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Course
Outline
Here is a break down of writing and editing
courses and workshops that you will find in The Electronic Writing
Course.
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INTRODUCTION
I.
WELCOME
> Plain Language Style
o Using the Course
>
Using the Course
o Writing in Plain Language
>
Example Regulation
> What is Good Writing?
>
Examples
> Good Writing Checklist
>
Using the StyleWriter Plain English Editor Software
>
How StyleWriter Helps
>
StyleWriter's Measures
>
Presidential Memorandum on Plain Language
o
Plain Language Standards
>
Setting a High Standard for Documents
>
The Plain Language Challenge
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CLEAR
THINKING
I.
THINKING CLEARLY
> Quotes
>
Checklist - Thinking Clearly
o
Aim
>
Quotes
> Tip: Make your Aim as Specific as
Possible
> Tip: Define your Aim in One Specific
Sentence
> Tip: Ask Questions to Define your
Aim
o Audience
>
Quotes
> Tip: Imagine a Typical Reader
> Tip: Adopt the YOU Approach
> Example of the YOU Approach
o Content
>
Quotes
> Compare Letters with Weak
and Strong Content
>
Tip: Keep introduction and Background to a Minimum
>
Tip: Use the Five-Ws Technique
>
Tip: Put the Most Important Information First
>
Tip: Use the "So-what?" Technique to Judge Content
o Plan
>
Quotes
> Drawing up your Outline
>
Example - List
>
Example - Flow Chart
> Example - MindMap
> Tip: Think Through Shorter Tasks in
your Head
> Ordering your Writing
>
Example - Annual Report
> Example - Management Report
>
Example - E-mail
>
Example - Letter
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CONCISE
STYLE
I. WRITING
CONCISELY
>
Quote
> Example
o
Sentence Length
> Quote
> Example
>
How StyleWriter Helps
>
Related Topics
> Editing Glue Words
> Writing in the Who-does-What? Order
> How to Lower your Sentence Average
> Use Vertical Lists
>
Vary your Sentence Length
> Exercises
o
Passive Verbs
> Quotes
>
Compare Passive and Active Verbs
>
Tip: How to Find Passive Verbs
>
Tip: Use the Who-does-What? Formula
>
How StyleWriter Helps
>
How to Turn Passive Verbs into Active Verbs
>
Tip: Which Method to Use
>
Tip: When to Use Passive Verbs
> Exercises
o Hidden Verbs
>
What are Hidden Verbs?
> Examples
>
How StyleWriter Helps
>
Related Topics
> Complex Words
> Editing Glue Words
> Editing Heavy
Words
> Exercises
o
Wordy Phrases
>
Quotes
> Examples
>
How StyleWriter Helps
>
Related Topics
> Abstract
Writing
> Editing Glue Words
> Placing your Adjectives and Adverbs
> Cutting your Connections
> Exercises
o
Business Cliches
> Quotes
> Examples
>
How StyleWriter Helps
>
Related Topics
> Writing Good Letters
> Exercises
>
Overwriting
> Quote
>
How StyleWriter Helps
>
Exercises
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WRITING
CLEARLY
I. WRITING
CLEARLY
>
Quote
>
Buzzphrase Generator
o
Complex Words
> Quote
>
How StyleWriter Helps
>
Exercises
o Jargon
>
Quotes
> Tip: The Wider the Audience, the
More Danger of Jargon
> Tip: Imagine your Reader Asking
"What's that?"
> Tip: Do not try to Impress your
Audience
> Tip: Use your Spelling Checker as a
Jargon Buster
> Examples
> Military
> Public Service
> Politicians
> Recruitment Agencies
> Jargon Generator
>
Using Technical Language
>
Editing Technical Terms
> Exercises
o
Abstract Writing
> Quote
> Example 1
> Example 2
>
How StyleWriter Helps
>
Tip: Give Enough, but not too much information
> Exercises
o Abbreviations and Acronyms
>
Quotes
Tip:
Use Parentheses to Define the Abbreviation
Tip:
Use your Spelling Checker
> Other Definitions of PC
> Acronyms and Abbreviations Defined
> Abbreviations Checklist
>
What these Abbreviations Mean
o
Foreign Expressions
> Quotes
>
How Many Foreign Expressions do you Know?
