Pros know readers are document users

Bydr.kim

I am working on a brief video tutorial on format for tomorrow’s post based on a chapter in Revising Professional Writing. Each of my tutorials refers to a one-page workplace document (or an excerpt from a longer document). Because video degrades the quality of the print in those document pages, my plan is to post them here the day before I post the video.

So here is a page from the revised Technology Consultant’s Report  referred to in the video tutorial on format. It is based on a sample from David A. McMurrey’s Online Technical Writing textbook (www.prismnet.com/~hcexres/).  But it has been adapted specifically to help amateurs understand how pros use format in workplace documents. A few details about the context of the document:

  • Writer: a technology consultant
  • Readers: managers for the client, a brewing company
  • Bottom line message: a specific product is recommended for the company’s use

The original document version can be viewed here. (Please don’t blame David for this awful document. Remember–I created it as a teaching tool!)

Stay tuned . . .

Similar Posts

Here’s a tool for calculating the costs of writing at work
|

Here’s a tool for calculating the costs of writing at work

Bydr.kim

If you need to make business case for creating higher quality documents in your workplace, check out the cost calculators from Eclectic. You can calculate the daily and annual costs of ineffective emails. the cost of creating a specific document. the annual cost for you to write documents. It’s worth reminding you of two other resources for making…

Amateurs suffer from too much AND too little knowledge
|

Amateurs suffer from too much AND too little knowledge

Bydr.kim

It’s a conundrum. Do amateurs struggle to write successfully in the workplace because they have too much or too little knowledge? The answer is “yes.” Here’s what I mean. Amateurs suffer from too much knowledge about their message. In the workplace, it’s commonplace for writers to have more information than their readers. I mean . . . That’s…

Cut your email into three chunks for better digestion
| |

Cut your email into three chunks for better digestion

Bydr.kim

Travis, a former student who now works as an IT consultant, asked for a summary of what we taught him about developing and organizing content in emails ’cause he wants to share it with his project leaders. (Seems they had asked him how he knew what the majority of new grads don’t.)  Although I’ve written…

Another lesson on the oxford comma

Another lesson on the oxford comma

Bydr.kim

Related articles A little fun related to the Oxford comma (proswrite.com) A light-hearted lesson on the Oxford comma (proswrite.com) The Oxford comma: Decried, defended, and debated [infographic] (holykaw.alltop.com) OnlineSchools.com Infographic Debates the Use of the Oxford Comma (prweb.com) The Best Shots Fired in the Oxford Comma Wars (mentalfloss.com)

Leave a Reply