Chapter 5
Writing Process Phase 2:
Research, Organize, Compose
Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Mary Ellen Guffey
Copyright © 2008
The Business Writing Process: Phase 2
Research
Methods
Organizing Data
Effective
Sentences
Effective
Paragraphs
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 2
Formal Research Methods
Access electronically
Search manually
Investigate primary sources
Experiment scientifically
 The Internet
 Databases
 Books, articles
 Other secondary
sources
 Interviews
 Surveys
 Tests with
experimental and
control groups
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 3
Informal Research and Idea Generation
 Look in the company files.
 Talk with your boss.
 Interview the target audience.
 Conduct an informal survey.
 Brainstorm for ideas.
 Develop a cluster diagram.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 4
Organizing Data
 Listing and outlining
 Grouping ideas into patterns
 Direct pattern for receptive
audiences
 Indirect pattern for
unreceptive audiences
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 5
Organizing Data: Creating Cluster Diagrams
Paid gym
membership
Smokingcessation
programs
Gifts and
premiums
New menu
in cafeteria
Financial
incentives
Peer
mentors
Improving
employee
health
Seminars
and
workshops
Flex time
for workouts
Guest
speakers
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 6
Organizing Data: Subcluster Diagrams





Analyze the ideas in the original cluster diagram.
Cross out irrelevant ideas; simplify and clarify.
Add new ideas that seem appropriate.
Study the ideas for similarities.
Group similar ideas into classifications (such as
Incentives, Organizational Changes, and Programs).
 If the organization seems clear, prepare an outline.
 For further visualization, make subcluster circles
around each classification.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 7
Organizing Data: Making Outlines
 Define the main topic (purpose of message) in the title.
 Divide the main topic into three to five major
components. If needed, combine small components into
one larger category.
 Break the components into subpoints.
 Don’t put a single item under a major component;
integrate it with the main item above it or reorganize.
 Strive to make each component exclusive (no overlaps).
 Use details, illustrations, and evidence to support
subpoints.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 8
Organizing Data:
Alphanum-eric
Outline
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 9
Organizing Data:
Decimal Outline
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 10
Grouping Ideas
into Patterns:
Direct for
Receptive
Audiences
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 11
Grouping Ideas
into Patterns:
Indirect for
Unreceptive
Audiences
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 12
Creating Effective Sentences
Recognize phrases and clauses.
Clauses have subjects and verbs; phrases do not.
Independent clauses are complete; dependent
clauses are not.
Phrases and dependent clauses cannot function
as sentences.
 Independent clause: They were eating pizza.
 Dependent clause: that they wanted to return
for a refund
 Phrase: to return for a refund
© C Squared Studios/Photodisk/Getty Images
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 13
Effective Sentences: Sentence Length
Use short sentences.
Those under 20 words are most readable.
Sentence
Length
8 words
15 words
19 words
28 words
Comprehension
Rate
100%
90%
80%
50%
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 14
Effective Sentences: Emphasis
Emphasize important ideas.
Put main ideas first; use them as subjects.
Choose vivid words.
Unlabeled
Labeled
Send your crisis response team,
but also hire a public-relations
specialist.
Send your crisis response team;
but, most important, hire a
public-relations specialist.
General
Vivid
One business uses personal
selling techniques.
Herbalife uses face-to-face
selling techniques.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 15
Effective Sentences: Emphasis
Emphasize important ideas.
Place important ideas first or last in the sentence.
Unemphatic
Emphatic
On May 23 all personnel will meet
All production and administrative
about salary incentives.
personnel will meet on May 23, at
which time we will announce a new
plan of salary incentives.
Although you are the first trainee
You are the first trainee that we
that we have hired for this program, have hired for this program.
we have interviewed many
candidates and expect to expand
the program.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 16
Effective Sentences: Active and Passive Voice
Use active-voice verbs for most sentences.
Examples: We lost money.
The accountants made a mistake.
Use passive-voice verbs to de-emphasize the
performer and/or to be tactful.
Examples: Money was lost (by us).
A mistake was made (by the accountants).
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 17
Effective Sentences: Dangling Modifiers
Avoid dangling phrases.
Keep phrases close to the words they describe.
Not this:
An autopsy revealed the cause of death to be
strangulation by the coroner.
But this:
An autopsy by the coroner revealed the cause
of death to be strangulation.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 18
Effective Paragraphs: Focus
Discuss only one topic in a paragraph.
Group similar ideas together.
