Business Writing final

What is the goal of business communication?

To get the desired reaction from the audience (reciever) while building/maintaining goodwilll

Effective business writing addresses the 5 C’s of communication. List them:

Clear, complete, concise, correct, courteous

Except for courtesy, the 5 C’s are self explanitory, what does it mean to be courteous in business writing?

being receiver centered

why is analyzing your receiver so important to making your writing effective?

-will not build goodwill if the message is not receiver-centered

-You must analyze your receiver and adapt your communication to their expectations, needs/wants

what are the 3 main categories of business communication?

-internal, operational

-external-operational

-personal

what are the 3 steps in the writing process?

planning, drafting, revising

Is using “you” more often the only way to create a you-viewpoint?

NO

In addition to using “you” more often than other words, how can you create ‘you viewpoint/attitude?

be conversational, courteous, and accentuate the positive

should you always use you viewpoint?

no, avoid using it when it sounds harsh or you are blaming the receiver

what are the 3 levels of formality?

Formal, casual, informal

when choosing a level of formaility, what is the first thing you should consider?

receiver preference

-If unknown, consider the type of message, the relationship with the receiver, and the context

The textbook recommends four ways to be courteous; what are they?

be respectful and considerate

avoid blaming the receiver

avoid talking down on the receiver

do more than expected

what organizational plan is best for good/neutral messages?

General direct

why is using general direct plan appropriate for good messages?

you are expecting a positive response from receiver, so you can be direct in your communication message

What is the general outline for the general direct for good messages?

main idea, supporting details, goodwill ending

If you don’t know the preference of the receiver and are unsure of the anticipated reaction from the reciever, what is the best organizational plan to use for negative messages?

general indirect

why do we use general indirect for bad/negative messages?

• minimize negativitby

• to get the reader to react logically

• to protect the relationship

what is the outline for bad/negative messages?

buffer

reasons/explanation

bad news

alternative (optional)

goodwill ending

what makes a message persuasive?

The expectation that your receiver will be resistant and will require some convincing

what organizational plan is best for external persuasive requests?

general indirect

What is the outline for persuasive messages?

gain receivers attention and lead into the body (intro)

provide appeals that will motivate the receiver

make the persuasive request

what are the 3 types of appeals that can be used in a persuasive message?

logical (logos)

emotional (pathos)

character-based (ethos)

what is the purpose of an executive summary?

to summarize details from a longer document that will help the receiver achieve their “end game”

should personal pronouns be used in an executive summary?

NO, more formal