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N I N T H E D I T I O N

Successful Writing at Work

Philip C. Kolin University of Southern Mississippi

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Successful Writing at Work, Ninth Edition Philip C. Kolin

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Preface xv

P A R T I : Backgrounds 1

Chapter 1: Getting Started: Writing and Your Career 3 Writing—An Essential Job Skill 3 Writing for the Global Marketplace 6

Competing for International Business 6 Communicating with Global Audiences: Seeing the World

Through Their Eyes 6 Cultural Diversity at Home 8 Using International English 8

Four Keys to Effective Writing 8 Identifying Your Audience 10 Establishing Your Purpose 15 Formulating Your Message 16 Selecting Your Style and Tone 18

Characteristics of Job-Related Writing 20 1. Providing Practical Information 20 2. Giving Facts, Not Impressions 21 3. Providing Visuals to Clarify and Condense Information 21 4. Giving Accurate Measurements 23 5. Stating Responsibilities Precisely 24 6. Persuading and Offering Recommendations 24

Ethical Writing in the Workplace 27 Ethical Requirements on the Job 29 International Readers and Ethics 29 Employers Insist On and Monitor Ethical Behavior 30 Some Guidelines to Help You Reach Ethical Decisions 31 Ethical Dilemmas 33 Writing Ethically on the Job 34

Successful Employees Are Successful Writers 36 Revision Checklist 37 Exercises 38

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Chapter 2: The Writing Process at Work 43 What Writing Is and Is Not 43

What Writing Is 43 What Writing Is Not 44

The Writing Process 44 Researching 44 Planning 45 Drafting 50 Revising 55 Editing 59

Revision Checklist 70 Exercises 70

Chapter 3: Collaborative Writing and Meetings at Work 76 Teamwork Is Crucial to Business Success 76 Advantages of Collaborative Writing 78 Collaborative Writing and the Writing Process 80

Case Study: Collaborative Editing 81 Guidelines for Setting Up a Successful Writing Group 83 Ten Proven Ways to Be a Valuable Team Player 84 Sources of Conflict in Collaborative Groups and How to Solve Them 85

Common Problems, Practical Solutions 85 Models for Collaboration 87

Cooperative Model 88 Sequential Model 88 Functional Model 88 Integrated Model 91

Case Study: Evolution of a Collaboratively Written Document 91 First Draft 93 Subsequent Drafts 95 Final Copy 97

Computer-Supported Collaboration 97 Advantages of Computer-Supported Collaboration 99 Types of Groupware 100 Models for Computer-Supported Collaboration 105 Avoiding the Pitfalls of Computer-Supported Collaboration 106

Meetings 107 Planning a Meeting 107 Creating an Agenda 108 Observing Courtesy at a Group Meeting 109 Writing the Minutes 110 Taking Notes 113

Revision Checklist 114 Exercises 115

iv Contents

P A R T I I : Correspondence 119

Chapter 4: Writing Routine Business Correspondence: Memos, Faxes, E-Mails, IMs, and Blogs 121 What Memos, Faxes, E-Mails, IMs, and Blog Posts Have in Common 121 Memos 122

Memo Protocol 122 E-Mail or Hard Copy? 124 Memo Audience, Style, and Tone 124 Memo Format 127 Strategies for Organizing a Memo 129 Routing Memos 129

Faxes 130 Guidelines for Sending Faxes 130

E-Mail 131 Business E-Mail Versus Personal E-Mail 131 E-Mails Are Legal Records 132 Guidelines for Using E-Mail 134 When Not to Use E-Mail 140

Instant Messages (IMs) for Business Use 140 When to Use IMs Versus E-Mails 140 Guidelines on Using IMs in the Workplace 142

Blogs 142 Guidelines for Writing Internal Blogs 143 Guidelines for Writing External Blogs 145

Revision Checklist 149 Exercises 150

Chapter 5: Writing Letters: Some Basics for Audiences Worldwide 153 Letters in the Age of the Internet 153 Letter Formats 154

Full Block Format 154 Modified Block Format 154 Continuing Pages 157

Parts of a Letter 157 Date Line 157 Inside Address 157 Salutation 159 Body of the Letter 159 Complimentary Close 159 Signature 160 Enclosure(s) Line 160 Copy Notation 160

