Writing at Work At work in administration, business or management, or when studying these subjects, you probably use a pen or computer keyboard more than any other equipment Writing at Work will help you to ensure that your writing works for you, helping you: – to record, remember, think and plan – to be well organised and avoid stress – to write better letters, memoranda and e-mails – to express yourself clearly and persuasively – to capture and hold your readers’ interest – to influence colleagues, customers and suppliers – to achieve your short-term and career goals Other essential topics covered include finding information, report writing and the use of numbers, tables and illustrations And there is advice on talking at work: in interviews, on the telephone, in meetings, and when giving a presentation or addressing an audience Robert Barrass has many years’ experience of helping students on degree and diploma courses at the University of Sunderland to improve their writing His best-selling books on key skills include Study! and Students Must Write, which are also published by Routledge By the same author Students Must Write Scientists Must Write Study! Writing at Work A guide to better writing in administration, business and management Robert Barrass London and New York First published 2002 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2003 © 2002 Robert Barrassh All rights reserved No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data A catalog record for this book has been requested ISBN 0-203-16599-3 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-203-26061-9 (Adobe eReader Format) ISBN 0–415–26753–6 (Print Edition) Contents Preface Acknowledgements Writing at work xiii xv Writing for yourself Writing helps you to observe Writing helps you to remember Writing helps you to think Writing helps you to plan your work Writing helps you to be well organised Writing helps you to avoid stress at work Improving your writing Recording interesting ideas as they come to mind Using your diary Dating everything you write Working to an up-to-date job list Writing good instructions Do it this way Essential characteristics of business communications Accuracy Appropriateness Balance Brevity 10 Clarity 10 Coherence 10 Completeness 10 Consistency 10 Courtesy 10 vi Contents Explanation 11 Forcefulness 11 Impartiality 11 Interest 11 Objectivity 12 Order 13 Originality 13 Persuasiveness 13 Precision 13 Relevance 14 Simplicity 14 Tact 14 Think – plan – write – revise 14 Thinking 15 Planning 15 Writing 16 Checking and revising 18 Improving your writing 22 Considering which characteristics are essential in business communications 22 Criticising other people’s writing 22 Criticising your own writing 25 Reviewing your procedures 25 Write a better letter Business letters and memoranda 28 The parts of a letter 31 The receiver’s address 31 The date of sending 32 The salutation or greeting 32 The subject heading 33 The first sentence 34 The body of a letter 34 Ending a letter 35 The complimentary close 35 Signing a letter 36 Continuation sheets and enclosures 37 The reference line 37 Copies 38 Mass-produced unique letters 38 Postcards 38 28 Contents vii Memoranda 40 Electronic mail 41 Improving your writing 43 Dating, signing and filing everything you write 43 Ensuring each communication is well presented 44 Keeping a record of all correspondence 44 Looking again at copies of your letters 45 Preparing an application for employment 45 On form 50 Data sheets as records 50 Forms as concise communications 51 Good forms make for good administration 51 Designing forms 53 Using forms 54 Improving your writing 55 Designing a telephone message form 55 Using forms to help you work efficiently 55 Completing an application form for employment 56 Say it with words 57 Business English 57 The meaning of words 59 Some words commonly confused 59 Other words commonly misused 61 Grandiloquence 63 Superfluous words 63 Specialist terms 65 Trade names 66 Abbreviations, contractions and acronyms 66 Improving your writing 67 Using a dictionary 67 Choosing words 67 Defining specialist terms 68 Say it without flowers Words in context 69 The repetition of a word 69 The position of a word 70 Idiomatic expressions 71 69 viii Contents Circumlocution 72 Verbosity 72 Reasons for verbosity 74 The need for commenting words and connecting words 76 Improving your writing 77 Using words 77 Editing the work of others 77 Writing précis and summaries 79 Writing a book review 80 Say it without words 81 Using numbers as aids to precision 81 Preparing tables 84 Using illustrations as aids to explanation 86 Photographs 86 Line drawings 87 Line graphs 88 Histograms 89 Bar charts 90 Pie charts 92 Plans and maps 93 Diagrams that are not drawn to scale 93 Preparing illustrations 94 Dimensions 94 Drawing 95 Improving your writing 97 Writing legends (captions) to figures 97 Checking your illustrations and legends 98 Something to report Planning your report 99 Preparing a topic outline 100 Numbering the sections of your report 104 Writing your report 104 The front cover 105 The title page 106 The Abstract or Summary 108 The Table of Contents 109 The Introduction 109 The Methods (or Procedure) 109 The Results 109 99 Contents ix The Discussion 110 The Conclusions 110 The Recommendations 110 The Acknowledgements 