Writing for the Workplace ‘08

A little exercise in technical writing, sort of:

Think of something rather complicated that you know how to do well. It should be something that other people (someone such as myself, for example) might have trouble doing. Explain step-by-step how to do this thing. Some examples: 

Give step-by-step directions for how to throw a surprise party (or wedding, bar mitzvah, baby shower)        

Set up a personal computer for a retired (and perhaps computer phobic) English teacher·        

Have Thanksgiving for 20 at your house.      

Create a Web site       

Create a stock portfolio        

Handle an irate or drunk customer       

Choose a family doctor (or specialist)        

Wash a big dog    

Clean a four-bedroom house, from top to bottom       

Plan a backpacking trip (or some other vacation)     

Go grocery shopping when a blizzard is predicted     

Buy a new car       

Take up surfing (or golf, or tennis, or hiking . . . )       

Train a dog      

Find the perfect fishing spot       

Plan a romantic evening       

Pack a small car for a long vacation        

Teach someone to drive       

Find a husband (or wife)      

Play center field 

Or anything else you can think of.  You may choose the audience; make it interesting but possible. For example, teach your grandmother to program the DVD player, but don’t try to teach the dog to do it. Teach a 9-year-old to play an aggressive center field, not a 99-year-old. 

Format: At the top of your page please state your task and your audience. For example: How to plan a romantic evening—for geeky guys. Then just start with your directions. No need to use memo or letter format.

Consider visual presentation. Break your directions up into manageable steps using numbers or bullets. Limit yourself to 10 steps. Balance conciseness with completeness. Good luck. Worth 5 points. 

Note: PROOFREAD! Yes, my using all capital letters and bold means I’m screaming at you. Watch out for run-on sentences and faulty punctuation. Remember all the tips I’ve shared with you over these last five weeks: watch out for passive voice, wordiness or unclear word choice, and too many negations.

In-class assignment for Thursday, June 5 (10 points): 

You work for your local police department. You have received a letter from a citizen in the community, Ralph B. Anoldog, complaining about the conduct of two of your rookie officers. Mr. Anoldog said he witnessed the officers using profanity when speaking to a group of adolescent boys who were skateboarding in a shopping center parking lot. The citizen complained that the officers were setting a poor example for the boys and were projecting a negative image of the police department in the community.  

 Click here for the entire text of the Ralph B. Anoldog letter.  You have spoken to the officers, and they admit to using profanity.

For your writing task, please choose two of the following: 

1. Write a brief letter to the citizen in response to his complaint. (Follow formal letter format)
2. Write a memo to the officers with whatever message you think appropriate.
3. Write an informal report to the Chief of Police explaining the situation and your handling.

Your responses should be brief and clearly stated.

I will evaluate your work in terms of clarity, conciseness, and correctness.

Remember your audience and purpose for each task.

Use the conventions we have been studying.

Questions? I’m in my office: 609-652-4899. 

REMEMBER: Choose two of the above options.

Old Gerta Rottweiler is back in the picture on this one. Unfortunately, she’s dead. While working out on the Stairmaster, the old girl had a massive heart attack and died on the spot.

You need to send a memo out to all employees informing them of Gerta’s passing and include a brief obituary. Here are some of the facts about Gerta: 

• 64 years old       
• Born in Bonn, Germany in 1944  (Father a Nazi–or so you’ve heard)        
• Raised in New York City, family very poor
• Parents deceased, has two siblings (doesn’t speak to one of them)        
• AttendedColumbia University and Harvard Business School      
• Divorced (two marriages)       
• Three children: Hans, Dick, and Helga·       
• Five grandchildren (one a drug addict)·       
• Before joining your company, worked for NASA and most recently Philip Morris in Public Relations
• Position at your company: Vice President for Public & Media Relations       
• Has worked at your company since April 2008·       
• Avid distance swimmer·       
• NRA member·       
• Ran unsuccessful campaign for school board·       
• Held the position of Vice President of National Organization for Public Relations Professionals, 1997-2005·       
• Hated by all. 

