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Your Subject Your Reason For Writing Your Reader: The Elements

The document outlines important elements to consider when writing documents for work. Specifically, it discusses: (1) understanding the subject and purpose of writing, and knowing your reader; (2) being clear, simple, accurate, polite, and prompt in your writing; and (3) critically checking that the writing is clear, simple, brief, accurate, complete, and appropriate in tone for the intended reader.

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75 views2 pages

Your Subject Your Reason For Writing Your Reader: The Elements

The document outlines important elements to consider when writing documents for work. Specifically, it discusses: (1) understanding the subject and purpose of writing, and knowing your reader; (2) being clear, simple, accurate, polite, and prompt in your writing; and (3) critically checking that the writing is clear, simple, brief, accurate, complete, and appropriate in tone for the intended reader.

Uploaded by

Chung
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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THE ELEMENTS

YOU MUST KNOW Before you begin to write make sure that you:

Your subject (a) Have a clear understanding of your subject;

Your reason for (b) Know why you are writing - what does your correspondent want to know and
writing why does he want to know it?

Your reader (c) adapt your style and the content of the letter or minute to suit your
correspondent’s needs and his present knowledge of the subject.

YOU MUST BE When writing you should:

Clear (a) Make your meaning clear; arrange the subject in logical order; be
grammatically correct; not include irrelevant material;

Simple and brief (b) Use the most simple direct language; avoid obscure words and phrases,
unnecessary words, long sentences; avoid technical or legal terms and
abbreviations unless you are sure that they will be understood by the reader; be
as brief as possible; avoid ‘padding’;

Accurate and (c) Be as accurate and complete as possible; otherwise further correspondence will
complete follow, resulting in extra work and loss of time;

Polite and human (d) In your letters to the public be sympathetic if your correspondent is troubled; be
particularly polite if he is rude; be lucid and helpful if he is muddled; be patient
if he is stubborn; be appreciative if he is helpful; and ​never ​be patronising;

Prompt (e) Answer promptly, sending acknowledgements or interim replies if necessary -


delays harm the reputation of the Department, and are discourteous.

CHECK YOUR Look critically at your written work. Can you answer ‘yes’ to the following questions
WRITING about it?

Is it (a) clear? (i) Can the language be easily understood by the recipient?
(ii) Is it free from slang?
(iii) Are the words the simplest that can carry the thought?
(iv) Is the sentence structure clear?

(b) Simple and brief? (i) Does it give only the essential facts?
(ii) Does it include only essential words and phrases?

(c) Accurate? (i) Is the information correct?


(ii) Do the statements conform with rules, policy, etc.?
(iii) Is the writing free from errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation?

(d) Complete? (i) Does it give all the necessary information?


(ii) Does it answer all the questions?

(e) Human? (i) Is the writing free from antagonistic words and phrases?
(ii) Is it, where appropriate, tactful, helpful, courteous, sympathetic, frank, forceful?
(iii) Will the tone bring the desired response?

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