Contents v

The Appearance of Your Letter 161 Organizing a Standard Business Letter 162 Making a Good Impression on Your Reader 164

Achieving the “You Attitude”: Four Guidelines 165 International Business Correspondence 170

Guidelines for Communicating with International Readers 173 Respecting Your Reader’s Nationality and Ethnic/Racial Heritage 181 Case Study: Writing to a Client from a Different Culture 183 Two Versions of a Sales Letter 183

Revision Checklist 187 Exercises 189

Chapter 6: Types of Business Letters 195 Formulating Your Message 195 The Four Most Common Types of Business Letters 196 Inquiry Letters 197 Special Request Letters 197 Sales Letters 201

Preliminary Guidelines 201 The Four A’s of Sales Letters 203

Customer Relations Letters 207 Diplomacy and Reader Psychology 207 The Customers Always Write 208 Planning Your Customer Relations Letters—Preliminary Guidelines 208 Follow-Up Letters 212 Complaint Letters 212 Adjustment Letters 218 Refusal-of-Credit Letters 226 Collection Letters 228

Sending Letter-Quality Messages: Final Advice to Seal Your Success 233 Revision Checklist 233 Exercises 234

Chapter 7: How to Get a Job: Searches, Dossiers, Portfolios, Résumés, Letters, and Interviews 241 Steps the Employer Takes to Hire 241 Steps to Follow to Get Hired 242 Analyzing Your Strengths and Restricting Your Job Search 243 Looking in the Right Places for a Job 243 Dossiers and Career Portfolios/Webfolios 246

Dossiers 247 Career Portfolios/Webfolios 248

vi Contents

Preparing a Résumé 251 What Employers Like to See in a Résumé 251 The Process of Writing Your Résumé 253 Parts of a Résumé 254 Organizing Your Résumé 261 The Online Résumé 266

Letters of Application 273 How Application Letters and Résumés Differ 273 Writing the Letter of Application 273

Going to an Interview 281 Preparing for the Interview 281 Questions to Expect at Your Interview 282 What Do I Say About Salary? 283 Questions You May Ask the Interviewer(s) 283 What Interviewer(s) Can’t Ask You 283 Ten Interview Dos and Don’ts 284 The Follow-Up Letter 286

Accepting or Declining a Job Offer 286 Searching for the Right Job Pays 286 Revision Checklist 289 Exercises 289

P A R T I I I : Gathering and Summarizing Information 295

Chapter 8: Doing Research and Documentation on the Job 297 Some Research Scenarios 298 The Differences Between School and Workplace Research 299 Characteristics of Effective Workplace Research 300 The Research Process 301 Two Types of Research: Primary and Secondary 303

Case Study: Primary and Secondary Research in the Real World 305 Primary Research 310

Direct Observation, Site Visits, and Tests 310 Interviews and Focus Groups 311 Surveys 318

Secondary Research 325 Libraries 325 Periodical Databases 330 Reference Materials 334 Internet Searches 340 Evaluating Websites 346

Contents vii

Note Taking 348 The Importance of Note Taking 348 How to Take Effective Notes 348 What to Record 349 To Quote or Not to Quote 350

Documenting Sources 353 The Ethics of Documentation: Determining What to Cite 353 Documentation Styles 354 What MLA and APA Have in Common 355 Following MLA Style 355 Following APA Style 365

A Business Research Report 374 Conclusion 389 Revision Checklist 389 Exercises 390

Chapter 9: Summarizing Information at Work 398 The Importance of Summaries in Business 398 Contents of a Summary 399

What to Include in a Summary 400 What to Omit from a Summary 400

Preparing a Summary 401 Case Study: Summarizing an Original Article 403 Executive Summaries 408

What Managers Want to See in an Executive Summary 408 Organization of an Executive Summary 412

Evaluative Summaries 412 Guidelines for Writing a Successful Evaluative Summary 413 Evaluating the Content 414 Evaluating the Style 414

Abstracts 417 Differences Between a Summary and an Abstract 417 Writing the Informative Abstract 419 Writing the Descriptive Abstract 420

