Identifying Readers by Craig Crumbly

Identifying your audience when speaking about a topic or writing about a topic is very important. Keeping the audience in mind can help one focus on what they are writing and to specifically get their point across. For example, an army recruiter would not speak to an elementary school about how important it is to join the army. The children are too young to understand what war is and too young fight for their country. When focusing on the readers you are trying to identify use the following questions for assistance:

1. Who is your audience
2. How many audiences do you have?
3. what does your audience need? What do they want?
4. What is most important to them?
5. What are they least likely to care about?
6. What do you want your audience to think, learn, or assume about you? What impression do you want your writing or research to convey?

Asking yourself these questions while preparing your speech or paper will help target the audience you intend to inform. In business it is important to identify proper readers so a company can move foward in a positive direction

Cited:

http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/audience.html

Tips for Organizing your Presentation Effectively - by Jonathan Koshko

Organizing and planning a presentation can be tricky. You have to make sure that the audience can clearly understand and comprehend what your views and ideas presented are. Here are a few tips to help you organize an effective presentation:


- Decide the purpose of your presentation. Are you trying to persuade, inform, entertain, inspire?

- Be precise, definite, and straightforward when wording your speech. Use transitions to help your audience understand your message clearly. They are also effective tools to keep your presentation flowing.

- Make sure to include an introduction, a body, and a conclusion; just like the structure of a written essay.

- Consider the points you want to make and pick the strongest points that support your purpose. Present them in an order that is unique and will allow the audience to remember the purpose of your presentation.

- Make sure to research your audience. You do not want to say something that can be taken offensively.



Oliu, Walter E., Charles T. Brusaw, and Gerald J. Alred. Writing that Works Communicating Effectively on the Job. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006.

Tips on How to be Persuasive in One’s Professional Writing by Eusebio Moreno.

“The purpose of persuasive writing is to ask your reader to agree with your position about the subject you are writing about. In doing so, you may be requesting from them to change their present opinion, working procedure or habits. The following tips can help you be persuasive in your professional writing:

1. To be persuasive, it is of critical importance to strive to keep your reader’s needs, as well as your own, clearly in mind.

2. It is important to acknowledge that people tend to resist change and in order to overcome this natural resistance to change, you’ll have to establish the need for your recommendations and support it with convincing, objective evidence.

3. Always address your audience with a respectful and courteous tone and language.

4. When writing to persuade your audience, do not overlook opposing points of view. Try to demonstrate the advantage of your viewpoint over those of others.

5. Finally, use the appropriate medium for communicating with your audience.” (Alfred, Brusaw and Oliu, p.71, 74)


Following this tips, can help you be persuasive in your professional writing.

Bibliography:
Alfred, Gerald J., Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu. Writing That Works Communicating Effectively on the Job. 3rd ed., Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007.

Instant Messaging at Work by Chris Hudak

Preparing for a Job Search - Kyle Ramos

Tips on Writing Effective Paragraphs By Jonathan Koshko

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Citations:

Oliu, Walter E., Charles T. Brusaw, and Gerald J. Alred. Writing that Works Communicating Effectively on the Job. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006.

Analyzing Your Audience by Zarah Boyer

When writing a work it is extremely important to consider your reader and analyze your audience. It is extremely important to consider their likes and dislikes, what motivates them, what kind of activities they enjoy and what they need or want in a work. These are just some of the thing to ask yourself when analyzing an audience. Audiences can be fickle and pleasing them can be very difficult because sometimes they don’t even know what they want. You must consider how to approach a topic, especially a sensitive one, or one that has great weight on society. It is hard to determine what they want but you can figure it out exactly what your audience wants and what points you want to get across by asking yourself a few simple questions.
· What is my purpose in writing this work?
· What action do I want my readers to take after reading it?
· Who are my readers?
· Is there a secondary audience?
· What do my readers know and how do they feel about the subject I’m addressing or the idea I’m proposing?
· Does my audience include international clients or colleagues? ( this one is EXTREMELY important because certain things in our culture may be very offensive to other cultures. For instance the color red in America may mean passion or power but in South Africa red is symbol of mourning.)

Asking yourself these questions will facilitate the analysis of your audience and further ensure the effectiveness of your writing.

Citations:

Oliu, Walter E., Charles T. Brusaw, and Gerald J. Alred. Writing that Works Communicating Effectively on the Job. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006.

The Role of Instant Messaging By Geoffrey Hart

Using Instant Messaging or IM is a great tool when it is used properly and by the right people. Instant messaging is much like a telephone call as it is live; however you communicate through typed words instead of spoken words. It also serves as real time e-mail because it allows you to communicate on a phone through this when you don’t have access to e-mail.

The use of instant messaging should be limited to informal situations and to cover brief conversations. When using instant messaging it is appropriate to use abbreviations and be informal in you conversation. However you still must always consider your audience and who you are talking to, make sure that everyone you are communicating with will understand your abbreviations and what you are talking about. Also since instant messaging has limited screen space messages should be brief and get right to the point of what you are trying to say, and also remember that speed is essential.

Citations:

Alfred, Gerald J., Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu. Writing That Works Communicating Effectively on the Job. 3rd ed., Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007.

Picture:

http://www.melovillareal.com/images/instant-messenger-skills-work-at-home.jpg

Creating and Delivering and Creating Effective Presentations by Colleen O'Hara

The main purpose of any presentation is communication. It’s educating, convincing, or conveying information to one or more people. To communicate effectively, you must be simple, crisp, and interesting. People are more willing to learn and retain knowledge when the learning is supported by visualization.