110 The Bibliography or list of References 111 The appendices 112 The index 112 The distribution list 112 Improving your writing 112 Checking your manuscript (first draft) 113 Preparing your typescript 114 Checking your typescript 116 Preparing the index 117 Marking the typescript for the printer 118 Corresponding with an editor 119 A checklist for referees (and authors) 119 Checking the proofs 120 Helping your readers 122 Writing for easy reading 122 How to begin 123 Control 123 Emphasis 124 Sentence length 125 Rhythm 126 Style 126 Capturing and holding your readers’ interest 127 Using good English 129 Obstacles to effective communication 130 Rules for efficient communication 130 Improving your writing 130 Learning from people who write well 130 Learning by writing 131 Checking your writing for readability 132 10 Finding and using information Sources of information 133 Dictionaries 133 Encyclopaedias 134 Handbooks 134 Standards 134 133 Computer appreciation 187 If you are a student, you are advised not to use a word processor for all your assessed course work If you do, you may find it very difficult to think, plan, write quickly and check your work in examinations – when you have to use handwriting and your best work In course work you can spend more time on thinking and planning than you could spare in an examination, but at least the first draft of your answer should be hand-written in about the time that would be available in an examination – when you would not be able to use a word processor Indeed, in course work students who can prepare a neat hand-written first draft that is legible and well presented – so that it does not need to be revised – should not be required, as they are on many courses, to waste their time word processing a second draft just to change their handwriting into print Both students and their assessors should accept that a composition can be well presented without its being typed or word-processed (see page 21) Whether or not you are a student – you must develop the ability to write quickly and to get things right the first time, even if to write quickly your composition has to be hand-written Looking after your documents Information obtained via the Internet, including attachments to incoming e-mail messages, might be contaminated with viruses, and should be checked before opening Before using a computer, therefore, ensure that it has up-to-date virusdetecting and virus-removing software installed Before using a disk for the first time, ensure that it is checked for viruses with an up-to-date virus checker When producing a new document, use a new disk and back-up disk for just that document Save (or file) your work frequently, as you plan, write, correct or revise a document, so that if anything is lost (for example, as a result of a power failure) you not lose much of the document and can try to the work again quickly while the information and ideas are still fresh in your mind Save your work before you try any new commands if there is any possibility that you may lose or inadvertently alter part or all of the document, so that you can quit (that is, leave the document in its original state) and try again Your floppy disks may go wrong, as may the hard disk of your personal computer, causing you to lose all your work at any time So ensure that all data stored in a computer are backed up with a frequency that reflects their value and importance Take a local copy immediately after data have been entered from memory, or from an enquiry or investigation 188 Appendix 10 11 Each day, when working on a document, make a new copy using a different file name (for example, the year, month and day) If you are working on a document for several days, or for several weeks, take daily, weekly and monthly back-ups on separate disks Bear in mind that disks are inexpensive, whereas your time spent in re-entering lost information – if this were possible – would cost much more and would interfere with your other work Label your disks consecutively (for example, with your initials and a number: ABC001, ABC002, etc.) and maintain a log of your disks in a small hardback notebook Record what each disk contains, and for back-up disks record the type of back-up (daily, weekly or monthly) When a document is complete, copy it into your master archive disk, and back-up archive disk, in case you need copies later, or need to update it, or include parts in another document Reformat your document disk ready for your next document Do not carry all your disks with you at one time Keep your master archive and master back-up disks in separate places, so that if one is lost or damaged you still have the other Looking after yourself Sit comfortably at your computer Adjust your chair so that you are close to the desk, with your elbows level with the computer keyboard, your feet resting flat on the floor or on a footrest, and your back upright When using a mouse, rest your arm on the desk and move your hand by moving the elbow rather than the wrist If you touch-type, you could try using a contoured keyboard Adjust the height of the visual display unit, if necessary, so that your eyes are level with the top of the screen and 30 cm to 60 cm from the screen Ensure the screen is clean and free from glare (for example, from a lamp or window) and that the keyboard