Phoenix Consultants Training 1
Sharpen Your Business Sharpen Your Business Writing Skills Writing Skills
Instructor: Ron Macklin
Session One
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Instructor QualificationsInstructor Qualifications
Technical Writer/Illustrator Published Author (2 books & 125 articles ) Sound-View Summaries (3 years) Director, Visual Communications & Distribution
Services (Motorola, Inc.) Communications Consultant to Motorola, IBM,
Xerox, Weyco, Boeing, City of Los Angeles, City of Scottsdale, Mayo Clinic, Pennzoil, Sun Kist Growers, Giant Foods and many others.
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IntroductionsIntroductions
Please tell us a little about yourself and your employer………
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George Orwell said,George Orwell said,
“Good writing is like a windowpane.”
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How do you feel about How do you feel about writing?writing?
Do you write just enough to hate it or do you write enough to really like doing it?
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RememberRemember
It doesn’t matter how your writing starts out; what matters is how it ends up.
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Remember This When Remember This When WritingWriting
50% of the U.S. population reads below an 8th grade level and about 90 million adults are functionally illiterate
Because of this problem, U.S. companies lose $60 billion annually in lost productivity
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Your Reason for Your Reason for Attending?Attending?
Have two questions for each of you….
What motivated you to take this class?
What would you like to take away?
Please, don’t be bashful……
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FactFactOver 60 million people, in this country, write as part of their jobs
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What we are What we are NOTNOT going to going to do in this class…..do in this class…..
Teach Rocket Science or Brain SurgeryEmbarrass anyone.Ask you do do anything you cannot do.Send you away without something you can
use everyday.
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We are going to build We are going to build on…..on…..
What you’ve already learned in other writing classes
Your life experienceYour considerable ability to adjust your
thinkingYour established style of writing at this
moment in time
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What you learn todayWhat you learn today
You will put to use tomorrowYou will adjust to any topicWill help you write in a way that anyone
can understandWill help you deliver information to readers
in a manner adapted to their needs, level of understanding, and background
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Take a Look at some Take a Look at some Materials Available to Materials Available to
You……You…… The Elements of Style
The Elements of Grammar
The Elements of Editing
Can order on Amazon.Com or buy at Barnes and Noble
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What we What we ARE ARE going to do in going to do in this class…..this class…..
Teach you to identify, evaluate and organize pertinent information.
Teach you to write like you speak.Teach you to assemble pertinent data into
meaningful communication.Teach you to have confidence in your
ability to communicate difficult concepts and ideas.
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In Other Words……In Other Words……
We are going to use SKILLS, not FRILLS!
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The Skills Needed to….The Skills Needed to….
Write energized documents that have the desired impact on your readers
Provide the strategy and resources to write clear, accurate, and logical documents
Show respect for your readerTo write with a positive attitude, not
with arrogance
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Some Interesting FactsSome Interesting Facts
Most of us spend 14% of our business day writing
20% of our message content is misunderstood by the receiver
20% of what we write shouldn’t have been written at all
We should write to express, not to impress
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John Dryden said,John Dryden said,
“Learn to write well, or not to write at all.”
English Poet (1631-1700)
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A Formula for SuccessA Formula for Success
E x Kh = R
Energy times Know -How equals Results
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A Good Place to Begin…A Good Place to Begin…
In any class that requires one to arrange and evaluate information…(Outlining)
We like to start with a sure-fire, easy-to-remember, way of doing that…
It is a useful and easy to remember analogy…..(for those of you who play cards)
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Poker Chip AnalogyPoker Chip Analogy
During this Class please think in values…(A simple form of outlining)
Blue Chips Red Chips White Chips
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BLUEBLUE CHIPSCHIPSThe Blue Chip ideas are of the highest in
value they will represent…..
