management writing

8/6/2019 Management Writing

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Management Writing,Management Writing, Adaptation and the Adaptation and theSelection of WordsSelection of Words



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Guidelines for Management WritingGuidelines for Management Writing

Planning for Writing:

Purpose ± What are you trying to communicate?

Audience ± To whom are you writing?

Exploration ± What ideas should you consider?

Patterns and Outlines ± How can you best arrange your

ideas?

Details and Examples ± How can you support your points?



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Communication CheckpointCommunication Checkpoint

Understanding your Purpose

Why are you communicating?

What do others expect you to accomplish with thiscommunication?

What do you expect to accomplish?

What situation, circumstance, attitude, or event will be

affected by your communication? How?

Will this communication serve more than one purpose?



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Cont.Cont.

Analyzing Audience

Who is your primary audience?

Who is your secondary audience, if any? Is your audience made up of similar individuals or groups

of distinctly different individuals?

What does your audience know about you?

How can you increase your credibility with your audience? In what ways will your readers demonstrate that they have

understood your message? How can you plan for suchfeedback?



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Idea-Design process has two steps:

Exploration ± finding and creating ideas

Selection and Organization ± Choosing and ordering ideasin a way that makes them easy to understand

IDEA Circle: Whenever you seek a variety of ideas on a

topic, simply write the topic on a sheet of paper

accompanied by an µidea circle¶. As ideas occur to you, fill

in the slices of the pie.



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Cont.Cont.

rganizing Patterns

How do these patterns suggest logical, coherent ways for

you to organize sentences into paragraphs, paragraphs into pages or sections, and sections into larger documents?

How can you use these patterns to link consecutive

paragraphs with logical transitions?

How can you use these patterns to create logically orderedheadlines in long documents?



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Cont.Cont.

Details and Examples

To provide information

To verify an assertion

To illustrate an abstraction (idea, concept, or principle)

Good details and examples are

Specific, Clearly understandable, brief, and focused.



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Rewriting, Revising, and EditingRewriting, Revising, and Editing

Check for Logical Connection

Check for Appropriate Transitions

Eliminate Unnecessary Words

Test your Diction for Power and Propriety

Check for Grammatical and Mechanical Errors

Make Stylistic Improvements



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Adaptation and the Selection of Words

R ole of adaptation in selecting words

Simplifying with short and familiar wordsAppropriate use of technical words and acronyms

Selection of words with appropriate strength

Use of concrete words and active voice

Achieve clarity and precision by avoiding camouflagedverbs, selecting the right words, and using idiomscorrectly.

Use of words that do not discriminate



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Need for AdaptationNeed for Adaptation(fitting the message to your readers)(fitting the message to your readers)

Visualize your readers

how they think

what they know

their education level

Then write for them

How to do it:



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How to Adapt to Multiple ReadersHow to Adapt to Multiple Readers

Usually this means simplifyingthe message

Thus the following suggestions

stress simplification

Write for the bottom level



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Use short, familiar wordsUse short, familiar words

DON¶T

n effect, it was hypothesized that certain physical data

categories including housing types and densities, land use,

characteristics, and ecological location constitute a scaleable

content area. This could be called a continuum of residential

desirability. Likewise, it was hypothesized that several social

data categories, describing the same census tracts, and

referring generally to to the social stratification system of thecity, would also be scaleable. This scale could be called a

continuum of socioeconomic status. Thirdly, it was

hypothesized that there would be a high positive correlation

between the scale types on each continuum.



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Use short, familiar wordsUse short, familiar words

One can tell from an aerial photograph where rich and poor

people live. The rich live in big houses set far apart. Thepoor live in small houses set close together.

DO



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Prefer the short, familiar wordPrefer the short, familiar word

to the long, unfamiliar wordto the long, unfamiliar word

Shorten

Do

About

Find out

Begin

Much

Decide

Harmful

Abbreviate

Accomplish

Approximately

Ascertain

Commence

Considerable

Determine

Detrimental

Long, Unfamiliar Words Short, Familiar Words



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Copy

Height

Equal

Build

Give Vague

Show

Useless

Duplicate

Elevation

Equivalent

Fabricate

Furnish Indeterminate

Indicate

Ineffectual




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Hinder

Smallest Change

Go

R eplace

Last

Picture

Proof

Interrupt

Minimal Modification

Proceed

Supersede

Ultimate

Visualize

Verification




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Use Technical Language with CautionUse Technical Language with CautionSocial Security¶s technical language foundSocial Security¶s technical language found

to be misunderstood by outsidersto be misunderstood by outsiders::

Has worked long enough(under Social Security) to become insured.

Family insurance payments

A job covered by SocialSecurity

Worker who has diedTo apply for insurance payments

Workers past 65

Has sufficient quarters of

coverage to acquire aninsured status.

Survivors¶ benefits

Covered employment

Deceased wage earner To file a claim

Aged workers

Technical Language Improved Version



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Use initials and acronymsUse initials and acronyms

with caution.with caution.

VCR

FDA

CD

IPO

R V

NATO

IR S

Video cassette recorder

Food and Drug Administration

Certificate of Deposit/Compact Disc

Initial Public Offering

R ecreational Vehicle North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Internal R evenue Service

What do these letters mean?



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Consider the strength andConsider the strength and

vigor of wordsvigor of words

source of great wealth

additional compensation

great loss

complete failure

untruth

put an end to

upraise

bonanza

bonus

disaster

fiasco

lie

destroy

boost

Weaker Stronger



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Prefer the concrete to the abstract.Prefer the concrete to the abstract.

