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red level Strategies. Professor Elek...

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Strategies for Controlling the Rhetorical Situation Red Level Strategies

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Establish purpose and audience Use simple, concrete, direct language – align language and purpose Use the direct organization Ensure completeness and accuracy Write informative and purposeful subject lines

The Red Level Strategies form the foundation for success in professional writing. They represent, to a large degree, much of the work you do before writing. The rhetorical situation is comprised of the context, purpose, and audience involved in a communication transaction. When I say you want to “control” it, I certainly don’t mean that in a sinister, conniving way. I simply mean that by carefully implementing the Red Level Strategies, you can ensure that your communication moves you toward accomplishing your objective.

Establish Purpose and Audience These are the fundamentals – if you don’t have these, you don’t have a need to communicate. If you do not understand one or the other, your chances of successful communication are slim. Purpose

Purpose is tied to action – what are you trying to do and what do you want to have happen after you do it? Think, “What action do I want the reader to take after reading my message?” If you can’t state this pretty concretely, you are not ready to write. Create a vivid picture in your mind. Audience

Assessing your audience can be a demographic exercise — e.g., how old they are, gender, financial status — but only insomuch as that gives you information about their needs. The same holds true for factors like personality, intelligence, and so on. Examine what your relationship is with the person. Really think about your audience in context to determine what you need to know. You may be writing operating safety instructions for someone who is working on a factory floor. She is intelligent enough to read a lengthy, detailed technical document in 10-point type. But the

woman is working on a factory floor. She needs a laminated poster with three simple bullet points at eye level. Your primary task is to determine what your audience needs from you for your communication exchange to be a success – for them to do what you decided you wanted them to do when you identified your purpose. Determine what you need to know, what you do know, and fill in the gaps.

Use Simple, Concrete, Direct Language — Align Language and Purpose Avoid Murky Management Writing

By far the biggest problem with people’s professional correspondence is that they try to puff it up. We have all read and suffered through bad textbooks, ridiculously technical explanations of simple things, and writing that sounds like it was written by someone wearing a powdered wig. I call this “murky management writing.” It is not efficient because it takes people much longer to read it and provides more opportunities for misinterpretation. It is not empathetic because it hurts people’s brains and degrades our common humanity! In Don Watson’s great book Death Sentences, he compares this type of writing to a “dark, impenetrable thicket,” and characterizes it as “repressive, excluding, intimidating, and anesthetic.” We cannot be part of this! If writing isn’t reasonably easy to read and understand, it isn’t good enough to count as cooperative communication. So WHY would anyone write like this? Sometimes murky management writing is a result of poorly defined thoughts. We’re not sure what we are trying to say, so we BS through it. Other times, we are trying to bolster our credibility, using big language to make our ideas sound impressive. It doesn’t work. Clarity impresses. Let your ideas carry themselves. Finally, I think we see this kind of writing out there, and we emulate it – we assume if it’s the norm, it must be working. While it’s a good practice to employ the writing conventions used in your industry, good writing can be the legacy you leave for someone else to emulate. Use Conventions of a Business Style

Fortunately for us there are many conventions of business style that make it easier to write clear, coherent messages. Some of these contradict what we have been taught in English classes for the last however many years. For some people, this is worrisome, and for others, it’s liberating. Try liberating! Even if you are aspiring to be a poet, learning to write in this style will sharpen your critical thinking skills and add to your repertoire! Write in Short Paragraphs

Paragraphs in professional writing are significantly shorter than those in academic papers. Between four and seven sentences is a good guide. A one-sentence paragraph is fine if it does the job. Readers want to see small, manageable chunks of information. Use Pronouns – You get to break an old rule!

