This chapter highlights the eight c’s which are a checklist of the qualities of good professional and business communication. The first quality is clear, and one of the steps within clear is to avoid dangling and misplaced modifiers. A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a subject that does not exist in the sentence. To fix a dangling modifier one will have to add a proper subject to the sentence. A misplaced modifier is a word or phrase that appears to be modified with the wrong noun. To fix a misplaced modifier one will have to make sure to place the modifier next to the noun it is changing. These types of modifiers can create a funny sentence, but at the end of the day will not take you on a path where you are taken seriously in a business world.
Another point in this chapter that was intriguing to me was the ways we can avoid unnecessary negativity within works. Constructive writing is how we do this. Instead of writing “no smoking” on a sign instead you could write “thank you for acknowledging our smoke free campus”. This creates a more welcoming atmosphere. “Sorry” messages remind customers what a company or business can do so it is best to avoid them.
The seven Cs are; clear, concise, concrete and specific, complete, courteous, coherent, and constructive. They also added grammatically correct. Clear means not having to reread a sentence to understand it and not using complicated words. Concrete and specific language can be described as adding details for a better understanding. Try to use minimal prepositions and avoid misplaced modifiers. Make writing more concise by using active verbs and avoiding isys. Try not to repeat or use unnecessary words. Making a complete piece of writing includes all the necessary information so supplementary questions don’t need to be asked. Being courteous includes being gender neutral, putting the audience before yourself, being tactful, and polite. Coherent writing has consistent formatting, sentences with one main idea, and traditional words to unite sentences and paragraphs. I like the train idea that paragraphs are boxcars and the first sentence is the label on the side of the boxcar. Constructive writing focuses on the positives of a situation or idea and not the negative. This doesn’t mean don’t apologize but do apologize while making it as uplifting and looking to the future as possible. These all make sense and I think it’ll be a good idea to keep them in mind. Although I do think it’ll be hard to remember some of them. Especially the rules about misplaced modifiers which are so commonly used in everyday life.
Chapter three introduces the reader to seven tenants of professional writing. Rather than being strictly two big ideas from this chapter, there are seven that the author impresses upon the reader. These seven rules are to write clearly, concisely, concretely, completely, courteously, coherently, and constructively. Based on these seven rules for professional writing, we can derive two bigger picture ideas that are worth remembering – the first is that to write professionally requires more active effort than writing naturally, and that all seven rules effectively congeal together to make our writing as efficient as possible.
To the first big idea of the chapter, the author of the textbook writes about how all seven of the Cs which they described come together to produce a well-fleshed out piece of professional writing. To write with all seven of the Cs in mind, it requires the maintaining of a continuous, conscious effort on the writer’s part. Whereas when writing under less constrained circumstances an author may write freely what comes to mind, in professional settings there is a higher degree of scrutiny that you must subject your writing to.
The second big idea of the chapter, in my estimation, is that all seven of the Cs are effectively one broader rule of thumb when it comes to professional writing, which is the ability to write efficiently. In a professional setting writing efficiently means that more work can be done, which is ultimately the prerogative of any effective business or professional setting. If the incentive is to produce as much work as efficiently as possible, then it stands to reason that therefore any writing done in that setting should be written as effectively as possible as well.
Chapter three introduces the reader to seven tenants of professional writing. Rather than being strictly two big ideas from this chapter, there are seven that the author impresses upon the reader. These seven rules are to write clearly, concisely, concretely, completely, courteously, coherently, and constructively. Based on these seven rules for professional writing, we can derive two bigger picture ideas that are worth remembering – the first is that to write professionally requires more active effort than writing naturally, and that all seven rules effectively congeal together to make our writing as efficient as possible.
To the first big idea of the chapter, the author of the textbook writes about how all seven of the Cs which they described come together to produce a well-fleshed out piece of professional writing. To write with all seven of the Cs in mind, it requires the maintaining of a continuous, conscious effort on the writer’s part. Whereas when writing under less constrained circumstances an author may write freely what comes to mind, in professional settings there is a higher degree of scrutiny that you must subject your writing to.
The second big idea of the chapter, in my estimation, is that all seven of the Cs are effectively one broader rule of thumb when it comes to professional writing, which is the ability to write efficiently. In a professional setting writing efficiently means that more work can be done, which is ultimately the prerogative of any effective business or professional setting. If the incentive is to produce as much work as efficiently as possible, then it stands to reason that therefore any writing done in that setting should be written as effectively as possible as well.