Visuals can entertain, excite, and even shock your audience by the proper addition of visual images into almost any exchange of information. Appearances that may be normally considered boring can be enhanced and more enjoyable that really grabs the attention of the audience. Simple, clear, concise images, that are smartly sprinkled with attention-grabbing graphics will help support your words in a positive manner.

Visuals should be used for support your information not replace it. Concepts that are difficult to grasp can be communicated quickly and easily through the use of visuals. They allow you the freedom to communicate more complex subjects in a more efficient manner, adding support and impact to what your trying to present.
Finally, your presentation should be entertaining. Leave the audience feeling enlightened and relaxed when they leave.

Key Steps in Effective Presentation

1. Know the Subject
While this may seem obvious, it is very important that you research every degree of your subject. Read and look up information about the subject with the specific purpose of writing a presentation. Your ability to present a subject with confidence, directly affects your audience's impressions and will help keep their attention.

2. Know the Audience
Researching the makeup of your audience will help you decide on what is appropriate for them or not. Knowing who you’re presenting to will also help you better understand how this information effects them and if it actually would appeal to them.

3. Know Your Limits
We all push our limits and willingly bite off more than we may be comfortable handle from time to time-- this is how we learn and grow. Knowing a few of your limits, however, might avert disaster, or at least embarrassment. Just because someone else can present a joke or situation to be funny doesn’t mean you can.

4. Develop a Theme
All presentations, regardless of their complexity, have a single purpose. Whether that purpose is to sell, educate, or to entertain always keep the purpose in mind.

5. Have a Script
For some, simple notes on 3 x 5 file cards with key points you want to make are very helpful. Make sure not to read from them the whole time. They are just for reference and to help your presentation flow. Any presentation script, regardless of density is like any other message. It should consist of an opening, body, summary and closing.

6. Select Proper Visual Aids
With the script developed and the audience researched, this decision should be easy. When properly planned, simple, well designed graphics add professionalism and impact to virtually any presentation.

7. Prepare an Outline
An outline does not have to be complicated to prepare. Its main purpose is to give a general view of the presentation and communicate the important items you wish to cover. It should include your script, what you plan on saying, and the visuals that go along with it. This will help you see the flow of your presentation.

8. Produce the Visuals
This should be the easiest step. After you have imagined what your visuals should be, it’s time to create them. Handouts and PowerPoint are very useful tools in displaying graphs, charts, and images. PowerPoint is sometimes the best way of showing a photograph or image to a large group of people. Handouts are best when you have graphs or something dealing with numbers that you wish your audience to keep for future reference.

9. Rehearse!
Your final script and outline allow you to rehearse your presentation even before the visuals are completed. This assures that when your final images are prepared and ready, you will be as well.

10. The Big Day

On the day of the presentation, you should arrive early to allow yourself enough time to set up. Have extra copies of the handout material nearby and make sure that if you use PowerPoint that it is showing on the overhead properly.
Remember to speak clearly and authoritative. A little humor, if tastefully added, can help break the tension of a moment. There should be no surprises. Make sure that the audience’s questions have been addressed, and of course, thank everyone for attending.

Citations

"The Key Steps To An Effective Presentation" byStephen Eggleston

http://www.the-eggman.com/writings/keystep1.html

Formal Reports by Eusebio Moreno.

“Formal reports are written accounts of major projects. Formal reports contain various components that make up the parts of the report.

1. Title Page. It includes the following information: (1) Full title of the report; (2) name (s) of the writers, (3) the date the report was issued, (4) the name of the organization for which the writer works, and (5) the name of the organization or person to which the report is submitted.

2. Table of Contents. Lists all the headings of the report in their order of appearance, along with their page number.

3. Abstract. Is a condensed version of a longer work that summarizes and highlights the major points.

4. Foreword. Is an optional introductory statement written by someone other than the author that generally provides background information about the publication’s significance and places it in the context of other works in the field.

5. Preface. Is an optional statement used to announce the purpose, background, or scope of the report.

6. Body. Is the section of the report that describes in detail the methods and procedures used to generate the report, demonstrates how results were obtained, describes the results, draws conclusions, and, if appropriate, makes recommendations. It includes the following:
a. An executive summary, that provides a more-complete overview of the report’s primary points.
b. An introduction, that provides your audience with any general information required to understand the details of the rest of the report.
c. The text (including headings, tables, illustrations, and references), it presents the details of how the topic was investigated, how the problem was solved, how the best choice from among alternatives was selected, or whatever else the report covers.
d. Conclusions, this section pulls together the results or findings presented in the report and interprets them in the light of its purpose and methods.
e. Recommendations, they suggest a course of action that should be taken based on the results of the study.

7. Works Cited (or References), this section cites the sources used to create the report.

Remember that the purpose, scope, and complexity of the project will determine which components will be included and how they are organized.” (Alfred, Brusaw and Oliu, p.372-397)

Bibliography:

Alfred, Gerald J., Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu. Writing That Works Communicating Effectively on the Job. 3rd ed., Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007.

