Effective Business Writing

1/17/2012

Grammar & Punctuation  Logic

 Organization

Writing Style ("Voice")

 High priority/importance to low priority  Problem, then Causes, then Solutions

 Cause, then effect

 Reasons for, followed by reasons against  Compare then contrast

 Simple to complex

 Chronological sequence

 Should be easy to write if the rest of the paper is solid.

 Summarize and solidify the argument, not just one or the other!

 Should be able to read just the introduction and the conclusion and get the point of the paper.

 State an argument or solution clearly and concisely.  Provide the main objectives.

 Create curiosity and interest.

 Identify the primary compelling support.

 Write the introduction last!

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Fact – Knowledge or information based on real occurrences

Inference – The act or process of deriving logical conclusions from premises known or assumed to be true.

Thesis - A proposition that is maintained by arguments.

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 Facts Inferences

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Facts & inferences overall

Thesis

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1/17/2012

 Clear, precise writing; no extraneous information

 Easy to understand -- uses common words,

provides "bite size" pieces of information

 Well-defined topic or argument

 Strong supporting details

› Good reasoning

› All details point to the same conclusion

 Identify all arguments for the topic.

 Rate each in terms of criticality.

 Choose only the most important, and sort them.

 Be specific with the facts & use them to draw appropriate inferences.

 Beware of drawing conclusions