The ability to communicate well is key to professional success. Use these five strategies for clear, direct wording to improve the impact of your documents noticeably and immediately: 1. Eliminate wordiness. 2. Place key words in power positions. 3. Prefer active voice. 4. Be specific. 5. Avoid jargon and pompous wording. To learn about and practice using these strategies, read each section and complete the exercises. When you have mastered a section, apply what you have learned to your on-the-job documents. ----------------------------------- 1.1 Eliminate wordiness. William Strunk, Jr., author of "The Elements of Style" (Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1979), states, "A sentence should contain no unnecessary words--a paragraph no unnecessary sentences--for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts." Follow these strategies to eliminate wordiness: 1.1.1 Delete words that don't add meaning such as these common meaningless modifiers: actually kind of basically particular certain practically definitely really different various generally very given virtually individual Read the sentence below. Then read it again, eliminating the capped words. Does their absence change the meaning of the sentence? Does their addition enhance the meaning? -> Example: ACTUALLY, we BASICALLY anticipate decreasing overtime for INDIVIDUAL operators. The capped words dull the sentence and obscure meaning. Use this test to determine whether words can be cut from your own sentences: Every word has a dictionary definition and a valid purpose. Make sure that you are using each word for a purpose, that each word you use adds meaning to the sentence. If a word adds nothing to your sentence, delete it! In writing, "less is more." 1.1.2 Delete meaningless introductory phrases such as these common sentence openers: Please be advised that.... It has come to my attention that.... I would like to take this opportunity to.... There is the possibility that.... These phrases weaken your sentences. In the example below, note how many words you have to read before you reach the sentence's meaning. -> Example: IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT travel expenses for field representatives have increased two percent in April. If these openers are meaningless, why do so many business writers use them? Some, from habit. Some, because "everybody else does." And some, because of a mistaken idea that they will help soften a harsh message. We'll introduce ways to soften harsh messages later when we discuss tone and wording. For now, eliminate these words because they add no meaning to the sentence. NOTE: Do not delete meaningful introductory phrases such as "As you requested" or "As we agreed." These provide context for the reader. 1.1.3 Eliminate unnecessary repetition. Avoid using redundant pairs--words that mean essentially the same thing: and so on and so forth basic and fundamental each and every true and accurate full and complete hope and trust Avoid using redundant modifiers--words that imply each other: mutually agree recurring habit basic fundamentals important essentials completely finished initial preparation consensus of opinion more preferable continues to remain past memories each individual personal beliefs end result true facts final outcome various different future plans Think about a few of these examples: Is there any other way to agree than mutually? Would you prefer to deal with false facts? Would someone really say "I was finished, and then I did a little bit more. Now I'm completely finished"? In writing, less is more. Good writers select single words that precisely communicate their ideas. Avoid redundant categories. Some words imply their categories, so it is not necessary to mention both the word and its category. -> Examples: large in size (Size is implied by the word "large.") in a 24-hour time period (Time period is implied by the words "24-hour.") the month of April (Picture your readers. Won't they, if you just say "April," know that you are talking about a month?) 1.1.4 Compress phrases with unnecessary words. There is no need to use a five-word phrase like "regardless of the fact that" when a single word, "although," does the same job. Review the following list of phrases with unnecessary words. Watch for comparable phrases in your own writing, and compress them to one word. NOT BUT a greater length of time longer in view of the fact that because if it is assumed that if in spite of the fact that although a sufficient number of enough at this moment in time now during the time that while on a regular basis regularly with the exception of except of a reversible nature reversible with the result that so conduct an investigation into investigate arrive at a decision decide make an adjustment to adjust take into consideration consider afford an opportunity to allow in conjunction with with has been shown to be are try out try in most cases usually at a later date later a proportion of some not infrequently often has an ability to can a small number of few by the same token similarly in the vicinity of near until such time as until at the present time now ------------------------------------------------ To practice compressing phrases, click on the EXERCISE button below. ------------------------------------------------
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