Business Writing Skills

BUSINESS WRITING WORKSHOP BASED ON UNIT STANDARD 12153

“USE THE WRITING PROCESS TO COMPOSE TEXTS REQUIRED IN A BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT” (NQF 4 WITH 5 CREDITS). THIS IS A 2-DAY COURSE FOR A MAXIMUM OF 25 DELEGATES.

The qualifying learner is capable of:

• Using textual features and conventions specific to texts
• Identifying the intended audience for the communication
• Identifying the purpose of a text
• Selecting the appropriate text type, format and layout for the purpose
• Organising and structuring a technical text appropriately
• Using appropriate grammar conventions
• Drafting and editing a technical text
• Recognising errors and checking for accuracy
• Presenting the same information in different ways
• Using plain language in business

Course outline

MODULE 1: Preparing to write a text

Lesson 1 - Identify the Audience, their needs and the purpose of your text

Activity 1 – Identify why information is important

Activity 2 – Observing how different people see things from different perspectives

Activity 3 – Deciding what tone, content and style will be appropriate for my text

Activity 4 – Identify informative, persuasive, argumentative and entertaining text

Research assignment 1 for POE

Lesson 2 - Using questions to identify information

Activity 5 – Apply the 5 W’s and the H questioning technique

Lesson 3 - Creating a checklist for planning to write

Activity 6 - A checklist for planning to write a text

MODULE 2: Evaluating the information I will use to write a text

Lesson 1 – Evaluating Information

Activity 7 – Use a checklist to check if my information is accurate, valid, sufficient and relevant

Activity 8 –Ensure that information is accurate, valid, sufficient and relevant

Research Assignment 2 for POE

Lesson 2: Check for bias and stereotypes in language

Activity 9 – Compare two texts to generate important learning points

Activity 10 – Eliminate gender stereotyping in language

Activity 11 – Identify stereotyping in language.

Lesson 3 – Focus information

Activity 12 – Apply the FOCUS technique to plan my first draft

MODULE 3: Drafting and sign-off

Lesson 1 – Begin the draft

Activity 13 – Write a first draft

Activity 14 – Format and structure my draft

Lesson 2 – Check the draft

Additional Activity 15 – Evaluate my language proficiency

Lesson 3 – Plain Language

Activity 16 – Apply Plain Language and Grammar principles to a text

Activity 17 – Check and correct the use of use of language and grammar in my draft

Lesson 4 – Presentation

Activity 18 – Enhance the readability of my text

Lesson 5 – Check for accuracy and sign off

Activity 19 – Create a checklist for reflection and editing

Research assignment 3 for POE

Assessment Structure and Approach

Candidates will be doing a number of exercises during the facilitation session. The answers to the prescribed activities will be used in the formative assessment of the unit standard. Summative assessment is done on the three research assignments as given below. Only if the candidate has successfully met with all the criteria will a certificate of competence be awarded.

Research assignment 1 for POE

Syndicate Work: Arguing a Point – written assignment

Choose a debatable issue in your sector (e.g. Effects of HIV on the public sector, etc.) about which you have some knowledge or can research—on the internet, through subject matter experts in your organisation, media resources, government legislation, etc. Decide who your audience is, take a stand on the issue and defend your position to a general audience of intelligent but sceptical readers.

Here are some general guidelines for the argument:

Choosing the Assignment :

• Try to use an argument that is relevant to your company and the department within which you work. Discuss the proposed argument up front with your assessor.

Introduction :

• Create a one-page introduction, advising the purpose of your argument, to whom you are addressing your argument, and your aim.
• Select a format that is appropriate for the purpose and your audience. Explain in your introduction why you feel this format and structure was the most appropriate.
• You will learn a number of techniques to assist you with structuring and drafting a written text during the course of this programme. Show the work done during preparation to indicate that you are competent in these techniques.

Research

You will need to consult a number of resources for this assignment. Indicate to your assessor from where you sourced your information and what information you used and what information you discarded. This relates to a number of the assessment criteria in the unit standard and shows your critical thinking abilities.

Work

All team members must agree to their roles and have a clear peer assessment tool to measure each other’s contribution at the end of the assignment; discuss this with your assessor.

Presentation and content:

• State your arguments clearly (usually at the end of your introduction). In your introduction, be careful to avoid alienating readers who may be in initial disagreement with your views.
• Strike a reasonable tone.
• Develop your arguments with as much specific and relevant evidence as possible.
• Attempt to prove opposing arguments false or at least to explain why they are less weighty than your own arguments.
• Where possible, build common ground with readers who may not be inclined to agree with you.

Research Assignment 2 for POE

Standards to be considered for composing your text

• Identify the governing bodies that regulate the sector and sub sector of the organisation you work for. Identify any legislation impacting on written text that you may be required to produce. (If you do not have access to the World Wide Web, you can refer to your legal department for this assignment).
• Choose an example of a text that is relevant to your function, or that you anticipate you may be using in the future. Start developing your own checklist, which will be used to assess the two texts required for your Portfolio of Evidence.
• Identify your company standards for written communications in the organisation and present these in a checklist.
• Examples of texts that you may wish to use are: letters, memos, emails, written comparisons of products, reports on specifics of cover, historical reviews of the period of cover, claims reports, explanations of how changes in legislation will impact on the rules of the fund or pension benefits, financial needs analysis, financial plans, reports to investors, reports to statutory bodies, customised insurance policies, statistical reports, actuarial reports, promotional proposals, etc.
• Identify in a separate paper the consequences of non-compliance.

Research assignment 3 for POE

For this assignment you will be required to produce the third text required as evidence of your competence against this unit standard. The first text is your letter to John, and the second text is the syndicate assignment: the argumentative text that you will do as a syndicate assignment.

• For learners who work in a business environment where texts are produced:

Provide evidence of a business text that you have produced in response to an authentic situation in the workplace.

• For learners who do not currently work in an environment where business texts are produced:

Use the information provided as your source overleaf to compile a text of your choice.

Guidelines:

1. Write the first draft of you text.
2. Check the first draft of your text (using your final Writing Checklist).
3. Write the final version of you text
4. Check the final version of your text (using your final Writing Checklist).