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Bullock - Technical & Business Writing

Tech Writing Major Assignments and Instructions

BUSINESS PROPOSAL LETTER:

PURPOSE:

Business and Technical Writing are both, by nature, dry and straightforward writing genres that many find boring to write in. In response to this reality, this course will have a narrative component woven into it that begins with this assignment. 

In your Business Proposal Letter, you will propose a "business" that will function as your theme for the course. For example, let's say I choose to start a bookstore for my business. Each of the assignments from that point on would be geared toward the topic of bookselling. Don't be too scared to settle on a choice in this assignment. If you want to change the theme of your assignments, you can at any time. 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Your Business Proposal Letter should answer the following questions:

Introduce yourself
Introduce your business:
  • What is the name of your proposed business?
  • What services/trades/ does it offer?
  • Who is your target audience/customer/client?
Let's talk money (quick Google Search will suffice):
  • How much will your business cost to start?
  • What is the percentage of success in your area of interest?
Why should your reader (Professor Bullock) invest in your business?

Write your proposal letter in multiple paragraphs in the intro-body-conclusion (beginning-middle-end) format. There is no word count, but I expect each of your paragraphs to be 5-7 sentences each. Your letter should only be one page long.

NOTICE: Letters don’t have indented paragraphs. Instead, you add a space between each paragraph to show that you are starting a new one.

 GRADING:
  • Did you answer all the questions?
  • Is the document well-formatted?
  • Are there errors in grammar or syntax?
  • Are your answers written in paragraphs in the intro-body-conclusion format?

NARRATIVE:

After successfully proposing your business, you realize that it's time to train a new employee "how-to" complete a procedure. You will write a Procedure on a topic of your choosing. It can be related to your business or it can be completely separate from it. 

You will write a procedure/how-to/instructions/step-by-step explanations of how to assemble, operate, repair, do routine maintenance on something, or for performing an activity or action of your choosing. Don't underestimate this as even the simplest procedures can be surprisingly complex. It can be anything from "How to Make a PB&J" to "What to do When Your Tire Goes Flat" or "How to Perform CPR"! You have creative freedom in the type of procedure you would like to write on.

PROCEDURE WRITING INTRODUCTION: 

Procedure writing is an incredibly useful skill for you to have. Regardless of the field you choose to go into, there are procedures for every job and process. When there are step-by-step instructions, a job is easier to complete successfully; there is less room for error when thorough, well-written instructions are available.

An effective set of instruction requires the following:

  • Clear, precise, and simple writing
  • A thorough understanding of the procedure in all its technical detail
  • The ability to put yourself in the place of the reader, the person trying to use your instructions
  • The ability to visualize the procedure in detail and to capture that awareness on paper
  • Willingness to test your instructions on the kind of person you wrote them for.

Technical Writing Essentials by Suzan Last  (CC BY)

SECTION REQUIREMENTS:

Format your document in a professional manner with clearly defined headings, sections, and steps. Draft a document that contains, at a minimum, the following sections:

  • Header
  • Introduction
  • Materials (or Equipment and Supplies)
  • Procedure

1. EXPERIENCE:  Just because you may have previous experience/knowledge on the procedure you are doing does not mean your reader will. You will need to write clear enough instructions a kid could complete your set of instructions.

2. TASK OR TOOL?

In a task approach (also known as task orientation) to instructions on using a phone-answering service, you’d have these sections:

  • Recording your greeting
  • Playing back your messages
  • Saving your messages
  • Forwarding your messages
  • Deleting your messages, and so on

On the other hand, in a tools approach to instructions on using a photocopier, there likely would be sections on how to use specific features:

  • Copy button
  • Cancel button
  • Enlarge/reduce button
  • Collate/staple button
  • Copy-size button, and so on

Technical Writing Essentials by Suzan Last  (CC BY)

Examples:

Please review the examples below to see how to create the perfect procedure (sometimes called a work instruction or how-to guide):

 

TIPS & TRICKS:

  • You are writing for a reader who will actually carry out your instructions, so use the imperative mood (“Do this”) and second-person voice (“you”). Remember, a procedure normally follows a set sequence, so number your steps.

Example: “First you must lay out all the parts you have unpacked and check them against the parts list to make sure no parts are missing.” The pronoun “you” can also be implied but not stated: “Second, locate parts A and B and fit them together according to the diagram below.”

  • When drafting your procedure, provide some sort of Visual EMPHASIS, to highlight steps or actions which are especially important your user must not miss.
  • Remember to maintain a professional tone throughout; do not use slang or other informal words.
  • Do NOT build your title as a repeating header. It should appear only at the top of the first page.
  • Lastly, please ensure that your use of headings and formatting is consistent.

