Our Explicit Business Writing course teaches trainees the best practices explained in the book, Explicit Business Writing: Best Practices for the Twenty-First Century.

Your program contains assignments, practice activities, and written competency exams.

Similar to how college classes work, you do your assigned work on your own, then submit it to your instructor, who grades, comments upon, and returns the assignment to you. The instructor will coach you in this way until you master the skills. FYI, your instructor is also available via email or phone.

Course Outline

Attendees master all of the following skills and demonstrate mastery in writing examinations, including how to:

• Plan And Organize
  • Have clear objectives
  • Provide information that suits the reader's knowledge of the subject
  • educational background, technical expertise, need for concrete explanations, and need for depth of knowledge
  • Include everything every intended reader needs to achieve your objectives
  • Respond to requests by providing precisely what the person asked for under the conditions specified
  • Give readers the information they need at the specific points where they need it for maximum understanding
  • When readers have differing needs or abilities, write different versions or sections of the document to match the readers' needs and abilities
  • Present topics in the same order throughout and link all the contents in each part
• Build The Communication Infrastructure
  • In e-mails, letters, and memos, write thanks, commendations, and genuine statements of good will that build teams and partnerships with clients
  • Present the information with consideration for the reader's possible reaction to the subject and you
  • Use the tone and level of formality that fit the objectives and the reader
  • Ask for and give feedback on the clarity and relevance of documents and writing
• Prepare Readers To Understand And Act
  • Write e-mail subject lines using words that alert the reader to the contents, required action, or critical information in the e-mail
  • In the introduction, explain everything readers need to know to understand fully why they are receiving the document
  • In the introduction, describe all actions the reader is expected to perform and any critical information the reader must know
  • Summarize conclusions and recommendations at the beginning
  • Write a clear statement of the contents at the end of the introduction so readers know what to expect and can prepare for reading
• Provide A Clear Framework That Guides Readers
  • Put the information into clearly defined blocks that the reader can read, understand, and remember, one block at a time
  • For each information block, write an explicit opening statement the reader can use to begin putting the block's details into a framework
  • For lists with items that are each several paragraphs or pages long, open the lists with statements of the contents and open each list item with a description of the item's contents
  • For lists with items that are a few lines long, break out the lists with numbers and bullets
  • Present information in a clear visual blueprint so readers can see the organization as they read
  • Use tables to organize the information so readers can place the details into a clear framework
  • End the document with a conclusion that helps readers achieve your objectives
  • Include feedback loops that reflect the importance of the content and your assessment of the likelihood this reader will understand or act as expected
• Use Explicitly Clear Explanations
  • Write concrete, detailed descriptions of problems and issues
  • Write requests that state directly, unambiguously, and completely what you are requesting
  • Use key terms consistently
  • Fully explain the concept behind every new key term as the reader encounters it
  • Have a clear focus for the document and for each part
  • Communicate technical subjects clearly to non technical readers
  • Write instructions and procedures that are complete and concrete
  • Provide sufficient, relevant evidence for statements
• Write Clear, Concise Paragraphs, Sentences, And Words
  • Write concisely
  • Write clear, focused, organized paragraphs that help readers identify, understand, and remember concepts
  • Write sentences that are complete, simple, clear, and straightforward
  • Use only simple punctuation
  • Use words every intended reader will understand
• Write A Final Draft That Has Correct Usage (Grammar, Punctuation, And Spelling) And Uses Clear Formatting
  • Polish and proofread all documents
  • Use formatting that makes the text easy to read

Included Materials:

Explicit Business Writing: Best Practices for the Twenty-First Century

How To Access Your Course:

This course has 13 lessons, and requires approximately 30 hours of study. You may complete the lessons at your own pace, as long as you finish them within four months from date of registration. Instructions for accessing your course materials, plus your Instructor's contact information, will be emailed to you within two business days of registration.