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Tips and Hints For Clear and Concise Writing

The document provides tips for clear and concise writing. It emphasizes keeping writing simple by using concrete language and active voice. Writers should consider their audience and include only essential information, organized in a logical structure. An outline helps ensure the main points are clear and supporting details are included. Writers should evaluate if their document effectively conveys the message to the intended readers.

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56 views21 pages

Tips and Hints For Clear and Concise Writing

The document provides tips for clear and concise writing. It emphasizes keeping writing simple by using concrete language and active voice. Writers should consider their audience and include only essential information, organized in a logical structure. An outline helps ensure the main points are clear and supporting details are included. Writers should evaluate if their document effectively conveys the message to the intended readers.

Uploaded by

Др. Цчатерйее
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Tips and hints for clear and concise

writing

Click on the mouse to go to


the menu or end the show
at any time.
The writing situation in IISC

 Purpose of writing –
to effectively convey
information.
 Keep the audience
in mind.
- readers in IISc,
- readers outside
IISc.
Audience

 Always bear in mind


the people you are
writing for.
 They are in a hurry.
Don't overestimate
their knowledge,
interest or patience.
Document type

 Whatever the
document type, be it
a letter, memo, or
notice – you can
enhance its impact
by writing clearly.
 The ultimate aim
should be to convey
the correct message
to the reader.
Concrete, not abstract writing

 Abstract language
confuses the reader.
 If you have a choice
between an abstract
word and a more
concrete one that
means the same,
choose concrete. It
will make your
message simpler.
Keep it simple
 Get to the point
without using
unnecessary words.
 Choose simple
words. For example,
substitute a word like
objective with aim or
goal. Similarly, use
cut out instead of
eliminate.
Example of confusing writing

 Using impressive,
abstract, and complex
words are really not
effective.
For example:
Subsequent to the
passage of the subject
legislation, it is incumbent
upon you to advise your
organization to comply
with it.
How can we put it more
simply?

• The same example


using simple and direct
wording:

After the law passes,


you must tell your
people to comply with
it.
Active voice
 Another easy step to clearer English is to use verbs in the
active voice.
Compare these two sentences:

Active voice: The 2005 year book


was released by the Director.
Passive voice: The Director released the 2005 year book.

Which is clearer and conveys the message with one


reading?
Passive voice is useful
sometimes
You don't have to avoid passive voice at all costs.
They can be useful:
1. If there's no need to say who was responsible
for the action because it's obvious. ("All
Commission staff are encouraged to write
clearly.")
2. If you want to focus attention on the receiver of
the action by putting that first. ("One of the
most controversial members of the Party has
been interviewed by the press about the
proposal.")
Passive voice
Can be useful:

3. If you want to position old or known


information at the start of the sentence, so
you can put new or surprising information at
the end.
 
("After the Summit the President was
interviewed by a ten-year-old pupil from the
European School.")
Add power to your writing

 Add
Add power
power to
to your
your writing
writing by
by using
using shorter
shorter verbs. 
verbs.  Notice
Notice how
how these
these
verbs
verbs gain
gain power
power as
as they
they shrink:
shrink:

•• Accelerate,
Accelerate, expedite,
expedite, hasten,
hasten, rush 
rush 
•• Accentuate,
Accentuate, emphasize,
emphasize, highlight,
highlight, stress 
stress 
•• Alleviate,
Alleviate, moderate,
moderate, lesson,
lesson, ease 
ease 
•• Communicate,
Communicate, interface,
interface, discuss,
discuss, talk 
talk 
•• Delineate,
Delineate, illustrate,
illustrate, depict,
depict, draw 
draw 
•• Elucidate,
Elucidate, clarify,
clarify, explain,
explain, tell 
tell 
•• Initiate,
Initiate, introduce,
introduce, begin,
begin, start 
start 
•• Intensify,
Intensify, amplify,
amplify, augment,
augment, boost 
boost 
•• Invalidate,
Invalidate, nullify,
nullify, negate,
negate, void 
void 
•• Investigate,
Investigate, examine,
examine, explore,
explore, probe 
probe 
•• Prioritize,
Prioritize, pigeonhole,
pigeonhole, arrange,
arrange, sort
sort
Managing the content
• Content refers to the
information included in the
message.
• Considering your audience
will help
help you to
to determine
what information to include
in the document.
• Your Goal: to include
enough information and not
waste the reader’s
reader’s time and
obscure your main point.
Content

• Do not begin writing • Ask yourself:


your document until 1) How much background
you have planned information and details
what you want to are needed?
say. 2) What are the
• This will help you necessary enclosures
that go along with the
avoid writing a document?
poorly developed
message.
Make an outline of the content
• Outlining: create a I. Background
hierarchy of your ideas. A. Details of Ph.D.
• This will help you to student’s admission in
identify what your main January 2001.
points are, what supporting II. Work completed to date
material is available, and A. The student presented
what other information you a synopsis to the
need to include. academic committee.
B. Synopsis was
approved.
The next column is an example
of a research student’s progress III. Work to be completed
report by the staff-in-charge. A. Biannual report to be
submitted to the
supervisor by June 2002.
Organization
• Organization refers to
the order in which
information is
presented.
• Once you know what
information you want
to include in your
document, you can
decide how to
organize that
information.
Steps for organization

• The first step to


organizing is to group
information together.
• You can also organize
information in
paragraphs to meet the
needs of two types of
readers –
- those who glance
through the text, and
- those who will read it in
detail.
Organization

Place information
where readers are
most likely to look for it:
– Readers are most likely
to read the first and last
paragraphs of a
message.
– Within paragraphs,
readers are most likely
to read the first and last
sentences.
Organize your paragraphs
Use paragraphs effectively:
– Keep paragraphs short. Readers are more
likely to read a longer message broken into
several short paragraphs than they are a
shorter message without breaks.
– Each paragraph should contain only one
main point, and this point should be
developed with concrete evidence and
details.
Did I effectively reach my
audience?

• When you have finished


writing your message,
evaluate your writing by
considering whether or
not you effectively
addressed your reader.
• It may be necessary to
rewrite or reorganize
the document to make
your message clear.
And finally…

 Read your document


before sending it to the
respective persons.
 Check for spelling,
punctuation, and typo
errors. Make sure all
the necessary
attachments are
enclosed.

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