Summary
Business Writing That Works
We all know what good writing is. It’s the novel we can’t put down, the poem we never forgot, and the speech that changes the way we look at the world. Good writing is the memo that gets action and the letter that says what a phone call can’t.
In business writing, the language is concrete, the point of view is clear, and the points are well expressed. Good writing is hard work, and even the best writers get discouraged.
However, with practice you can feel more confident about your own writing. This course will give you the tools to become a better writer.
Completion of this course will earn 7.5 CPEs.
Introduction
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Learn the value of good written communication
• Learn how to write and proofread your work so it is clear, concise, complete, and correct
• Apply these skills in real world situations
• Understand the proper format for memos, letters, and e-mails
Outline
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Why Write?
- Becoming a Better Writer
- Communicating a Message
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Be Clear
- Choosing What to Say
- Removing the Noise
- Simplifying Sentences
- Clarify the Convolution
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Be Concise
- Writing Concisely
- Our Tightened Sentences
- Our Updated Language
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Be Complete
- Making Your Writing Complete
- Two Keys: Empathy and Flexibility
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Be Correct
- Common Writing Errors
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Word Agreement
- Making Words Agree
- Modifiers and Describers
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Active and Passive Voice
- Passive and Active Voice Examples
- Passive to Active
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Sentences and Sentence Types
- Breaking Down a Paragraph
- Reorganizing a Paragraph
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Readability Index
- Calculating the Index Automatically
- How Foggy Is My Writing?
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Manners and Courtesy
- Courtesy in Your Writing
- My Letter Writing Style
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Practical Language
- Word Usage Rules
- Using That and Which
- Playing with Language
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Inclusive Language
- Cheat Sheet
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Sentence Construction
- Parallel Construction
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Punctuation
- The Comma
- The Semi-Colon
- The Colon
- The Apostrophe
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Writing Business Letters
- Parts of a Business Letter
- Persuasion Letters
- Beginning Letters
- Expressions and Guidelines
- Strategies and Recommendations
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Writing Effective E-mails
- The Subject Line
- Formatting
- Attachments
- Spell Check
- Reply All
- Privacy
- Shorthand
- E-mail at Work
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Spelling and Proofreading
- Learning to Look
- Being a Good Proofreader
- Proofreading Practices
- Performance Article
- Identifying the Errors
- The Edited Article
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Writing Memos
- The Anatomy of a Memo
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Reviewing Your Writing
- Checking Back
- Reviewing the Checklist
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Writing Challenges
- Top Ten Writing Challenges
- Guidelines for Capitalization
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A Personal Action Plan
- Where I Want to Go
- How I Will Get There
Course Schedule
DATES
LOCATION
START
END
STATUS
**Indicates a course that is only a half day.