Tips for Writing Effective Meeting Minutes By Craig Crumbly

Meetings in the workplace are a part of everyday life. Although meetings are not exciting, there are ways to making sure meetings are more efficient, which includes writing meeting minutes, or notes. When proper meeting minutes are not recorded, business associates tend to be lost and sometimes reschedule meetings with the same purpose which gets less accomplished. Make sure the minutes writting answer the following ten questions:

1. When was the meeting?
2. Who attended?
3. Who did not attend?
4. What topics were discussed?
5. What was decided?
6. What actions were agreed upon?
7. Who is to complete these actions?
8. Were materials distributed at the meeting?
9. Is there anything else the minute reader should do?
10. Is a follow-up meeting scheduled? if so, when?

By following these ten steps, confusion will be avoided and more productive and effective meetings will be produced.

Cited:

Lynn Gaertner-Johnston

http://www.businesswritingblog.com/business_writing/2006/01/tips_for_writin.html

Use of Graphics and Imaging Software in Professional Writing

A picture paints a thousand words- we've all heard it before and as cliche' as it sounds, it's true.  Professional writing is not just words and numbers, it's also graphics and images.  Graphics and images help demonstrate information.   Graphics should be used whenever information calls for it.  They can help illustrate a point or an idea.  A graphic may be used to show you the blue prints to a house or they can even be the instructions to building a model car.  Some graphics help show numerical data in the form of a plot.  These types of graphs would be used to show financial growth or decline in a business.  

Images can be incredibly powerful and compelling tools of communication.  They can convey not only information but also moods and emotions.  A few carefully chosen images can go a long way.  An image can can make or break the understanding of the reader of the message you're trying to share with them.  Basically, graphics and images simplify a situation so the reader can focus on the details.  

Citations:

"The use of graphics and imaging software ub professional writing" 

March 30, 2009 by Ryan Lee

Professional Writing Conferences 2009-2010 by Zarah Boyer

One of the great things about being involved in something is the ability to gather with your peers and discuss your common interest. The Council of Writing Program administrators allow professional writers to do this with a multitude of conferences and seminars throughout the year wear professional writing is discussed. They offer conferences throughout the year on different topics to provide a place where writing professional can share their knowledge with fellow writers and novice writers. One of the conferences they are holding this year is the 2009 Minneapolis Workshop and Conference Sneak Peak in which they will provide a workshop for writers and preview their upcoming events and conferences.

Some other conferences held by the CWPA are:

• The 2009 WPA Breakfast in San Fransisco


• The Quality Enhancement Plan in which discusses the Writing Solution.


• The Better Writers, Not Just Better Writing: Online Strategies to Support Writers in all Disciplines

Another group that is to hold professional writing conferences in 2009 and 2010 is the Association of Writers and Writing Programs. The AWP holds conferences from Boston to Denver to celebrate the years outstanding writing professionals and literary authorities.

These conferences provide a forum where writers can come together and discuss their craft and learn from other professionals in the field, which I believe is an important part of growing in your work.

Citations:

Council of Writing Program Administrators. 08 Apr. 2009 http://www.wpacouncil.org/frontpage.

"AWP- Conference." The Association of Writers & Writing Programs -- Serving Writers Since 1967. 08 Apr. 2009 .

Cover Letter Writing By Geoffrey Hart

Cover letter writing serves the purpose of identifying what you are sending in a short brief message. Cover letters are sent with formal reports, proposals, brochures, and other similar types of written work. A cover letter is also referred to as a transmittal letter as it provides you the writer with a record of when and who you sent the written work to.
In the cover letter you should include a short opening paragraph including what you are sending and what it is being sent for. If you include a second paragraph a short summary can be included as well as you can point out particular sections of concern to the reader. In the closing paragraph you should include acknowledgments and contact information for questions or concerns and convey that the material fulfill its purpose.
Examples of cover letters can be in many different forms of communication. An e-mail message included with an e-mailed attachment serves as a cover letter. A memo also serves as a cover letter within an organization. Cover letters are just for what they sound like, to cover the material included with it.

Works Cited:

Alfred, Gerald J., Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu. Writing That Works Communicating Effectively on the Job. 3rd ed., Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007.

Writing Effective Complaint Letters

Complaint letters are important because they bring an issue to the surface that is either bothering the employer or the employee. However, getting your point across in a precise and professional manner is crucial. Usually by the time you write the complaint letter you are already very upset and angry. You cannot let your emotions effect your letter. Three effective steps include:

1. Identifying the problem and including relevant information such as names, copies of receipts, and invoice numbers.

2. Explain clearly what went wrong.

3. Explain what you expect the reader to do to solve the problem.

Be Specific

One of the most important tips when writing an effective complaint letter is being specific. The more details you can provide about the situation the sooner the problem can be resolved. The more details you provide, the sooner the problem is likely to be resloved.

Alfred, Gerald J., Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu. Writing That Works Communicating Effectively on the Job. 3rd ed., Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007.

