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Preface | |
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About the Authors | |
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Introduction Can Do Writing | |
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Skillset: Analysis | |
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Analyze Purpose and Audience | |
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What Result Do You Want from the Document? | |
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Who Is the Audience? | |
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What Does the Audience Do with the Information? | |
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What Information Does the Audience Need? | |
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Does the Audience Know Little or Much About the Information? | |
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Does the Audience Need Proof? | |
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Plan How to Write to Multiple Audiences | |
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Write Your Document's Five-Part Purpose Statement | |
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Decide the Type of Document or Oral Communication to Use | |
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Pick a Verb That Describes What the Document Does | |
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Assemble the Five Parts into a Purpose Statement | |
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Use the Purpose Statement to Settle Controversies | |
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Purpose Statements Make History | |
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Practice Steps 1 and 2 Using a Case Study | |
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Select Facts | |
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Use the Purpose Statement As You Select Facts | |
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Organize Your Points in a Sentence Outline | |
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Write Your Points Using Short Words in Short Sentences | |
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Evaluate Points to Eliminate Irrelevancies and Redundancies | |
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Order the Points | |
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Practice Steps 1 through 4 Using a Case Study | |
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Skillset: Composing the Draft | |
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Compose the Draft | |
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Compose the Draft Body | |
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Compose the Draft Conclusion | |
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Compose the Draft Introduction | |
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If Necessary, Compose the Draft Executive Summary | |
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If Necessary, Compose the Draft Abstract | |
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Skillset: Editing | |
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Review the Draft for Organization and Logic | |
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Test Organization by Answering Three Questions | |
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Use Sentence Outlining Techniques to Improve Organization | |
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Test Logic by Answering Five Questions | |
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Edit for Coherence | |
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Repeat Key Words throughout Your Document | |
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Ensure That Each Paragraph Begins with a Point | |
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Use Transition Words | |
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Use Vertical Lists for Series of Like Items | |
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Ensure Your Graphics Make a Point | |
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Apply Visual Devices | |
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Edit for Clarity | |
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Use Concrete and Specific Words | |
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Use Active Voice | |
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Simplify Tense: Stay in Present Tense When Possible | |
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Avoid the Helping Verbs Would, Should, and Could | |
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Identify and Replace Ambiguous Pronouns | |
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Use Standard English Words | |
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Check Sentences for Misplaced or Dangling Modifiers | |
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Edit for Economy | |
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Cut Useless Verbs | |
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Cut Useless Prepositions | |
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Cut Who, Which, and That | |
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Cut Useless Repetition | |
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Cut Redundancy | |
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Cut Useless Comments | |
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Cut Useless Modifiers | |
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Edit for Readability | |
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Measure Readability Using the Gunning Fog Index | |
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Replace Long Words with Short Words | |
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Break Long Sentences | |
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Conclusion Congratulations! | |
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Index | |