Effective Communication Tool

8/8/2019 Effective Communication Tool

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Writing Skills



It is a learnt skill and,



Most common ways to communicate

Writing



Communication Goals

To change behavior

To get action

To ensure understandingTo persuade

To get and give

Inf ormation

Source: CGAP Direct



Critical success factor f or life

Themajority of your perceived

ability comes from how you

communicate

70% How youcommunicate it

30% What you know

Source: CGAP Direct



Writing is both Science & Art

Make Beginning

±Why are we writing?

±Who

is the au

dience? ±What is the purpose of this message?

±Whom do we want to influence?

±What result/results or action/

actions do we want in return?

±How should we communicate?

±what f orm of written communication

should we adopt?



ABC Hallmark

Accuracy-Accuracy, Appropriateness, Attentiveness

to your audience and avoidance of any kind of

am

bigu

ity.

Brevity or conciseness, brightness or buoyancy

Correctness (of usage and grammar),clarity,

consistency and concreteness



Six Principles of Clear Writing

Prefer clear,

Familiar words

Keepmost

sentences short &

simple

Prefer active voice

verbs, avoid passives

Get people into

writing

Use a conversation

style

Gather all the

inf ormations bef ore

you start writing



Make your writingmore effectiveSeven Cs of effective writing:

Correctness Use the correct level of language

Include only accurate facts, figures, data & words Maintain acceptable writingmechanics

Choose only inclusinve expressions

Apply all other pertinent C qualities to your writing

Conciseness:

Omit trite expressions

Avoid unnecessary repetition and wordy statements

Include only relevant facts, statements and ideas

Organize effectively



ar y

Choose short,familiar,conversational words

Construct effective sentences and paragraphsAchieve appropriate readability

Include examples,illustrations and other visual aids,when desirable.

Preclude any possiblemisinterpretation/ambiguityCompleteness:

Answer all questions asked and /or otherwisenecessary

Give something extra when and where desirableCheck f or the five Ws i.e. What, Who, Where, When

and Why-how comes last in the list

State if there are any other essentals



Concreteness:

Use specific facts & figures

Substantiate with examples supporting what you say

Put action in your verbs

Choose vivid, image-building words

Consideration

Focus on YOU instead of I and WE

Sow reader-benefit, or interest in reader

Emphasize the positive , pleasant facts

Apply integrity to your message



Courtesy

Observe politeness in your writing

Be sincerely tactf

u

l, thou

ghtf u

l and appreciativeOmit expressions that irritate , hurt or belittle

Grant and apologize with the genuineness

Answer yourmail promptly



INVERTED PYRAMID SEQUENCE WRITINGINVERTED PYRAMID SEQUENCE WRITING

TheMain Point FirstTheMain Point First

Support Points NextSupport Points Next

Significant Evidence/Significant Evidence/

Inf ormationInf ormation Relevant data/detailsRelevant data/details

Analysis / ConclusionAnalysis / Conclusion

Action requestedAction requested

Response desiredResponse desired

ANSWER Before EXPLANATION, REQUEST Before REASONS

SUMMARY Before DETAILS, CONCLUSION Before DISCUSSION

GENERAL STATEMENT Before SPECIFIC STATEMENTS/REQUEST



DIAMOND SEQUENCE WRITINGDIAMOND SEQUENCE WRITING

Preliminary/IntroductoryPreliminary/IntroductoryInf ormationInf ormation

Main Point / Purpose of Main Point / Purpose of

CommunicationCommunication

Supplementary PointsSupplementary Points

Supporting Inf ormation/ dataSupporting Inf ormation/ dataand detailsand details

Alternatives & AnalysisAlternatives & Analysis

Solution(s)/Conclusion(s)Solution(s)/Conclusion(s)REASONS Before REQUEST(S), DETAILS Before SUMMARY BACKGROUND Before CONCLUSION, EXPLANATION Before ANSWER



CLIMAX ORDER WRITINGCLIMAX ORDER WRITING

INTRODUCTORYINTRODUCTORYIDEAIDEA

SUPPORTINGSUPPORTINGIDEASIDEAS

MAIN IDEAMAIN IDEA

IntroductoryIdea

Supporting

Ideas

Main Idea



Art of Business CommunicationFine-sounding Phrases: e.g. pompous synonyms sometimes take f orm of fine-sounding phrases:

Afford an opportunity Afford an opportunity enable, Letenable, Let

At the present time At the present time nownow

Come to an agreementCome to an agreement agreeagree

For the purpose of For the purpose of for for

Give consideration toGive consideration to consider consider

In spite of the fact thatIn spite of the fact that although, even thoughalthough, even though

There can be no doubt thatThere can be no doubt that clearly, no doubtclearly, no doubt

With the exception of With the exception of exceptexcept

in the event thatin the event that if if



Be Direct

Transmitmaximum inf ormation usingminimum words Avoid verbosity. No dead-wood phrases should be used.

