Synopses & Reviews
This respected market leader offers students a comprehensive, practical introduction to workplace writing that prepares them for a range of communication tasks. An abundance of real-world examples and problems, as well as an accessible writing style and detailed guidelines set this text apart. Through four logically sequenced sections, the author guides students from exploring simple business communications to conducting research, documenting sources, and tackling advanced tasks such as proposals and oral presentations. With each new task, the author prepares students to become effective problem solvers at work, learning to select the best communication tools to accomplish their goals. The Eighth Edition features a new, more contemporary and open design as well as updated topical coverage. In addition, new guidelines, case studies, model reports, and exercises make the discussion of occupational writing more current than ever. Integrated web sites accompany the text, providing students with dynamic learning opportunities and instructors with enhanced teaching options.
Synopsis
This respected, market-leading text offers students a comprehensive, practical introduction to workplace writing to prepare them for a range of communication tasks. SUCCESSFUL WRITING AT WORK features an abundance of real-world examples and problems, as well as an accessible writing style and detailed guidelines for planning, drafting, revising, editing, and producing professional documents and graphics. Students are presented with topics in four logically sequenced sections, beginning with basic business communications, and proceeding to conducting research, documenting sources, and handling more advanced tasks such as reports, proposals, and oral presentations. With each new task, students learn to become effective problem-solvers at work, to understand their audience, and to select the best communication tools to accomplish their goals.
About the Author
Philip C. Kolin (Ph.D., Northwestern University), University Distinguished Professor of English at the University of Southern Mississippi for nearly 30 years, teaches courses in composition, business and technical writing, literature, and drama. He has served as editor of two major scholarly journals, and as founding co-editor of Studies in American Drama (1945-Present), he received the Conference of Learned Journals award for the best new journal. He was also named Southern Mississippi?s first Distinguished Professor in the Humanities. Kolin has published nearly 30 books and 200 scholarly articles covering a variety of subjects, including writing, drama, linguistics, and folklore. He has also written a book and articles on professional writing for nurses and lawyers and has conducted workshops on technical writing.
Table of Contents
Note: Each chapter concludes with a Revision Checklist and Exercises. Backgrounds 1. Getting Started: Writing and Your Career Writing--An Essential Job Skill Writing for the Global Marketplace Four Keys to Effective Writing Characteristics of Job-Related Writing Ethical Writing in the Workplace Sucessful Employees Are Successful Writers 2. The Writing Process at Work What Writing Is and Is Not Researching Planning Drafting Revising Editing 3. Collaborative Writing and Meetings at Work Teamwork Is Crucial to Business Success Advantages of Collaborative Writing Collaborative Writing and the Writing Process Guidelines for Successful Group Writing Sources of Conflict in Group Dynamics and How to Solve Them Models for Collaboration Evolution of a Collaboratively Written Document Collaborating Online Meetings II. Correspondence 4. Writing Memos, Faxes, and Emails What Memos, Faxes, and Emails Have in Common Memos Faxes E-Mails 5. Writing Letters: Some Basics for Audiences Worldwide Letters in the Age of the Internet Letter Formats Parts of a Letter Organizing a Standard Business Letter Making a Good Impression on Your Reader Using the Most Effective Language in Your Letters Guidelines for Printing Your Letter International Business Correspondence 6. Types of Business Letters Types of Letters Inquiry Letters Special Request Letters Sales Letters: Some Preliminary Guidelines The Four A's of Sales Letters Customer Relations Letters Sending Letter-Quality Messages: Final Advice to Seal Your Success 7. How to Get a Job: Resumes, Letters, Applications, and Interviews Steps the Employer Takes to Hire Steps to Follow to Get Hired Analyzing Your Strengths Looking in the Right Places for a Job Preparing a Dossier Preparing a Resume The Online Resume Letters of Application Going to an Interview Accepting or Declining a Job Offer III. Gathering and Summarizing Information 8. Doing Research for School and on the Job The Research Process Types of Research Primary Research Secondary Research Periodical Databases Finding Reference Materials Government Documents Doing Internet Research Evaluating Web Sites Note Taking Conclusion 9. Documenting Sources The Whys and Hows of Documentation Documentation in the Writing Process Parenthetical Documentation Preparing an MLA Works Cited List Using MLA In-Text Documentation Sample Entries for an MLA Works Cited List Preparing an APA Reference List Using APA In-text Documentation Sample Entries for an APA Reference List The Chicago Numbered Note Style of Documentation Other Ways to Document in Scientific and Technical Writing Sample Research Paper Using MLA In-Text Documentation 10. Summarizing Material The Importance of Summaries in Business Contents of a Summary Preparing a Summary Executive Summaries Evaluative Summaries Abstracts Writing Successful News Releases IV. Preparing Documents and Visuals 11. Designing Clear Visuals The Purpose of Visuals Two Categories of Visuals Tables Figures Using Visuals Ethically Using Appropriate Visuals for International Audiences Conclusion 12. Designing Successful Documents and Web Sites Organizing Information Visually Characteristics of Effective Design Tools for Designing Your Documents Desktop Publishing Before Choosing a Design The ABCs of Print Document Design Poor Document Design: What Not to Do Four Rules of Effective Page Design Writing for and Designing Web Sites 13. Writing Instructions Instructions and Your Job Why Instructions Are Important The Variety of Instructions: A Brief Overview Assessing and Meeting Your Audience's Needs The Process of Writing Instructions Using the Right Style Using Visuals Effectively The Five Parts of Instructions Model of Full Set of Instructions Writing Procedures for Policies and Regulations Some Final Advice 14. Writing Winning Proposals Writing Successful Proposals Proposals are Persuasive Plans Proposals Frequently Are Collaborative Efforts Types of Proposals Guidelines for Writing a Successful Proposal Internal Proposals Sales Proposals Proposals for Research Papers and Reports A Final Reminder 15. Writing Effective Short Reports Types of Short Reports Guidelines for Writing Short Reports Periodic Reports Sales Reports Progress Reports Trip/Travel Reports Test Reports Incident Reports Short Reports: Some Final Thoughts 16. Writing Careful Long Reports How a Long Report Differs from a Short Report The Process of Writing a Long Report Parts of a Long Report A Model Long Report Final Words of Advice about Long Reports 17. Making Successful Presentations at Work Types of Presentations Informal Briefings Formal Presentations Analyzing Your Audience The Parts of Formal Presentations Presentation Software Noncomputerized Presentations Rehearsing Your Presentation Delivering Your Presentation Evaluating Presentations A Writer's Brief Guide to Paragraphs, Sentences, and Words Paragraphs Sentences Words Proofreading Marks