Links to great writing resources

The Ultimate Guide to Better Business Writing: 100 Tips, Tools, and Resources--http://onlinedegreeprograms.org/blog/2009/the-ultimate-guide-to-better-business-writing-100-tips-tools-and-resources/

Latin abbreviations, etc., etc., and so forth

etc. = and so forth "et cetera"
et al. = and other people "et alii"
i.e. = that is "id est"
e.g. = for example "exempli gratia"
ibid. = in the same place "ibidem"
op. cit. = in the work cited "opere citato"

Latin abbreviations are italicized and use periods as shown. If they are in the middle of a sentence, they have a comma before and after, e.g., this sentence.

Business Writing Fundamentals Workshop

This workshop explains how business writers create successful materials and provides a process for planning and writing documents that gets results. Learn how to:

- Determine content before writing.
- Focus on reader benefits.
- Write more easily and confidently.
- Apply journalistic solutions to business writing problems.
- Revise for clarity and understanding.
- Identify and correct wordiness.

DATE: Friday, October 16, 2009 -1:00 to 4:30 PM

LOCATION: 505 West Olive Avenue, Building 500, Suite 510, Sunnyvale CA 94086
Cost: $75 per person

INSTRUCTOR: Patricia Haddock

TO REGISTER OR FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALL: 650-949-7797 OR
EMAIL: profwd@fhda.edu

WORKSHOP PAYMENT OPTIONS:
CREDIT CARD (VISA/MASTERCARD/DISCOVER)
PURCHASE ORDER
CHECK

This and That

This identifies an object nearby:
- This book is boring.


That identifies an object farther away:
- I think I will read that book now.

"Staff is" vs. "Staff are"

Collective nouns are words that appear singular, but represent a group, such as flock, staff, class, committee, and jury.

If the group acts as a single unit, or if the idea of oneness is key, use a singular verb:
- The jury has reached a verdict.
- A couple of birds has built a nest in the eaves of my house.
- My staff is preparing the report to the board.

If members of the group act separately or if the word refers to individuals within the group, use the plural verb:
- A group of researchers from Europe are coming to the conference.
- A couple of latecomers are not seated.
- My staff are consistently late for work.


What about these?
- Human rights is a sensitive issue.
- Human rights are often ignored.

Nouns that end in “-ics” take a singular verb if they refer to a body of knowledge; a plural verb, if they refer to particular activities:
- Statistics is a boring subject for many students.
- Statistics are often interpreted for the benefit of the speaker.

Aide vs. Aid

Are you an aid or an aide to your boss?

Aid can be used as a noun meaning a form of help or a verb meaning to help.

- We offer aid to people affected by disaster.
- We aid those affected by disaster.

Aide is a noun and means an assistant.

- John Taylor is the senator's aide.
- You are an aide to your boss.

That or Which?

That = introduces essential information: “The mystery book that is on the third shelf is mine” means that there is more than one mystery book and mine is the one on the third shelf.

Which = introduces nonessential information: “The mystery book, which is on the third shelf, is mine” means that there is only one mystery book, it is on the third shelf, and it is mine.

E-mail Etiquette

Do
• Be concise and specific
• Use proper spelling, grammar and punctuation
• Proofread
• Keep language gender neutral
• Use a salutation and signature
Don’t
• Use text abbreviations and emoticons
• Send confidential information
• Use all CAPITALS
• Flame
• Use fancy formatting

Use the Right Word: Amount vs. Number

Amount vs. Number

Amount = non-discrete quantities -- “the amount of water in the ocean”

Number = discrete quantities -- “the number of ounces in the cup”

Use the Right Word: Person vs. People

Person is singular: There is a strange person loitering in front of my house.
People is plural: There are three strange people loitering in front of my house.

E-mail Dos and Don'ts

Do
• Be concise and specific
• Use proper spelling, grammar and punctuation
• Proofread
• Keep language gender neutral
• Use a salutation and signature
Don’t
• Use text abbreviations and emoticons
• Send confidential information
• Use all CAPITALS
• Flame
• Use fancy formatting

Use the Right Word: Affect or Effect?

Affect = to influence something (verb) -- “The movie didn’t affect me at all.”
Effect = result or outcome (noun) -- “The effect of not wearing a seatbelt can be bad.”
Effect = to bring about or cause (verb) -- “The doctor tried to effect a change in my diet.”

The Worst Customer E-mail Ever

I received this from Capital One after several attempts to get them to put me on a do-not-call list. It is one of the worst examples of delivering customer service in writing I have seen.

