Literate Executive : Learn How to Write Like a Leader

by Rozakis, Laurie

• ISBN13: 9780071352888
• ISBN10: 0071352880
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-10-01
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill
• More Book Details
• Purchase Benefits

Summary

"The art of executive writing is poised for a comeback," predicts The Wall Street Journal. And it's no wonder--good writing translates into good business because it saves time, creates good faith, and prevents costly misunderstandings.

Author Biography

Laurie Rozakis, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of English/Humanities and the 1994 recipient of the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching. She has taught English at the State University of New York for more than a decade, and has published dozens of books including The Complete Idiot's Guide to Creative Writing, Prentice Hall Literature, Scribner Literature, and Random House Guide to Grammar and Usage. Dr. Rozakis has been featured on many television programs, magazines, and newspapers including The Maury Povich Show, The New York Times, Fox Good Day NY, and the Chicago Tribune.

Table of Contents

PART 1 GOOD WRITING IS GOOD BUSINESS	3	(56)
CHAPTER 1 Communication Counts	3	(9)
Why Expressing Yourself Electively Matters	3	(2)
Executive Writing	5	(2)
Business Writing Is Big Business	7	(1)
The Costs of Poor Business Writing	7	(1)
Hallmarks of Good Business Writing	8	(1)
Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk	9	(1)
Write Angles	10	(1)
Summary	10	(2)
CHAPTER 2 The Writing Process	12	(13)
Overview of the Writing Process	12	(2)
Eight Habits of Successful Business Writers	14	(1)
Planning	14	(4)
Researching	18	(1)
A Special Note on Evaluating Electronic Sources	18	(1)
Shaping	19	(1)
Drafting	20	(2)
Revising	22	(1)
Revision Checklist	22	(1)
Feedback	22	(1)
Proofreading	23	(1)
Dealing with Writer's Block and Procrastination	23	(1)
Summary	24	(1)
CHAPTER 3 Getting Your Point Across in Print	25	(10)
Analyzing Your Audience	25	(1)
Identifying the Company Culture	25	(1)
The Company's Culture and Your Writing	26	(2)
Identifying the Five Main Audiences	28	(1)
Persuasive Business Writing and Audience	29	(1)
Group Think	30	(1)
Made to Fit	30	(3)
Audience Analysis Checklist	33	(1)
Summary	33	(2)
CHAPTER 4 Building Goodwill through Writing	35	(10)
The Power of Words	35	(2)
The You-Attitude	37	(2)
Emphasize the Positive	39	(3)
When the News Is All Bad	42	(2)
Delivering Bad News	42	(2)
Summary	44	(1)
CHAPTER 5 Writing in a Group	45	(14)
How We Communicate	45	(1)
Listen and Learn	46	(1)
Listening and Group Communication	46	(2)
Empathic Listening	47	(1)
Informational Listening	47	(1)
Evaluative Listening	47	(1)
Listening Traps	48	(1)
Listening Skills	48	(3)
Using Active and Passive Voice	50	(1)
Being an Active Listener	51	(1)
Collaborative Writing	51	(3)
Allocating the Task	52	(2)
Words to the Wise	54	(1)
Summary	54	(5)
PART 2 BUSINESS STYLE	59	(42)
CHAPTER 6 Business Style	59	(12)
What Is Style in Writing?	59	(1)
Style and Substance	60	(2)
Three Levels of Style	60	(1)
Examples of Business Writing Style	61	(1)
Selecting a Writing Style	62	(1)
Write Clearly	62	(2)
Write Clearly by Using the Active Voice	62	(1)
Write Clearly by Using Emphasis	63	(1)
Write Clearly by Using Strong Verbs	64	(1)
