Technical Writing for University of Nevada, Reno Students

Understanding MGT 321

Presentation developed by the University Writing Center

Biggest Issues

• Audience Awareness• Length• Format• Compliance with Teacher Requirements

Primary Audience

• Organization• Diction• Content

Organization

• Direct Organization• Indirect Organization• Organization by Importance• Logical Organization

Direct Organization

• Giving good news• Answering routine questions or requests• Giving news that won’t create emotional

response• When the reader would prefer it

Indirect Organization

• Refusing someone who expects a “yes”• Persuading someone• When the reader would prefer it

Avoid Misleading Buffers

• Ex: If you’re refusing to do a live demonstration at a customer’s store during their anniversary sale, don’t start with, “Your tenth anniversary sale would be a great opportunity for us to promote our products.”

Organization by Importance

To Convince:• Choose arguments• Place most compelling first• Place second-most compelling last

Organization by Importance

To Inform:• Most important to least

Logical Organization

• Alphabetical• Reverse-Alphabetical• Numerical Ascending• Numerical Descending• Chronological• Order presented by reader

Diction

• Jargon• Forms of “not”• Use of “I”• Accusatory use of “you”• Negative Phrasing• Clichés

Jargon

• Avoid defining words that your audience would absolutely know, even if they’re an abbreviation

Use of “I”

Make the reader the focus:Instead of “I apologize for the delay in delivering

your letter,” “We have enjoyed serving your delivery needs.”

“YOU”

• Not: “I delivered this letter to you sometime in the early afternoon on December 3. Although you promised to deliver it by 3 p.m. the next day, you failed to do so.”

Quoted from page 191 of Contemporary Business Communication by Scot Ober

“YOU”

• Instead: “As shown on the enclosed copy of my receipt, I delivered this letter to UPS at 3:30 p.m. on December 3. According to the sign displayed in the office, any package received by 4 p.m. is guaranteed to arrive by 3 p.m. the following business day.”

Quoted from page 191 of Contemporary Business Communication by Scot Ober

Negative Language

Instead of: “We cannot process your order until we receive form 32a.”

Use: “Fill out form 32a, found on page 56 of the catalogue, and submit it to the address listed on the form so we can process your order as soon as possible.”

Content

• Choice of argument• Explanation of benefit• Direct indication of desired response

Never

• Apologize• Make unrealistic promises• Place blame• Voice an opinion• Have unnecessary introductions• Have unnecessary explanations• Imply you may not have covered a key point• Refer to the bad news a second time

Memo Format

• No salutation• No valediction• Bullet-points• Short, to-the point paragraphs• Ideally 1 page• 2 pages at most

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