Finding and Attaining the Right Job

Finding the right job can be difficult and stressful. You'll need to be careful and thorough while searching for the right job. Begin your search by assessing your abilities and skills. For example, deciding whether you are a people person or not, is a skill you would question. Also, considering your morals and values and your career goals would be a good decider of which job you would be competent in. After taking into consideration all of the things that can play a factor in your job search, creating an effective resume is your next step. An effective resume is one that summarizes and highlights your skills, like whether you know how to use Microsoft Word or Power Point, your experience and the qualifications you have attained at other jobs, and by informing the employers of extracurricular activities and volunteer events that you participate in. After creating a perfect resume, there are a number of sources that can help you find the job you are looking for; web resources such as monster.com, advertisements, newspapers, networking, campus career services, and government employment agencies. After finding a couple of jobs that you are interested in, all you have to do is execute a striking and efficient interview. Interviews are used by employers in order to learn some facts about a possible employee. An interview can also be used for your benefit. You can ask the interviewer questions about the company and the job so that you can gain insight about what the job would be like if you were to get hired.

http://blog.networkingexcellence.com/2008/10/turn-multiple-job-interviews-i.html

Leading A Team by Chris Hudak

Leading a team or group of individuals can be a very difficult but great and rewarding experience. Being a team leader can range from a small group project at school or leading and managing a large group of colleagues in your career field. There is a lot of pressure put on the leader to make sure the team works in an effective and efficient manner and to make the right decisions at spur of the moment when necessary.
When it comes to assigning tasks for each individual member be sure to determine everyone’s strengths and weaknesses. If you assign someone a mathematical portion when their strength is technical writing, the results will most likely be less than desirable. One very important thing to avoid is placing blame on others. This can really demoralize a team and cause unsatisfactory results. This sounds very cliché but there is no I in team. When you are working with a team you are just that, a group of individuals working collaboratively to achieve an individual goal.
Overall, leading a team brings on great responsibility but can have an even greater reward when performing successful. It is important to be respectful of all members and work effective and efficiently as individuals and as a group.

http://www.builderau.com.au/strategy/projectmanagement/soa/10-tips-for-leading-your-team-to-peak-performance/0,339028292,339278390,00.htm
http://ezinearticles.com/?Tips-on-Leading-A-Team&id=647331

Business Writing by Eusebio Moreno

As we know by now; communication is key in the workplace. Business Writing should communicate formality, respect, and authority. Choosing the right medium and form to communicate your message, is key to successful communication and the first step in business writing. Among the various mediums available for business communications are:

1. Letters on your organization’s stationary. This form of communication is used to represent a commitment to the recipient and/or to formalize a business relationship.

2. Memos: printed or electronic. This form of communication is used to communicate and circulate information within your organization.

3. E-mail and instant messages. This form of communication is used to communicate quickly within your organization and with customers and others outside your organization. It can also be use to transmit text and graphics files electronically. (Alfred, Brusaw and Oliu, p.306)

After determining which medium will work best for your business writing, the following tips can help you to clearly and effectively communicate your message:

1. Establish your purpose, your reader’s needs, and your scope. Explain what you mean explicitly to avoid people misinterpreting your writing. You can put your reader’s needs and interests first by writing from the reader’s point of view. Often, but not always, doing so means using the words you and your rather than t he words we, our, I and mine. Stay focus on your subject as you write. For international correspondence, be aware of how cultural differences may affect the reader’s interpretation of your message.

2. Outline key points. For a short letter, a memo, or an e-mail, jot down the points you wish to make and the order in which you wish to make them.

3. Write a rough draft from the outline. You should consider whether a formal (somewhat restrained) or an informal style would be more appropriate for your purpose and your audience. Remember that an attempt to sound casual or friendly can instead seem insincere.

4. Take a break. Allow for a cooling period, especially when a letter or an e-mail responds to a problem. Don’t vent emotions. Maintain a cordial and professional tone.

5. Revise the rough draft. Even when writing to a close associate, always be considerate of your reader and check for sense as well as for grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

6. Adjust the format. Especially the arrangement and spacing of letter parts, and print a copy for review and proofing before signing it.

7. Assume final responsibility: as the author of a letter or a memo, you are responsible for its appearance and accuracy. (Alfred, Brusaw and Oliu, p.262- 263)

If you follow these tips, your business writing will be both, concise and adequately developed.


Bibliography:

Alfred, Gerald J., Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu. Writing That Works Communicating Effectively on the Job. 3rd ed., Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007.

Writing Technical Instructions By Kyle Ramos

When writing instructions there are a few things you have to take into perspective. Before you start you have to keep in mind the average audience and the audience’s average technical knowledge. Then you have to avoid technical jargon, because most average people will not understand the same lingo. Also avoid undefined acronyms and do not use 2 different words for the same thing.
Now I will tell you how to write technical instruction. When writing instruction you want to use the simplest language possible. You also want to write in the form of commands. From one command to another addressing each step clearly to your audience this makes instructions less wordy and easier to follow. Be careful that when you are trying to be simple that you don’t cut out necessary item which will then make your instructions unclear. Like when it is necessary to let glue dry, do not say “Let the glue dry” but instead say “Let the glue dry for 30 minutes at room temperature” this is more precise. If you follow these simple guidelines you will be able to write great instructions that anyone can follow.

Team Projects Writing By Geoffrey Hart

Team Projects often require us to be able to write collaboratively. As my teammate mentioned in an earlier post much insightful information about collaborative writing I will discuss the advantages of collaborative writing in a little more detail. The first thing that comes to mind is that many minds are better than one. This is true due to the fact that when working with many people will encourage more thoughts and ideas to be contributed to the writing and these thoughts and ideas will be different and have different perspectives which leads to a better product. Feedback also is crucial to collaborative writing because it allows the team to review and edit the writing much faster and much better than with only one person. When writing with a team there is a lot less stress involved which is also a great advantage for your writing. Also team writing allows for the team members to write more confidently knowing that their team will provide constructive criticism to help make the end product better. There are disadvantages of collaborative writing as it is not perfect, however it outweighs the disadvantages.