Crisis Communication Press Release Instructions

Task

Using the template below (or another that you find online), you will write and format a Crisis Communication Press Release for the business you created in at the beginning of the term. 

Your Press Release should include the following:

  • Headline and Press Release Info: Your press release headline should summarize everything in your press release in a brief and precise manner. At the same time, you should have all the necessary press release info (such as the press release publishing date) in place.
  • Overview of The Crisis: The first paragraph should provide a brief overview of the crisis while the body of your press release should expand on the situation.
  • Your Response to It: Another crucial piece of information that should be included in the body of your press release is your response to the crisis.
  • Call to Action: The final paragraph should summarize everything and end with a call to action.
  • Contact Information: At the very end of your press release, include information about your company and information on how to contact you.

Grading Criteria
  • Format
  • Grammar and Syntax
  • Multiple paragraphs in Intro-Body-Conclusion format.
  • Design elements present

NARRATIVE:

Crisis strikes your business! It's time to make a game plan to address the public & tell them what has been done so far to address the crisis & how you will adapt your business strategies in the future. The easiest way to get the word out is through a press release!

PRESS RELEASE:

The press release or news release is one of the most common communication materials written by public relations professionals. Press releases are sent to outlets such as newspapers, broadcast stations, and magazines to deliver a strategic message from an organization that the media ideally will publish or broadcast. The primary audience for the press release is reporters and editors, although some organizations publish press releases on their own websites for audiences to view. This may be done due to shrinking newsroom staffs and insufficient resources to develop original content.

Journalists use press releases as a reporting tool, relying on them to provide essential information and therefore make it easier for them to cover a variety of events. With the increase in media channels and demand for social content, some view press releases as an uninteresting way to distribute information and connect with audiences (Galant, 2014). Others see them as a concise and straightforward way to communicate to key publics.

Although the emergence of digital media has challenged public relations professionals to think of nontraditional ways to garner publicity, the use of press releases is still widespread in the profession. Therefore, public relations practitioners should know how to write an effective press release.

Writing for Strategic Communication Industries by Jasmine Roberts is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License,

FORMAT PRESS RELEASE:

Traditionally, press releases use the inverted pyramid style, which makes it easy for journalists and editors to receive the most essential information first. This means the news hook should be revealed in the headline and lead of the release. Journalists will not take your press release seriously if the content is not newsworthy and it is not written in an accepted style, such as AP style. Make sure that the press release contains attributed information with proper sources and is error free.

Before writing the release, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Is the announcement or event newsworthy? Does it appeal to the media outlet’s audience? Some announcements do not warrant a press release and can simply be posted on the company website.
  • What is the key message? What should the reader take away?
  • Who is the target audience for the release? Although you’re writing the release for the media, you need to keep in mind the kind of readers or listeners you hope to attract.

Writing for Strategic Communication Industries by Jasmine Roberts is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License,

PROBLEM/SOLUTION REPORT INTRODUCTION: 

For this module, you will be drafting a PROBLEM/SOLUTION ANALYSIS REPORT.  A problem analysis report looks thoroughly at a problem and ultimately provide recommendations on how to fix the problem. In addition, a Problem Analysis determines the degree of the problem and if the problem is genuinely related to the specific site under investigation.  

You must write about a problem either within your future/planned career OR within the company/business/corporation you proposed at the beginning of the term. Your analysis should remain to be based on FACTS.

At this point, you should not have a problem crafting a professional document using professional language. You will be reviewing each other's papers and we all come from different backgrounds and experiences, so please be respectful of each other and mindful of different perspectives.

Point of View: Because you are trying to convince the reader, this is one paper where the second person point of view (“you” or “we”) might be used effectively. However, first person or third is also appropriate. 

OUTLINE:

PROBLEM: This section will serve as your introduction.

BACKGROUND: 

  1. This section should provide a brief summary of the history of the problem and why it is a problem. 
  2. Or you may begin by identifying the name and position of the person requesting the Problem Analysis. Give some background of the company/agency that is experiencing the problem, such as the company’s type of business, how long they have been in business, how many employees the company employs, etc. End the section with a rationale of why the person suspects there is a specific problem.

RESEARCH: 

  1. This section is where you discuss your research. You must use at least 3 credible sources - this means Wikipedia, blogs, Facebook opinion posts, etc. are NOT acceptable. 
  2. You do not have to include employee interviews - your book says this is a must, but for our purposes, it is not.
  3. The research section opens with a brief introduction to the internal investigation of detailed areas of research. The introduction must reference all areas of detailed research, in the exact order that they are discussed in the detailed section. One area of the investigation must be employee interviews. Other areas may include items such as reviewing company records, investigating supply rooms, or conducting site investigations.

