Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

Excellence in
Business Communication
Chapter 6
Completing Business Messages

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

 Learning Objectives (1 of 2)
1. Discuss the value of careful revision, and
describe the tasks involved in evaluating your
first drafts and the work of other writers.
2. List four techniques you can use to improve
the readability of your messages.
3. Describe eight steps you can take to improve
the clarity of your writing, and give four tips
on making your writing more concise.
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 3
 Learning Objectives (2 of 2)
4. List four principles of effective design, and
explain the role of major design elements in
document readability.
5. Explain the importance of proofreading, and
give eight tips for successful proofreading.
6. Discuss the most important issues to
consider when distributing your messages.

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 4

 Revising Your Message:
Evaluating the First Draft
(LO 1) Discuss the value of careful revision, and
describe the tasks involved in evaluating your
first drafts and the work of other writers.

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 5

 Revising Different
Types of Messages
•Revising Informal Messages

•Revising Digital Messages

•Revising Important Messages

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 6

 Evaluating Your Message
Content
Clear and Accurate Relevant and Complete

Organization
Order and Emphasis Repetition and Grouping

Tone
Is It Too Formal? Is It Too Casual?
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 7
 Improving Your Message
Through Revision (1 of 2)

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 8

 Improving Your Message
Through Revision (2 of 2)

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 9

 Evaluating, Editing, and Revising
the Work of Other Writers
Promote the Writer’s Success
• Help the writer succeed.
• Don’t impose your own style or agenda.

Support the Writer’s Intent

• Learn what the writer wanted to accomplish.
• Base suggestions on the writer’s goals.
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 10
 Questions for Evaluating
Someone Else’s Writing
• What is the purpose of the message?
• Who is the audience? What do they need?
• Is the document well organized?
• Does the writing convey a “you” attitude?
• Is the writing clear? Can it be improved?
• Is the writing as concise as it should be?
• Does the design support the message?
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 11
 Revising to Improve Readability

(LO 2) List four techniques you can use to

improve the readability of your messages.

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 12

 Varying Your Sentence Length

Medium
• Up to 15 • Over 25
Words • 15 – 25 Words
Words
Short Long

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 13

 Keeping Paragraphs Short
• Make Reading Easier
Average • Promote Careful Reading
100 Words
• Emphasize Key Ideas

• Don’t Go Overboard
Maintain • Connect Your Ideas
Clear Flow
• Guide With Transitions
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 14
 Using Lists and Bullets to
Clarify and Emphasize (1 of 2)
• Sequence Ideas
• Heighten Visual Impact
Set Off • Surface Key Points
Ideas in
• Simplify Complex Subjects
a List
• Highlight Main Points
• Enable Skimming
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 15
 Using Lists and Bullets to
Clarify and Emphasize (2 of 2)

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 16

 Creating Parallelism

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 17

 Adding Headings
and Subheadings
Primary Functions

Reveal the Organization

Informative
Descriptive

Draw Attention to Key Points

Show Connections and Transitions

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 18

Editing for Clarity and Conciseness

(LO 3) Describe eight steps you can take to

improve the clarity of your writing, and give
four tips on making your writing more concise.

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 19

 Editing for Clarity (1 of 2)
Break Up Overly Long Sentences

Rewrite Hedging Sentences

Impose Parallel Structure

Correct Dangling Modifiers

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 20
 Editing for Clarity (2 of 2)
Reword Long Noun Sequences

Replace Camouflaged Verbs

Clarify Sentence Structure

Clarify Awkward References

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 21
 Revising for Clarity

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6- 22

 Editing for Conciseness

Delete Unnecessary Words and Phrases

Replace Long Words and Phrases

Eliminate Redundant Word Combinations

Recast “It is/There are” Starters

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 23
 Revising for Conciseness

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 24

 Producing Your Message

(LO 4) List four principles of effective design,

and explain the role of major design elements
in document readability.

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 25

 Designing for Readability (1 of 2)

Consistency Balance

Design
Elements

Detail Restraint

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 26

 Designing for Readability (2 of 2)

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 27

Applying Key Design Elements
White Space Provides Visual Contrast

Margins Sets Space Around Text/Columns

Justification Arrangement of Lines of Text

Type Face Physical Design of Text Characters

Type Style Lends Contrast/Emphasis to Type

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 28
 Designing for Mobile Devices

Think in Small Use Plenty of

Chunks White Space

Keep the Format Experiment with

Simple Layouts

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 29

 Proofreading Your Message

(LO 5) Explain the importance of

proofreading, and give eight tips for
successful proofreading.

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 30

 Typical Sources of Problems

Writing Design
Rapid Response Reduced Costs
Stage Stage

Layout Production
Conversational
Stage Process
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 31
 Proofreading Carefully (1 of 2)

• Make Multiple Passes

• Use Perceptual Tricks

• Check High-Priority Items

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 32
 Proofreading Carefully (2 of 2)

• Get Some Distance

• Stay Focused and Vigilant

• Don’t Rush Proofreading

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 33
 Distributing Your Message

(LO 6) Discuss the most important issues to

consider when distributing your messages.

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 34

 Distributing Messages
•Concerns with Cost

Factors of •Overall Convenience

Distribution
•Time Constraints

•Security and Privacy

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 35
 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America.

Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 6 - 36