Professional Writing Refresher

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Professional Writing Refresher

• A Public Service Workshops Programworkshop for
  PST Unit employees

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Module 1 Foundation

• Identify the actor and action in a sentence
• Write complete and active sentences
• Write sentences with introductory words and word
  groups
• Write clear statements, commands, and questions

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Module 1 FoundationSentencesSubjects and
Predicates

• All sentences have two parts
• Subject - topic of a sentence
• Predicate - what is told about the subject

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Module 1 FoundationSentencesSubjects and
Predicates

• Example
• The piston warped in the engine block.

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Module 1 FoundationSentencesAction Statements

• Example
• The piston warped in the engine block.

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Module 1 FoundationSentencesExercise 1.1

• Example
• Cars move in and out of the facility.
• Who or what is being written about?
• What does the subject do or has done?

Cars
move in and out of the facility
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Module 1 FoundationSentencesCondition
Statements

• When the predicate tells what condition the
  subject is, was, or will be in.
• The condition can be logically matched with the
  subject.

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Module 1 FoundationSentencesCondition
Statements

• Example
• The piston warped in the engine block.

Logically matched warped piston
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Module 1 FoundationSentencesExercise 1.2

• Example
• The transmission case lost its fluid.
• Who or what is being written about?
• What is the condition of the subject?

transmission case
lost (?)
Not logically matched lost transmission case
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Module 1 FoundationSentencesExercise 1.2

• Example, cont.
• The transmission case was empty.
• Who or what is being written about?
• What is the condition of the subject?

transmission case
empty
Logically matched empty transmission case
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Module 1 Structure

• Identify and write direct object sentences
• Identify phrases
• Identify verb phrases
• Identify and write prepositional phrases

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Module 1 StructureDirect Objects

• The direct object of a sentence answers the
  question what about a verb and its subject
• What received the subject/verb action?
• What resulted from the subject/verb action?

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Module 1 StructureDirect Objects

• Example
• The technician built a transmission.
• Who or what is being written about?
• What action did the subject perform?
• What was the outcome or result?

The technician (subject)
built (verb)
transmission (direct object)
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Module 1 StructureDirect ObjectsDirect Object
Pattern

• The most important pattern in business
  documentation and reports.
• SUBJECT ACTION VERB DIRECT OBJECT

Keep your sentences simple and active
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Module 1 StructureDirect ObjectsDirect Object
Pattern

• Example
• The technician soldered the wire.

(S) technician (V) soldered (DO) wire
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Module 1 StructureDirect ObjectsExercise 2.1

• Example
• The catalog listed the required parts.
• Who or what is being written about?
• What action did the subject perform?
• What was the outcome or result?

The catalog (subject)
listed (verb)
parts (direct object)
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Module 1 StructurePhrases

• A meaningful group of words that does not contain
  a subject and a predicate.
• Verb phrases
• Prepositional phrases
• The most important types of phrases to consider
  when writing business documentation and reports.

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Module 1 StructurePhrasesVerb Phrases

• Contain one or more helping verbs in addition to
  the action verb.
• Helping verbs add meaning to other verbs.

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Module 1 StructurePhrasesVerb Phrases

• Example
• The technician had soldered the wire.

Verb phrase had soldered
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Module 1 StructurePhrasesExercise 2.2

• Example
• The technician moved the alternator.
• What is the action?
• What helps the verb indicate time, intent, etc?

moved (verb)
?? (no helping verb)
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Module 1 StructurePhrasesPrepositional Phrases

• Contain a preposition and a noun or pronoun that
  is the object of the preposition.
• Prepositional phrases are fragments that usually
  do not stand alone.

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Module 1 StructurePhrasesPrepositional Phrases

• Example
• The car idled for 20 minutes.

Prepositional phrase for 20 minutes
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Module 1 StructurePhrasesExercise 2.3

• Example
• The transistor was damaged in the test.
• What is the action?
• What phrase gives the action relation?

damaged (verb)
in the test (prepositional phrase)
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Module 2 Action

• Edit sentences for verb problems
• Identify and use correct verb tense
• Write simple active sentences

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Module 2 ActionPlain Language

• Good business reports are written in clear,
  deliberate, and concise language.
• The active verb is at the heart of this writing.

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Module 2 Action Plain Language

• An active verb allows the subject of a sentence
  to act (rather than the subject being acted
  upon).
• Example
• David Cone pitched a perfect game.