If professional writing is an exchange between two people, then we need to call them by name: you, me, we, us, I. Trying to write without these words would be nearly impossible, so go ahead! You can do it! Use the Most Familiar Word

Use the simplest, most familiar word that says what you need to say. Use larger, less familiar words only when they help your reader understand something more fully. For example, “before” can almost always be used instead of “prior to.” It’s usually just as accurate to say “send” as to say “transmit.” One of my favorites: you can always use “use” rather than utilize “utilize.” There is almost nothing that you “utilize” that you could not “use” instead! Use Jargon When You Can

Many writing teachers have a bias against jargon – though they have their own jargon and use it with other writing teachers all the time. We have jargon because we need it. It helps us communicate much more efficiently. Of course, jargon is inefficient (and not very empathetic) when your audience doesn’t know it. In that case, either substitute commonly used language for your jargon or briefly define anything that doesn’t have a natural substitute. Write in the Active Voice

Put the who or the do-er in the sentence first (“I called a meeting.”) instead of the what. (“A meeting was called.”) There are some instances when you want to break this rule. Just make sure when you break it, it’s on purpose. Avoid the “Undesignated This.”

A hanging “this” at the beginning of your sentence shows me either that your ideas are not well-formed yet or that your writing needs tightened up to better meet the needs of the audience. “This will save us money,” leaves the reader too much work to do. “Implementing the new ordering system will save us money,” does the work – more empathetic and more efficient. Use Specific, Concrete Language

Again, you are doing the work for the reader. In the sentence, “Most people don’t think the procedure works well,” your reader has to do the following:  interpret “most”  identify “people”  identify “procedure”  interpret “well”

When you are specific, you eliminate a lot of potential for inefficiency. “Ninety percent of employees believe the reimbursement procedure takes too long.” A Final Note

Of course, there is a lot more to good writing style than what is contained here. I just included what I think helps students the most. Don’t forget to use your textbook, the OWL at Purdue, and your common sense when writing!

Use the Direct Organization Give the bottom-line, most important information right away – in the first paragraph. Communicate your purpose up front. Next explain any reasoning and context that is important. Fill in the details: the who, what, where, and when. Conclude with a motivating closing – Now what? Exceptions include: delivering bad news, scientific writing. Ensure Completeness and Accuracy You need to have control over your message when you communicate. Accuracy is your responsibility as a writer, and it is totally self-explanatory. If you are inaccurate when you communicate, you do not have control of the situation. Completeness is more subjective. You need to provide adequate information, context, and details to help your audience receive and act on your message. For example, an email that says, “I would like to meet with you today,” lacks completeness in many ways. Take the perspective of the audience.

Use an Informative and Purposeful Subject Line This strategy could certainly also be considered pro-efficiency, but I list it as pro-empathy, because I think it’s one of the best ways to let the audience know: “I am writing with an eye toward how this message affects you.” This strategy also works with the readers’ brains, getting them prepared to interpret the message you are sending.

A good subject line, in a memo, email, or letter gives the audience as much information as possible (information, not detail). After reading a good subject line, the reader should know as specifically as possible the topic of the communication. Knowing there is a meeting is not nearly as specific as knowing there is a mandatory meeting to discuss customer satisfaction data. The subject line should also give the reader a good idea about the purpose of your communication. There are informative purposes and persuasive purposes. When your purpose is informative, you may just need to state the topic of your communication especially if the reader will know readily how it pertains to him or her. If you are sending something that is for reference or file, it is very wise to write that in your subject line, so your reader doesn’t try to read or act on a message that is not relevant. If your informative message requires some immediate action, you should include that in the subject line. When your purpose is persuasive, you should include a word that refers to your type of persuasive purpose, such as request, suggestion, or recommendation. Writing good subject lines can be difficult because we have a large task and a small number of words. Subject lines do NOT have to be excessively brief. A full sentence is perfectly acceptable. It is always more important to be clear than to be brief. Oftentimes, even those of us who know about writing good subject lines write some that are too generic and not helpful to the audience. Sometimes, we do so because we are busy and we simply miss an opportunity. I think sometimes we write bad subject lines, though, because when we try to write good ones (informative and purposeful) they come out clumsy. My first attempts usually do. It is worth the time and effort to start with your awkward-sounding subject line and keep revising it until it is smoother. It’s likely not anyone’s favorite activity, but it’s one well worth the effort. The following pages have some examples of weak subject lines, followed by ones that are much stronger.

