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Business Writing

This seven-week week online course discusses issues writers encounter in business writing: how to write for a particular audience; organizational strategies; how to use language effectively; how to write emails, business letters, and reports; and editing and proofreading strategies. This course includes:

Benefits
  • Prewriting strategies to write stronger, more effective business documents
  • Techniques to identify and appeal to reader(s)
  • Methods to ensure that the writing presents the best “face” of the organization
  • Techniques to avoid business clichés, business jargon, and wordiness
  • Practical strategies to write emails, business letters, and other business documents
  • Voiced lectures
  • Discussion and Examples supplement (pdf)
  • Job/Writing Aids (pdf)
  • Concepts explained/resources supplement (pdf)
  • Weekly writing options
  • Written feedback on submitted writing
  • Certificate of Completion

Topics

  • Module 1: Getting Started in the Writing Process
    • Analyzing audience needs
    • Understanding purpose
    • Understanding the necessity of persuasion
    • Maintaining a positive image
  • Module 2: Organizational Strategies/Supporting Ideas
    • Understanding the importance of good organization
    • Creating outlines and more
    • Exploring the vast universe of organization; or organizing sentences, paragraphs, and documents
    • Summarizing
  • Module 3: Effective Business Language Use
    • Avoiding clichés
    • Being precise and concise
    • Using appropriate emphasis
    • Avoiding wordiness
  • Module 4: Writing Effective Emails
    • Planning
    • Writing effective subject lines
    • Getting to the point
    • Ensuring readability
  • Module 5: Writing Effective Business Letters
    • Getting to the point
    • Ensuring proper format
    • Avoiding clichés
    • Using paragraphing appropriately
    • Using the "sandwich" technique to relay bad news
  • Module 6: Writing Reports
    • Considering the type of report to write
    • The components of the business report
    • Understanding reader needs
    • Creating the overall premise of the report
  • Module 7: Constructing Useful Editing and
                     Proofreading Strategies
    • Defining editing and proofing
    • Foolproof techniques
    • Becoming your best editor
    • Helping others edit

Download Course Outline (PDF)

What Does It Cost?
$599 per person, with discounts available for multiple attendees.

Business Writing w/o feedback

We also offer this course at a discounted price if you prefer not to receive professional written feedback on your work.

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