Some Illustrations:

Verbose Direct

This is to thank you Thank you

Enclosed herewith please find Enclosed

In view of the fact that Because

In themajority of instances Usually

For themonth of December For December

By reason of the fact that Because



Word Choice and Use

VerboseEach and every

For the reason that

In order to

In the event that

Let us hear from you in regardto

The undersigned

There is no doubt that

Direct

Each

Because

To

If

Write to us about

I

No doubtWastedWords:

Permit me to say; This is to advise; Please be advised that; On

consulting our records we find that«



Doublets sometimes wasted?

Later on

Absolutely free

Help and cooperation

Full and complete First and f oremost

Earnest and sincere

Thank and appreciate

Ready and willing

Repeat again

Reduce down Still remains

Opinion and belief

Erroneous CombinationsFirst began Very complete Very latest

K ind courtesy True facts Seldom ever

Past experience Repeat again Now ready



Sugge

ste

asie

r, simple

r and familiar words with the

same

me

aning

Momentarily

Attributable

Uncom

plicated Straightf orward

Consequently

Considerable

Af orementioned

Assistance

Notwithstanding

Communicati

o

n

Presently

Due

Easy, simple

Frank, open, direct

So, hence

Much, enough

Above, these Help

Despite

Message



Often phrases like esteemed favour enclosed herewith acknowledge receipt at hand even date etc.

negate f orce and clarity; and lackoriginality

An actual fact

Another one At all times

Both of them

Depreciate in value

In amost caref ulmanner

In the event that

In view of the fact

A fact

Another

Always

Both

Depreciate Caref ully

If

Since



Passive vs. Active VoicePassive vs. Active Voice

Passive voice, when overused, is weak The actor of the verb is hidden, so is responsibility

Usually requires a to be construction

Find yourself asking by whom or what?

Poland was invaded in 1939, thus initiating the Second World War.

Bu

t it can beu

sef u

l, if you

r to

pic do

esntrequire a specific acting agent

Insulin was first discovered in 1921 at the University of Toronto and is still the only treatment available for diabetes.

9/4/2009 COEGraduate Student Writing Studio 22



Proper case and person of pronouns

The student submitted their paper.

The student submitted his paper.

student is singular; theref ore, themodifying pronoun should

be singular.



Proper case and person of pronouns

Everyone submitted their own paper.

Everyone submitted his or her own paper.

everyone is singular; theref ore, the modifying pronoun should

be singular.

other words that are singular include: each, someone,

nobody, anybody.



The demonstrative pronoun This

typically requires a noun.

This is incorrect.

These were incorrect.

This what? These what?

± This statement is incorrect.

± These items were incorrect.



That and which

The book that I want is on the table.

The book, which I want, is on the table.

The use of which typically requires a comma.

The use of that does not typically require a

comma.



What is academic writing?

Academic writing refers to a particular style of

expression.



Characteristics include

A f ormal tone, use of the

third-person rather than

first-person perspective,

clear f ocus on the issue or

topic rather than the

au

tho

rso

pinio

n, andprecise word choice.



Writers

employing the

formal

academic style

avoid jargon,

slang, and

abbreviations.



Academic writing is f ormal

writing.Many novice writers

have trouble telling inf ormal

writing apart from f ormalwriting. They resort to

inf ormal writing, since its

easier and more familiar.



Characteristics of inf ormal writing

the use of colloquialisms and

jargo

n,writing in the firstperson ormaking Istatements,making

direct perso

nalstatements, andimprecise word

choices.



Just as you probably wouldnt

wear shorts and flip-flops

to a wedding, theres a timeand a place f or inf ormal

writing.

Inf ormal writing is fine f or

diary entries, blogs,

personal writing, letters or

emails to friends.



Themost inf ormal writing

imaginable is the text message,

f ull of abbreviations such as R

U here? to convey quick

questions and responses.

In comparison, the most f ormal

writing of all can be f ound in

legal documents.



F ormal writing:

Macbeths horrific choices cause him to lose

everything he holds dear: children, wife, friends,

crown and king.



The first statement is inf ormal. The writer speaks inthe first person, using the word I, and states anopinion. The slang term loser, is used, which isinappropriate in a f ormal context. They also uses

the contraction hes. If this were in the middle of a paragraph, it may be easier to understand to

whom

the au

tho

r is referring.

Taken as a simple statement, however, its

impossible to know whether the writer thinks his best friend, his dog,

or a rock star is a loser!



