Can Do Writing The Proven Ten-Step System for Fast and Effective Business Writing

by Graham, Daniel; Graham, Judith

• ISBN13: 9780470449790
• ISBN10: 0470449799
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-04-20
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

You may be an expert at what you do, but if you can't communicate effectively in writing it may not matter. For scientists, businesspeople, and professionals in fields from engineering to public relations, the art of writing well can be a vital key to professional success.

Author Biography

Over the past twenty years, Daniel and Judith Graham have trained more than 70,000 business and technical professionals in this practical writing system. They've helped global corporations and government agencies alike streamline communications while increasing profits. Now you too can learn Can Do Writing's ten clear steps—and put writing to work for you.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xv
About the Authors	p. xxi
Introduction Can Do Writing	p. 1
Skillset: Analysis	p. 9
Analyze Purpose and Audience	p. 13
What Result Do You Want from the Document?	p. 16
Who Is the Audience?	p. 17
What Does the Audience Do with the Information?	p. 19
What Information Does the Audience Need?	p. 20
Does the Audience Know Little or Much About the Information?	p. 22
Does the Audience Need Proof?	p. 23
Plan How to Write to Multiple Audiences	p. 24
Write Your Document's Five-Part Purpose Statement	p. 27
Decide the Type of Document or Oral Communication to Use	p. 30
Pick a Verb That Describes What the Document Does	p. 32
Assemble the Five Parts into a Purpose Statement	p. 33
Use the Purpose Statement to Settle Controversies	p. 36
Purpose Statements Make History	p. 37
Practice Steps 1 and 2 Using a Case Study	p. 39
Select Facts	p. 43
Use the Purpose Statement As You Select Facts	p. 46
Organize Your Points in a Sentence Outline	p. 49
Write Your Points Using Short Words in Short Sentences	p. 53
Evaluate Points to Eliminate Irrelevancies and Redundancies	p. 55
Order the Points	p. 56
Practice Steps 1 through 4 Using a Case Study	p. 59
Skillset: Composing the Draft	p. 67
Compose the Draft	p. 71
Compose the Draft Body	p. 74
Compose the Draft Conclusion	p. 75
Compose the Draft Introduction	p. 76
If Necessary, Compose the Draft Executive Summary	p. 82
If Necessary, Compose the Draft Abstract	p. 83
Skillset: Editing	p. 85
Review the Draft for Organization and Logic	p. 89
Test Organization by Answering Three Questions	p. 92
Use Sentence Outlining Techniques to Improve Organization	p. 93
Test Logic by Answering Five Questions	p. 95
Edit for Coherence	p. 99
Repeat Key Words throughout Your Document	p. 102
Ensure That Each Paragraph Begins with a Point	p. 105
Use Transition Words	p. 106
Use Vertical Lists for Series of Like Items	p. 108
Ensure Your Graphics Make a Point	p. 111
Apply Visual Devices	p. 115
Edit for Clarity	p. 117
Use Concrete and Specific Words	p. 121
Use Active Voice	p. 123
Simplify Tense: Stay in Present Tense When Possible	p. 127
Avoid the Helping Verbs Would, Should, and Could	p. 132
Identify and Replace Ambiguous Pronouns	p. 133
Use Standard English Words	p. 136
Check Sentences for Misplaced or Dangling Modifiers	p. 138
Edit for Economy	p. 143
Cut Useless Verbs	p. 147
Cut Useless Prepositions	p. 149
Cut Who, Which, and That	p. 152
Cut Useless Repetition	p. 153
Cut Redundancy	p. 154
Cut Useless Comments	p. 155
Cut Useless Modifiers	p. 157
Edit for Readability	p. 159
Measure Readability Using the Gunning Fog Index	p. 162
Replace Long Words with Short Words	p. 164
Break Long Sentences	p. 165
Conclusion Congratulations!	p. 167
Index	p. 171
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