The ability to express yourself clearly in writing is one of the most important skills in business. We’ll introduce you to tried and tested structured writing techniques that will help you plan and write effective emails and short business documents that get the results you need. If you’re struggling to write with clarity and influence, then this program is ideal for you.
- Duration: 1 day
- Pre-requisites: There are no pre-requisites for this course
- Analyse and plan a document
- Apply the Structured Writing approach to writing
- Create a document outline and sequence it appropriately
- Write effectively using plain language
- Present information appropriately
- Identify strategies for writing efficiently
- Edit documents
Introduction
- What is effective business writing?
- Current trends in business writing
- Is writing appropriate?
Analysing and planning
- Planning
- Identifying your purpose and intended outcomes
- Analysing your readers
Structured writing – design guidelines
- What is structured writing?
- Structured writing in action
- Key guidelines of structured writing
Structured writing – units of information
- Units of information
- Bites and bite headings
- Topics and topic headings
Creating an outline
- Identifying your content
- Reader focused dialogue approach
- Templates – instant outlines
- Examples of outlines for standard documents
- Apply structured writing to emails
Writing guidelines
- Plain language
- Choosing the right words
- Using the right tone
- Sentence construction
Layout
- Presenting text
- Presenting tables, graphics and charts
Writing tips
- The need for speed
- Tips for being efficient
Editing your document
- The editing stage
- Editing against your plan
- Proofreading
Where to from here?
- Actions for further development of your writing skills
Before the course
Do you want to get the most out of this experience? To prepare for your Business Writing course, please:
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Bring along 1 or 2 examples of an email or short document you have written.
If you need help or advice, email us at info@mci.edu.au or call 1300 768 550.
2 weeks after the course
Take time to revisit your action plan, written during the course, and your course workbook.
You might want to review some key concepts from the course, including:
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Thinking clearly about your document’s purpose, outcomes and readers before starting to write.
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Using Plain English to keep your writing concise and easy to understand.
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Using a personal and positive tone.
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Using headings, white space and bullet points to guide readers through a document.
What will you commit to improving in the next 2 weeks?
If you need help or advice, email us at info@mci.edu.au or call 1300 768 500.
4 weeks after the course
These activities can assist you in enhancing business writing skills:
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Asking for feedback from 2 colleagues on how your writing has changed since attending the course.
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Reflecting on which of the key concepts from the course have you found most useful, and why.
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Committing to an action plan to continue to develop your writing skills.
We would love to hear about your results! Please get in touch by sending an email to info@mci.edu.au
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