>
How StyleWriter Helps
>
Avoid Latin Shorthand
>
Exercise
o Legal Words and Phrases
>
Quote
> How StyleWriter Helps
>
Related Topics
> Regulations
o
Signpost Language
> Tip: Avoid any Reference to Other
Parts of the Document
>
How StyleWriter Helps
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WRITING
CORRECTLY
I.
WRITING
CORRECTLY
>
"Rules of Writing"
o
Correct Spelling
> Quotes
Tip:
Remember to Check Names and Addresses
>
Spelling Howlers
> How StyleWriter Helps
> Spelling Quiz
o
Correct Punctuation
> Quote
>
How StyleWriter Helps
o
Commas
>
Quote
> Advice on Using Commas
o Apostrophes
>
Quote
> Apostrophe Quiz
o Hyphens
>
Quote
> Advice on Using Hyphens
> Hyphen Quiz
o
Capital Letters
>
Advice on Using Capital Letters in Headings
>
Rules for Using Capital Letters
>
Capital Letter Quiz
> Punctuation Exercises
o
Correct Grammar
> Quotes
o
Verb and Subject Agreement
>
Agreement with And or But
>
Words such as Anyone, Everyone, Everybody and
None
> Editor's Note
>
Collective Nouns
>
Tip: Treat Organization's as Singular
o Word Order
>
Tip: Take Care When Placing Only and Even
o Adding -self Unnecessarily
> And Me or And I?
>
That or Which?
>
Who or Whom?
o Questionable Rules
> Starting Sentences with And or
But
> Splitting the Infinitive
>
Ending Sentences with Prepositions
>
Tip: Questionable Rules in Formal Documents
o Correct Word Use
>
Quotes
> Embarrassing Errors
> How StyleWriter Helps
o Misused Words
o
Confused Words
>
Quote
> Tip: Confusion Caused by Hyphenation
and Word Division
> Word Confusion Quiz
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EDITING
SKILLS
I. EDITING
THOROUGHLY
>
Quotes
> Reading your Work
>
Tip: Read Your Work Aloud
>
Tip: Don't Just Proofread - Edit
> Example 1
> Example 2
> Example 3
> Editing Checklist
> Exercises |
WRITING
TIPS
I. OTHER WRITING TIPS
o Strong Verbs and Specific Nouns
>
Tip: Always Try to Edit Ensure, Involve,
Provide and Undertake
>
How StyleWriter Helps
> Exercises
o
The Who-does-What? Order
>
How StyleWriter Helps
>
Related Topics
> Passive Verbs
>
Exercises
o Editing Glue Words
>
Tip: Edit That, Which, Will and Would
> Exercises
o
Editing Heavy Words
> Quote
> Example
> Exercises
o
Writing Topic Sentences
>
Use Topic Sentences to Put your Key Information First
o
Placing Adjectives and Adverbs
>
Put Adjectives and Adverbs in their Place
>
Exercises
o Adding Interest to
Style
> Choose Interesting Words
>
Use Examples, Direct Questions and Analogies
o
Punctuating for Good Style
>
Use More Periods
>
Tip: Don't Overuse Short Sentences
> Related Topic
> Sentence Length
>
Use More Direct Questions
>
Use More Quoted Speech
>
Use More Dashes
> Avoid Using the Slash
> Avoid Using Parentheses
>
Avoid Using Exclamation Points
>
Punctuating for Good Style Exercises
o
Using Good Layout
> Tip: How to Set Out Headings
o Using Lists
>
Tip: Punctuating Lists Consistently
o
Keeping Writing Parallel
o
Cutting your Connections
>
Tip: Repeat Nouns and Verbs to Link Paragraphs
o
Thinking Positively
> Quote
o
Learning from the Professionals
>
Example from the Economist Magazine
> Related Topic
> Workshop News Report
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WRITING
TASKS
I. E-MAILS and MEMOS
> Tip: Don’t Copy Your E-mail to
Everyone
> Tip: Keep your E-mails Short, Specific and
to-the-Point
> Tip: Set a High Working
Standard and Proofread Every E-mail
>
Tip: Work Headings to Help the Reader Decide it’s Relevant
> Tip: Understand E-mail Security
o
Related Topics
>
Workshop - E-mail
> The E-mail Revolution
o Examples
> Spelling Mistakes
> Lack of Proofreading and Editing
> Excessive Informality
II. INSTRUCTIONS
> Quote
>
How StyleWriter Helps
>
Using Simple Language
>
Write in the Command Verb Form
>
Use Active Verbs
> Use You and Your
as Much as Possible
> Keep Your Sentences Short
> Be Specific and Avoid Vague Phrases
> Use Familiar, Direct Language and Avoid
Jargon
> Using Simple Organization
o
Related Topics
>
Keeping Writing Parallel
> Punctuating Lists
>
Using Lists
> Using Good Presentation
> Tip: Add a Benefit to the Instruction
> Editing Checklist -
Instructions
III.