and adjacent work are sufficiently illuminated – but have a matt surface that does not reflect light If necessary, adjust the brightness and contrast controls on your visual display unit, so that the background is no brighter than is necessary for you to see the words clearly If you cannot touch-type you will find it tiring to be constantly looking down at the keyboard, and at your hand-written draft, and then up at the screen But if you can touch-type you will not need to look at the keyboard when copy typing and may find it helpful to use a document holder to hold your papers adjacent to the screen Do not allow the use of a computer to become an end in itself A computer helps you to many things, some of which would not otherwise be Computer appreciation 189 possible (for example, in recording, processing, storing, and retrieving information); but in study and at work much time can also be wasted in fruitless activity When seeking information, try to find just the information you need as quickly as possible When word processing, take care at all stages in the preparation of a document – but recognise when it will serve its purpose and the job is done As an aid to concentration, work to a job list (see page 45) and organise your work so that you engage in different activities In particular, it is not a good idea to sit still – staring at a screen – for long periods Take a break of at least five minutes every hour, exercising, relaxing or working in a different way This will help you to concentrate and will reduce fatigue Although you may be able to make more use of your computer to help you with your writing, you are advised to organise your work so that you spend no more time than you have to actually sitting and looking at a computer screen Making more use of your computer Many who use a computer for word processing, for sending and receiving e-mail, and for obtaining information via the Internet, not appreciate how they can use it in other ways to help them with their writing – with software programs that may already be installed in their computers Although a program was developed to help users perform a particular task (for example, word processing) it may be installed as part of a suite containing other programs developed to help users with other tasks (for example, with drawing diagrams and charts, with desk-top publishing, with preparing and delivering presentations, and with preparing and using spreadsheets and databases); and each of these programs may have capabilities that overlap with those of the others Desk-top publishing With desk-top publishing software, page layouts can be planned in a choice of formats, with tables and figures in appropriate places close to relevant text The result should be a finished appearance indistinguishable from pages in a printed newsletter, magazine, book or other publication With improvements in word-processing software, however, the line between word processing (with a word-processing program) and desk-top publishing (with a desk-top publishing program) is increasingly difficult to draw, and anyone considering preparing camera-ready copy for a publisher should ascertain the publisher’s requirements before starting to write 190 Appendix Preparing presentations With appropriate software it is easy to prepare: (a) a topic outline for a talk, (b) speaker’s notes, (c) visual aids for use during a talk as overhead projector transparencies or as slides, and (d) hand-outs providing further details – for distribution after a talk Slides (images stored electronically on a disk) can be prepared with or without a background colour and design; and both visual aids and hand-outs can include words alone, tables, charts, or other artwork – including photographs However, care should be taken that the choice of background (see also page 94), or the use of special effects, is not such as to distract listeners – who should be concentrating on your message Using spreadsheets In a spreadsheet, data are entered in a table in which vertical ruled lines between the columns and horizontal ruled lines between the rows form a grid in which the resulting spaces are called cells Whereas in a printed table, on a page, the number of columns and rows is limited by the type size used and by the page size, a spreadsheet can be much larger – according to your needs You can store data in cells and by entering appropriate formulae in other cells you can perform calculations, analyse numerical data and obtain statistics, as with a calculator Furthermore, data saved on a disk can be edited and if you need to change an entry or add data in extra cells, or even add or delete whole columns or rows of data, recalculations are completed almost immediately and automatically by the computer You not have to calculate or recalculate Spreadsheets can be used for keeping records of your personal finances, and in business, for example, for recording and analysing sales data, and for accounts As in word processing, spreadsheets can be printed as hard copy, and if necessary can be incorporated in word-processed documents Results of the analysis of data, recorded on spreadsheets, can also be used to produce graphs, histograms and charts, and these too can be incorporated in word-processed documents (or in the hand-outs and visual aids used in presentations) Preparing