Writing Successful News Releases 420 Subjects Appropriate for News Releases 420 News Releases About Bad News 422 Topics That Do Not Warrant a News Release 423 Organization of a News Release 423 Style and Tone of a News Release 427

Revision Checklist 427 Exercises 428

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P A R T I V : Preparing Documents and Visuals 435

Chapter 10: Designing Clear Visuals 437 Visual Thinking in the Workplace 437 The Purpose of Visuals 438 Types of Visuals and Their Functions 439 Choosing Effective Visuals 439

Ineffective Visuals: What Not to Do 443 Inserting and Writing About Visuals: Some Guidelines 444

Identify Your Visuals 444 Cite the Source for Visuals 445 Insert Your Visuals Appropriately 445 Introduce Your Visuals 447 Interpret Your Visuals 447

Two Categories of Visuals: Tables and Figures 448 Tables 448

Parts of a Table 448 Guidelines for Using Tables 449

Figures 451 Graphs 451 Charts 455 Maps 463 Photographs 464 Drawings 469 Clip Art 470

Using Visuals Ethically 472 Guidelines for Using Visuals Ethically 474

Using Appropriate Visuals for International Audiences 479 Visuals Do Not Always Translate from One Culture

to Another 479 Guidelines for Using Visuals for International Audiences 480

Conclusion 482 Revision Checklist 483 Exercises 483

Chapter 11: Designing Successful Documents and Websites 491 Organizing Information Visually 491 Characteristics of Effective Design 492 Desktop Publishing 493

Type 493 Templates 493 Graphics 494

Contents ix

Before Choosing a Design 495 The ABCs of Print Document Design 496

Page Layout 496 Typography 501 Graphics 505 Using Color 506

Poor Document Design: What Not to Do 507 Writing For and Designing Websites 508

The Organization of a Website—The Basics 508 Web Versus Paper Pages 509 Web Versus Print Readers 510 Case Study: Converting a Print Document

into a Website 510 Guidelines for Designing and Writing a Successful

Homepage 512 Creating Storyboards for Websites and Other Documents 518

Four Rules of Effective Page Design: A Wrap-Up 520 Revision Checklist 521 Exercises 522

Chapter 12: Writing Instructions and Procedures 526 Instructions and Your Job 526 Why Instructions Are Important 526

Safety 527 Efficiency 528 Convenience 528

The Variety of Instructions: A Brief Overview 528 Assessing and Meeting Your Audience’s Needs 528

Key Questions to Ask About Your Audience 529 Writing Instructions for International Audiences 530 Two Case Studies on Meeting Your Audience’s Needs 532

The Process of Writing Instructions 533 Plan Your Steps 533 Do a Trial Run 536 Write and Test Your Draft 536 Revise and Edit 536

Using the Right Style 537 Using Visuals Effectively 538

Guidelines for Using Visuals in Instructions 538 The Five Parts of Instructions 539

Introduction 539 List of Equipment and Materials 541 Steps for Your Instructions 542

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Warnings, Cautions, and Notes 544 Conclusion 546

Model of Full Set of Instructions 546 Writing Procedures for Policies and Regulations 554

Some Examples of Procedures 554 Meeting the Needs of Your Marketplace 554

Some Final Advice 555 Revision Checklist 558 Exercises 558

Chapter 13: Writing Winning Proposals 561 Writing Successful Proposals 561 Characteristics of Proposals 562

Proposals Vary in Size and Scope 562 Proposals Are Persuasive Plans 563 Proposals Frequently Are Collaborative Efforts 563

Types of Proposals 564 Solicited Proposals and Requests for Proposals 564 Unsolicited Proposals 565 Internal and External Proposals 569

Guidelines for Writing a Successful Proposal 570 Internal Proposals 573

Typical Topics for Internal Proposals 573 Following Corporate Policy 578 Ethically Resolving and Anticipating Readers’ Problems 578 Organization of an Internal Proposal 579

Sales Proposals 581 The Audience and Its Needs 581 Organizing a Sales Proposal 581

Proposals for Research Reports 587 Organization of a Proposal for a Research Report 587

A Final Reminder 592 Revision Checklist 592 Exercises 593

Chapter 14: Writing Effective Short Reports 599 Types of Short Reports 599 Guidelines for Writing Short Reports 601