Good writing is transparent. This means to avoid things such as:
Avoid jargon
Make your writing concrete and specific
Use active verbs not passive
Avoid long strings of prepositional phrases
Make pronoun references crystal clear
Avoid dangling and misplaced modifiers
The lead paragraph in the news answers “who, what, when, where, why, how”. This is important because it gives readers all the necessary information
One important part of this chapter is the “eight C’s” which is a checklist of the qualities of good writing in a professional or business setting. The eight C’s stand for clear, concise, concrete and specific, complete, courteous, coherent and constructive. Having this as a guideline and blueprint can help with being straightforward with your writing, as well as using word structures that make sense to the reader or your audience on a professional level. To add to that, clear writing is good writing which means that the audience never has to go back and read sentences or paragraphs to fully grasp the meaning. Another important part of this chapter is writing sentences that express one main idea, so it makes sense to the audience. Writing about one main idea works in a business setting because of how it does not go off into random sections. Whereas in academic settings, sentences present a main idea and then branch off into related ideas that add detail. Both of the big points of this chapter can help individuals learn how to write depending on their audience. Especially by having a blueprint with examples of the difference between academic and non-academic writing (a business setting).
This chapter discussed the eight C’s of professional communication which give writers the tools to form concise, and coherent sentences. While many of the C’s overlap, two big takeaways are avoiding word-salad and incorporating sensory details.
World Salad refers to prepositional phrases that add unnecessary complexity to sentences. To avoid a string of words, being concise and ‘cutting to the chase’ helps restructure the flow of information. I find it helpful to get the thoughts down then reframe the information. Prepositional phrases also include focusing on the tense used. Instead of saying, “She is walking to the store” it’s simpler to say “She walks to the store”. Using the presence tense and restructuring the verb makes the sentence more clear, direct and therefore, simpler.
This results in complete sentences, which answer questions like who and where. The use of ‘walk’ is descriptive and gives the reader visual material. While the book discusses writing isn’t always concrete or specific, all literature should include sensory details. Using descriptive, action words gives life to the material and keeps the reader’s attention. Incorporating details we can see or feel helps create specific communication.
The first big idea I found in this chapter was about language use. Specifically, I found the piece about concrete vs. specific words helpful. While concrete words are referring to something you can physically see, while specific words are referring to a specific type of an object. Concrete and specific words allow readers to clearly understand what you are writing about, and give context to what is going on in a piece.
The second big idea I found in this chapter is the difference between an argument and persuasion. While arguments are purely fact based, persuasion appeals to human reason. In writing, it is important to have both argumentative and persuasive elements, as these together make a convincing piece. Persuasion appeals to emotion, and without an emotional aspect, there is nothing for people to relate to in your writing.
The first thing I want to highlight from chapter two is the idea that as we move toward more visual forms of media, new generations have a less extensive vocabulary than their parents and grandparents. Although this makes a lot of sense, it’s not something I’d ever considered or factored into my writing. However, the author states that professional writers must understand and accept this shift in order to write in an easily digestible way. The second thing I want to look at from this chapter is one of the seven C’s — constructive language. As an editor, one of the most common edits I make is adjusting sentences to be constructive. This is important for a few reasons: one, constructive sentences tend to be less wordy than negative ones because you’re not including filler words like “but,” “although,” “despite this,” etc. Additionally, constructive sentences land better with readers because they frame the message as positively as possible. One of my favorite adjustments I’ve made to use constructive language in my day-to-day life is saying, “thank you for your patience,” instead of “I apologize for the delay.” In that case, you are thanking someone, which is a positive interaction, without highlighting the issue/delay, which is a more negative interaction.
This chapter was eye opening because of all the simple mistakes that are commonly seen in writing. As I was reading the chapter, I realized how often I mess up mini details that may lead someone to believe that my writing is unprepared and not well thought out. One detail that stuck out was the ability to be specific without being too wordy. It’s so much easier to comprehend written language when the word choice is descriptive but concise. The book advises you to analyze your writing and create sentences that allow the reader to picture what’s being described. An example of this type of writing could be to use a word like “delicious” or “mouthwatering” rather than a word like “good”. This will also prevent any possible confusion. To be specific is powerful in writing because readers will make assumptions if they are left without information. The texts refer to people reading the sentence, “The old man was tired”, registers differently depending on the demographic of the person reading the text. A better sentence would read, “The 80-year-old man was ready for a nap.” The second sentence is better because it uses specific language that allows for a better visual.