Write Concisely	64	(3)
Delete Redundant Words and Phrases	64	(1)
Delete Stock Phrases	65	(1)
Revise Sentences That Start with Expletives	66	(1)
Combine Sentences That Repeat Information	67	(1)
Write Coherently	67	(2)
Sentence Sense	69	(1)
Style and Punctuation	69	(1)
Style Wars	70	(1)
Summary	70	(1)
CHAPTER 7 Selecting Words that Work	71	(11)
What Is Diction?	71	(1)
Selecting Words	72	(1)
Use Precise Words	72	(1)
Use Appropriate Words	72	(2)
Use Familiar Words	74	(5)
Avoid Doublespeak	74	(1)
Avoid Inflated Language	75	(2)
Avoid Jargon	77	(1)
Avoid Bureaucratic Language	77	(1)
Avoid Buzzwords	78	(1)
Check-Up	78	(1)
Use Nonbiased Language	79	(2)
A Note on the Third-Person Indefinite Pronoun	80	(1)
Summary	81	(1)
CHAPTER 8 Intercultural Communication	82	(6)
The Changing Face of Business	82	(1)
Business Trends and Intercultural Interplay	83	(1)
Accepting Different Values and Traditions	84	(1)
Business Writing and Cultural Difference	85	(2)
Checklist	87	(1)
Summary	87	(1)
CHAPTER 9 Document Design	88	(13)
Stack the Deck	88	(2)
Letter Perfect	90	(1)
Use Headings to Direct the Reader's Eye	90	(2)
Use Typefaces Effectively	92	(1)
Use White Space	93	(1)
Use Lists	94	(1)
Use Margins	94	(1)
Arrange Information to Advantage	95	(1)
Use Visuals, Clip Art, and Color	96	(1)
Consider Cultural Expectations	96	(1)
The Proof Is in the Pudding	97	(1)
Summary	97	(4)
PART 3 COMMONLY USED DOCUMENTS	101	(66)
CHAPTER 10 Letter Perfect (Resumes and Cover Letters)	101	(16)
What's a Resume and Why Do I Need One?	101	(1)
Types of Resumes	101	(7)
Work History Resume	101	(3)
Functional (Skills) Resume	104	(4)
Advertisements for Myself	108	(4)
The Cover Letter	112	(4)
Cover Letters vs. Resumes	112	(1)
How to Write a Winning Cover Letter	113	(1)
Get the Scoop!	113	(1)
Last Licks	114	(2)
Thank-You Notes	116	(1)
Summary	116	(1)
CHAPTER 11 Persuasive Messages: Performance Appraisals and Letters of Recommendation	117	(10)
See It My Way: Persuasive Messages	117	(1)
When the Audience Is on Your Side	118	(1)
When the Audience Isn't on Your Side	119	(2)
Performance Appraisals	121	(4)
Letters of Recommendation	125	(1)
Summary	126	(1)
CHAPTER 12 Persuasive Messages: Flyers, Brochures, Press Releases	127	(8)
Planning a Flyer	127	(3)
What's a Flyer?	127	(1)
Come Flyer with Me	128	(2)
Planning a Brochure	130	(1)
Press Releases	130	(4)
Press the Flesh	132	(1)
The Whole Kit and Caboodle: A Press Kit	133	(1)
Summary	134	(1)
CHAPTER 13 The Art of the Memorable Memo	135	(6)
Memo Madness	135	(1)
How to Write an Effective Memo	136	(2)
Form and Function	138	(2)
Political Considerations	140	(1)
Summary	140	(1)
CHAPTER 14 E-mail and Business Letters	141	(12)
The Wave of the Future	141	(1)
Writing E-Mail	142	(1)
Mind Your Manners: Netiquette	143	(5)
Writing Business Letters	148	(4)
General Format Guidelines	149	(1)
General Content Guidelines	150	(1)
Sample Business Letters	150	(2)
Summary	152	(1)
CHAPTER 15 Business Reports	153	(14)
What Is a Report?	153	(1)
Define the Problem	154	(1)
Write a Thesis Statement	154	(1)
Plan a Proposal	154	(1)
Conduct Research	155	(4)
Basic Search Strategy	156	(1)
Checklist of Sources	157	(1)
Computerized Databases	157	(1)
Government Documents	158	(1)
Surveys	158	(1)
Interpret the Data	159	(1)
Organize the Information	159	(1)
Write the Report	160	(1)
Report Style	161	(1)