LETTERS
> Example: A Typical
Letter Reviewed
>
What Makes a Good Letter?
> The Seven-Cs of Letter Writing
o Getting the Tone Right
> Quotes
> Talk on Paper
> Use Personal References
> Use Contractions
> Use Direct Questions
> Related Topics
> Passive Verbs
o
Opening and Closing Strongly
>
Write Action Headings
>
The Opening Paragraph
>
Tip: Don't Repeat Information your Reader Already Knows
o
Related Topic
> The Five-Ws Technique
>
The Closing Paragraph
>
Tip: Delete Opening and Closing Paragraphs
o
Getting the Facts Across
>
Quote
> Tip: Place
Information in Related Blocks
>
Spell Out the Information for your Reader
o
Giving a Full Reply
>
Take Time to Explain Difficult Information
>
Checklist for Writing Information in Letters
o
Answering Complaints
>
Quotes
> Answer Promptly
> Check the Facts
>
Give the Person the Benefit of the Doubt
>
Never Work when you're Angry
>
If you’re Wrong, say Sorry
>
If it's Bad News, say Sorry
>
Start with the Good News
>
Explain What Action you intend to Take
>
Thank the Customer for the Complaint
>
Editing Checklist - Letters
IV.
REGULATIONS
>
American Bar Association Resolution
>
Example
o
What are Clear Regulations?
>
Compare Before and After
o
Putting People into Documents
>
Compare Before and After
o
Getting the Structure Right
>
Clarify the Regulation's Purpose
>
Example
>
State Whom the Regulation Affects
>
Organize your Information
>
Keep Paragraph Levels under Control
>
Write Useful Headings
>
Ask Direct Questions
> Using I-Questions
> Using Yes or No Answers
>
Using if... Then Tables
>
Using Flow Diagrams
> Order your Information
Logically
o Using Vertical Lists
>
Related Topics
> Keeping Writing Parallel
> Punctuating Lists Consistently
> Using Lists
o
Keeping Things Together
>
Cutting Down on Cross References
o
Changing the Language
>
Amid Legal Words and Phrases
>
Examples
>
How StyleWriter Helps
>
Use Plain Words
>
Examples
>
Use Active Verbs
> Use YOU in Regulations
> Define your Terms
>
Guidelines for Definitions
o
Toning up your Verbs
>
Use Command Instructions
>
Use the Present Tense
>
Amid Using Shall
o Controlling your
Sentences
> Cut Long Sentences
> Use More Sentence Breaks and Fewer Words
> Put the Main Point First
>
Keep Nouns and Verbs Close Together
>
Use Topic Sentences
> Use Normal Punctuation
o More Help with Regulations
>
Editing Checklist - Regulations
V.
REPORTS
>
Quote
> What Makes a Good Report?
> Who Reads Reports?
>
Quote
o Organizing your
Information
o Introduction, Summary and
Conclusion
>
Tip: The 30-Second Rule
> Related Topics
> The Five-Ws Technique
o What to include and Exclude
> Quote
>
Humorous Example
>
Writing a Summary
> Checklist - Reports
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View Narrated DEMO
Running time: 15
min. |
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