Do the Necessary Research 601 Anticipate How an Audience Will Use Your Report 602 Be Objective and Ethical 603 Organize Carefully 604

Contents xi

Write Clearly and Concisely 604 Use an Appropriate Format and Visuals 605

Case Study: A Poor and an Effective Short Report 606 Periodic Reports 610 Sales Reports 610 Progress Reports 610

Audience and Length for a Progress Report 611 Frequency of Progress Reports 616 Parts of a Progress Report 616

Trip/Travel Reports 617 Questions Trip/Travel Reports Answer 617 Common Types of Trip/Travel Reports 618

Test Reports 625 Questions Your Report Needs to Answer 625 Case Study: Two Sample Test Reports 625

Incident Reports 629 When to Submit an Incident Report 630 Parts of an Incident Report 630

Protecting Yourself Legally 632 Short Reports: Some Final Thoughts 633 Revision Checklist 634 Exercises 634

Chapter 15: Writing Careful Long Reports 638 How a Long Report Differs from a Short Report 638

Scope 639 Research 639 Format 641 Timetable 641 Audience 641 Collaborative Effort 641

The Process of Writing a Long Report 642 Parts of a Long Report 643

Front Matter 643 Text of the Report 647 Back Matter 651

A Model Long Report 651 Final Words of Advice About Long Reports 668 Revision Checklist 668 Exercises 669

xii Contents

Chapter 16: Making Successful Presentations at Work 670 Types of Presentations 670 Informal Briefings 670

Guidelines for Preparing Informal Briefings 671 Using Telephones and Cell Phones Effectively 671 Telephone Etiquette 671

Formal Presentations 673 Analyzing Your Audience 673 The Parts of Formal Presentations 675 Presentation Software 680 Noncomputerized Presentations 683 Rehearsing Your Presentation 684 Delivering Your Presentation 685 Evaluating Presentations 688

Revision Checklist 691 Exercises 691

A Writer’s Brief Guide to Paragraphs, Sentences, and Words 693 Paragraphs 693

Writing a Well-Developed Paragraph 693 Supply a Topic Sentence 693 Three Characteristics of an Effective Paragraph 695

Sentences 697 Constructing and Punctuating Sentences 697 What Makes a Sentence 698 Avoiding Sentence Fragments 699 Avoiding Comma Splices 700 Avoiding Run-On Sentences 701 Making Subjects and Verbs Agree in Your Sentences 702 Writing Sentences That Say What You Mean 703 Correct Use of Pronoun References in Sentences 704

Words 705 Spelling Words Correctly 705 Using Apostrophes Correctly 705 Using Hyphens Properly 706 Using Ellipses 706 Using Numerals Versus Words 707 Matching the Right Word with the Right Meaning 707

Proofreading Marks 711 Index 712

Contents xiii

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P R E F A C E

Successful Writing at Work is a comprehensive introductory text for business, tech- nical, professional, and occupational writing courses. As readers of earlier editions of this text have learned, Successful Writing at Work can help students develop key communication skills essential for a successful career. Writing is a vital part of vir- tually every job today—and this real-world, practical textbook will guide students to become better writers while they also learn to develop and design effective work- place documents, visuals, and presentations.

Successful Writing at Work continues to take students step by step through each type of workplace writing by giving them detailed guidelines for preparing clear, well organized, and readable documents, websites, and presentations for a wide variety of readers. Moreover, because effective models are critical to learning new skills, students will—as in past editions—find a wide and up-to-date range of realistic and rhetorically diverse examples (all of them annotated and visually varied) demonstrating the function, scope, format, and organization of various types of documents. All of these models are focused directly on practical issues in the world of work and portray employees as successful writers.

This new ninth edition is as versatile as it is comprehensive. Full enough for a 16-week semester, it can also be easily adapted to a shorter 6-, 8-, or 10-week course. Furthermore, Successful Writing at Work is designed to go beyond classroom appli- cations: It is a ready reference that students can easily carry with them as they begin or advance in the workplace. As students will quickly find, this edition—like earlier ones—is rich in practical applications. It can be as useful to readers with little or no job experience as to those with years of experience in one or several fields. This edi- tion also takes into consideration the needs of students reentering the job market or changing careers.