Subject Line Examples Pagemaker

For those of you who couldn't make yesterday's make-up class, let me note a syllabus change. We are doing InDesign instead of Pagemaker, starting Thursday. I discovered that Adobe doesn't intend to produce any more versions of Pagemaker beyond 6.5 and will eventually stop supporting that now rather old version. It makes little sense to devote our energies to Pagemaker when we could be dealing with the successor program. Admittedly, I know PM much better than InDesign (though our syllabus was done in the latter), but it is close enough to PM to make the transition easy. Those of you who still wish to do the competency test in PM may do so. Again, starting tomorrow, we meet in 206 Sander, 3:30 - 6:20. Enter through the black door on the west side of the building. Important Changes to Syllabus

For those of you who couldn't make yesterday's make-up class, let me note a syllabus change. We are doing InDesign instead of Pagemaker, starting Thursday. I discovered that Adobe doesn't intend to produce any more versions of Pagemaker beyond 6.5 and will eventually stop supporting that now rather old version. It makes little sense to devote our energies to Pagemaker when we could be dealing with the successor program. Admittedly, I know PM much better than InDesign (though our syllabus was done in the latter), but it is close enough to PM to make the transition easy. Those of you who still wish to do the competency test in PM may do so. Again, starting tomorrow, we meet in 206 Sander, 3:30 - 6:20. Enter through the black door on the west side of the building.

Meeting

How about next Monday (October 9) at 10:00 AM? Anna will be joining us for the meeting. Let me know if you'd prefer another time. Can you meet 10-9?

How about next Monday (October 9) at 10:00 AM? Anna will be joining us for the meeting. Let me know if you'd prefer another time.

Plans for English Lab

I'm curious as to whether or not there will be an >English computer lab anytime in the near future. I've >received some conflicting information, but am starting >to believe that there are no plans for any English >lab. >You may not know anything, but I'd be thankful if you >could pass along whatever information you have. Are There Plans for English Lab?

I'm curious as to whether or not there will be an >English computer lab anytime in the near future. I've >received some conflicting information, but am starting >to believe that there are no plans for any English >lab. >You may not know anything, but I'd be thankful if you >could pass along whatever information you have.

New Computer?

Stan's note indicated that you will be setting up the computer there for me, as if you don't already have enough to do! Will this be the same computer that I have been using? If so, the software on that seems adequate, and I love the big monitor. If there will be a new computer, could I possibly have Pagemaker, Illustrator, and Photoshop in addition to the usual Office package? I believe these are all on the old computer, and I will be using them for brochure and flyer production in the months ahead. I would love to have Dreamweaver. Realizing that you are swamped with work and many network problems, when do you think the new space will be ready? Request to Keep Computer or Have Updated Software

Stan's note indicated that you will be setting up the computer there for me, as if you don't already have enough to do! Will this be the same computer that I have been using? If so, the software on that seems adequate, and I love the big monitor. If there will be a new computer, could I possibly have Pagemaker, Illustrator, and Photoshop in addition to the usual Office package? I believe these are all on the old computer, and I will be using them for brochure and flyer production in the months ahead. I would love to have Dreamweaver. Realizing that you are swamped with work and many network problems, when do you think the new space will be ready?

Asante Hub

I'm just following up on the Warranty Replacement(s) of our Asanté NS-BaseNMM24RJ45 Hub so you have a way of contacting us (Technical Reference Number 12782). Please call or e-mail us directly about any 'technical' problems you are experiencing with this product. I'm glad we could be of service, and you should expect that everything to be working well when you receive the warranty replacement(s). If we do not have any further contact from you about continued 'technical' problems with the warranty replacement(s), we will consider the technical side of this issue resolved. Asante Hub Warranty Replacement Reference Number for File

I'm just following up on the Warranty Replacement(s) of our Asanté NS-BaseNMM24RJ45 Hub so you have a way of contacting us (Technical Reference Number 12782). Please call or e-mail us directly about any 'technical' problems you are experiencing with this product. I'm glad we could be of service, and you should expect that everything to be working well when you receive the warranty replacement(s). If we do not have any further contact from you about continued 'technical' problems with the warranty replacement(s), we will consider the technical side of this issue resolved....