Our research shows that 87 percent of those using the technique are successful.

Your department may hire three newstock clerks.

We will ship the Moss No. 41 desk setsyou ordered October 12 by Arrow freighton October 15.

Each of the branch managers willreceived a 15 percent pay raise.

This process requires a constanttemperature of 10 degrees centigrade.

We have found that this techniqueis successful.

Your department may hire somenew employees.

We will ship your order soon.

Each of the branch managers willreceive a substantial pay raise.

This procedure requires a constantlow temperature.

Abstract Concrete



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Prefer the active to the passive.Prefer the active to the passive.

I believe they padded the bill.

The president read your report.

The treasurer prepares the profitand loss statement each month.

We suggest that you clean theelement in warm, soapy water.

Mr. Wong wants you to bring thismatter to the attention of themanager.

It is believed that the bill was padded.

Your report was read by the president.

The profit and loss statement is prepared by the treasurer eachmonth.

It is suggested that you clean theelement in warm, soapy water.

It is desired that every effort bemade to have this matter broughtto the attention of the manager.

Passive Active



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Prefer strong verbs to verbsPrefer strong verbs to verbs

camouflaged as nouns.camouflaged as nouns.

. . . classify . . .

. . . compute . . .

. . . explore . . .

. . . inform . . .

. . . negotiate . . .

. . . observe . . .

. . . represent . . .

. . . make a classification . . .

. . . make a computation . . .

. . . conduct an exploration . . .

. . . provide information . . .

. . . engage in negotiation . . .

. . . make an observation . . .

. . . provide representation . . .

Camouflaged Verb Strong Verb



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Prefer strong verbs to verbsPrefer strong verbs to verbs

camouflaged as nouns.camouflaged as nouns.

We canceled the order on the 12th.

The change eliminated the deficit.

Ms. Brown manages this office.

The safety officer distributed thespecial equipment.

Cancellation of the order was

made on the1

2th.Elimination of the deficit was

brought about by the change.

The management of this office isconducted by Ms. Brown.

Distribution of the specialequipment was accomplished bythe safety officer.

Camouflaged Verb Strong Verb



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Choose the precise word.Choose the precise word.

The committee (comprises) (constitutes) representatives from

all four sales districts.

This building site cost a large (sum) (amount) of money. She was (notorious) (noted) for her concern for the poor.

We found no evidence that would (cause) (enable) us to

support him.

The management of this store is independent (of) (from) themain office.



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Choose the precise word.Choose the precise word.

She (claimed) (maintained) (said) that she was ill.

He is angry (about) (with) the loss.

I will try (to) (and) correct the error. I differ (with) (from) you on this conclusion.

If he is late, I will not wait (for) (on) him longer than ten

minutes.

She has an interest (in) (for) technical writing.



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Suggestions for Suggestions for

Nondiscriminatory WritingNondiscriminatory Writing

rewording to eliminate the offending word,

making the reference plural, and

substituting a neutral expression (he or she, he/she,

s/he, you, one, person).`

Avoid gender specific pronouns by



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Reword to eliminate the offending wordReword to eliminate the offending word

We will reimburse any employee

for travel expenses paid.

A customer who pays promptly is placed on our preferred list.

A physician should treat patientswith respect.

Specific Nonspecific

We will reimburse any

employee who paid his travelexpenses.

If a customer pays promptly,he is placed on our preferred

list.A physician should treat his patients with respect.



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Substitute a neutral expressionSubstitute a neutral expression

If a customer pays promptly, he or

she is placed on our preferred list.When an unauthorized employeeenters the security area, he/she issubject to dismissal.

A supervisor is not responsible for

such losses if s/he is not negligent.When service is needed, one hasthe right to ask for it.

If a customer pays promptly, he is

placed on our preferred list.When an unauthorized employeeenters the security area, he issubject to dismissal.


such losses if he is not negligent.When a customer needs service, itis her right to ask for it.

Specific Non specific



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Make the reference pluralMake the reference plural

If customers pay promptly, they

are placed on our preferred list.

When unauthorized employees

enter the security area, they are

subject to dismissal.

Supervisors are not responsible for

such losses if they are notnegligent.

When customers need service,

they have the right to ask for it.

If a customer pays promptly, he is

placed on our preferred list.

When an unauthorized employee

enters the security area, he is

subject to dismissal.


such losses if he is not negligent.

When a customer needs service, it

is her right to ask for it.

Specific Nonspecific



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Avoid words with a masculine origin Avoid words with a masculine origin

manufactured, of human origin

personnel, workers

representative, member of Congress

business executive, businessperson

letter carrier, mail carrier

police officer

fire fighter

camera operator

server

man-made

manpower

congressman

businessman

mailman

policeman

fireman

cameraman

waiter/waitress

Gender Specific Nonspecific



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MasculineMasculine--sounding Wordssounding Words²²

No Masculine OriginNo Masculine Origin manufacture

management

history

manipulate

mannequin

manicure

mandolin

histrionic

histamine



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Avoid words that lower women¶s status Avoid words that lower women¶s status

my girl

lady doctor

authoress

actress

poetess

sculptress

male nurse

male secretary

my secretary

doctor

author

actor

poet

sculptor

nurse

secretary

Instead of Use



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Generally avoid words thatGenerally avoid words that

stereotype bystereotype by R ace

a hard-working African-American

an honest Sicilian

Age golden ager

youngster

Disability

deaf and dumb

crippled

Sexual Orientation

homosexual

gay



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´Why use two words when one will do.µ

--Thomas Jefferson

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