Language
speaking and writing in terms of your audience’s wishes, interests, hopes, and preferences
“You” attitude
the overall impression in your messages
Tone
a newly coined term that is temporarily popular, but may become cliché or outdated quickly
Buzzword
a sentence with one main clause
Simple Sentence
a sentence that introduces the topic of the paragraph
topic sentence
a brief printed document traditionally used for routine exchange of information within an organization
Memo
the broad goal of a message: to inform, persuade, collaborate, or initiate a conversation
General purpose
a specific statement about the topic
Main idea
software that displays web pages
Web browser
a measure of believability based on reliability and evoking trust in others
Credibility
plain language that sounds professional without being stuffy or too informal
Conversational tone
a term or phrase that is so commonly used that it has lost its effectiveness
Cliché
a sentence with two main clauses that express two or more independent thoughts of equal importance
Compound sentence
a word or phrase that connects ideas by showing how one idea is related to another
Transitions
a brief printed document traditionally used for routine exchange of information within an organization
Letter
the specific thing you hope to accomplish with a message, such as a certain person agreeing to a request
Specific purpose
the overall subject of a message
Topic
a web content database that you access from a web browser
Search engine
a synonym that conveys your meaning without negative connotations
Euphemism
communication in which the object receives the action, such as “I sent the letter.”
Active voice
a word that stands for something you can touch, see, or visualize
Concrete word
a sentence that expresses one main thought and one or more subordinate thoughts related to it, often separated by a comma.
Complex sentence
specialized language or terminology associated with a certain profession, industry, or field of study
Jargon
a multipage informational document, usually containing a substantial amount of technical detail and resource citation
Report
a communication that starts with the main idea and follows up with supporting evidence
Direct approach
the range of information you present, the overall length, and the level of detail
Scope
punctuation and codes that enable you to fine-tune a web search
Search syntax
a language that avoids words and phrases that unfairly or unethically categorize or stigmatize people in ways related to gender, race, ethnicity, age, disability, or other personal characteristics
Bias-free language
communication in which the subject receives the action, such as “The letter was sent by me.”
Passive voice
a word that expresses a concept, quality, or characteristic
Abstract word
a sentence with two main clauses, at least one of which contains a subordinate clause
compound-complex sentence
the choices you make to express yourself, including words, sentences, and paragraphs
Communication style
a document that conveys information informally in an attractive, graphical layout
Newsletter
a communication that starts with evidence first and follows up with a conclusion
Indirect approach