Distinctive Features of Successful Writing at Work

The distinctive features that in the past have made Successful Writing at Work a user- friendly text in the contemporary workplace continue to be emphasized in the ninth edition. These features include those skills that are central to success in the world of work—analyzing audiences, approaching writing as a problem-solving activity, using the latest workplace technologies, being an ethical employee, and writing for the global marketplace.

■ Analyzing audiences. The ninth edition once again stresses the importance of audience analysis and the writer’s obligation to achieve the “you attitude” in every workplace document. Moreover, the concept of audience is extended

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xvi Preface

to include readers worldwide, as well as non-native speakers of English, whether as co-workers, employers, clients, or representatives of various agencies and organizations. Memos, e-mails, letters, résumés, application letters, summaries, visuals, websites, instructions, proposals, short reports, long reports, and presentations are introduced and illustrated with the intended audience(s) in mind.

■ Approaching writing as a problem-solving activity. The ninth edition con- tinues to emphasize workplace writing as a problem-solving activity in which employees meet the needs of their employers, co-workers, customers, clients, and vendors worldwide by getting to the bottom line. Successful Writing at Work presents multiple situations and problems that students will have to address, and it highlights the rhetorical and technical options avail- able for solving these problems. It teaches students how to develop the criti- cal skills necessary for planning, researching, drafting, revising, and editing a variety of documents from memos to reports. In addition, in-depth case studies throughout the book demonstrate how writers find resources and develop rhetorical strategies to solve problems in the business world.

■ Using the latest workplace technologies. This ninth edition offers the most current and extensive coverage of communication technologies for writing successfully in the rapidly changing world of work—from the Internet, e-mail, presentation software, and instant messaging to the newest workplace technologies, including blogs, wikis, document tracking systems, intranets, whiteboards, web and video conferencing tools, and smartphones. You’ll find coverage of these technologies not only integrated into each chapter, but also highlighted in the Tech Notes boxes in every chapter.

■ Being an ethical employee. Companies expect their employees to behave and write ethically. Often, though, writers are faced with ethical dilemmas in the workplace. As in earlier editions, the ninth edition of Successful Writing at Work reinforces the importance of ethical workplace writing. Not only are ethics stressed in Chapter 1, but all chapters offer guidelines and examples on the need to write and act ethically in the world of work. Special attention to ethics can be found in the sections on editing to avoid sexism and biased lan- guage; writing e-mails, instant messages, and blogs; drafting diplomatic and respectful letters; preparing honest and realistic résumés; conducting accu- rate, objective, and documented research; using and constructing unaltered and unbiased visuals; preparing safe and effective instructions; and writing truthful proposals and reports.

■ Writing for the global marketplace. In today’s global workplace, effective employees must be consistently aware of and know how to write for a wide variety of readers, both in the United States and across the globe. Conse- quently, almost every chapter in this new edition includes increased coverage of writing for international readers and non-native speakers of English. The needs and expectations of these international audiences receive special atten- tion starting with Chapter 1 and continuing throughout the chapters focus- ing on correspondence, visuals, instructions, short and long reports, and presentations.

Preface xvii

New and Updated Material in the Ninth Edition

To meet the needs of employees in today’s workplace, the ninth edition of Success- ful Writing at Work is one of the most extensively revised editions yet. It has been carefully streamlined and updated to make it the most contemporary tool possible for instructors and students alike. Throughout this edition you will find strength- ened coverage, new topics, updated guidelines, and a wealth of new annotated ex- amples of workplace documents, plus new Tech Notes, case studies, and exercises to make the presentation of workplace writing more relevant and current. Here is an overview of what has been added or updated to make Successful Writing at Work, Ninth Edition, a comprehensive and up-to-date text:

■ New chapter on research and documentation. The ninth edition includes a new Chapter 8, “Doing Research and Documentation on the Job,” focusing on the tools and strategies students need for workplace success. Beginning with a discussion of how research done in school differs from that in the workplace, the chapter gives students a thorough and realistic introduction to the types of problems they will need to research and solve in the world of work. Special attention is given to the methods and types of primary research most often used in the workplace (with new annotated examples), including observations, interviews, focus groups, and surveys. Secondary research is covered in even greater detail than in previous editions—again from a work- place perspective—with an emphasis on navigating different types of libraries (including Internet and corporate libraries); using general and business- specific periodical databases; consulting reference materials with demographic and government statistics; conducting business-oriented Internet searches; taking effective notes; and documenting sources properly according to the latest MLA and APA guidelines.