and using a database With appropriate software, a computer can be used to construct and maintain a database, which in business could be used, for example, in keeping up-todate staff records, or for stock records and stock control In a database, instead of storing records in a filing cabinet or card index, data are recorded electronically in a table and stored in a computer Advantages Computer appreciation 191 of an electronic database are that: (a) it occupies less space than would a filing cabinet or card index used to store the same information, (b) records can be sorted easily and quickly – and data extracted – according to one’s immediate needs, (c) it is easy to add, correct and delete records to keep them up-todate, and (d) records are not lost or incorrectly filed – and so unavailable – as a result of the carelessness of some users Some people confuse spreadsheets with databases, but there is very little overlap in their applications: a spreadsheet is not a database When planning a database, as when preparing a table, before entering any data you must decide the column headings to be used In a database these headings are called field names They indicate the kinds of information to be kept – in relation, for example, to each person or each item listed in the first column (called the stub in a table) In staff records the column headings would include: Surname, First name, Employee ID (the primary key: a unique identifying alphanumeric reference), Date employed, Post held, Department, and Salary In a database it is easy to amend records: to add or delete horizontal rows of cells (for example, in one database – as staff join or leave the business, or in another – as new kinds of goods are added to stock or as other kinds are sold out and not replaced), and to change the information in any cell (as, for example, people are moved from one department to another, or as the stock of each product changes from day to day) However, adding columns (fields) is impossible with some databases and can cause problems with others So the specification for a database must be carefully considered; and a business practice or procedure may have to be better defined before the specification for the database can be written Then the database must be prepared by someone who understands the uses of a database The kind of database described here, in which operations are performed in one table, is called a flat file system In another kind of database, called a relational database system, different tables can be linked by common fields so that when changes are made in one they are also made automatically, at the same time, in the others This saves space in the database, eliminates duplication of effort – in data collection and data entry – and so saves time, and ensures that everyone using the database has access to identical data Databases can be constructed so as to provide different levels of data protection For example, in an organisation some people may be able to view a particular screen showing personnel data complete (including personal details) whereas other employees accessing the same screen would not see such sensitive information People with good software skills should be able to design and construct a simple database, using a desktop PC program, but server databases and mainframe databases are designed by specialist database engineers 192 Appendix Purchasing a computer Anyone selecting and purchasing a computer is likely to have conflicting requirements, so some requirements cannot be completely satisfied For individuals owning personal computers and for employers, some conflicting requirements result from the increasing rate of technological change For example, obsolescence may make it desirable to update software as soon as possible, but because of the costs involved in purchasing new software and in acquiring new skills it may be necessary to delay making changes For the employer there is also the conflict between the cost of continuing to work to existing standards, using existing procedures and obsolete equipment, and the cost of introducing new standards, new procedures and new equipment In relation to both the cost of purchasing a computer system and the decision as to the best time to buy, one should also bear in mind that any computer or information technology equipment you are thinking of buying will cost less, or will be obsolete and replaced by a more powerful and cheaper system, if you wait The longer you wait, the better value you may expect to obtain for your money Students are advised not to purchase a new personal computer, when they leave school, because they are going on to higher education It is best to wait to see what facilities are available at the college or university where they continue their studies Bibliography BSI (1977) Recommendations for the presentation of tables, graphs and charts, DD 52: 1977 (a Draft for Development), London, British Standards Institute DTI (1988) Instructions for consumer products: guidelines for better instructions and safety information for consumer products, Department of Trade and Industry, London: HMSO Evans, H (1972) Editing and Design: Book Newsman’s English, London: Heinemann Flesch, R F (1962) The Art of Plain Talk, London and New York: CollierMacmillan Fowler, H F (1968) A Dictionary of Modern