Your job is to sort through all this stuff and figure out what you should include in a brief obituary.

Make good decisions about what NOT to include as well. 

Here’s my suggestion for organizing this memo: 

1^st paragraph: Make the sad announcement 

2^nd paragraph: Information on her adult professional life 

3^rd paragraph: Some selected personal information 

4^th paragraph: Closing, perhaps a statement about services or donations in her name? 

Good luck, and my condolences on this assignment.

Here’s the situation we find ourselves in this morning. I just received word from my dean that this course is over-enrolled by one student. That means that one of you has to go. But who?   

In a memo to me, you must name a classmate whom you wish to vote out of the course and then defend your choice. You must also explain why you should remain in the class.  This exercise is worth a potential 5 points. I suggest a straightforward, concise approach:  

• Use professional memo format and start off with a clear subject line.
• Your first paragraph should start with a topic sentence that clearly states your choice of who should get the boot. In the next three or four sentences you need to defend your vote. Give concrete examples. Make your case clearly and logically, but be concise. Be sure to spell your classmate’s name correctly. 
• Your second paragraph should explain why you deserve to remain a member of the class. Again, you’ll need to defend your choice logically and clearly. Avoid boastful statements that are unsubstantiated. Consider your audience. What would sway me? 
• End politely and without any business jargon or clichés. 

To refresh your memory, here’s a list of students enrolled in the class: We’ll start from the front of the class, left side (as you face the board): 

Tara: Sits in front row closest to printer. Prefers cats to dogs.·       

Leslye: Sits in front row and talks to Pam about dogs. Was Pam’s stated favorite on Tuesday.·         

Katerina: Sits next to Leslye. Is taking first college class in the US and has better English than most Americans·       

Ammara: sits behind Leslye. Did not make ahhhh noise when puppy picture was on screen. Has nice handwriting, though.·       

Bindiya: sits next to Ammara and seems nice enough—though one can never tell.·       

Liz: sits next to Bindiya, has had Pam in class before, and admitted to texting in class·       

Leyla: Sits behind Ammara. Some debate over whether she made ahh noise when puppy was on screen. Also admits to texting in class. Gets jokes though.·       

Shari: Back row. Missed first class. Still needs to buy book. Seems to get jokes. 

Moving back down on the right side:  ·       

Kristin: Sits near the back. Speech pathology major. Caused no trouble (yet)·       

Michael: Sits near wall and drinks water by the gallon. Served two tours as a Marine in Iraq. Anyone dare kick him out?·       

Bryan: Wears fraternity letters and Greek week T-shirts. Likes the dogs, I can tell. Needs to buy book.·       

Franchesca: Sits in front row and helps Pam with computer needs. No bathroom chats!         

Chetna: Sits next to Franchesca near wall: Pam’s former student, might be some favoritism here. 

Of course, this exercise is all in fun. I have tried with the above annotations to give you some mild ammunition against each other. You know I treasure you all, right?

These are due at the end of class (11:00). Please email them to me (along with the RateMyprofessor assignment) as Word attachments. 

I will grade these on the clarity of the writing and the creativity and conciseness of the argument. Feel free to have some fun. I will announce the results in Tuesday’s class. I will have prizes in several categories (best personal defense; best rationale to be rid of a classmate; funniest). Good luck. 

Welcome one and all!

I set up this blog to serve as a resource for students enrolled in GSS 2150, Writing for the Workplace. Mark this URL because this is the spot to find all assignments, in-class exercises, or other class news.

My goal in Writing for the Workplace is to help you become better writers. I want you to understand written communication as a rational and creative process and to gain more confidence as the course progresses. 

We will also have some fun along the way–I promise.

The cartoon above highlights an important focus of the course: tailoring voice to fit audience and purpose. Better avoid sounding like CAT country 107 when your boss is expecting NPR.

And I think we all have days like this:

 These are my dogs. I hope you like dogs.