Paragraphs may be composed of three kinds of sentences:
Main sentence:
expresses the primary idea of the paragraph.
Supporting sentence:
illustrates, explains, or strengthens the primary idea.
Limiting sentence:
opposes the primary idea by suggesting a negative or
contrasting thought; may precede or follow the main sentence.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 19
Effective Paragraphs: Three Plans
¶
Create paragraphs that follow one of
three classic paragraph plans:
Direct
plan
Pivoting
plan
Indirect
plan
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 20
Effective Paragraphs: Direct Plan
Direct Plan
common in
business
Pivoting
Plan
Indirect
Plan
¶
Define, classify, illustrate, or describe
1. Main sentence
2. (Limiting
Sentence)
Supporting
Sentences
3. Supporting Sentences
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 21
Direct Plan: Example with Optional Limiting
Sentence
Main
Sentence
Flexible work scheduling could immediately
increase productivity and enhance employee
satisfaction in our entire organization.
Limiting
Sentence
Such scheduling, however, is impossible for all
employees.
Supporting Managers would be required to maintain their
Sentences regular hours. For many other employees,
though, flexible scheduling permits extra time to
manage family responsibilities. Feeling less stress,
employees are able to focus their attention
better at work; hence they become more
relaxed and more productive.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 22
Effective Paragraphs: Pivoting Plan
Direct
plan
Pivoting
plan
Indirect
plan
¶
Compare and
contrast
1. Limiting sentences
2. Main sentence
3. Supporting sentences
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 23
Pivoting Plan: Example
Limiting
Sentence
Foreign service careers are certainly not for
everyone. Many representatives are stationed in
remote countries where harsh climates, health
hazards, security risks, and other discomforts
exist.
Main
Sentence
However, careers in the foreign service offer
special rewards for the special people who
qualify.
Supporting Foreign service employees enjoy the pride and
Sentences satisfaction of representing the United States
abroad. They enjoy frequent travel, enriching
cultural and social experiences in living abroad,
and action-oriented work.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 24
Effective Paragraphs: Indirect Plan
Direct
plan
Pivoting
plan
Indirect
plan
¶
Persuade; deliver bad news;
describe cause and effect
1. Supporting sentences
2. Main sentence
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 25
Indirect Plan: Example
Supporting According to a recent poll, more than half of all
Sentences white-collar workers are now dressing casually
at work. Many high-tech engineers and other
professionals have given up suits and ties,
favoring khakis and sweaters instead. Our own
consultants say they stand out like “sore
thumbs” because they are attired in traditional
buttoned-down styles, while the businesspeople
they visit are usually wearing casual clothing.
Main
Sentence
Therefore, I recommend that we establish an
optional “business casual” policy allowing
consultants to dress casually as they perform
their duties both in and out of the office.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 26
Build Coherence, Link Ideas
Sustain the key idea by repeating or
rephrasing it.
Our philosophy holds that every customer is really
a guest. All new employees to our theme parks
are trained to treat guests as VIPs. These VIPs are
never told what they can or cannot do.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 27
Build Coherence, Link Ideas
Use a pronoun as a link to an antecedent
All new park employees receive a two-week
orientation. They learn that every staffer has a
vital role in preparing for the show. This training
includes how to maintain enthusiasm.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 28
Build Coherence, Link Ideas
Dovetail sentences.
Connect the beginning of each new
sentence with a word from the end of
the previous sentence.
New hosts and hostesses learn about the theme park and
its facilities. These facilities include telephones, food
services, bathrooms, and attractions, as well as the location
of offices. Knowledge of administrative offices and the
internal workings of the company, such as who’s in
administration, ensures that staffers will be able to serve
guests fully. Serving guests, of course, is our No. 1 priority.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 29
Use Transitional Expressions
To Add or
Strengthen
To Show
Time or Order
To Clarify
additionally
after
for example
again
before
for instance
also
earlier
I mean
besides
finally
in other words
likewise
first
that is
moreover
meanwhile
this means
furthermore
next
thus
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 30
Use Transitional Expressions
To Show Cause
and Effect
To
Contradict
To Contrast
accordingly
actually
as opposed to
as a result
but
at the same time
consequently
however
by contrast
for this reason
in fact
conversely
so
instead
on the contrary
therefore
rather
on the other hand
hence
though
similarly
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 31
Compose Short Paragraphs
Eight or fewer printed lines are most
readable.
Don’t put the reader to
sleep!
Improve comprehension.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 32
End
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Ch. 5, Slide 33