Citation:

Alfred, Gerald J., Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu. Writing That Works Communicating Effectively on the Job. 3rd ed., Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007.

Writing Concisely by Zarah Boyer

Writing concisely is extremely important to writing an effective work. Expounding too far on subjects can lead to convoluted writing that is not conducive to a readers ease. Writing is much more clear when it is not bogged down with thoughts that are not cohesive to your writing. Concise writing is essential to a readers understanding.
The first step in writing concisely is to organize your thoughts. It is important to get a clear idea of what you want to express in your writing so you can organize your work in a cohesive way that will facilitate your readers understanding. This step allows you to view what is important to you and the point you want to get across in your written work.
It is also important to stay on topic when writing something. This may be one of the hardest things to do in writing concisely because many times a writer wants to elaborate on a topic. It is important that your writing is focused and not to use information that is not essential. It is very important to stay on topic when writing.
Another important step is to say it clearly. State your main ideas in words that the reader will be able to understand. Assume that your reader knows s little about the topic but not so much that you completely pass the idea. While it is important to reiterate your main idea try not to say it too much that is become superfluous.
When writing concisely a writer should want to show what their main idea, not just say it. Feel free to add a picture or some other form of visual aid to show the reader what you mean. This can often eliminate language that is not necessary and over indulgent.
The last thing to remember is to use an active voice. Emphasize the action in the words rather than using passive language. This helps you write concise sentences that don't use excessive language.

Citations:
"One Simple Trick to Writing Concisely :." Robust Writing. 30 Mar. 2009 http://robustwriting.com/one-simple-trick-to-writing-concisely.

"Six Tips for Writing Concisely." EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION. Improve your communication skills! Let effective communication habits change your life. 30 Mar. 2009 http://www.hodu.com/concise.shtml.

Becoming a Professional Writing Consultant by Chris Hudak

Having a consultant is a very important commodity in any aspect of business. There are consultants for all sorts of things such as programming, editing, legal, give advice, and writing. A writing consultant can be very important not just for businesses but also on an individual basis. A writing consultant works with businesses, agencies, and individuals to develop a written proposal of an idea or a product. There are many steps in becoming a professional writing consultant. You don’t just decide you want to be one and then start. Business can and most likely will be very slow when you first start. There are no set hours and no guaranteed paycheck to look for every week. It’s all about getting your name out there and gaining clients by word of mouth. When becoming a consultant it is best to have good work experience as a background when trying to find clients. If you try to become a consultant right out of college, as good as your writing skills may be, although they don’t know your skills you don’t appear to have the work history most people would be looking for to write a good proposal for them. Overall, becoming a professional writing consultant can be a very rewarding and satisfying career. It just takes good work experience and good networking to get reliable client base.

http://www.consultantjournal.com/how-to-become-a-consultant
http://www.consultantjournal.com/blog/first-steps-in-consulting-now-what
http://www.jobprofiles.org/buswriter.htm

COLLABORATIVE WRITING

It is essential that today, as students in the classroom, we learned the importance of Collaborative Writing in order to succeed in the future as professionals. “Workplace writing is often collaborative writing- working with other people on a team to produce a single document. Like any team project, it requires the cooperation of people with different personalities and backgrounds working toward a common goal. Achieving this goal can be stressful but rewarding. To some degree, everyone must rely on the help of others to do their jobs. No matter what you write or how often you write, you will likely have to collaborate with other people. Collaborative writing occurs when two or more people work together as a team to produce a single document, with each team member contributing to the planning, designing, and writing. It also involves sharing equal responsibility for the end product.

Collaborative writing is generally done for one of three reasons:

1. The project requires expertise or specialization in more than one subject area.
2. The project will benefit from merging different perspectives into a unified perspective.
3. The size of the project, time constraints, or the importance of the project to your organization requires a team effort.” (Oliu, Brusaw, Alred, p. 129)

The main functions of a Collaborative Writing Team can be described as follows:

1. Planning the document.
2. Researching the subject and writing the draft.
3. Reviewing the drafts of other team members.
4. Revising the draft on the basis. (Oliu, Brusaw, Alred, p. 131)

These main functions of a collaborative writing team can be classified as those pertaining to the individual members of the collaborative writing team and those pertaining to the team leader.

As a member of a collaborative writing team, you are expected to:

1. Work with others as a team of peers to plan, design, and write a single document.
2. Ensure that all important points are discussed and that all problems are addressed.
3. Research the topics of your assigned section.
4. Write your draft.
5. Review the work of other team members.
6. Revise your draft based on comments from other team members.
7. Maintain the project schedule.
8. Share equal responsibility for the end product.
9. Respect the opinions of others. (Oliu, Brusaw, Alred, p. 142)

As a team leader, you are expected to:

1. Share decision-making authority with other team members.
2. Coordinate the activity of team members.
3. Maintain the project schedule.
4. Coordinate the production of the final product. (Oliu, Brusaw, Alred, p. 142)

Among the benefits expected from Collaborative Writing are:

1. Many minds are better than one.
2. Team members provide immediate feedback.
3. Team members play devil’s advocate for each other.
4. Team members help each other past the frustrations and stress of writing.
5. Team members write more confidently.
6. Team members develop a greater tolerance of and respect for the opinions of others. (Oliu, Brusaw, Alred, p. 130)

Some of the disadvantages of Collaborating Writing include:

1. The demand it can place on your time, energy, and ego as a writer.
2. Can generate conflict among ideas. (Oliu, Brusaw, Alred, p. 130)

To help manage the role of conflict in Collaborative Writing, the team can:

1. Avoid taking a win-or-lose stand, which gains one person’s victory at another person’s expense.
2. Avoid accusations, threats, or disparaging comments,
3. Support your position with facts. Focus on the problem and its solution, not the person.
4. Use bargaining strategies to arrive at an exchange of concessions until a compromise is reached. (Oliu, Brusaw, Alred, p. 137-138)


Bibliography:

Alfred, Gerald J., Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu. Writing That Works Communicating Effectively on the Job. 3rd ed., Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007.