English Usage, 2nd edn rev E Gowers, Oxford: Clarendon Press Gowers, E (1986) The Complete Plain Words, 3rd edn rev S Greenbaum and J Whitcut, London: HMSO Graves, R and Hodge, A (1947) The Reader Over Your Shoulder: A Handbook for Writers of English Prose, 2nd edn, London: Cape; New York: Macmillan Jay, A (1933) Effective Presentations, London: Pitman (for Institute of Management) McCartney, E S (1953) Recurrent Maladies in Scholarly Writing, Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press Napley, D (1975) The Technique of Persuasion, 2nd edn, London: Sweet & Maxwell Orwell, G (1946) Politics and the English Language, Horizon No 76 (April, 1946) Reprinted (1957) in Selected Essays, Harmondsworth, Penguin Books, 143–157 Partridge, E (1965) Usage and Abusage: A Guide to Good English, 8th edn, London: Hamish Hamilton; New York: British Book Centre Quiller-Couch, A (1916) On the Art of Writing, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Stunk, W & White, E B (1999) The Elements of Style, 4th edn, Boston, Allyn & Bacon Index abbreviations: of journal titles 134; punctuation of 67; use of 10, 66–7, 115, 134 abstract: nouns 10, 73; section of report 108, 134 accept and except 59 accuracy 8, 9, 154: of citations 142; of quotations 110, 142; of statistics 9; in writing acknowledging: communication 29, 40, 42; sources 110, 112, 142–3; 178 acknowledgements: section of report 101, 110–11 acronyms 66–7 active and passive voice 10, 53, 73, 76 address: forms of 34; in letters 31; punctuation of 31; on title page 108 addressee (receiver) 31, 32, 33 addressor (sender) 31, 32 adjective 81, 174, 178, 182, 183, 183 adverb 81, 174, 182, 183 advice and advise 59 affect and effect 59 agenda 144, 148–9 algorithm 93 alphabetical order 135 alphanumeric reference 3, 37, 40, 53, 55, 105, 107, 146, 149, 191 alternate, alternative and choice 59 ambiguity 18, 70, 73 amount and number 59 angle (verbose) apostrophe 177–8, 183 appendices 112 application: for employment 45–9; form 45, 49, 56, 152; letter of 45, 46, 49 appropriateness 8, 9, 16, 122, 127, 151 approximately and about 61 area (verbose) 73, 74 argument 12; logical 10, 13 artwork: see drawings aspect (verbose) 73 assessment: of ability 28; of character; of composition 21, audience: needs of 162–5 authority 12 authors (order of) 105 balance 9, 95 bar chart 90–1 beginning 11–12, 123: article or essay 15, letter 33, 34; report or paper 101, 102, 109; talk 162 bias 11, 76 bibliographic references 112, 135, 140–1 bibliography 111–12 blackboard (use of) 167–8 body language 10, 60, 75, 155 bold print; use of 116, 117, 140, 141, 185 books 136; reviewing 80 brackets 177; see also square brackets brand names (trade names) 66 brevity 10, 18, 77 business communications: basic rules 43, 66, 130, 154; characteristics of 8–14, 22, 27, 77; purpose of 29; routine 51–2; see also correspondence Index 195 business English 30, 31, 42, 57, 59, 65, 178, 183 camera-ready copy 118 capital letters (upper case) 35, 57, 66, 174: in headings 115, in titles 140, for trade names 66 captions (legends to figures) 86, 97–8 carbon paper 40, 44, 104 case (verbose) 73, 74 caution 26, 27 character (verbose) 73 chart: bar 90–1; circular/pie/sector 91–3; decision 93; flow 93; line (graph) 87–9, 91 checking: correspondence 36; first draft (manuscript) 18–21, 113–14; illustrations 98; proofs 120–1; references 114, 121; typescript 116, 119 circulation list: see distribution list circumlocution (verbosity) 72–6 citing sources: 108, 135, 137, 141–3 clarity 9, 10: of illustrations; of writing 77, 172–3 classification: of library books 136; security 103, 106, 107 classified information 103, 106, 107 clause 175–6 cliché 72 co-authors: listing 105; working with 102 coherence (unity/wholeness) 4, 10 colloquial language 57, 58, 163, 178, 183 colon 177 column chart/graph 90–1 comma 83–4, 172–3, 175–7, 177 commenting words 16, 18, 76–7 committee (papers for) 144–50 communication 9, 29: basic requirements 9; failures in 6, 8, 130; non-verbal 10, 60, 75; obstacles to 130; oral and verbal 60; purpose in 8, 9; rules for 130; tone of 11; see also business communications complement and compliment 59 complementary and complimentary 59 completeness 8, 10 complimentary close 32, 33, 35, 39 composition: four stages in 14–21, 100; parts of 10; see also writing comprise and consist of 62 computer: graphics 190; purchasing 192; using 185–91 conclusion: in article or essay 15, 18, 99; in letter 35 conclusions: of meeting 146; section of report 101, 110; validity of 11, 13 concrete nouns 10, 73 confidential information 31, 42, 106, 154 conjunctions 173–4, 176 connections (links) between phrases, sentences and paragraphs 16, 18, 122, 126, 173 consistency 8, 10, 57, 69 content 21, 187 contents page (of report) 109 continual and continuous 59 continuity 16, 17 contractions 67, 178, 183 control (in writing) 18, 123–4; see also job list, time management conversation: record of 2, 147, 154 copies: as record 37, 43, 44; for information 37, 43; unnecessary 40, 43 copy preparation 106,108, 118–19, 135: see also typescript copyright 108, 111, 142 correspondence 28–45; e-mail 41–3; facsimile (fax) 154; initiating 32, 33, 35; letters 28–38; memoranda 40–1; postcards 38–40; record of 43, 44; replying to 32, 33, 35 council and counsel 59 courtesy 10, 36, 155 cover (of report) 105–6 