Right off the bat, this chapter makes a statement about how to effectively write clear and transparent sentences and paragraphs that are easy for the readers to read. Something that makes a piece of professional writing, or any writing in general, is to ensure your reader doesn’t have to read a line more than once. That is extremely important as you make your point clear enough that the reader can catch it at first glance, without having to read between the lines. Sometimes simple is more effective and practical than doing something complex. In Professional writing, being concise is important, especially when practicing a marketing campaign. For example, if you are tasked with producing a marketing slogan for a billboard, or even creating an advertisement that is being broadcasted on National Television, you want the audience to catch the main point in 90 seconds or less. If you make your slogan or campaign too complex or confusing, you leave room for audiences to be confused about what you are pitching. Don’t summarize want you want to per say, but rather state the main points of what it is you desire and want to bring to your field. That is important when creating a news campaign or marketing pitch. Pitches are technically described as making an offer while also pinpointing the main ideas and functions of what you are offering, and bringing up the pros of why you should be considered. That is why being clear and concise in your writing is important when writing professionally and technically.
On the other hand, something else the chapter talks about that I believe to be important to Professional Writing is to be complete and technical with your writing, especially when trying to answer certain questions. When you write, you want to aim to tie up all loose ends so that you don’t leave any questions unanswered. Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? Six simple questions that need to be addressed when writing something professional, these set up the stage and piece together what it is you are addressing and what the main priority of your pitch is, especially when crafting important documents. When you are writing a resume, you want to address who you are, what you do, where you have gained prior experience, when you did this, why you chose the company you did and how you would benefit working at the location you applied to. Being precise and complete is the best way to go because it does not leave room for any unanswered questions, and for me, that is one of the most important parts of writing a resume.
11 thoughts on “JOURNAL # 3”
This chapter highlights the eight c’s which are a checklist of the qualities of good professional and business communication. The first quality is clear, and one of the steps within clear is to avoid dangling and misplaced modifiers. A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a subject that does not exist in the sentence. To fix a dangling modifier one will have to add a proper subject to the sentence. A misplaced modifier is a word or phrase that appears to be modified with the wrong noun. To fix a misplaced modifier one will have to make sure to place the modifier next to the noun it is changing. These types of modifiers can create a funny sentence, but at the end of the day will not take you on a path where you are taken seriously in a business world.
Another point in this chapter that was intriguing to me was the ways we can avoid unnecessary negativity within works. Constructive writing is how we do this. Instead of writing “no smoking” on a sign instead you could write “thank you for acknowledging our smoke free campus”. This creates a more welcoming atmosphere. “Sorry” messages remind customers what a company or business can do so it is best to avoid them.
The seven Cs are; clear, concise, concrete and specific, complete, courteous, coherent, and constructive. They also added grammatically correct. Clear means not having to reread a sentence to understand it and not using complicated words. Concrete and specific language can be described as adding details for a better understanding. Try to use minimal prepositions and avoid misplaced modifiers. Make writing more concise by using active verbs and avoiding isys. Try not to repeat or use unnecessary words. Making a complete piece of writing includes all the necessary information so supplementary questions don’t need to be asked. Being courteous includes being gender neutral, putting the audience before yourself, being tactful, and polite. Coherent writing has consistent formatting, sentences with one main idea, and traditional words to unite sentences and paragraphs. I like the train idea that paragraphs are boxcars and the first sentence is the label on the side of the boxcar. Constructive writing focuses on the positives of a situation or idea and not the negative. This doesn’t mean don’t apologize but do apologize while making it as uplifting and looking to the future as possible. These all make sense and I think it’ll be a good idea to keep them in mind. Although I do think it’ll be hard to remember some of them. Especially the rules about misplaced modifiers which are so commonly used in everyday life.
