2.8.3: Guide the Reader's Attention
- Page ID
- 134808
This page is a draft and is under active development.
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Why Business Writers Should Understand Emphasis and De-Emphasis
Strategic business communication relies on highlighting key points while downplaying less critical details. Writers who master these techniques can craft compelling messages and improve readers' understanding. Emphasis is important because it draws attention to specific words, phrases, or ideas, ensuring that readers grasp important concepts; conversely de-emphasis is important because it softens ideas that might be negative or distasteful. Furthermore, emphasizing or de-emphasizing key words or phrases can aid in enhancing understanding.
Strategic Placement of Words and Clauses
The positioning of words and clauses within a sentence affects emphasis. Place important words or phrases at the beginning or end of a sentence or repeat them appropriately. Use formatting for visual emphasis or add adverbs such as "most importantly," "especially," or "particularly." Below are examples of strategic placement:
- Beginning of a sentence: Grabs attention (e.g., "Immediate action is required to resolve the issue.")
- End of a sentence: Leaves a lasting impression (e.g., "The team must meet the deadline to ensure success.")
- Middle of a sentence: De-emphasizes information (e.g., "The report, although slightly delayed, contains critical
Formatting for Emphasis
Visual formatting is commonly used to emphasize words or phrases. While it can be effective, impact is lost with overuse. Be especially careful when using capitalization, as most readers interpret this as yelling. Also, avoid using underlining and italics for emphasis. In web documents, as screen readers will interpret underlined verbiage as a web site, and italics are more often used for in titles. These formatting tools can help you to draw attention to key ideas:
- Bold: Highlights key terms or instructions (e.g., "Submit your report by Friday, 5 p.m..")
- CAPITALS: Adds urgency but should be used sparingly (e.g., "ALL EMPLOYEES must complete training by Friday.")
- Exclamation Marks: Indicate strong emotion but should be limited in professional writing (e.g., "Congratulations on your promotion!")
- Quotation Marks: Indicate sarcasm or unusual meaning (e.g., "Wonderful. You actually washed your dish.")
Choosing the Best Words for Emphasis
Words evoke emotions and often visual images in readers' minds. With the sheer volume of words in the English language, you have unlimited choices. Strive to choose words that directly relate to your key message, that are precise and positive, and that the audience recognizes. Consider using a thesaurus Therefore, choose strong verbs, specific nouns, and key messages to highlight.
- Emotional vs. Non-Emotional: "This failure is devastating." vs. "This error needs attention."
- Active vs. Passive Voice: "The team achieved record sales." (active) vs. "Record sales were achieved by the team." (passive, de-emphasizing the doer)
Which words BEST convey your message?
- Urgent: "Immediate," "critical," "deadline"
- Quality: "Reliable," "proven," "efficient"
- Results: "Exceeded," "increased," "win"
Spacing and Repetition for Emphasis
Deliberate spacing and repetition can help you to add impact to your message. Use white space strategically to separate distinct sections. Readers prefer short paragraphs and bulleted lists. While most business writers would be wise to avoid redundancy, the conscious use of repetition can also be effective if used skillfully. Avoid repeating unimportant words; instead, use repetition as a powerful tool.
- White space: Separates and highlights key ideas (e.g., bullet points, paragraph breaks)
- Repetition: Reinforces important messages (e.g., "Customer satisfaction is our priority. We are committed to customer satisfaction.")
- In Song: The Beatles, "Come Together."
- In Speeches: Martin Luther King. "I Have a Dream"
- In Marketing Campaigns: Nike--"Just Do It."
- In Movies: "Go ahead. Make my day."
Placing Details Within a Document
When developing any document, ask yourself where and when should you disclose specific information such as important or supporting details. The order in which information appears impacts emphasis:
- First: Most important details (e.g., executive summaries, headlines)
- Middle: Background or supporting details
- Last: Final thoughts or calls to action (e.g., "Please confirm your attendance by Wednesday.")
Before
Subject: AI Training Session
Dear Team,
We have had a lot of employees ask us when we are going to offer a training on AI, so we are finally offering one. [a] We are offering a training session on AI writing tools. In this session, you will learn how AI can help with writing emails, reports writing, and other types of writing. You will also see how to edit and ways to improve documents using AI. [b] The training will be on Thursday at 2 PM. [c] It is a good opportunity to improve skills, learn new strategies, and make writing easier. Please register by Wednesday if you are interested. [d]
Best,
[Your Name]
[a] Does not use the "you view." Poor use of repetition
[b] Does not use white space or emphasis
[c] Buries key information and excludes details (end time and location)
[d] Chooses wishy-washy words in the call to action
After
Subject: Enhance Your Writing with AI; Training This Thursday
Dear Team,
Plan to attend a hands-on workshop, "Using AI to Improve Your Writing." In this live session, you will learn how to draft emails, refine reports, and enhance business documents using AI. You will also practice planning, organizing, and refining your messages.
When: Thursday [date]; 2 to 3:30 p.m.
Where: Tech Center, Building A
Take this opportunity to learn new strategies and make writing easier. Please register by Wednesday [date] to secure your spot.
Best,
[Your Name]
P.S. Space is limited to 15 participants. Don't delay!
Key Takeaway
Using emphasis helps you to highlight key information and details; it also helps readers to navigate your document. Think about emphasis in writing the same way you might think about it when speaking. Your tone of voice, word choice, and emphasis convey your emotions. If your supervisor asks how your project is progressing, you have the choice of saying, "Fine" or "The team is making excellent progress; we are well ahead of our deadline." Choose the best words and the best way to convey your message to avoid misunderstandings and develop your reputation as a competent communicator.
- Emphasis. Authored by: Susan Kendall. Provided by: Lumen Learning. License: CC BY: Attribution
- Using Emphasis and De-Emphasize to Guide the Reader's Attention. Authored by: Rae Ann Ianniello