■ New real-world extended examples in the research chapter. The most in- novative features in Chapter 8 are its two new extended examples, both adapted from real-world sources: “The Ways Research Is Conducted at the B&L Stores,” written by a retail executive with years of practical experience, is a behind-the-scenes look at how and why research is necessary for both day-to-day and long-range decision making. “A Marketing Plan for Sawmill Ridge,” written by a collaborative real estate marketing team, is an actual business research report—fully annotated—that illustrates the range of re- search methods and materials covered earlier in the chapter and demonstrates how writers organize the results of their research for decision makers.

■ New and expanded coverage of workplace technologies. In addition to new and revised Tech Notes in every chapter, business communication technolo- gies are highlighted in many of the chapters: Chapter 3, “Collaborative Writ- ing and Meetings at Work,” now includes a new section on collaborative editing using e-mail, document tracking systems, and wikis. Chapter 4, “Writing Routine Business Correspondence,” provides updated coverage on

xviii Preface

writing and organizing e-mails, along with new sections on (and examples of) instant messages and internal and external business blogs. Chapter 7, “How to Get a Job,” features updated coverage of online résumés, along with new sections on developing and designing career portfolios. Chapter 8, “Doing Research and Documentation on the Job,” details the latest strategies for doing research with electronic and print sources and documenting a wide range of sources—print, electronic, personal, statistical—in the business world. Chapter 11, “Designing Successful Documents and Websites,” contains a new streamlined discussion of writing and designing texts for an online en- vironment. Finally, Chapter 16, “Making Successful Presentations at Work,” helps students understand how to be better, more persuasive speakers using PowerPoint technology and includes a revised sample slide show.

■ New and Updated Tech Notes. Thirteen new Tech Notes have been added to this edition, covering important technologies ranging from coordinating virtual meetings to finding gray literature and using RSS feeds, PDF files, and whiteboards. In addition, all other Tech Notes have been updated, making this edition a valuable introduction to the workplaces of the new millennium. See the inside back cover for a complete list of the Tech Notes, both new and revised, in this edition.

■ New and updated material on collaborative writing and meetings. In addition to streamlined and updated guidelines for setting up, conducting, and avoiding conflicts in group settings, Chapter 3, “Collaborative Writ- ing and Meetings at Work,” now includes a section on ten ways to be a team player, a discussion of collaborating electronically with new figures showing how documents are collaboratively edited using e-mail and docu- ment tracking systems, plus further guidelines on planning virtual and face-to-face meetings.

■ New and enhanced discussion of workplace correspondence. Each of the three chapters on workplace correspondence contains new and updated ma- terial to help students become diplomatic and proficient writers. Chapter 4, “Writing Routine Business Correspondence,” features updated coverage of memos, e-mails, and faxes, along with new sections (with annotated figures) on writing instant messages and internal and external blogs. Chapter 5, “Writing Letters,” supplies updated guidelines for writing standard business letters, as well as enhanced coverage of international business correspon- dence. And Chapter 6, “Types of Business Letters,” gives students practical, updated guidelines on writing various types of letters, with enhanced atten- tion to how a corporate culture promotes its identity.

■ New and expanded coverage of employment correspondence. Already praised for its helpful coverage of the job search, Chapter 7, “How to Get a Job,” offers the most current advice on searching for and applying for a job. It includes a new section on helping students prepare for their careers while they are still in college; updated advice on searching for a job; streamlined discussions and numerous annotated examples of résumés and letters of application; cutting-edge coverage of online résumés; and new sections on dossiers and career portfolios, with an annotated sample webfolio. Reflecting

Preface xix

changes in how companies interview and hire job candidates, the chapter closes with new, highly practical advice on interview strategies.

