Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Preface
Introduction to Business and Professional Writing
PART I THE BASICS OF STRONG WRITING
Chapter 1 Plain Language
- Business Communication versus Academic Writing
- Plain Language
- Exercises
Chapter 2 The Seven Cs of Good Professional Communication
- Introduction
- 1. Clear
- 2. Concise
- 3. Concrete and Specific
- 4. Complete
- 5. Courteous
- 6. Coherent
- Exercise: Identifying Transitions
- 7. Constructive
- Conclusion
- Quiz on the Seven Cs
Chapter 3 The Eighth C: Learning Grammar Language
- Introduction
- Grammar Language
- Parts of Speech
- Sentences and Clauses
- Conjunctions
- Quiz on Sentences
- Clauses and Conjunctions Determine Punctuation
- Punctuation
- Review of Commas, Semicolons, and Colons
- Quiz on Punctuation
- Grammar Odds and Ends
- Quick Quiz
- Conclusion
- Quiz #1 on Grammar
- Quiz #2 on Grammar
- Quiz #3 on Clauses
Chapter 4 Copy-Editing
- Introduction: What Is Copy-Editing?
- Using Spellcheck
- Other Copy-Editing Tasks
- Copy-Editing Symbols
- Using a Word Processor for Copy-Editing
- Conclusion
- Copy-Editing Exercise
PART II DOCUMENT DESIGN
Chapter 5 Basic Document Design
- Introduction: The Importance of Good Document Design
- Modular Design
- Lists
- List Review
- Exercise on Lists
- Headings
- Headings Review
- Graphics
- Graphics Review
- Summing Up
Chapter 6 Formatting for Correspondence
- Introduction
- Memos and Emails
- Memo Exercise
- Letters
- Letter Exercise
- Correspondence Review
PART III CORRESPONDENCE
Chapter 7 Emails and Memos
- Introduction
- Emails and Memos
- Emails
- Memos
- Faxes and Scans
Chapter 8 Letters: Good News, Neutral, and Bad News
- Introduction
- Good-News and Neutral Letters
- Good-News and Neutral Letter Review
- Bad-News Letters
- Bad-News Letter Review
- Bad-News Letter Exercises
Chapter 9 Persuasive Letters
- Introduction
- Three Rhetorical Techniques
- AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action)
- Persuasive Communication Ethics
- Persuasive Letter Review
- Exercise
PART IV WRITING FOR A JOB
Chapter 10 Cover Letters
- Introduction
- The Cover Letter
- Conclusion
- Exercise
Chapter 11 Résumés
- Introduction
- Reverse Chronological Résumé
- Functional Résumé
- Combined Chronological and Functional Résumé
- Electronic or Scannable Résumé
- Conclusion
- Exercises
PART V PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
Chapter 12 News Releases
- Introduction
- News Releases
- Exercise
- Follow-Up Questions and Exercises
Chapter 13 Brochures
- Introduction
- Brochures Are AIDA Documents
- Conclusion
- Exercises
Chapter 14 Promotion on the Web
- Introduction
- Creating a Website
- Social Media
- Exercise
PART VI ORAL PRESENTATIONS
Chapter 15 Individual Oral Presentations
- Introduction
- Individual Presentations
- Individual Presentation Checklist
- Exercises
Chapter 16 Group Presentations
- Introduction
- Preparation
- Content
- Delivery
- Group Presentation Checklist
- Exercise
PART VII REPORTS
Chapter 17 Informal Reports
- Introduction
- Progress Reports
- Problem-Solving Reports
- Incident Reports
- Proposal Reports
- Conclusion
- Discussion Questions
- Exercises
Chapter 18 Formal Reports
- Introduction
- Formal Report Design
- Formal Report Formatting
- Formal Proposals
- Surveys
- Exercises on Surveys and Graphs
- Minutes
- Conclusion
- Formal Report Checklist
- Discussion Questions
- Exercise 1: A Formal Proposal Report
- Exercise 2: An Analytical Report
Chapter 19 Formal Proposal Report Example
Chapter 20 Formal Report Example
Appendix Answers to Exercises
- Introduction
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 6
- Chapter 8
- Chapter 12
Permissions Acknowledgements
Index