If you have submitted an opt out request:
* The opt out will be processed within two business days
* We do not handle escalated requests requiring a call back
* No opt out confirmations are provided unless specifically requested

* The opt out will not prevent account management offers for customers

* Consumers are segmented in advance
* Timeframes for removal are captured below:
· Mail - May take several weeks
· Email - Within 10 business days
· Telephone - Within 30 calendar days

How to submit a data security event online for an assessment:
* Go to: ARCHER
* Click on the "Data Security Events" tab near the top of the page

* Click on "Submit a New Event"
* Fill out the online form and "Submit Event"
* If you have supporting documentation (e.g. copies of loans, app,
statement)
· Re-click on the "Data Security Events" tab near
the top of the page
· Go to "My Events"
· Capture the assigned Tracking ID in the subject
line of an email
· Attach supporting documents
· Email directly to the Privacy Mailbox
* Note: If you have submitted a general question or data security
event, we will
respond to your inquiry within 24-48 business hours


To provide feedback regarding this mailbox or to obtain subject matter
expertise, please email the
appropriate Privacy Compliance Advisor and/or Privacy Process Manager below:

Privacy Process Team
Security Breach Multi-Factor Authentication Annual Privacy Notice
Process

Privacy Compliance Advisor Team
* Small Business Solutions (National Small Business Card and Loans
* Prepaid Card
* US Card Marketing
* Acquisitions
* Account Management
* Rewards
* Cross Sell
* Installment Loans (National)
* Canada Card

* US Card Partnerships
* Ie, Orbitz Card
* IT
* US Card Operations
* Customer Relations
* Fraud
* Customer Fulfillment
* Collections
* Recoveries
* Staff Groups (HR, Brand, Corporate Affairs)

* Branch Banking
* National Direct Banking
* Northern & Southern Banking Segments
* Mortgage - COHL & GPM
* Lending - USIL & COPoS
* Auto Finance - COAF & Onyx
* Small Business - Card, Lending & LOC

Use the Right Word: Between you and me

What's the difference between "Among" and "Between"?

Among = Compared to many -- “The cake was shared among the 12 students.”
Between = Compared to two -- “The cake was shared between the two students.”

TTFN

Why care about grammar and punctuation in e-mail? Y cnt we jst ttfn and lol n eml?

Taking time to use correct grammar and punctuation is good business. It shows respect for the reader, reflects well on your professionalism, and, most importantly, contributes to understanding.

Grammar and punctuation mistakes and text messaging abbreviations open the door to misinterpretation -- and readers will always interpret something to their advantage, not yours.

What about those oh-so-cute smilies and emoticons? What's wrong with ;-)? Nothing -- if you want to come across like a 14-year-old. If you want to look like a professional, limit the smilies and emoticons to non-business e-mails to your BFF.

Hope vs. Hopefully

Hopefully, the check is in the mail.
vs.
I hope the check is in the mail.

In this example, the use of "hopefully" is incorrect. A word that ends in -ly is an adverb and modifies a verb. "Hopefully" cannot modify "is."

If you can substitute "I hope" for "hopefully," you shouldn't use "hopefully."

Confused? Just delete "hopefully" and revise the sentence.

E-mail Matters

Why care about grammar and punctuation in e-mail? Y cnt we jst ttfy and lol n eml?Taking time to use correct grammar and punctuation is good business. It shows respect for the reader, reflects well on your professionalism, and, most importantly, contributes to understanding. Grammar and punctuation mistakes and text messaging abbreviations open the door to misinterpretation -- and readers will always interpret something to their advantage, not yours.What about those oh-so-cute smilies and emoticons? What's wrong with ;-)? Nothing -- if you want to come across like a 14-year-old. If you want to look like a professional, limit the smilies and emoticons to non-business e-mails to your BFF.

Using statistics

Speaking of sources, if you used a statistic, you need to provide your audience with additional information including where the statistic came from. You should be wary of statistics that seem to appear out of nowhere.
· A poor example: The ten largest cities in the U.S. comprised 54% of the total U.S. population.
· A good example: According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2000, the ten largest cities in the U.S. comprised 54% of the total U.S. population.
In the second example, your audience knows exactly where the statistic comes from (if they don't believe your statistic, they can go and check themselves) and it comes from a reputable source (the U.S. Census Bureau).
This information is from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/672/02/. Visit the OWL website for more information on writing.

Use Positive Wording

Use positive wording Your writing will be more successful if you focus on positive wording rather than negative since words that affect your reader positively are likely to produce the response you want. A positive emphasis helps persuade the reader and creates goodwill. In contrast, negative words may generate resistance.

Avoid judgmental words such as “you claim,” “failed to, “neglected to,” and “lack of.” Avoid words with negative connotations such as no, do not, refuse, and stop and words that convey unhappy or unpleasant associations such as unfortunately, unable to, cannot, mistake, problem, error, damage, loss, and failure. In a few cases, you may want to use the negative for emphasis. There is a difference in tone between the contracted form and the two-word form--“can’t” and “cannot” or “don't” and “do not.”

Negative: In response to your question about how many units are needed to meet minimum graduation requirements, I regret to report that you are two short of the requirement.

Positive: In response to your question about how many units you need for graduation, students need 48 units to qualify for graduation. Our records show you have earned 46 units. You will need two more units for graduation. If you have any questions or want to discuss this, please contact me.

Use the Right Word

As Mark Twain once quipped, "The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug."

When you are sick to your stomach, are you nauseated or nauseous? If you say "nauseous," you're telling people that you are making them sick to their stomachs. Oops!

Is everytime one word or two? It's always two words. But what about everyone? Check out this website for the answer: Common Errors in English: http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~brians/errors/errors.html#errors

Bookmark this terrific website, and you'll never use the wrong word again.