Purpose
Good writing is essential in business and industry because virtually every _____ has to be communicated.
Good writing is essential in business and industry because virtually every ACTION has to be communicated.
What is the difference between a primary and secondary audience in professional writing. Give examples related to your major.
Lay audience (uniformed/least knowledgeable)
Executive (acquainted/informed)
Technical experts inside field (expert)
Technical experts outside field. (informed/acquainted)
What are the types of correspondences (5) you've learned in this class?
memo
formal letter
video presentation
proposals (feasibility report)
This term describes AI models like ChatGPT that can generate text, images, or other content.
Generative AI
What is "good" professional writing?
Structure/organization
Logical and effective
Specific purpose, audience and design
Purpose helps you begin the writing process by narrowing the ____ of the project based on ____ desired.
Purpose helps you begin the writing process by narrowing the SCOPE of the project based on GOAL OR OUTCOME desired.
____________ is not an isolated one-way event, but instead, a circuit involving many people, many audiences
COMMUNICATION is not an isolated one-way event, but instead, a circuit involving many people, many audiences
When should you avoid using email in the workplace?
Formal correspondence
Lengthy discussions
Sensitive or protected information
Personal or private communication
A major advantage of using GenAI in workplace writing is saving this.
Time
In technical writing, using jargon is always appropriate.
False — only use jargon when your audience understands it.
How do you answer the question: What is my purpose?
Consider the end result. What do you want from your reader/audience?
What are 3 questions that help you find your audience?
1. What type of person/people will be reading the document?
2. Why is your audience reading the document?
3. How will your audience use your document?
What are some differences between memos and formal letters?
Memo:
Standard form of in-house business communication
Professional and formal tone
Hard copy vs. digital communication
Short (1-3 pages) - It should be a memo
Long (3+ pages) - It should be a report
Widely circulated
Letter:
Used to communicate outside your company:
Request/inquiry
Introductions/Personal Recommendations
Adjustments
Orders
Sales
Credit
Collections
Announcements
Goodwill
True or False: It is always ethical to submit GenAI-generated work without any disclosure.
False
In a professional setting, when would it be appropriate to use a formal tone versus a moderately informal tone? Provide an example for each.
Formal tone for clients or executives; moderately informal tone for coworkers.
How do you make your purpose clear in the following: email, report, description
Email - be specific about subject
Report - state the problem right away
Description - identify the “thing” immediately
What does the text mean that you need to come up with an “informed guess” about your audience?
Audience is a dynamic, changing group of people.
Personality
Expertise
Interest
Cultural factors
Biased Language
Assumptions
Good visuals in a document, presentation or video do what?
Impress people in the workplace
Help digest and interpret data more efficiently
Communicate certain ideas more quickly than words
When GenAI outputs facts or data, you must do this to maintain credibility.
Verify and cite the original source
Why is citation important in workplace writing, especially when using AI-generated or team-produced content?
Give proper credit
Maintain transparency
Protect intellectual property
Ensure accountability (especially when using AI content)
What are some common purpose-related mistakes?
1. Burying purpose
2. Confusing the end result
3. Not considering end result
4. Overlooking multiple purposes
...if your audience doesn’t understand it, can’t access it, or is offended by it, the information won’t go anywhere and _________ won’t matter.
...if your audience doesn’t understand it, can’t access it, or is offended by it, the information won’t go anywhere and THE MESSAGE won’t matter.
What is the difference between document design and visual design?
Document Design
Rhetorical Choices to make it visually appealing:
Shaping the page
Choosing appropriate font
Organizing text in usable and inviting way
Visual Design
-Focuses on how to incorporate visuals with text
If you incorporate significant AI-generated text into your report, company guidelines might require you to include this statement.
AI usage disclosure
Who won Premier League?
Liverpool!! Liverpool!!