■ New model internal proposal. The new unsolicited internal proposal in Chapter 13, “Writing Winning Proposals,” underscores a theme in this new edition that technology and effective writing are inseparable in the world of work. It is written to persuade a company to purchase GPS tracking systems for its fleet of vehicles, a topic not only highly relevant in this era of escalat- ing energy costs, but one that effectively shows how proposal writers use research and audience analysis.

■ New and stronger emphasis on greening the workplace. This edition gives greater attention to the importance of protecting and preserving the environ- ment, both in the workplace and at off-site locations. Chapter 1 includes a major example of how a power company and its employees safeguard the nat- ural resources their customers need and then describes the ethical responsi- bilities companies and their employees have to respect the environment. Subsequent chapters include examples of how they can go about this. For instance, Chapter 3 offers drafts of a report on the importance of recycling, Chapter 8 includes a screen shot of the EPA website; and Chapter 14 shows a progress report from a contractor remodeling an office space to save energy as well as a test report on soil conservation.

Organization of Successful Writing at Work, Ninth Edition

The following overview of the organization of this new edition briefly outlines how this text can help both students and instructors.

Overview of Part I: Backgrounds Part I (Chapters 1–3) explains the foundational concepts of occupational writing, the basics of the writing process, and the importance of collaborative writing in the workplace.

Chapter 1, “Getting Started,” sets the stage for all occupational writing by in- troducing writing as an essential job skill vitally important in the global market- place, then defines and illustrates the basic concepts of audience analysis, purpose, message, persuasion, style, and tone. The chapter then turns to the characteristics of job-related writing and concludes with a strong emphasis on being an ethical writer and employee.

Chapter 2, “The Writing Process at Work,” introduces students to the process of researching, planning, drafting, revising, and editing their written work and then shows them how to troubleshoot some of the most common writing errors found in job-related writing. The information on effective writing in this chapter is threaded throughout the ninth edition.

Chapter 3, “Collaborative Writing and Meetings at Work,” emphasizes the im- portance of teamwork, giving students valuable and easy-to-apply guidelines for

xx Preface

being productive, cooperative collaborative writers. This chapter also explores some of the major problems writers face when working together and gives helpful, realis- tic advice on how they can use software to become effective editors during the col- laboration process. The final section of the chapter focuses on planning, attending, and recording meetings.

Overview of Part II: Correspondence Part II (Chapters 4–7) concentrates on how to write various types of business cor- respondence, from informal documents and electronic correspondence to formal letters and job application materials.

Chapter 4, “Writing Routine Business Correspondence,” offers abundant ex- amples of and guidelines for writing workplace e-correspondence, including e-mails, IMs, and internal and external blogs, as well as memos and faxes.

Chapter 5, “Writing Letters,” introduces students to the basics of letter writ- ing, concentrating on why letters remain important in the Internet age, how to se- lect appropriate letter formats, how to organize a letter, what constitutes a clear and concise style, and why the audience’s needs must always be at the forefront. The chapter also includes an in-depth section on writing for international readers.

Chapter 6, “Types of Business Letters,” examines the rhetorical strategies for producing a variety of business letters, including inquiry, special request, sales, and several types of customer relations letters. The chapter also gives students organiza- tional strategies for preparing good news or bad news letters, along with annotated examples of both appropriate and inappropriate letters.

Chapter 7, “How to Get a Job,” takes students step by step through the process of finding a job, from preparing for a career while they are still in college through looking in the right places for a job, creating both print and online résumés, writing application letters, preparing a dossier and webfolio, and interviewing. The chapter provides a wide variety of sample documents—particularly résumés and letters of application—from applicants with varying degrees of experience.

Overview of Part III: Gathering and Summarizing Information Part III (Chapters 8 and 9) occupies a key position in the ninth edition because it helps students identify and employ the strategies and tools to do careful research and write clear summaries and abstracts essential in the busy world of work.

Chapter 8, “Doing Research and Documentation on the Job,” focuses exclu- sively on the hows and whys of research in the workplace, from understanding the research process as a whole to preparing a fully documented business research report. The process of doing research is simplified by dividing it into three com- ponents: doing primary research in a business context, doing business-focused sec- ondary research, and avoiding plagiarism by properly documenting a wide range of sources using MLA and APA styles. An annotated real-world business research re- port illustrates how writers find, organize, and analyze information to help deci- sion makers solve workplace problems.