PERSONAL/GLOBAL/SOCIETAL IMPLICATIONS: In this section, you will discuss what personal responsibility individuals have in fixing or addressing this problem, then you will discuss what responsibility the global community holds in fixing or addressing this problem.

CONCLUSION: 

  1. This section is where you again state the problem but have the research to back up your analysis so it should offer more than you had in the beginning and be more developed.
  2. From your findings, discuss the outcomes, what you determine are facts. Emphasize that there is a problem, identify the problem and how your investigation supports your decision, or emphasize that there is not a problem, identify the suspected problem and how your investigation supports your decision. Note that you need to have a problem for this assignment. Therefore, if you determine that there is not a problem, you will need to do another Problem Analysis.

RECOMMENDATIONS: 

  1. This section is where you provide at least 3 recommendations that will solve or help alleviate the problem.
  2. Identify 3 recommendations that you believe will solve the problem. Your Recommendations section will begin with a preface statement. Next, you will identify the recommendations. Identify the number of each recommendation, followed by the recommendation. Be sure to begin each recommendation with an action verb (using the understood you).

WORKS CITED: This should be your last page and list all the sources you used in MLA format

OPTIONAL TOPICS:

  • Impact of layoffs
  • Generational differences at work
  • Employee burnout
  • Sustainability/environmentalism in workplace
  • Workplace dress codes
  • Discrimination: sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc.
  • Bullying in the workplace
  • Violence at work
  • Sexual harassment
  • Pay and benefit inequality: executive versus worker
  • Workplace safety
  • Employee and colleague motivation
  • Disability accommodation at work
  • Religious accommodation at work
  • Mental illness accommodation at work
  • Period Sick Leave
  • 'Foul' language at work
  • Breastfeeding at work
  • Employee illness/sick leave
  • Politics in the workplace
  • Free speech in the workplace
  • Nepotism at work
  • Family-friendly scheduling
  • Paternity & Maternity Leave
  • Social media at work
  • Drug screening at work
  • Workplace transparency
  • Employee unions
  • Hiring veterans
  • Employee privacy on the job
  • Racism & Sexism in workplace
  • Noise and the workplace
  • 'Interns' at work
  • Employee turnover
  • Monitoring employees at work (visually and digitally)

DEFINITION:

A product description is the marketing copy that explains what a product is and why it's worth purchasing. The purpose of a product description is to supply customers with important information about the features and key benefits of the product so they're compelled to buy.

SUCCESSFUL PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS:

QUESTIONS FOR IDEAL BUYER:

To succeed in product description writing, you need to answer questions customers have about your products:

  • What problems does your product solve?
  • What do customers gain from your product?
  • What makes it better than the competition?
BENEFITS
  • COST
  • CONVENIENCE
  • COMFORT
  • EFFICIENCY
  • SUSTAINABILITY
  • MOBILITY
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • QUALITY
  • DURABILITY
  • SERVICE

WHAT IS A CLICHÉ?

  • A cliché is a saying that is so common it's no longer interesting. Many metaphors, similes, adages, and idioms are cliches.
  • Cliches should be avoided in our writing.

• Example:

Cool as a cumumber

What does it mean? Why is this a cliché?

Think of an original ending to this overused expression. "Cool as a _____________________."

"This product is really good."

“Excellent product quality.”

USAGE

The reader/viewer can imaging using your product.

 

SENSORY WORDS

Sensory language simply refers to words or phrases that create a connection to one or more of the five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. It's a descriptive language that plays on the reader's senses and is tailored to invoke mental images by engaging the reader's mind on multiple levels.

 
SOCIAL PROOF/RATES

Try to include an image of the customer to add credibility to a quote. It also makes your online business more approachable and relatable. You can even integrate a social media feed filled with user-generated content that shows real people sharing success stories about using your products.

 
MINI-STORIES

To create a story for your product description to make it more relatable remember to keep it short and ask yourself:

  • Who is making the product?
  • What inspired creating the product?
  • What obstacles did you need to overcome to develop the product?
  • How was the product tested?

 

FINAL:

Your final is to develop a product description.

*You may use any platform as long as is it submitted in Doc, Dox, PDF, JPG, etc.

 

OPTIONAL CHALLENGE: Try to create one for the business you started at the beginning of this term.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION EXAMPLES:

Please see below for a list of examples of product descriptions and their applications in the business world:

 

Creative Commons License
Except where otherwise noted, content in these research guides is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.