Job Interview Tips

Time for a new job? A job interview may be the most difficult part of a job search. It's you putting yourself out there to be evaluated by a person or a group of people, that you've never met before, that decide if they think you have what they want. If that's not hard enough on an individual, one must keep in mind that the interviewer(s) maybe interviewing a hundred people for one job opening. So how can make the best of your interviewing experience?


Before the Interview
Its best to research the company your applying to and find out everything about it. You may want to research the history of the company, the company's size, and branch locations. Try to better educate yourself on the company by finding information in national newspapers, such as Wall Street Journal, local newspapers, and the company's website.

Prepare a list of questions you have to the interview. It's not a one-way communication. It offers you a chance to ask questions of your potential employer and show your interest and knowledge of the position and the company. Feel free to bring paper and pen to jot down notes.

Try to anticipate any questions you may be asked, and prepare yourself in advanced. Make you your answers sound natural, and not rehearsed. They may be difficult questions, but give them careful thought. Some questions that you may be asked are:

What are your occupational goals?
Where do you see yourself in years from now?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Do you work well in groups?
What do you do in your spare time?
What are some of your accomplishments?
Why are you interested in this current job and company?
Why should I hire you?




Make sure you arrive early to your scheduled time. You may be asked to fill out paperwork and applications, so allow enough time to fill time out properly.

During the Interview
The interview actually begins before you're even seated. What you wear and how you make that first impression are very important. Dress nice, simple, and conservatively. Make sure you are well groomed. Avoid dangling jewelry and strong fragrances.

Always thank the interviewer for their time. Express your pleasure in meeting them and wait for them to be seated before yourself. Sit with good posture and look directly at them. Keep your answers direct and don't ramble or stray off from the subject. Appear confident and don't fidget. At the end of the interview, make sure to thank the interviewer for their time, give a friendly and firm handshake, and express your in the job. Ask when you should expect to hear back, but do not press too hard.

Technical Writing

Technical Writing is a style of writing that is a type of technical communication. When writing technically, it is important to write clearly and concisley. Writing clearly displays technical jargon which is vital to good technical writing. Technical writing makes sure to:

• Target the correct audience


• Contain truthful sources


• Be deliverable

History

Technical writing dates back to ancient Greece. As more technology-based documentation was needed, technical writing became more important.

Technical writing is used to make complex concepts into simple concepts. Effective communication requires the skills to produce:

• quality


• content


• language


• format

In the job field

Technical writing is very important at jobs. Many times companies have to get across complex ideas in understandable ways. In marketing, technical writing could be the difference in selling and not selling a product. If the buyers understands clearly, he is more likely to buy.

Writing Clearly by Zarah Boyer

Writing clearly is extremely important for your message to be communicated effectively. It facilitates the understanding of the reader and is necessary to make your point.


The first step in writing clearly is to organize your ideas into a logical outline. This process allows you to see what is important in communicating to the reader. This is probably the most important step because you can lay out what you want your reader to know. The important thing to know about making an outline is that you don't have to follow it verbatim, it can change as you write and it is completely malleable.


Secondly, you want to make sure that your ideas are getting communicated so you have to tell the reader what you're going to tell them, tell them again, then tell them what you told them. This may seem a little redundant or excessive but it is important to let the reader know what you are trying to say. You can start by telling the reader your topic in the introduction, then continue throughout the body paragraphs and finally tell them what you told them in the conclusion paragraph.


Another thing that is important is to stick to your point. Try not to stray away from your main idea because that can cause confusion with your reader. It is also important to make it interesting. A reader is more likely to stay focused and want to read a piece if it is interesting.


Some more important things to remember are:

• Write for your target audience.



• Assume that your readers are intelligent but do not assume they know the subject matter as well as you do.



• Write cohesive paragraphs structured around a main idea.



• Avoid slang and jargon.



• Use familiar words and combinations of words.



• Use active voice.



• Avoid weak verbs.



• Use parallel sentence construction.



• Use positive terms.



• Avoid acronyms and abbreviations and if they are necessary explain all acronyms and abbreviations.



• Ensure that every sentence and paragraph is necessary.

These steps faciliate that writing and understanding of the written work and aid in the readers ease assessment of it. If you follow these simple instructions you are sure to have a clear idea and essay.

Below is a video dipicting how damaging, if not funny, unclear writing can be:

"WebAIM: Writing Clearly and Simply." WebAIM: Web Accessibility In Mind. 28 Mar. 2009 http://www.webaim.org/techniques/writing/#guidelines.