The second example uses an academic, f ormal style.Written in the third-person, the sentence omits

references to the writer and f ocuses on the issue.

Strong, specific adjectives like horrific convey the

authors view clearly without resorting to slang.

The use of the colon creates a strong, f ormal feel

when properly used here to introduce a list.



Good Guides

Assignment writing

A Visual Guide to Essay Writing



Need to know stuff

Access the JCU T&L Centre

Layouts (PG 50 Mariner)

How to find literature Referencing



Wheres the inf o ??

Library

On-line

JCU Data bases (turn on remote access)

Lectures

Text books

Tutorials

News

Newspapers

Everywhere!!!



What is plagiarism

Copying of

passages/text/work/

ideas without proper

acknowledgement of the

author. This includes

other st

udents w

ork.



Getting started

Find your time

Find your space

Discipline, self & others Brain storming, clustering,mind mapping

Free writing



Introduction What is the question?

Global view from the broad to

the narrow

Introduce the : Who

What

When

Where Why

How



The topic

Why is it being asked?

Is it multi layered?

Does it invite a largely factual response? Is it looking f or a particular stance such as argue or

critique?



Literature

Is it current?

Is the author a credible source?

Is the subject relevant? Clustering

References/endnote



Beginning

A quotation is it relevant

A question

An opinion An interesting fact

An irony or paradox

An analo

gy And anecdote



Body

Your paragraphs should flow

naturally into one another

and connections should be

made



Paragraphs

7-8 sentences

Each should be topic specific, preferably with an

intro

du

cto

ry sentence Each sentence state the content/context and then

some supporting example which is where the

references come in.

The last sentence concludes the paragraph and

moves to the next.



Transitional words

Joining words» Also, and, again, etc

Comparing words» Also, in comparison

Contracting words» Although, but, conversely, despite, even though, however

Positioning words» Above, adjacent to, below

Situation words» Bef ore, briefly, consequently, finally, first



Conclusions

Dont introduce anything new

Draw in the introduction

Demonstrate a conclusion or a lack of conclusion

Give the essay a sense of completeness

Leave a final impression



Revision

Links and gaps

Be ruthless

Read text out loud

Content revision does it answer thequestion?

Grammatical and presentation revision

Spelling!!!!! (American vs AustralianEnglish)



Edit

Another pair of eyes

Bottom line. You have to communicate with themarker you do not get to sit next to them.



Academic writing typically uses the third

person, except in direct quotations.

Use of the first person I is traditionally seen as a violation of the

quest f or objectivity. There are, however, exceptions, e.g.,

qualitative research reports. In any event, the first person should

not be overused.

Use of the second person (you) is invariably awkward in academic

writing.



Electronic communication has

become one of the most effective

ways of doing business. How

well e-mail messages are writteninfluence the success or failure

of your company.

Effective E Mail Writing



The four Parts of a business email

The Opening Tells the reader why you are writing

The Focus Tells the details about the topic

The Action Tells what you want to happen and gives a

time frame

The Closing Thank the reader and mention future

communication



Get right to the point

Don¶t use unnecessary words and phrases that distract

from the main idea of the email or may confuse the reader

The person reading your email does not have a lot of time to readyour email so you must make it as direct as possible.

Make the reason for writing the email clear

at the beginning and only add details thatare directly related to the topic of the email.



The subject of the email

Always write the subject of the email on the subject

line

Remember that business people often

receive hundreds of emails every day.If you don¶t write the subject in the

subject line the person receiving the

email might think it is SPAM or junk

email and delete the message. If the

subject isn¶t clear they might delete

the email as well, so make sure the

subject is direct-don¶t use too many

words.



© 2008 MMMTS All Rights Reserved.

Getting to the Point

Paragraphing:

± Short Sentences

± Short Paragraphs (2 to 5 sentences)

Creates white space

Q uicker to read

Engages the reader

± Opening Paragraph

Five Ws - Who?, What?, When?, Where?, & Why?




Use of Lists

Benefits of using lists:

± Writer organizes thoughts

± Reader sees main points

± Important points are not overlooked

Formatting a list:

± Use numbers or bullets

± Items should be parallel ± Capitalize the first word of each point

± Be consistent with punctuation




Tone

What kind of tone should I use with a negative

message?

When addressing faults or issues concerning an

individu

al,m

aintain a pro

fessio

nal to

ne that do

esnot attack the individual but that makes your

position on the issue clear.

Example:

Inco

rrect: I do

no

tu

nderstand why you

m

ade su

chdiscriminatory remarks.

Correct: Discriminatory remarks are not tolerated in

this organization.