MAJOR POINTS OR IDEAS
Usually the first sentence in every paragraph
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RED RED CHIPSCHIPSThe Red Chips are Secondary in value they will
represent……
SUBORDINATE POINTS OR IDEAS
Sentences directly supporting the main thought in the first sentence
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WHITE CHIPSWHITE CHIPS
The White Chips are Tertiary in value they will represent……
Reinforcing Points or Ideas
Additional sentences reinforcing the main and subordinate thoughts
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IN ALL YOUR IN ALL YOUR COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATION
Categorize the material to be presented in these values:
BLUE, Major points
RED, Subordinate points
WHITE, Supporting points
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EXAMPLE IN EXAMPLE IN COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATION
When communicating we must deal with
PEOPLE
THIS WILL BE OUR BLUE CHIP
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BLUEBLUE CHIP is When CHIP is When communicating we must communicating we must
deal with PEOPLEdeal with PEOPLESUBORDINATE IDEASWhen dealing with people there are two basic steps
to be used:Step 1 is to Ask the Three People Questions.Step 2 is to Use Motivators.
THESE TWO BASIC STEPS ARE RED CHIPS
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REDRED CHIPS are The two CHIPS are The two basic steps to be usedbasic steps to be used
SUPPORTING MATERIAL
In step One, The Three People Questions are:
1. What is your purpose?
2. Who is involved?
3. What do they want?
THESE POINTS ARE WHITE CHIPS
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WHITEWHITE CHIPS CONTINUED CHIPS CONTINUED
ADDITIONAL SUPPORTING MATERIALIn step Two, The Motivators are:Catch and Hold Their AttentionShow Them the Way
THESE POINTS ARE WHITE CHIPS
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ReviewReviewBlue Chip = Main thought. First sentence in
paragraphRed Chip = Sentences supporting the main
thought or sentenceWhite Chip = Additional reinforcing
sentences needed in the development of the main thought
All these make up a paragraph
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Remember The Poker Remember The Poker ChipsChips
They will serve you well in your efforts to evaluate the data used to communicate with other people; whether you are writing or speaking.
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The Principles of Business The Principles of Business WritingWriting
Organizing IdeasEvaluate and Organize DataGenerating Content
Organizing and Presenting Data to fit the Needs of Your Audience
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What’s involved?What’s involved? Thinking logically (creating a ‘block’ of ideas) Turning the ‘block’ into a document Being clear, concise, & understandable in a way
that’s appropriate for a specific audience Reviewing Written Communications and their
formats to ensure accuracy Creating a Rapport with Words & Phrases
(clarity and precision) Developing the ability to “translate” information
for non-specialists
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What’s involved What’s involved (continued)(continued)
Define unfamiliar termsAvoid jargon and acronyms (where
possible)Use the proper voice in writingBe as specific and simple as possibleUse present tense most of the timeCondense, condense, condense
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What is involved (continued)What is involved (continued)
Use past tense only to describe things already done
Be quantitative (avoid using “a lot”, “very”, “much”, and “significantly”
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Have Clarity & Precision Have Clarity & Precision When Writing:When Writing:
DefinitionsDescriptionsNarrativesInstructionsProceduresLettersE-mail
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What is a Definition?What is a Definition?
Explanations or MeaningsAn act of DeterminingStatement Expressing the Essential Nature
of SomethingDescribing, Explaining, or Making Definite
& Clear
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What is a Description?What is a Description?
To Give a Mental Image of Something Experienced
A Descriptive Statement or AccountDescription means the presentation of
physical, quantifiable details about some object (those you can count or measure)
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Physical Details Include:Physical Details Include:
Color, Shape, Size, Texture, Materials of construction, Ingredients, Weight, Height, Width, Depth, and so on
The best way to present this physical, quantifiable detail is the Part-by-Part Approach
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What is a Narrative?What is a Narrative?
A StorySomething That is Narrated
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What are Instructions?What are Instructions?
A PreceptA Direction Calling for ComplianceAn Outline or Manual of Technical
ProcedureDirectionsThe Action, Practice, or Profession of
Teaching
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What is a Procedure?What is a Procedure?
A Particular Way of Accomplishing Something or of Acting
A ProtocolA Series of Steps Followed in a
Regular Definite Order
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What is a Business Letter?What is a Business Letter?
Simply stated, “A Business Letter is a written message.”
Its purpose is to communicate with or for an institution or company
Or to establish a record of some transaction
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What is a Business E-Mail?What is a Business E-Mail?
An electronic Letter or MemoThey should be written with as much
concern as a business letterThey should reflect good Grammar and
Spelling They are a reflection of your ability and
attention to detail
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What’s Good and What’s What’s Good and What’s Bad?Bad?
