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4: Effective Business Writing

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  • 4.1: Oral versus Written Communication
    Written communication involves the same eight basic elements as oral communication, but it is often asynchronous.
  • 4.2: How Is Writing Learned?
    Success in writing comes from good habits: reading, writing (especially targeted practice), and critical thinking.
  • 4.3: Good Writing
    Good writing is characterized by correctness, ease of reading, and attractiveness; it also meets reader expectations and is clear, concise, efficient, and effective. Rhetorical elements (logos, ethos, and pathos) and cognate strategies (clarity, conciseness, arrangement, credibility, expectation, reference, tone, emphasis, and engagement) are goals that are achieved in good business writing.
  • 4.4: Style in Written Communication
    One way to examine written communication is from a goals perspective, where specific documents address stated (or unstated) goals and have rules, customs, and formats that are anticipated and expected. Violations of these rules, customs, or formats—whether intentional or unintentional—can also have a negative impact on the way your document is received. Colloquial, casual, and formal writing are three common styles that carry their own particular sets of expectations.
  • 4.5: Principles of Written Communication
    Words are governed by rules and shape our reality. Writers have a legal responsibility to avoid plagiarism and libel.
  • 4.6: Overcoming Barriers to Effective Written Communication
    To overcome barriers to communication, pay attention to details; strive to understand the target meaning; consider your nonverbal expressions; and review, reflect, and revise.
  • 4.7: Additional Resources

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4: Effective Business Writing is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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