criticising: own writing 25, 45; writing of others 22–24, 77 cross references: in index 117; in text 84, 86, 108 currently (verbose) 63, 73 curriculum vitae (résumé) 45–9, 152 danger 26, 27 dash 177 data: analysing 50; collecting 50–1, 54; numerical 60, 85; original 60, 110; 196 Index presenting 85; and results (difference) 60, 85 data sheet 1–2, 50–1, 190–1 database 190–1 date 43; in correspondence 32, 39; how to write it 32; importance of 2–4, 6, 43; in report 105, 107 deadlines 100 decimal: multiples 84; numbering 104; points 84 decimals 83–4 decision chart 93 definition 13, 68 degree (verbose) 73 dependant and dependent 60 description 1, 13 desk top publishing 189 detail 122, 127 diagrams 19, 87–98 diary 4, 6, dictation 30, 35, 75, 156 dictionary 67, 133, 180, 181, 183 directness, see simplicity directories 135–6 disagreements (avoiding) 44 discreet and discrete 60 discussion: in meetings 158–9; section of report 101, l05, 110; after talk 171 disinterested and uninterested 60 distribution list 19, 30, 43, 99, 106, 107, 112 documentation: see references documents: care of 33, 43, 44, 187–8 double negatives 76 drawings (artwork); kinds of 87–93; preparing 94–5; see also illustrations economy (of expression): see brevity editing 20 editor: advice of 20, 120, correspondence with 119–20; requirements of 102, 115, 119 electronic mail 41 electronic sources 138 elegant variation 69 emphasis: in illustration 87, 95, in writing 15, 18, 69, 81, 107; 124–5, 126 enclosures 35, 37, 48 encyclopaedias 134 ending: article or essay 99; letter 35; see also conclusion English: colloquial 57, 58, 178, 183; good 129–30; poor 30; slang 58; spoken and written (differences) 75, 163–4; standard 57; using 67 envelope: address on 31, 53; sizes 44 environment (verbose) 73 essay 99, see also composition euphony 18, 126 evidence 12, 13, 128, 163; substitutes for 12 examples 11, 16, 128, 163 except and accept 59 exclamation mark 175 exercises: applying for post 45–9, 56; reviewing a book 80; checking and revising 98, 113, 116, 119, 132; choosing words 67; citing sources 142–3; criticising 22–4, 24–5; defining 68; designing a form 55; editing 77–9; writing an essay 19; writing instructions 6, 24–7; writing a letter 45–6; writing a précis 79; summarising 79; preparing a talk or presentation 162–7; managing your time 5, 6; topic outline 15–16; using words 77 explanation 11, 13, 15, 16, 86, 127, 154, 163 extrapolation 12, 89 eye contact 158, 162, 165, 169 fact (verbose) 73, 74 facts (data) 12, 63 facsimile (fax) 154 farther and further 60 fewer and less 60 field (verbose) 73 figures (illustrations) 86–98; see also numbers filing 33, 43, 44, 187 first draft; see manuscript first person (use of) 30, 163 flip chart (use of) 167–8 flow chart 93 folios 118 font (choice of) 107, 115 footnotes: in text 114; to tables 85, on title page 106 Index 197 forceful language 11 foreign words 67, 115 format , see layout forms: as communications 51–2, 54–5, 99; design of 53–4, 135; telephone message 156 front cover (of report) 105–6 full stop 67, 83, 115, 175, 177 further and farther 60 goals grammar 29, 172, 180 grandiloquence 63 graphs 88–9, 91; preparing 94–5, 96 hackneyed phrases 71–2 half title 106 handbooks (manuals) 134 hand-outs 4, 164, 167 handwriting 4, 17, 19, 21, 40, 67, 185, 186, 187; see also manuscript headings: in composition 10,15, 16, 124; in correspondence 32, 33, 40, 41; grades/hierarchy of 104, 115, 185; numbering 104; in plan (topic outline) 16; in report 101, 102–104; of tables 84; see also legends to figures (captions) histogram 89–90 house rules 101, 102, 105, 115, 116 I, you and we (use of) 30 163 idiom 71–2 illustrations 81, 86–98, 125: checking 98; composition 95; dimensions 94–5; kinds of 86–93; labelling 96–7; legends for 97–8; line thickness 94; numbering 86; position of 86; preparing 94–7; for reduction 94–5; storing 97; text reference to 86; see also visual aids imaginative writing 12, 16 impartiality 11 imperative 26 imply and infer 60 important and importantly 63 index: to journals; of document 112, 117, 135 index cards; 117, 140, 165 infer and imply 60 information: communicating 9; confidential 31, 42, 106, 154; finding/retrieval 106, 133–9; overload 43; security 135; sources of 133–9; technology 133 instructions 6–7, 13, 25, 26–7, 50; to authors 102; to printer 120–1; for presentation of typescript 114–16 interest 11–12, 127–9, 165 international language 41 international system of units (SI units) 82–3, 135 internet 137–9, 140 interpolation 88, 89 interviews 151–3 intranets 139 introduction: to article/essay 15; section of report 101, 102, 109; to talk 162, 163, 165, 170; see also beginning inverted commas (quotation marks) 59, 110, 142, 178 italic print 67, 115–16, 117, 140, 141, 179 its and it’s 60, 183 jargon: business/specialist 10, 65–6, 68; see also verbosity Job list 4–5, 6, 42, 154, 158, 189 journals 136–7: abbreviation of titles 134; choice of; indices 138, 139; references to 138, 141; requirements of 102 key: to abbreviations 103; to symbols 92 key words 15, 106, 136, 137 keyboard skills 185, 188 knowledge: displaying 122; of reader 123; recognising gaps 16, 102 labelling: axes of chart/graph 97; diagrams and drawings 96 landscape (arrangement) 84, 86, 98 layout: agenda 148; curriculum vitae (résumé) 47, 48; form 53–4, 55; letter 32, 33, 46, 145; minutes 