Writing a Contract By Kyle Ramos

A well built contract is very important in any business agreement. It is the document that spells out what services which your company will receive or pay for, and how much you will pay or receive in return. Contracts are also important because they protect you or your company from bad contractors who do a bad job or do not complete a job and/or bad customers who do not want to pay. A contract is also a great business tool to begin a good business relationship. So for all these reasons it is extremly important to have a good well put together contract. Most importantly it will answer many questions that may be over looked and cause confusion later in the transaction. Here are a list onf all the things that should always be included in a good contract. Usually in this order but, not always.


1. Title
2. Brief description of the project
3. Brief description of the services needed
4. Detailed list of the services to be provided with projected dates of delivery included.
5. Who is responsible for what parts of the project? (The contractor, subcontractors to the contractor, staff of the nonprofit organization, etc.)
6. What are the expectations for communicating progression of Project
7. Paymet schedule / amounts
8. Clarity on expenses vs hour rates vs fixed pricing
9. Ownership of the work products
10. How will conflicts be resolved
11. How the parties can get out of the contract
12. Proper signature(s)

The key is to be specific, and to not be overly detailed which leads to confusion.
If you follow the list and are concise when writing a contract it will start you off with a good working relationship, answer many questions and protects you or your company.

Writing Informal Reports by Geoffrey Hart

When writing an informal report there are two main things that you must do before you even starts to jot words down. First you need to consider your audience, and second you need to collect information. When considering your audience this will let you know how much background information you will need to include in the report. You also will be able to know whether or not to use specialized language as many companies have their own technical languages and terms when talking to each other, and if the report is being read by someone outside the company you will need to adjust your language. Collecting information is vital to being able to portray your objective for writing to the reader. Taking notes is one easy way to collect information on the matter you are writing about. The different types of informal reports are trouble reports, investigative reports, progress and periodic reports, trip reports, and test reports. No matter what type of informal report you are writing the format is the same. There is an introduction, in which you announce the subject and tell the purpose, then the body which presents the body and includes all necessary details, and then the conclusion which is the summary paragraph and also can make recommendations.

Citation:Oliu, Walter E., Charles T. Brusaw, and Gerald J. Alred. Writing that Works Communicating Effectively on the Job. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006

Interview Tips

Before you interview it is best that you learn about the company or organization you will be applying to work at. You must also put together a list of questions to ask the interviewer. These questions should be specific and relating to the company. The person who will be interviewing you will also have some questions they will be asking. When responding to these, try not to answer too quickly and be prepared to deeper discuss the question in a natural manner.

Arrival should be a little earlier than the appointed time in case of forms that need to be filled out. You should be dressed appropriate for the occasion, usually business-like. Upon entering greet the interviewer and make sure you have no gum in your mouth or change in your pocket that can distract you or the person who is conducting the interview. It is best to act as relaxed as possible during the interview. Taking limited notes can also help to remember main points and ask some of your own questions.

A few days after the interview was conducted send in the interviewer a brief e-mail or letter showing interest in the job and feel you are the best fit.

Here are some extra questions to ask yourself about the company you will be interviewing with:

What kind of organization is it?
How diversified is it?
Is is locally owned?
Is the owner self-employed? Is it expanding?
Does it provide a service? If so, what kind?
How large is the business?
How long has it been in business?
Where will you fit in?




Citation:
Oliu, Walter E., Charles T. Brusaw, and Gerald J. Alred. Writing that Works Communicating Effectively on the Job. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006

Writing Courteously By Geoffrey Hart

No matter who your audience is when writing, you should also be courteous to the reader. Using manners and being polite in a letter, e-mail, or memo is essential if you want the reader to take you seriously. As an employer being courteous while writing to your employees is almost essential if you want employee morale to stay high in order to keep productivity up. In professional business writing being courteous to your clients will help you build a strong relationship with that client which will keep them returning to your company. A very easy way to write courteously in all writing styles and situations and with all types of audiences to too just add in polite words and use good manners. Many people use the excuse that they don’t have enough time to write something and be courteous while doing so, on average here is a list of the time it takes to type some common polite good mannered words or sentences.
Please. (2 seconds)
Would you please (3 seconds)
Thanks. (2 seconds)
Thank you! (3 seconds)
Thanks very much. (4 seconds)
Good morning. (3 seconds)
Hello. (2 seconds)
I appreciate it. (4 seconds)
I hope you had a great weekend. (5 seconds)
Enjoy your lunch. (5 seconds)
I hope that this changes the way that we all write in all types and styles of writing.

Citation:
Gaertner-Johnston, Lynn. Business Writing. .

Tips for Writing an Effective Resume

An effective resume is the key to getting that job you have always wanted and even those to build your experience up to that point. A resume is the first thing an employer sees and is the first thing they have to develop an idea of that person. There are several different ways to create and display a resume but here are some general guidelines to go with almost any resume.

Use a design that gains attention

It is very important to use a design that gains attention at first glance because when employers are going through hundreds of resumes for a single position, you only have one quick glance at either grab their attention or bore them as they move on to the next application. It is a must for your name and contact information to be at the very top in bold lettering to be easily found and get that attention right away.

Provide enough information

Don’t sell yourself short by providing only brief explanations of other positions you have held and the responsibilities with them. You may hurt yourself and not express all the great skills and qualifications you have by only providing an insufficient amount of information.

Provide accurate skills and qualifications

Be sure to provide skills and qualifications that you actually have and know how to use. As important as it is to provide the necessary information of your skills don’t stretch one into another because if you get that ever important interview, it is almost guaranteed that you be questioned on that skill you claim to have but really don’t.

