USDA DIRECTIVES WRITING COURSE

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USDA DIRECTIVES WRITING COURSE

• January 2006

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USDA DEPARTMENTAL DIRECTIVES SYSTEM

• Directive on Creating Directives
•   The USDA Departmental Directives System is
  described in the USDA Departmental Directive
  DR0100-001. The DR addresses content, format,
  design, indenting, page size, header and footer
  information along with clearance requirements.
•  Departmental Directives Website
•   The Departmental Directives are located on the
  Internet at http//www.ocio.usda.gov/directives/
  index.html.

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USDA DIRECTIVES WRITING COURSE

• GETTING STARTED
• KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
• III. PERSONALIZE YOUR CONTENT  
• KEEP TO THE POINT   
• AVOID THE PASSIVE TENSE

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• I. GETTING STARTED - USDA DIRECTIVES SYSTEM -
  GENERAL
• Provides the System for communicating written
  instructions to employees.
• Provides a single point of reference on a topic.
  It contains extracted, condensed, and
  interpreted rules and regulations from many
  sources that significantly affect agency missions
  and programs.
• Ensures compliance with Government regulations.
  

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• I. GETTING STARTED - USDA DIRECTIVES SYSTEM -
  GENERAL (Continued)
• Serves as an aid to train and orient new
  employees in the performance of their jobs.
• Establishes standards and procedures for
  written instructions.  
• A Departmental Regulation addresses policy and
  high-level roles and responsibilities.
• A Departmental Manual provides detailed
  instructions on how to accomplish the intent of
  the DR.
• If a DM is not used, information in a DR can
  also be supplemented by information posted on a
  website.

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• I. GETTING STARTED - SOME START UP QUESTIONS
• What are the goals and objectives of the
  directive?
• What should the reader know and/or do after
  reading this?
• How detailed does the information need to be?
• Who is the audience?
• Who are the stakeholders?
• What is the impact on organizational resources to
  accomplish the intent of the directive?

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• I. GETTING STARTED - SOME START UP QUESTIONS -
  Continued
• Is there an opportunity to re-engineer the
  processes/procedures required by the directive?
• Who should be involved in developing the
  directive? Should there be a working group?
  Should individuals be interviewed individually or
  through focus groups?
• Which internal management groups should be
  involved in the development and approval?
• Are there cross-functional opportunities to
  address in an integrated/streamlined fashion?

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• I. GETTING STARTED - DEVELOP AN OUTLINE DEFINE
  CONTENT COMPONENTS
• Determine topics to address
• Suggested Mandatory Content/Section
  Requirements
• Purpose - Briefly state the purpose and scope of
  the directive and its applicability to various
  agencies and offices.
• Special Instructions/Cancellation - State
  special instructions or to cancel a previous
  directive. This section may be entitled Special
  Instructions, Cancellation, or both as
  appropriate.
• Policy - Provide a brief summary of the
  principal policy promulgated in the directive.
  This is the heart of the directive. This is
  why the directive is necessary.

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• I. GETTING STARTED - DEVELOP AN OUTLINE DEFINE
  CONTENT COMPONENTS - Continued
• Suggested Mandatory Content/Section
  Requirements (Continued)
• Background Provide contextual information as
  appropriate.
• Authorities References Provide a listing of
  those laws and regulations used as the
  foundational building block(s) for the directive.
  In most cases, USDA directives expand and
  interpret important rules and regulations from
  many sources.

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• I. GETTING STARTED - DEVELOP AN OUTLINE DEFINE
  CONTENT COMPONENTS Continued
• Suggested Mandatory Content/Section
  Requirements (Continued)
• Topic Specific Sections Provide information to
  ensure understanding of topic and high-level
  requirements of what needs to be done. Include
  enough information so the user can answer the
  majority of his/her questions without having to
  contact the Office of Primary Interest.
• Abbreviations - Use to identify abbreviations
  used throughout the directive. It is not
  necessary to explain these abbreviations in the
  test.

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• I. GETTING STARTED - DEVELOP AN OUTLINE DEFINE
  CONTENT COMPONENTS Continued
• Suggested Mandatory Content/Section
  Requirements (Continued)
• Report(s) Identify any reports affected by the
  directive. Include title and reporting
  requirements.
• Form(s) Identify any forms affected by the
  directive. Include complete title and number.
• Definitions Use to provide meanings for words
  and phrases as they are to be interpreted in the
  context of the directive.

