Module 1 – Effective Writing
Introduction
Writing well is demanding and the range of writing tasks can be vast and varied :
Email messages - internal and external
Formal letters
Emergency, weekly and monthly situation reports
Minutes of meetings and meeting notes
Analytical and technical reports
Reports to donors
Briefing notes
Mission reports
Guidelines on procedures
These tasks are just a few of those required. Much of this writing must be translated,
often into several languages.
Writing needs to be simple yet comprehensive; persuasive yet accurate; informative
yet brief. Some writing must be formal enough to meet the requirements of
communicating with governments; other writing must be divested of internal jargon
to make it understandable to a reader outside the organization. The need for
mastery, or at least good control, of the writing process is essential for m ost staff
members in their daily work.
This course aims to help you handle these writing tasks as effectively as possible.
It seeks to assist you in establishing strategies and skills that are general enough
to fit a wide range of writing tasks. Ultimately it aims to assist busy readers , through
writing that is clear, well organized and concise.
1
Module 1 – Effective Writing 1
MODULE SECTIONS
This module has seven sections.
Section 1 How communication works
Section 2 Writing for your reader
Section 3 Adopting a writing strategy
Section 4 Using electronic tools
Section 5 Discriminatory writing
Section 6 Wordiness and undue length
Section 7 Achieving clarity and coherence
MODULE OBJECTIVES
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
state a clear objective for each wo rk-related document you write
understand your readers' needs and write ap propriately to meet those needs
identify and avoid barriers to effective written communication
choose the appropriate written style for your learners
use electronic writing and editing tools effectively.
2
Module 1 – Effective Writing 2