Professionalism around the board

It is imperative that you leave good contact information including phone numbers including home phone and cell phone, e-mail address, or any other professional means of contacts. If you don’t have an e-mail address you should most definitely set up a free account from google, yahoo, msn, etc. And last but not least, being professional extends beyond the resume. If you have a voice messaging system such as answering machine or voice mail on a cell phone, it is best to have a professional message instead of those immature, funny ones.

References: http://www.free-resume-tips.com/10tips.html; http://www.jobweb.com/resumesample.aspx?id=274; http://www.rockportinstitute.com/resumes.html

Tips for Preparing an Effective Resume

A resume is one of the most important aspects when finding a job. It lists all of your qualifications and determines whether or not you are the right canidate for the job. Because the resume is the possible employers first impression, it is important to follow steps and stay organized. Here are a few tips reguarding writing an effective resume:

• Consider first an organization that needs your strengths and fits your goals.
• Be consistent. Be sure to use, for example, the same date formats, puncuation, and spacing throughout.
• Use a high-quality printer and high grade paper.

When writing the resume it is vital one follows the following steps:

The Heading

At the top of the resume, include your name, adress, telephone number, and email address

Job Objective

The job objective gives the potential employer an idea of your goals as an employee. Keep the job objective within three lines of the resume.

Qualifications Summary

In the qualification summary section, feel free to write your qualifications for the job. Include achievements, skills, expericence, or personal qualities.

Eduacation

List the colleges you have attended and the degrees you have earned.

Employment Experience

List your previous employers in reverse chronological order meaning place your most recent job first, followed by your second most recent job and so forth.

Related Skills and Abilities

List important skills you feel are unique and beneficial

Honors and Activities

List any honors or achievements you have earned

References

Avoid this step as much as possible

Follow these steps closely and one should write an effective resume. With the economy as bad as it is, making a great first impression with an employer is very important.

Oliu, Walter E., Charles T. Brusaw, and Gerald J. Alred. Writing that Works Communicating Effectively on the Job. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006.

Writing Effective E-Mails by Zarah Boyer

Writing an effective e-mail is paramount when trying to achieve success in a professional setting. If an e-mail is too informal or impersonal a person may feel slighted and reluctant to do business or interact with you. Because of the increasing technological environment of today's business world it is very important to know how to write and effective e-mail.

The first thing you want to address when writing an effective e-mail is thinking about your reader. If the e-mail is being addressed to a close colleague it may be written differently then if it is being addressed to your boss. You need to make sure that you are considering your audience while you are writing the e-mail. It is important to maintain a high level of professionalism. A message should always be grammatically correct and you must make sure all of your facts are stated correctly.

Another thing to consider when writing an e-mail is observing "netiquette." Netiquette is a set of rules that facilitate interaction over the Internet. One rule of thumb for netiquette is to use company e-mail only for appropriate business. You should also not send flames, e-mail messages that contain abusive, obscene, or derogatory language, and spams, e-mail messages that often promote projects and interests.

You also need to consider the design of your e-mail. An effective e-mail should break the text into brief paragraphs. An e-mail should not overwhelm your reader with lengthy paragraphs, if it is too long consider sending an attachment. Our text also offers some other suggestions:

• Be considerate of the technical capabilities of your recipient.


• Put your response to someone else's e-mail message at the beginning of the e-mail window.


• In quoting the message you're replying to, include only those parts relevant in your reply.


• Always fill the subject line with a concise phrase that describes the topic of your message.

You should always use a greeting or salutation. When e-mail functions as a memo you can often leave the greeting out because they integral information is used in the memo's fields. When an e-mail goes outside an organization to someone with whom you haven't spoken with you may use standard letter greetings. When e-mails are going to a work colleague or close friends the salutation can vary depending on the situation.

Citation:

Oliu, Walter E., Charles T. Brusaw, and Gerald J. Alred. Writing that Works Communicating Effectively on the Job. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006.

Tips on How to Determine What the Reader Needs to Know and/or Wants to Know

Assessing your audience’s needs and/or wants is an important part of the Writing Process. In order for a paper to be persuasive and clearly understood, the audience’s needs and/or wants need to be taken into account. According to Mr. Walter E. Oliu, Mr. Charles T. Brusaw and Mr. Gerald J. Alred, authors of the book Writing That Works Communicating Effectively on the Job, the following questions should help a writer focus on the audiences needs and/or wants in relation to the subject matter: (Alfred, Brusaw and Oliu)

1. Who is your audience?

2. Do you have more than one audience?

3. What do you want your audience to know, to believe, or to be able to do after reading your writing?

4. Have you narrowed your topic to best focus on what you want your audience to know?

5. What are your audience’s needs in relation to the subject?

6. What does your audience know about the subject?

7. If you have multiple audiences, do they have different levels of knowledge about your subject?

8. What are your audience’s feelings about your subject- Sympathetic? Hostile? Neutral?

9. Does your writing acknowledge other or contrary points of view about the subject?

10. Have you selected the right medium- e-mail, memo, letter, booklet, and so on- for your subject and audience?

11. Is your tone respectful?

12. Does your format enhance audience understanding?
(Alfred, Brusaw and Oliu, p.7)


Bibliography:

Alfred, Gerald J., Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu. Writing That Works Communicating Effectively on the Job. 3rd ed., Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007.