Chapter three introduces the reader to seven tenants of professional writing. Rather than being strictly two big ideas from this chapter, there are seven that the author impresses upon the reader. These seven rules are to write clearly, concisely, concretely, completely, courteously, coherently, and constructively. Based on these seven rules for professional writing, we can derive two bigger picture ideas that are worth remembering – the first is that to write professionally requires more active effort than writing naturally, and that all seven rules effectively congeal together to make our writing as efficient as possible.
To the first big idea of the chapter, the author of the textbook writes about how all seven of the Cs which they described come together to produce a well-fleshed out piece of professional writing. To write with all seven of the Cs in mind, it requires the maintaining of a continuous, conscious effort on the writer’s part. Whereas when writing under less constrained circumstances an author may write freely what comes to mind, in professional settings there is a higher degree of scrutiny that you must subject your writing to.
The second big idea of the chapter, in my estimation, is that all seven of the Cs are effectively one broader rule of thumb when it comes to professional writing, which is the ability to write efficiently. In a professional setting writing efficiently means that more work can be done, which is ultimately the prerogative of any effective business or professional setting. If the incentive is to produce as much work as efficiently as possible, then it stands to reason that therefore any writing done in that setting should be written as effectively as possible as well.
Chapter three introduces the reader to seven tenants of professional writing. Rather than being strictly two big ideas from this chapter, there are seven that the author impresses upon the reader. These seven rules are to write clearly, concisely, concretely, completely, courteously, coherently, and constructively. Based on these seven rules for professional writing, we can derive two bigger picture ideas that are worth remembering – the first is that to write professionally requires more active effort than writing naturally, and that all seven rules effectively congeal together to make our writing as efficient as possible.
To the first big idea of the chapter, the author of the textbook writes about how all seven of the Cs which they described come together to produce a well-fleshed out piece of professional writing. To write with all seven of the Cs in mind, it requires the maintaining of a continuous, conscious effort on the writer’s part. Whereas when writing under less constrained circumstances an author may write freely what comes to mind, in professional settings there is a higher degree of scrutiny that you must subject your writing to.
The second big idea of the chapter, in my estimation, is that all seven of the Cs are effectively one broader rule of thumb when it comes to professional writing, which is the ability to write efficiently. In a professional setting writing efficiently means that more work can be done, which is ultimately the prerogative of any effective business or professional setting. If the incentive is to produce as much work as efficiently as possible, then it stands to reason that therefore any writing done in that setting should be written as effectively as possible as well.
Good writing is transparent. This means to avoid things such as:
Avoid jargon
Make your writing concrete and specific
Use active verbs not passive
Avoid long strings of prepositional phrases
Make pronoun references crystal clear
Avoid dangling and misplaced modifiers
The lead paragraph in the news answers “who, what, when, where, why, how”. This is important because it gives readers all the necessary information
One important part of this chapter is the “eight C’s” which is a checklist of the qualities of good writing in a professional or business setting. The eight C’s stand for clear, concise, concrete and specific, complete, courteous, coherent and constructive. Having this as a guideline and blueprint can help with being straightforward with your writing, as well as using word structures that make sense to the reader or your audience on a professional level. To add to that, clear writing is good writing which means that the audience never has to go back and read sentences or paragraphs to fully grasp the meaning. Another important part of this chapter is writing sentences that express one main idea, so it makes sense to the audience. Writing about one main idea works in a business setting because of how it does not go off into random sections. Whereas in academic settings, sentences present a main idea and then branch off into related ideas that add detail. Both of the big points of this chapter can help individuals learn how to write depending on their audience. Especially by having a blueprint with examples of the difference between academic and non-academic writing (a business setting).
This chapter discussed the eight C’s of professional communication which give writers the tools to form concise, and coherent sentences. While many of the C’s overlap, two big takeaways are avoiding word-salad and incorporating sensory details.
World Salad refers to prepositional phrases that add unnecessary complexity to sentences. To avoid a string of words, being concise and ‘cutting to the chase’ helps restructure the flow of information. I find it helpful to get the thoughts down then reframe the information. Prepositional phrases also include focusing on the tense used. Instead of saying, “She is walking to the store” it’s simpler to say “She walks to the store”. Using the presence tense and restructuring the verb makes the sentence more clear, direct and therefore, simpler.