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Module 2 Action Active Voice

• When you write in an active voice, you use active
  verbs.
• The subjects of your sentences perform the
  actions expressed in the active verbs.

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Module 2 Action Passive Voice

• When you write in a passive voice, you use
  passive verbs.
• The subjects of your sentences receive the
  actions expressed in the verbs.

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Module 2 Action Active and Passive Voice

• Examples
• (Active) The technician soldered the wire.
• (Passive) The wire was soldered by the
  technician.
• (Active) Quality analysts have completed hours of
  training.
• (Passive) Hours of training were completed by the
  quality analysts.

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Module 2 Action Changing Passive to Active

• Start with by the
• Example
• The manual is being read by most of the
  technicians.

Most of the technicians
are reading
the manual.
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Module 2 Action Verb Problems

• The verb is the heart of the active, clear,
  concise sentence.
• Incorrect verb tense can bog down the reader or
  change the meaning of a sentence.

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Module 2 Action Verb Problems

• Tense indicates time distinctions.
• Past Present Future
• closed closes/closing will close
• fixed fixes/fixing shall fix
• increased increases/increasing will
  increase

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Module 2 Action Verb ProblemsExercise 3.1

• Example
• When the technician removes the cable, the
  connector cracked.
• What is the tense of the first verb?
• What is the tense of the second verb?

removes (present)
cracked (past)
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Module 2 Action Awkward Sentences

• Reasons for awkward sentences
• No noun/verb agreement
• Passive voice
• Tense problems

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Module 2 Action Awkward SentencesExercise 3.2

• Example
• It is believed that each and every technician
  will complete the training over the course of the
  month.

All technicians
Each and every technician
will complete
the training
this month.
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Module 3 Observations

• Identify subjective observations
• Identify objective observations
• Write object observations

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Module 3 ObservationsPerspective

• Five types of writing
• Persuasive
• Creative
• Expressive
• Expository
• Professional (Business and Technical)

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Module 3 ObservationsPerspectiveProfessional
Writing

• A specialized type of writing.
• Conveys specific information about a subject to a
  specific audience for a specific purpose.
• Objectivity is the difference.

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Module 3 ObservationsMaking Observations

• Recognizing and noting facts and occurrences
• Relating with detail
• Must be verifiable or testable

Business reports have to be detailed, verifiable,
and objective
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Module 3 ObservationsSubjectivity

• Personal impressions
• Speculations
• Judgments
• Feelings
• Examples
• In my opinion, the process failed because
• I feel the component is poorly designed.

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Module 3 ObservationsSubjectivity
Recommendations

• Draw conclusions and make recommendations of
  action.
• Makes objectivity difficult to maintain
• Based on what the author knows, thinks, and feels
  about the subject

Most business reports DO NOT contain
recommendations.
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Module 3 ObservationsObjectivity

• Objective reports do not contain
• Opinion, judgment, speculation
• Evaluations that cannot be tested or verified
• Objective report do contain
• Descriptions of how something works (it does or
  it doesnt)
• Descriptions of how something happened.

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Module 3 ObservationObjectivityExercise 5.1

• Example
• The superior performance of the generic part
  indicates we spend too much on brand-name parts.

The generic parts
performed
better than
the brand-name parts.
The generic
parts are less expensive than the brand-name
parts.
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Module 3 Descriptions

• Write an object description
• Write a process description
• Identify simple and complex descriptions
• Write an explanation

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Module 3 DescriptionsTwo Types

• Simple a category of objects or processes
• (cars, engines, sawing)
• Specific a specific object
• (Jetta, 4-cylinder, manual sawing)

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Module 3 DescriptionsDescribing Objects

• Details about
• design
• function (of parts and the whole)

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Module 3 DescriptionsDescribing
ObjectsDimensions

• Units of measure
• Allow the reader to create a mental image
• Examples
• length, width, height, depth, thickness,
  diameter, area, volume, and capacity.

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Module 3 DescriptionsDescribing Processes

• How something works
• How an outcome occurred
• Describing actions, not parts
• Not describing how to do something

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Module 3 DescriptionsSimple Descriptions

• Four steps
• Definition
• General shape/size
• Material
• Dimensions

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Module 3 DescriptionsExplanations

• State the purpose of each functional part of and
  object
• Three steps
• Define the object
• Describe the object
• Explain how it works