity

• Conciseness

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 5

The Three-Step ProcessThe Three-Step Process

Writing CompletingPlanning

Analyze Situation

Gather Information

Select Medium

Get Organized

Revise

Produce Message

Proofread Message

Distribute Message

Adapt to the Audience

Composethe Message

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 6

Revising the MessageRevising the Message

• Type of message and choice of media

– Content

– Clarity

– Conciseness

– Readability

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 7

Evaluate the MessageEvaluate the Message

• Content

• Organization

• Style and tone

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 8

Review for ReadabilityReview for Readability

• Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Score

• Flesch Reading Ease Score

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 9

Increasing “Skim” ValueIncreasing “Skim” Value

• Sentences

• Paragraphs

• Listed items

• Headings

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Vary Sentence LengthVary Sentence Length

• Create interest

• Promote readability

• Emphasize points

• Enliven your writing

• Appeal to readers

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 11

Keep Paragraphs ShortKeep Paragraphs Short

• Break up thoughts

• Boost readability

• Emphasize ideas

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 12

Use Lists and BulletsUse Lists and Bullets

• Show sequence of ideas

• Heighten visual impact

• Emphasize key points

• Simplify complex subjects

• Provide visual breaks

• Expedite skimming process

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 13

Headings and Headings and SubheadingsSubheadings

• Descriptive or informative

– Organization

– Attention

– Connection

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Editing for ClarityEditing for Clarity

• Break up overly long sentences

• Rewrite hedging sentences

• Impose parallelism

• Correct dangling modifiers

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Editing for ClarityEditing for Clarity

• Reword long noun sequences

• Replace camouflaged verbs

• Clarify sentence structure

• Clarify awkward references

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 16

Editing for ConcisenessEditing for Conciseness

• Delete unnecessary words and phrases

• Shorten long words and phrases

• Eliminate redundancies

• Recast “It is/There are” starters

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 17

Evaluate, Edit, and Revise Evaluate, Edit, and Revise the Work of Othersthe Work of Others

• Help the writer succeed

• Understand the writer’s intent

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 18

Revising with Revising with TechnologyTechnology

• Cut and paste

• Revision marks

• Spell checker

• Thesaurus

• Search/replace

• Commenting

• Grammar check

• Style checker

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 19

Producing the MessageProducing the Message

• Production quality

– Effectiveness

– Professionalism

– Importance

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 20

Design for ReadabilityDesign for Readability

• Consistency

• Balance

• Restraint

• Detail

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 21

Design TechniquesDesign Techniques

• White space

• Margins

• Justification

• Typefaces

• Type styles

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 22

Multimedia DocumentsMultimedia Documents

• Level of skills

• Tools

• Time and cost

• Content

• Message structure

• Compatibility

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 23

Production TechnologyProduction Technology

• Templates and style sheets

• Page setup features

• Column and paragraph formatting

• Numbered and bulleted lists

• Information in tables

• Photos, images, textboxes, and objects

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 24

Format for Business Format for Business LettersLetters

• Letterhead stationery

• Date

• Inside address

• Salutation

• The message

• Complimentary close

• Signature block

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 25

Format for MemosFormat for Memos

• Memo title

• Headings

• The message

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 26

Proofread the MessageProofread the Message

• Writing errors

• Design flaws

• Layout problems

• Production issues

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 27

Proofreading AdviceProofreading Advice

Make Multiple Passes Use Perceptual Tricks

Focus on High Priorities Maintain Your Distance

Practice Vigilance Remain Focused

Work With Printouts Take Your Time

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 6 - 28

Distributing MessagesDistributing Messages

• Cost concerns

• Convenience

• Time constraints

• Security and privacy