Effective Writing: An Onsite Course
Length
30 hours; ten 3-hour meetings, five 6-hour meetings, or four all-day meetings.
Description
Effective Writing provides time-saving strategies and techniques for writing clear sentences; organizing those sentences into coherent paragraphs; and producing complete, accurate, and easy-to-read letters, memorandums, reports, and other documents.
Objectives
- To combat the clumsy constructions which frustrate and sometimes confuse even the most efficient reader.
- To eliminate the Jabberwocky that too often obscures meaning in Government and Business writing.
- To encourage students to employ the proper word choice and usage that guarantee precision in expression.
- To show how a writer, through a knowledge of developmental patterns and devices of continuity, can assemble such sentences into paragraphs.
- To suggest methods through which these paragraphs can be systematically organized into successful letters, memorandums, reports, or other documents.
- To review the general principles of good composition, including punctuation and grammar.
Applicability
The skills taught in this course apply to—
- Letters.
- Memorandums.
- Administrative reports.
- Scientific and technical reports.
- Judicial opinions, contracts, and other legal documents.
- Manuals.
- Specifications.
- Standard operating procedures.
- Proposals.
- Any other type of written communication.
Target Audience
- Professionals at all levels.
- Anyone who writes, edits, or reviews letters, memorandums, manuals, reports, or any other written communication.
- Especially recommended for supervisors and managers, as well as scientists, engineers, auditors, program analysts, project managers, computer programmers, lawyers, physicians, and technical writers and editors.
- Also recommended for secretarial and clerical personnel, especially those who have responsibilities for composing or editing correspondence.
Method
Discussions in technique followed immediately by exercises in which students apply those techniques.
Materials
The Communications Skills Company will provide each student with a 460-page text entitled Reference Materials for Effective Writing. In addition, we will provide students with more than 100 pages of exercises based on actual letters, memorandums, and reports produced in government, business, and industry.
Class Size
No more than 25 students.
Price
Call 256-883-6310 for pricing information.