Publication Details
Effective Business Writing
Price: $99.00
Business Focus: Writing & Publishing
Instructor: AnnLinquist
Course Code: ebw
Delivery Method: Instructor-led Online Course
Frequently Asked Questions
     
Course Overview:
Do you have a nagging suspicion that a small improvement in your writing skills might also improve your career prospects? Don't let small gaps in your business writing skills prevent you from reaching your full potential! It doesn't matter whether you're a clerical worker, an engineer, or an executive. If you communicate with others in writing, you need this course to help you identify and eliminate problem areas. By the end of this course, you'll know the secret to developing powerful written documents that immediately draw readers in and keep them motivated to continue until your very last, well-chosen word.
Instructor Biography:
Ann Linquist is a popular continuing education instructor on college campuses, at corporations, and with non-profit organizations. She has helped hundreds of adults learn to tackle their writing tasks with enthusiasm. Having written everything from novels to newsletters, articles to ad copy, and poetry to proposals, Linquist is able to address the writing needs of each individual. The breadth of her background ensures a powerful, involving learning experience that builds on the strengths of each participant.
Course Syllabus:
Lesson 1 Syllabus In this first lesson, you’ll learn a brainstorming technique that will help make writing easier and more fun for you right away. You’ll learn how to disentangle the efforts of your creative and critical sides, and you'll come to understand why both sides are important components of good writing. You’ll also learn why writing is one of the best problem-solving tools around.
Lesson 2 Syllabus Here’s where you’ll learn a helpful system for organizing your writing. You’ll start by picking out a document you have to write anyway so you can begin to put your knew writing knowledge to use right away. You may as well get some work done while you’re learning, right? Next, you'll nail down why you’re writing this particular document and who your reader is. A second brainstorming technique will help you have fun thinking through these two questions.
Lesson 2 Objective Be able to brainstorm solutions to a work problem by using the technique of clustering.
Lesson 3 Syllabus In this lesson, you’ll learn to make your readers do what you want. Your readers will be happy, too, since they’ll get what they want in this win/win system. You’ll learn the seven basic benefits you can offer your reader and how to write the crucial first sentence of your document. You'll learn one more brainstorming technique that will help you capture good ideas, words, and phrases.
Lesson 3 Objective Be able to use a brainstorming technique called dialoguing to determine what your reader cares about.
Lesson 4 Syllabus Master seven strategies for putting your ideas in order and learn how poor sequencing can sabotage your efforts. Finally, you’ll discover the very best way to end any document. It’s an idea that may surprise you!
Lesson 4 Objective Be able to use the brainstorming technique of freewriting to determine what first sentence will motivate your reader to read all you've written.
Lesson 5 Syllabus Revising, formatting, editing, and proofreading may all sound similar, but they’re four distinct activities. In this lesson, you’ll learn how revision is a process of exploration and discovery. You’ll learn formatting strategies that will invite your reader in. You’ll also learn to be a ruthless editor and professional proofreader.
Lesson 5 Objective Be able to put a document in an effective sequence and end it by telling your reader what to do next.
Lesson 6 Syllabus In this lesson, you’ll learn how to write clearly and concisely. You’ll explore three mistaken notions that lead business writers to use lots of convoluted phrasing and long words. You’ll examine the pitfalls of using business clichés, jammed modifiers, trendy words, jargon, foreign words, redundancies, and hedging adjectives.
Lesson 6 Objective Be able to revise, format, edit, and proofread your document.
Lesson 7 Syllabus In the last lesson you learned what words to remove from your document. In this lesson, you'll learn what words you should include to make your business writing more compelling. You’ll learn the four parts of the written communication process. You’ll find out why the verbs and nouns you choose make a major difference. You’ll also learn more ways to make the task of writing more enjoyable for you.
Lesson 7 Objective Be able to eliminate words that create barriers to communication.
Lesson 8 Syllabus Today, we'll look at strategies for good spelling and punctuation: Everyone needs this review! To keep it fun, you’ll get to deal with the topics of spelling and punctuation by taking some easy quizzes. It’s a chance to learn by doing. See how good your spelling and punctuation skills really are. You’ll learn that punctuation is not a tyranny of rules, but an evolving protocol to help you communicate. Finally, you’ll capture your weak areas on a Tips Card.
Lesson 8 Objective Be able to choose words that help your writing communicate.
Lesson 9 Syllabus Why do you have to bother with grammar? You’ll find out why in this lesson. Take the Grammar Blitz Quiz to discover your grammar strengths and weaknesses. It will help you fill in the gaps that remain after years of boring grammar classes. You’ll learn why using the active instead of the passive voice can be a demonstration of your integrity. You’ll also explore the traps pronouns set for those of us sensitive to gender issues.
Lesson 9 Objective Construct a long-term strategy for improving your spelling and punctuation.
Lesson 10 Syllabus Getting the tone right in business writing can be tricky. In this lesson, you’ll get to tackle your worst moods in one more brainstorming technique. You’ll learn how to defuse any negative emotions that might get in the way of your problem solving. You’ll also learn how your attitude toward your reader, your topic, and your own needs determines your tone. As you go through the lesson, you’ll learn two easy ways to eliminate unintentional tone mistakes.
Lesson 10 Objective Construct a long-term strategy for improving your grammar.
Lesson 11 Syllabus In today's lesson, you’ll learn why being able to say no with grace is a crucial business skill. A five-part format will give you a solid strategy for writing a letter that says no while retaining the goodwill of your reader. You’ll learn how to keep bad news letters positive and helpful.
Lesson 11 Objective Be able to detect errors in tone and correct them.
Lesson 12 Syllabus All about e-mail: Here’s an up-to-date review of all the ways e-mail is different from other kinds of business writing. You’ll learn tips on how to write e-mail that gets the job done. You’ll find out some of pitfalls of using e-mail, including its legal status in court. You’ll also discover how to manage the tone of your e-mail so that it doesn’t accidentally offend your reader.
Lesson 12 Objective Be able to write a positive letter that says no.