Good or Bad?The manager and myself conducted the meeting.
Bad!
Should be: My manager and I conducted the meeting. Or, My manager and I myself conducted the
meeting.
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What’s Good and What’s What’s Good and What’s Bad?Bad?
Good or Bad?Between you and I, the profitability looks good.
Bad!
Should be:
Between you and me, the profitability looks good.
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What’s Good and What’s What’s Good and What’s Bad?Bad?
Good or Bad?All employee’s raises will be announced at the end
of the month.
Bad! (Incorrect)
Should be: All employees’ raises will be announced at the end
of the month.
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What’s Good and What’s What’s Good and What’s Bad?Bad?
Good or Bad?The company will lose some of its work force this
year and will conduct meetings to discuss retirement. This is due to normal attrition.
Bad! (Incorrect)
Second sentence should be: The loss of employees is due to normal attrition.
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What’s Good and What’s What’s Good and What’s Bad?Bad?
Good or Bad?The procedures manual is written in a
passive style.
Good!
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What’s Good and What’s What’s Good and What’s Bad?Bad?
Good or Bad?Everybody is entitled to their own opinion.
Bad!Should be:
Everybody is entitled to his or her own opinion. Or, All persons are entitled to their own opinions.
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Let’s talk about….Let’s talk about….
Brevity and Conciseness
(Review Manual)
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I Have a Question for I Have a Question for You…..You…..
Can you tell me the shortest complete sentence in the English Language?
“GO”
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Another Question for Another Question for You….You….
What three parts make up every presentation written or otherwise?
1. Introduction
2. Body
3. Conclusion
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Another Question for Another Question for You….You….
Is it permissible to use other people’s ideas in your writing?
Think about it….
Yes! If you give them appropriate credit
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John Burke saidJohn Burke said
“If you steal from one author, it’s plagiarism. If you steal from two, it’s research.”
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What is Plagiarism?What is Plagiarism?
Plagiarism is defined in the Ohio University Student Handbook as “presenting the ideas or writing of someone else as one’s own”.
It’s a form of theft and could be punishable by law
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Let’s Move on to a more Let’s Move on to a more pleasant subject………pleasant subject………
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An Example of Clarity in An Example of Clarity in Writing……..Writing……..
Which would you prefer? This:
Objective consideration of contemporary phenomena compels the conclusion that success or failure in competitive activities exhibits no tendency to be commensurate with innate capacity, but that a considerable element of the unpredictable must inevitably be taken into account.
(George Orwell’s translation into bureaucratic fuzz)
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Or This:Or This:
I returned to see under the Sun that the swift do not have the race, nor the mighty ones the battle, nor do the wise also have the food, nor the understanding ones also have the riches, nor do even those having knowledge have the favor; because time and unforseen occurance befall them all.
(The actual scripture at Ecclesiastes 9:11)
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Or What about this……Or What about this……
It doesn’t matter if you’re fast, mighty, rich, or smart, we’re all victims of time and chance.
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SOME OTHERSOME OTHER EXAMPLES………EXAMPLES………
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Check This Out……Check This Out……
This unequivocal expostulation stated herein is an extremity on my behalf, warranted by an incessant lackadaisical attitude on the part of a specific second party herewith being addressed, concerning the issue of insufficient, irregular, erratic, and unresponsive correspondence extenuatingly condoned on the part of the same aforementioned party.
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In Brief…..In Brief…..
Write
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Clarity in Writing…..Clarity in Writing…..
Will help to get your document read
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Different Words have Different Words have Different MeaningsDifferent Meanings
Strike To a baseball player……..
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Different Words have Different Words have Different MeaningsDifferent Meanings
Strike To a fisherman…….
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Different Words have Different Words have Different MeaningsDifferent Meanings
Strike To a union worker……
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Different Words have Different Words have Different MeaningsDifferent Meanings
Strike To a bowler…….
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Different Words have Different Words have Different MeaningsDifferent Meanings
Strike To a miner……..
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Let’s Go Let’s Go Further……..Further……..
Using the principles we have covered so far
Let’s get a little more detailed
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Let’s Get a Little More Let’s Get a Little More InvolvedInvolved
Do another exercise with a little more detail than the previous two
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Aristotle said this:Aristotle said this:
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a
habit.”
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