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• I. GETTING STARTED - DEVELOP AN OUTLINE DEFINE
  CONTENT COMPONENTS Continued
• Suggested Mandatory Content/Section
  Requirements (Continued)
• Responsibilities - Identify responsible
  officials, offices, agencies, and functional
  specialists and their duties relative to the
  directive. Estimate the number of resources that
  will be required to accomplish the required
  result. View this as an opportunity to
  reengineer business processes/procedures.

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II. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

• Establish Your Purpose and Audience
• Start Fast, Explain as Necessary, Then Stop
• Use More Headings
• Write Effective Paragraphs
• Write Disciplined Sentences

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III. PERSONALIZE YOUR CONTENT

• Talk to One Reader When Writing to Many
• Rely on Everyday Words
• Keep Sentences Short

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Rely on Everyday Words

• Not Use
• aforesaid the, that
• heretofore until now
• herewith is here is
• Also, refer to
• http//www.plainlanguage.gov

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IV. KEEP TO THE POINT

• Avoid "it is and "there is"
• Free Smothered Verbs
• Shun "the -ion of'' and "the -ment of''
• Avoid Excessive Abbreviating

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V. AVOID THE PASSIVE TENSE

• Learn the Symptoms of Passive Voice
• Know the Three Cures
• Write Passively only for Good Reason

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Know the Three Cures

• 1. Put a doer before the verb
• 2. Drop part of the verb
• Not The results are listed in the
  attachment.
• Use The results are in the attachment.
• 3. Change the verb
• Not Letter formats are shown in the
  correspondence manual.
• Use Letter formats appear in the
  correspondence manual.

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References Learning Aids

• Books, Guides, and How-To Publications
• List of Simpler Words and Phrases
• Training Courses

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Books, Guides, and How-To Publications

• Executive Writing Course United States Air
  Force States Air Force Academy Executive Writing
  Course -- http//www.nws.noaa.gov/directives/trai
  ning/booklet.pdf
• A New Guide to Better Writing by Rudolf Flesch.
  Warner Books, 1982. A "how to" guide with
  sections on clarity, pruning, choosing the right
  word, and adding punch to get the point across.
• Effective Writing A Workshop Course by Internal
  Revenue Service. Government Printing Office,
  1975. (Stock No. 048-004 01288-0/Catalog No.
  T22.19/2 W 93/3). Excellent advice on how to
  write official letters that are complete,
  correct, clear, concise, and appropriate in tone.
  
• Handbook of Technical Writing, 4th edition, by
  Charles T. Brusaw, Gerald-J. Aired, and Walter E.
  Oliv. St Martin's Press, 1992. Besides covering
  the elements of technical reports, this reference
  text answers hundreds of questions, some of them
  fussy, on grammar and punctuation.
• Harbrace College Handbook, l1th edition, by John
  C. Hodges and Mary E. Whetted. Harcourt Brace
  Jovanovich, 1990. A popular reference on grammar
  and punctuation. Thorough and sensible.
• The Plain English Approach to Business Writing by
  Edward P. Bailey, Ir. Oxford University Press,
  1990. A readable, concise guide by one of the
  strongest advocates of executive writing.
  Practical advice ranging from punctuation and
  style of sentences to visual layouts.

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Example of Simpler Words Phrases

• Instead of Try Instead of Try
• accompany go with Disclose show
• accomplish carry out, do discontinue drop,
  stop
• accomplish (a form) fill out disseminate
  issue, send out
• accordingly so do not dont
• accrue add, gain due to the fact that due to,
  since

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Training Courses

• USDA Graduate School
• Writing for Government and Business (WRIT1102C)
• Practical Writing (WRIT1110E)
• Clear Writing through Critical Thinking
  (WRIT7100D)
• USDA AgLearn
• USDA employees can take writing courses through
  AgLearn, USDAs web-based training tool. Visit
  www.aglearn.usda.gov and search for various
  writing and grammar courses.

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FOR MORE INFORMATIONContact

• Matt Patrick
• Departmental Directives Manager
• 202-690-0042
• Matthew.patrick_at_usda.gov

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