This results in complete sentences, which answer questions like who and where. The use of ‘walk’ is descriptive and gives the reader visual material. While the book discusses writing isn’t always concrete or specific, all literature should include sensory details. Using descriptive, action words gives life to the material and keeps the reader’s attention. Incorporating details we can see or feel helps create specific communication.
The first big idea I found in this chapter was about language use. Specifically, I found the piece about concrete vs. specific words helpful. While concrete words are referring to something you can physically see, while specific words are referring to a specific type of an object. Concrete and specific words allow readers to clearly understand what you are writing about, and give context to what is going on in a piece.
The second big idea I found in this chapter is the difference between an argument and persuasion. While arguments are purely fact based, persuasion appeals to human reason. In writing, it is important to have both argumentative and persuasive elements, as these together make a convincing piece. Persuasion appeals to emotion, and without an emotional aspect, there is nothing for people to relate to in your writing.
The first thing I want to highlight from chapter two is the idea that as we move toward more visual forms of media, new generations have a less extensive vocabulary than their parents and grandparents. Although this makes a lot of sense, it’s not something I’d ever considered or factored into my writing. However, the author states that professional writers must understand and accept this shift in order to write in an easily digestible way. The second thing I want to look at from this chapter is one of the seven C’s — constructive language. As an editor, one of the most common edits I make is adjusting sentences to be constructive. This is important for a few reasons: one, constructive sentences tend to be less wordy than negative ones because you’re not including filler words like “but,” “although,” “despite this,” etc. Additionally, constructive sentences land better with readers because they frame the message as positively as possible. One of my favorite adjustments I’ve made to use constructive language in my day-to-day life is saying, “thank you for your patience,” instead of “I apologize for the delay.” In that case, you are thanking someone, which is a positive interaction, without highlighting the issue/delay, which is a more negative interaction.
This chapter was eye opening because of all the simple mistakes that are commonly seen in writing. As I was reading the chapter, I realized how often I mess up mini details that may lead someone to believe that my writing is unprepared and not well thought out. One detail that stuck out was the ability to be specific without being too wordy. It’s so much easier to comprehend written language when the word choice is descriptive but concise. The book advises you to analyze your writing and create sentences that allow the reader to picture what’s being described. An example of this type of writing could be to use a word like “delicious” or “mouthwatering” rather than a word like “good”. This will also prevent any possible confusion. To be specific is powerful in writing because readers will make assumptions if they are left without information. The texts refer to people reading the sentence, “The old man was tired”, registers differently depending on the demographic of the person reading the text. A better sentence would read, “The 80-year-old man was ready for a nap.” The second sentence is better because it uses specific language that allows for a better visual.
Right off the bat, this chapter makes a statement about how to effectively write clear and transparent sentences and paragraphs that are easy for the readers to read. Something that makes a piece of professional writing, or any writing in general, is to ensure your reader doesn’t have to read a line more than once. That is extremely important as you make your point clear enough that the reader can catch it at first glance, without having to read between the lines. Sometimes simple is more effective and practical than doing something complex. In Professional writing, being concise is important, especially when practicing a marketing campaign. For example, if you are tasked with producing a marketing slogan for a billboard, or even creating an advertisement that is being broadcasted on National Television, you want the audience to catch the main point in 90 seconds or less. If you make your slogan or campaign too complex or confusing, you leave room for audiences to be confused about what you are pitching. Don’t summarize want you want to per say, but rather state the main points of what it is you desire and want to bring to your field. That is important when creating a news campaign or marketing pitch. Pitches are technically described as making an offer while also pinpointing the main ideas and functions of what you are offering, and bringing up the pros of why you should be considered. That is why being clear and concise in your writing is important when writing professionally and technically.
On the other hand, something else the chapter talks about that I believe to be important to Professional Writing is to be complete and technical with your writing, especially when trying to answer certain questions. When you write, you want to aim to tie up all loose ends so that you don’t leave any questions unanswered. Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? Six simple questions that need to be addressed when writing something professional, these set up the stage and piece together what it is you are addressing and what the main priority of your pitch is, especially when crafting important documents. When you are writing a resume, you want to address who you are, what you do, where you have gained prior experience, when you did this, why you chose the company you did and how you would benefit working at the location you applied to. Being precise and complete is the best way to go because it does not leave room for any unanswered questions, and for me, that is one of the most important parts of writing a resume.