Daniel Graham, Judith Graham

Can Do Writing

• Broschiertes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

Ten simple steps and forty-six techniques to help business professionals, engineers, and scientists write more effectively and efficiently
Can Do Writing is the writing guide for the hundreds of millions of people who write documents as part of a job. A survey of 112 highly paid occupations shows that these professionals share one career-building skill: writing is essential. For twenty-plus years, Daniel and Judith Graham have trained more than 70,000 business and technical professionals to use this system. Every one of these professionals can benefit from the proven writing system described in this book because Can Do Writing gives them the skills they need to succeed. In ten steps and 46 writing techniques, the authors systematically lead business readers through analysis, composition, and editing. These steps and techniques work every time for every imaginable document, for every profession, for every subject and every client. Writing isn't easy, but Can Do Writing makes even the most complex writing project manageable.
Daniel and Judith Graham (Fairfax, VA) are the founders and principals of Graham Associates, providing quality writing consulting and training for business professionals, engineers, and scientists for more than 20 years. A simple, ten-step system for mastering the art of effective, persuasive business or technical writing
"The Grahams' system is the best way to transform data and ideas into meaningful information necessary to make profitable decisions. Their system works every time."
--Steven Laposa, PhD, MBA, Loveland Commercial Endowed Chair in Real Estate, Colorado State University
"The Grahams' straightforward program helps my teams create clear and concise reports, letters, and other documents with minimal effort. I want this program to become the standard for my teams."
--Bill Walter, Senior Vice President, Government and Infrastructure Division, KBR
"The Can Do Writing system made my career! I used it to write a winning business plan and proposal, and now I use it every day for all communications. Can Do Writing provides valuable insights into business and management as well as writing techniques."
--Christian Robey, President, DC Progress
You may be an expert at what you do, but if you can't communicate effectively in writing it may not matter. For scientists, businesspeople, and professionals in fields from engineering to public relations, the art of writing well can be a vital key to professional success.
Luckily, you don't need an English degree to produce top-class writing. If you're one of the millions of people who have to write clear, persuasive, understandable documents for your job, Can Do Writing is for you. Whether you're writing a business plan, a scientific paper, a press release, or anything else, this simple, straightforward guide will show you how to do it quickly, with style and confidence. You'll learn how to:
Understand your audience and subject matter
Develop a simple, five-part purpose statement to keep you on track
Organize your main points into a coherent, sensible order
Edit your work for clarity, coherence, organization, and logic
Economize your words to craft a concise, powerful document
Make your documents easily readable for any audience

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Wiley & Sons
• 1. Auflage
• Seitenzahl: 208
• Erscheinungstermin: 20. April 2009
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 229mm x 152mm x 12mm
• Gewicht: 252g
• ISBN-13: 9780470449790
• ISBN-10: 0470449799
• Artikelnr.: 25683392

Autorenporträt

Over the past twenty years, Daniel and Judith Graham have trained more than 70,000 business and technical professionals in this practical writing system. They've helped global corporations and government agencies alike streamline communications while increasing profits. Now you too can learn Can Do Writing's ten clear steps--and put writing to work for you.

Inhaltsangabe

Preface. About the Authors. Introduction Can Do Writing. Skillset:
Analysis. Step 1 Analyze Purpose and Audience. 1.1 What Result Do You Want
from the Document? 1.2 Who Is the Audience? 1.3 What Does the Audience Do
with the Information? 1.4 What Information Does the Audience Need? 1.5 Does
the Audience Know Little or Much About the Information? 1.6 Does the
Audience Need Proof? 1.7 Plan How to Write to Multiple Audiences. Step 2
Write Your Document's Five-Part Purpose Statement. 2.1 Decide the Type of
Document or Oral Communication to Use. 2.2 Pick a Verb That Describes What
the Document Does. 2.3 Assemble the Five Parts into a Purpose Statement.
2.4 Use the Purpose Statement to Settle Controversies. Purpose Statements
Make History. Practice Steps 1 and 2 Using a Case Study. Step 3 Select
Facts. 3.1 Use the Purpose Statement As You Select Facts. Step 4 Organize
Your Points in a Sentence Outline. 4.1 Write Your Points Using Short Words
in Short Sentences. 4.2 Evaluate Points to Eliminate Irrelevancies and
Redundancies. 4.3 Order the Points. Practice Steps 1 through 4 Using a Case
Study. Skillset: Composing the Draft. Step 5 Compose the Draft. 5.1 Compose
the Draft Body. 5.2 Compose the Draft Conclusion. 5.3 Compose the Draft
Introduction. 5.4 If Necessary, Compose the Draft Executive Summary. 5.5 If
Necessary, Compose the Draft Abstract. Skillset: Editing. Step 6 Review the
Draft for Organization and Logic. 6.1 Test Organization by Answering Three
Questions. 6.2 Use Sentence Outlining Techniques to Improve Organization.
6.3 Test Logic by Answering Five Questions. Step 7 Edit for Coherence. 7.1
Repeat Key Words throughout Your Document. 7.2 Ensure That Each Paragraph
Begins with a Point. 7.3 Use Transition Words. 7.4 Use Vertical Lists for
Series of Like Items. 7.5 Ensure Your Graphics Make a Point. 7.6 Apply
Visual Devices. Step 8 Edit for Clarity. 8.1 Use Concrete and Specifi c
Words. 8.2 Use Active Voice. 8.3 Simplify Tense: Stay in Present Tense When
Possible. 8.4 Avoid the Helping Verbs Would, Should, and Could. 8.5
Identify and Replace Ambiguous Pronouns. 8.6 Use Standard English Words.
8.7 Check Sentences for Misplaced or Dangling Modifi ers. Step 9 Edit for
Economy. 9.1 Cut Useless Verbs. 9.2 Cut Useless Prepositions. 9.3 Cut Who,
Which, and That. 9.4 Cut Useless Repetition. 9.5 Cut Redundancy. 9.6 Cut
Useless Comments. 9.7 Cut Useless Modifi ers. Step 10 Edit for Readability.
10.1 Measure Readability Using the Gunning Fog Index. 10.2 Replace Long
Words with Short Words. 10.3 Break Long Sentences. Conclusion
Congratulations! Index.