Successful Writing at Work

817 Pages·2012·31.503 MB·English

by  Philip C. Kolin

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Successful Writing at Work
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Successful Writing at Work
TENTH EDITION
Philip C. Kolin
University of Southern Mississippi
Australia • Brazil • Japan • Korea • Mexico • Singapore • Spain • United Kingdom • United States
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Successful Writing at Work, Tenth Edition © 2013, 2010, 2007 Wadsworth, Cengage Learning
Philip C. Kolin
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Contents
Preface xix
PART I: Backgrounds
2
Chapter 1: Getting Started: Writing and Your Career 4
Writing—An Essential Job Skill 4
How Writing Relates to Other Skills 4
The High Cost of Effective Writing 5
How This Book Will Help You 5
Writing for the Global Marketplace 5
Tech Note: Know Your Computer at Work 7
Competing for International Business 7
Communicating with Global Audiences 8
Seeing the World Through the Eyes of Another Culture 9
Cultural Diversity at Home 9
Using International English 9
Four Keys to Effective Writing 11
Identifying Your Audience 12
Case Study: Writing to Diff erent Audiences in a Large Corporation 16
Establishing Your Purpose 17
Formulating Your Message 18
Selecting Your Style and Tone 19
Case Study: Adapting the Technical Details to Meet Your Audience’s
Needs 19
Case Study: Adapting a Description of Heparin for Two Diff erent
Audiences 21
Characteristics of Job-Related Writing 23
1. Providing Practical Information 23
2. Giving Facts, Not Impressions 23
3. Supplying Visuals to Clarify and Condense Information 24
4. Giving Accurate Measurements 26
5. Stating Responsibilities Precisely 26
6. Persuading and Offering Recommendations 27
v
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vi Contents
Ethical Writing in the Workplace 29
Employers Insist on Ethical Behavior 30
Employers Monitor Ethical Behavior 30
Know Your Company’s Culture and Codes: A Letter from IBM’s CEO 31
Ethical Requirements on the Job 31
Computer Ethics 34
“Thinking Green”: Making Ethical Choices About the Environment 35
International Readers and Ethics 36
Some Guidelines to Help You Act Ethically 37
Ethical Dilemmas 38
Writing Ethically on the Job 40
Successful Employees Are Successful Writers 42
Revision Checklist 43
Exercises 43
Chapter 2: The Writing Process at Work 50
What Writing Is and Is Not 50
What Writing Is 50
What Writing Is Not 51
The Writing Process 51
Researching 51
Planning 52
Drafting 54
Tech Note: Planning on Your Computer 57
Tech Note: Drafting on Your Computer 58
Revising 62
Tech Note: Revising on Your Computer 63
Case Study: A “Before” and “After” Revision of a Short Report 64
Editing 66
Tech Note: Editing on Your Computer 67
The Writing Process: Some Final Thoughts 77
Revision Checklist 78
Exercises 79
Chapter 3: Collaborative Writing and
Meetings at Work 84
Teamwork Is Crucial to Business Success 84
Advantages of Collaborative Writing 86
Collaborative Writing and the Writing Process 88
Case Study: Collaborative Writing and Editing 88
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Contents vii
Seven Guidelines for Establishing a Successful Writing Group 90
Ten Proven Ways to Be a Valuable Team Player 92
Sources of Conflict in Collaborative Groups and How to Solve Them 92
Common Problems, Practical Solutions 93
Models for Collaboration 95
Cooperative Model 95
Sequential Model 98
Functional Model 98
Integrated Model 100
Case Study: Evolution of a Collaboratively Written Document 101
Computer-Supported Collaboration 107
Advantages of Computer-Supported Collaboration 108
Groupware and Face-to-Face Meetings 108
Types of Groupware 108
Models for Computer-Supported Collaboration 113
Case Study: Using Google Docs as a Collaboration Tool 114
Avoiding Problems with Online Collaboration 116
Tech Note: Virtual Meetings: Teleconferencing, Web Conferencing,
and Videoconferencing 117
Meetings 118
Planning a Meeting 118
Creating an Agenda 120
Tech Note: Videoconferencing with Skype 120
Observing Courtesy at a Group Meeting 121
Writing the Minutes 122
Taking Notes 123
Conclusion 125
Revision Checklist 126
Exercises 127
PART II: Correspondence
130
Chapter 4: Writing Routine Business Correspondence:
Memos, Faxes, Emails, IMs, and Blogs 132
What Memos, Faxes, Emails, IMs, and Blog Posts Have in Common 132
Memos 133
Memo Protocol and Company Politics 133
Memo Format 136
Memo Parts 136
Questions Your Memo Needs to Answer for Readers 138
Memo Style and Tone 139
Strategies for Organizing a Memo 139
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viii Contents
Organizational Markers 140
Sending Memos: Email or Hard Copy? 141
Sending Faxes: Some Guidelines 141
Tech Note: Scanning a Document 141
Cover Page 142
Sending a Document 142
Email: Its Importance in the Workplace 142
Business Email versus Personal Email 144
Emails Are Legal Records 145
Guidelines for Using Email on the Job 145
When Not to Use Email 150
Instant Messages (IMs) for Business Use 150
When to Use IMs versus Emails 150
Guidelines for Using IMs in the Workplace 152
Blogs 153
Blogs Are Interactive 153
Blog Sponsors 153
Two Types of Blogs 155
Guidelines for Writing Business Blogs 158
Case Study: Writing a Blog to Keep Customer Goodwill 160
Conclusion 162
Revision Checklist 163
Exercises 164
Chapter 5: Writing Letters: Some Basics
for Communicating with Audiences Worldwide 167
Letters in the Age of the Internet 167
Letter Formats 168
Full-Block Format 168
Modified-Block Format 170
Semi-Block Format 171
Continuing Pages 171
Standard Parts of a Letter 171
Heading 171
Date Line 173
Inside Address 173
Salutation 173
Body of the Letter 174
Complimentary Close 174
Signature 174
Enclosure Line 176
Copy Notation 176
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