Avoiding Meaningless Clichs

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Avoiding Meaningless Clichés

• Or, how to write reports, memos, and letters that
  people will actually read, understand, and like !
• This presentation will describe
• why plain language is FUNDAMENTALLY IMPORTANT
  for effective writing
• how precisely matching your language to your
  audience IS NECESSARY for effective writing
• why cliché language will often TURN OFF an
  audience
• some SPECIFIC CLICHÉS TO AVOID
• an EXAMPLE LETTER

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why plain languageis FUNDAMENTALLY IMPORTANT

• EFFECTIVE report writing requires
• clear communication (so that people can
  understand the report)
• efficient communication (so that people can read
  it quickly)
• effective communication (which includes not
  frustrating people)
• Does this sentence meet these goals?
• It was suggested that one ought to utilize
  commonplace grammatical structures and terms for
  efficacious written report exchanges with the
  general public at large.
• How about this instead?
• I think you should use plain language to make
  reports effective for a wide audience.

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matching your language to the audience IS
NECESSARY

• Here are some of the instructions that California
  juries used to receive
• A preponderance of the evidence
• Failure of recollection is common. Innocent
  misrecollection is not uncommon.
• The amount of caution required of a person whose
  physical faculties are impaired is the care which
  a person of ordinary prudence with similarly
  impaired faculties would use under circumstances
  similar to those shown by the evidence.
• Would these instructions HELP you to NOT make a
  mistake judging a court case?

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plain language might prevent BIG mistakes . . .

• Here are the instructions that California juries
  NOW receive
• More likely than not
• People often forget things or make mistakes in
  what they remember.
• A person with a physical disability is required
  to use the amount of care that a reasonably
  careful person who has the same physical
  disability would use in the same situation.
• Would THESE instructions be better for helping
  you to not mess up a court case?

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why cliché language will oftenTURN OFF an
audience

• What is your FIRST reaction when you read these
  phrases ?
• we value your continued customer loyalty . . .
• it is with great satisfaction that we present our
  valued customers with this opportunity . . .
• we are unfortunately experiencing a high volume
  of requests at this time . . .
• we will respond to your request on a
  going-forward basis . . .
• The last phrase rules out time travel, which is
  somewhat informative.

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hows about this instead . . .

• What is your reaction when you read THESE phrases
  ?
• We want to keep you as a customer . . .
• Were giving you an opportunity . . .
• Unfortunately, were overwhelmed right now and
  cant handle your request right away . . .
• We will get back to you soon . . .
• Does plain language make you at least somewhat
  MORE likely to be understanding and patient ?

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someONLINE RESOURCES

• Since there are too many common clichés to list
  in one presentation
• There is a VERY GOOD website linked to the
  syllabus schedule to help you recognize specific
  meaningless or ineffective letter clichés.
• There is also a VERY GOOD website linked to the
  syllabus schedule to help you edit for plain
  language in general.
• Finally, there is also a before and after
  customer service letter linked to the syllabus
  schedule that can perhaps help you to edit your
  group shipping increase letter report for
  effective plain language.