147; memorandum 41; report 102–4 lecture 160–71 legends to figures (captions) 86, 97–8 less and fewer 59 198 Index letterhead 31 lettering 94 letters: business 28–38, 154; covering 45, 46, 145; mass produced/standard 38–9; purpose of 29, 154 level (verbose) 73 library catalogues 136, 138 licence and license 60 links: see connections listening: see note making literally (actually) 61 literature: citations108, 135, 137, 141–3; survey 136–7 logical argument 13 majority and most 60 manuals (handbooks) 134 manuscript (first draft) 14–18, 21, 104, 112–14 maps 93 materials and methods (section of report) 101, 105, 109 meaning of words59–66; of sentence 172, 176; see also ambiguity media (press release for) 160 meetings 158–60; papers for 144–50; preparing for 158; talking in 158–9 memorandum: as communication 40–41, 154; form 41; personal 1–5; as report 99 messages 156–8 method and methodology 60 methods (section of report) 101, 105, 109 minutes 144–8 misunderstandings 6, 44, 154, 155 momentum in writing) motion (in meeting) 146 multimedia 134 multiples 84 names 10 nature (verbose) 73, 74 neatness 21 non-book materials 136 non-verbal communication 10, 60, 75, 155 note making: when listening 2, 147, 158–9; when observing 2, when reading 140–2; when thinking 4–5, notes for guidance 102 noun 68, 174; abstract and concrete 73 numbering: agenda items 148; alphanumeric 37, 105, 107, 149; decimal/point 104; documents 149; figures (illustrations) 86; folios for printer 118; instructions 25, 26; items in list 104; minutes of meeting 146; pages of document 115; paragraphs 35, 40, 104; reports 105, 107; sections of report 104, 135; tables 84 numbers 81–4; cardinal 83; hyphenated 83; ordinal 83; Roman 83; in tables 84; in topic outline 16, 102, 124 objectivity 12 observation 1, 50, 87 often and many 61–2 only (out of place) 70–1 opinion 12, 13, 139; see also authority oral and verbal 60 order 13; alphabetical 135; in composition 13, 15–16, 18 ordinal numbers 83 originality 13 originator 140, 142 outline: see topic outline overhead projector 168–9 page numbers 115 paragraphs 16, 35, 125; breaks between 75, 125; order of 15, 16, 35; standard 38 parameter and perimeter 60 parenthesis 177 parts of speech 174 patents 20 period (full stop) 67, 83, 115, 175, 177 periodicals (journals) 137 personal communications 31 personal records 1–6 persuasiveness 8, 13 photographs 86–7, 118–19 phrases: to avoid 12, 30, 31, 59, 124; commenting 76–7; connecting 76–7, 124, 163; foreign 67; hackneyed (ready-made) 30, 59; introductory 12, 30, 76, 124, 163; qualifying 64, 81; summarising 35, 65 Index 199 pie chart 92–3 plagiarism 142 plan (diagram) 93 planning: composition 14–16; letter/memorandum 35, 40; report 90–102; talk/presentation 162–7; see also job list, time management plural (forming) 178 points (stops) 177 point numbering 104 portrait (arrangement) 84, 98 possessive 183 postcards (use of) 38–40 poster presentation 159 practicable and practical 60 practice and practise 60 précis 79 precision 8, 13, 59, 81, 83 prejudice (bias) 11, 76 preposition 174 presentation: good 21, 29, 37, 44, 123, 187; of letter/memorandum 37, 44; of poster 159; of report 99–104, 105, 114–16; of talk 170; see also talks (presentations) press release 160, 161 primary sources 137 principal and principle 60 print size 107, 115 printer: instructions for 118–19, 118, 120–1 priorities 4–5, 6, 42, 154 problem: for investigation; statement of 108, 109 procedure (section of report) 101, 105, 109 procedures; see instructions process (verbose) 73 progress and change 62 progress report 105 pronouns 174, 178, 183 pronunciation 180, proof corrections 118, 120–1, 135 proposition 146 public relations 28, 153, 155 public speaking: see speaking punctuation 10, 29, 172–9, 180, 183: of abbreviations; of address 31; marks 177; of numbers 83–4; of prose; of quotations 178 purpose: of investigator 99; in reading 139; in writing 19 qualifying phrases/words: imprecise 81; incorrect 64; unnecessary 12 question mark 175 questionnaire 55 questions: answering 35, 171; asking 53, 55; reader’s 15, 25, 52, 101 quotation marks (inverted commas) 59, 110, 142, 178 quotations: accuracy of 110, 116; acknowledging 110, 142; in notes 142; permission for 111 range 62, 97 readability 132, 173 reader: comments of 20; consideration for 26, 126; effect on 8, 9, 28, 40; difficulties of 20; expectations of 38, 123; interests of 11–12, 127–9; needs of 8, 9, 10, 15, 19, 38, 86, 125; questions of 15, 52; writing for 122–3, 127–9, 130 reading: aloud 18, 114, 126, 165; critically 139; good English 130–1; methods 139– 42; paper at meeting 163, 165, 170–1 recto and verso pages 108 recommendations 108, 110 records: bibliographic; of conversations 154, 156; of correspondence 44, 154; of discussions 2, 158–9, 147; personal 1–6 referees: check list for 119–20; reports of 120 reference: to ability/character 14, 29, 49; materials 136; see also alphanumeric reference references (bibliographic) 116, 135, 140–1; cards for 140; list of 111–12; section of report 101, 111–12; see also citing sources refute and deny 62 relevance: in reading 139; in speaking 156, 157, 164, 165; in writing 14, 18, 102, 127 repetition: of information 13, 18, 86, 128, 163; of investigation 109; of 200 Index sound 126; of words 69–70, 124; see also tautology report: forms 52, 99; memorandum as 99; parts