Report Presentation	162	(1)
Model Report	163	(1)
Summary	163	(4)
PART 4 GRAMMAR.COM	167	(50)
CHAPTER 16 Common Usage Issues	167	(11)
Follow the Rules	167	(1)
Walk This Way	168	(7)
Shape Up!	175	(1)
Use a Checklist	176	(1)
Summary	177	(1)
CHAPTER 17 Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Glossary	178	(16)
CHAPTER 18 Phrases and Clauses	194	(9)
What's a Phrase?	194	(1)
Prepositional Phrases	195	(1)
Adjective Phrases	195	(1)
Adverb Phrases	195	(1)
Verbal Phrases	196	(1)
Gerund Phrases	196	(1)
Infinitive Phrases	196	(1)
Participle Phrases	196	(1)
Appositive Phrases	197	(1)
Using Phrases to Improve Your Writing	197	(1)
What's a Clause?	198	(1)
Dependent Clauses	199	(2)
Adverb Clauses	199	(1)
Adjective Clauses	200	(1)
Relative Clauses	200	(1)
Noun Clauses	201	(1)
Independent Clauses	201	(1)
Summary	202	(1)
CHAPTER 19 Sentences	203	(14)
What Is a Sentence?	203	(1)
Finding Subjects and Verbs	204	(1)
Sentences that Start with Here or There	204	(1)
Sentence Structure	204	(4)
Simple Sentences	205	(1)
Compound Sentences	206	(1)
Complex Sentences	207	(1)
Compound-Complex Sentences	208	(1)
Crafting Your Style	208	(1)
Sentence Functions	209	(1)
Sentence Errors	210	(3)
Fragments	210	(1)
Run-Ons and Comma Splices	211	(2)
Summary	213	(4)
PART 5 TOOLS OF THE TRADE	217	(56)
CHAPTER 20 The Power of Punctuation	217	(11)
The Period	217	(2)
The Question Mark	219	(1)
The Exclamation Mark	219	(1)
The Comma	219	(3)
Notes on Numbering	222	(1)
The Semicolon	222	(1)
The Colon	223	(1)
Note on Punctuation and Spacing	224	(1)
Quotation Marks	224	(1)
The Hyphen, the Dash, and Ellipses	224	(1)
Parentheses and Brackets	225	(1)
The Apostrophe	226	(1)
Summary	227	(1)
CHAPTER 21 Abbreviations, Capitalization, and Numbers	228	(9)
Abbreviations	228	(4)
Abbreviate Names and Titles	228	(2)
Abbreviate Time and Dates	230	(1)
Abbreviate Geographical Terms	231	(1)
Abbreviate Measurements	232	(1)
Capitalization	232	(3)
Capitalize Names and Titles	232	(2)
Capitalize Sentences	234	(1)
Capitalize Geographical Places	234	(1)
Miscellaneous	234	(1)
Numbers	235	(1)
Summary	236	(1)
CHAPTER 22 Spelling Matters	237	(13)
Spelling Rules	237	(2)
Contractions	239	(1)
Possessives	240	(1)
Plurals	240	(3)
Pronunciation	243	(2)
Scrambled Letters	245	(1)
Easily Confused Words	246	(3)
Summary	249	(1)
CHAPTER 23 Building a Powerful Vocabulary	250	(16)
Understand a Word's Unstated Meaning: Denotation and Connotation	251	(1)
Create Mnemonics	251	(1)
Learn Prefixes	251	(3)
Greek Prefixes	251	(1)
Latin Prefixes	252	(1)
You Can Count on It	253	(1)
Learn Roots	254	(2)
Root Rules	254	(1)
Greek Roots	255	(1)
Latin Roots	255	(1)
Learn Suffixes	256	(2)
Use Context Clues	258	(1)
Leam Terms from Other Languages	259	(3)
English Words from French	260	(1)
English Words from Spanish	260	(1)
English Words from Italian	261	(1)
English Words from Arabic, Indian, and Iranian	261	(1)
Created Words	262	(1)
Learn Professional Words	262	(3)
Words from Computer Technology	263	(1)
Words from Engineering	263	(1)
Words from Law	264	(1)
Use Newly Learned Words in Your Conversation and Writing	265	(1)
Summary	265	(1)
CHAPTER 24 Further Help	266	(7)
Print Dictionaries	266	(4)
Specialized Dictionaries	267	(1)
Using a Dictionary	267	(3)
Spell-Check Programs	270	(1)
Thesauruses	271	(1)
Style-Check Programs	271	(1)
Summary	272	(1)
Index	273