You Attitude

I/ We: W e are issuing a

refund.

You: Y ou will receive a

refund.



Eliminating Sexist Language

Career Woman

Man and Wife

The Little Woman

CommonMan

BestMan f or the Job

Executives and their wives

Professional

Husband and Wife

Wife

Average Person

Best Person f or the Job

Executives and their spouses

(partners)



Avoid Negative Expressions

Writers are sometimes unaware of the hidden messages

that they send:

You state thatbut I dont believe you

You failed toyou are careless

You claim thatits probably untrue

I am rightyou do not understand

Your delayyou are at fault



Be Courteous

You must complete this report

bef ore Friday.

You

shou

ldo

rganize a car poo

lin this department.

Would you complete this report

bef ore Friday?

Organizing a car pool will reduce your

transportation costs and help

preserve the environment.



PHASE 2: Compose -Creating Forcef ul

Sentences Use the Active voice in most sentences: W e lost money.

Use the passive voice to de-emphasize the perf ormerand/or to be tactf ul: Money was lost by us.

Avoid dangling phrases: An autopsy revealed that thecause of death was strangulation by the coroner.

Emphasize important points

Putmain ideas first, using them as subjects

Put them in short sentences



PHASE 2: Compose - Drafting Effective

Paragraphs Discuss only one topic

± Group similar ideas together

± Start a new paragraph f or each new topic

Arrange sentences in one of three strategic f ormats

± Direct Plan: main sentence followed by supporting sentencesto define, classify, illustrate or describe

± Pivoting Plan: limiting sentences, main sentence, supportingsentences to compare or contrast

± Indirect Plan: supporting sentences, main sentence to explain

or persuade



Phase 2: Drafting Effective Paragraphs

Link ideas to build coherence

± Repeat idea or rephrase it

± Use a pronoun: these, this etc.

± Dovetail sentences

Use transitional expressions: additionally, however, as aresult, also, for example etc.

Compose short paragraphs: fewer than eight lines



PHASE 3: Revising f or Clarity

Keep it sim

ple Keep it conversational

Remove opening fillers

Eliminate redundancies

Redu

ce com

pou

nd prepo

sitio

ns Purge empty words

Kick the noun habit

Dump trite business phrases

Develo

p parallelism

Apply graphics

Measure readability



Revision Techniques

Keep it simple: avoid indirect pompous language

E.g. It would not be inadvisable f or you to affix your

signature at this point in time.

I.e. You may sign now.



Revision Techniques

Keep it conversational:

Formal: Our Accounting Department takes this

opportunity to inform you that we have credited your account with the aforementioned amount.

Conversational: W ere pleased to credit your

account for $100.



Revision Techniques Remove Opening Fillers

± Wordy: T here are four new menu items that we must promote.

± Improved:W e must promote four new menu items.

Eliminate Redundancies: collect together, contributing factor, personal opinion etc.

Reduce Compound Prepositions

± at such time, at which timewhen

± due to the fact that, inasmuch asbecause



Revision Techniques

Purge Empty Words

± As f or the field of athletic shoes, the degree of profits

sagged.

± This is to inf orm you that we have a toll-free service

line.



Revision Techniques

Kick the Noun Habit

Wordy:W e must conduct an investigation of all

parking violations before we can give

consideration to your fine.Improved: W e must investigate all parking

violations before we can consider your fine.



Revision Techniques Dump Trite Business Phrases

Wordy: Pursuant to your request, enclosed please find a jobapplication.

Improved: As requested, we have enclosed a job application.

Develop Parallelism: balanced construction

Not parallel: W e can collect information, store it, and later it can be updated.

Parallel: W e can collect, store and update information.



Revision Techniques

Apply Graphic Highlighting

± Letters, such as ( a) and ( b) within the text

± Numerals, like 1, 2 and 3 listed vertically

±

Bu

llets ± Headings using Print options

CAPITAL LETTERS

Underscores

Boldface

Italics

Font size



PHASE 3: Proofreading What to look

f or Spelling

Grammar

Punctuation Names and numbers

Format



Proofreading

Bloopersfrom church

http://my.homewithgod.com/mkcathy/humor/chur

chbloopers.html



How to Proofread Print a copypreferably double-spaced Set it aside f or a breather

Allow adequate time f or caref ul proofreading

Congratulate yourself when finding errors

Read the message at least twicef or meaning

and grammar/mechanics

Reduce reading speedf ocus on each word



PHASE 3: Evaluating the Outcome

How successf ul will this communication be?

Does themessage say what you want it to?

Will it achieve its purpose?

How will you know if it succeeds?

Did you obtain the intended feedback?

Effective Communication Tool

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