of 101, 103, 104, 108–112; planning 99–104; preparing 99–121; of progress 105; reason for 101; routine 52–3, 99; research and development 103, 135; writing 104–5 resolution 146 results: and data (difference) 60, 85; of enquiry/investigation 50, 60, 85; section of report 101, 105, 109–10 résumé (curriculum vitae) 45–8 review: articles; of book 80; publications 136–7 revising: first draft/manuscript 17, 18–22; typescript 116–17 rhythm 126 roman numerals 83 running head/title 108 safety precautions 27 salutation 32, 33, 39, 41 scale: on chart/graph 88, 89, 91, 94; on line drawing 87; on map 93 second and secondly 62 secondary sources 137 security classification 103, 106, 107 semicolon 177 sentence 122, 173, 175; construction 69–79, 126, 175; emphasis in 124; length of 125– 6, 173; simple 53; topic for 16 SI (international system) units 82–3, `35 signature 32, 36–7, 43, 75, 174 significant differences 62 simplicity 14, 77, 95–6 since and because 62 sincerity 126 situation (verbose) 73 slang 57, 58 slides for projection: preparing 166–7; using 169 sounds of words (euphony) 18, 126 sources of information: acknowledging 112, 178; electronic 138; citing 108, 135, 137, 141–3; listing 111–12, 116, 140; primary and secondary 137 speaking: to audience 160–71; in interview 151–3; to media 160, 161; in meeting 158– 9; on telephone 153–8; and writing (differences) 75, 163–4 specialist terms 10, 65–6, 68 specifications 135 spectrum (verbose) 73 spell-check 133, 183, 186 spelling 10, 29, 133, 180–4 spreadsheets 190, 191 square brackets 116, 126, 140, 141, 142, 178 standard English 57, 58 standards: American (ANSI); British (BS); international (ISO) 134–5 stationary and stationery 61 statistics 60, 62, 135; accuracy of stops (points) 177 stress (avoiding) style of writing 126–7; see also house rules subject heading: of e-mail 42; of letter 32, 33; of memorandum 40, 41 subjectivity 12 summarising 79, 110 summary 35: section of report 99, 101, 105, 106, 108 superfluous words: see verbosity symbols 10; on charts/graphs 91, 96–7; on diagrams 93; in legends 97; for multiples 84; for proof corrections 135; for SI units 82, 83 synopsis: see summary tables: of contents 109; of data 50–1, 85; numbering 84; preparing 84–6, 115; of results 85, 86; as visual aids 167 tact 14 talks (presentations) 160–71, 190 talking: see speaking tasks (prioritising) see job list tautology 64, 74 technical (specialist) terms 10, 65–6, 68 technical manuals 27, 135 telephone (use of) 153–8; advantages 153; disadvantages 153–4 telephone messages 44; forms for 55, 156–8 Index 201 terms of reference 19, 99, 102, 144, 146 their and there 61, 183 theory (section of report) 103 time (verbose) 73, 74 time management: 4–5, 100, 189 title: abbreviations for 134; of composition 19; in references 140, 141; of report 106–8; running 108; see also forms of address title page 106 tone (of communication) 29, 38 topic: outline 16, 17, 18, 21, 102, 186; of paragraph 15, 16; sentence 16 trade names 66 transitions: see connections type size 107, 115 typescript: checking 75,116–17; preparing 114–16, 135 underlining 67, 115–16, 117, 125, 179 uninterested and disinterested 60 unique 62 units of measurement: on chart/graph 88; SI 82–3; in tables 85 unity (coherence/wholeness) 4, 17 universal resource locator (URL): web address 137 upper case: see capital letters user guides 27 utilise and use 63 validity (of conclusions) 11 variables (dependent and independent) 85, 88,89, 90 variation: continuous; discontinuous 89, 90 verb: active and passive voice 10, 53, 73, 76; transitive 73 verbal and oral 60 verbosity (circumlocution) 8, 72–6; indicators of 73 verso and recto pages 108 visual aids 164, 166–71, 190 vital and essential 62 vocabulary 57, 59, 65, 125, 128, 180 warning 26, 27 web address (URL) 137 web pages 137 while and whilst 62 white board (use of) 167–8 wholeness (coherence/unity) 4, 17 whose and who’s 61 within and in 61 word processing 21, 185–9, 190 world wide web 137–8 words: choosing 9, 57–63; commenting and connecting 76–7; too few 18, 76, 77; foreign 67, 115; imprecise 60, 81, 83; length of 63, 73; too many 18, 63–4, 72– 6; meaning of 59–62; misuse of 59–63; modifying 81; order of 70–1; origin of 184; position of 70–1; qualifying 12, 63–4; repetition of 69–70; sounds of 126; using 69–76; vague 12, 81; see also phrases writing: approach to 14, 16–18; in business 22; four stages in 14–21; good 126; imaginative 12,16; judged by 1, 28, 40, 45; kinds of 13; and learning 20; materials for 19, 44, 54, 104; and observing 1; and planning 4, 15; poor 129– 30; and reading 130–1; reasons for101, 130; and remembering 2, 5; rules for 43, 130; and speaking (differences) 75, 163–4; and thinking 4, 15, 20, 57, 75; see also exercises ... Acknowledgements Writing at work xiii xv Writing for yourself Writing helps you to observe Writing helps you to remember Writing helps you to think Writing helps you to plan your work Writing helps you to. .. same author Students Must Write Scientists Must Write Study! Writing at Work A guide to better writing in administration, business and management Robert Barrass London and New York First published... observe, to remember, to think, to plan, to organise and to communicate If you have difficulty in putting your thoughts into words, or are satisfied with your writing yet are prepared to consider