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Successful Writing at Work


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Successful Writing at Work
TENTH EDITION

Philip C. Kolin
University of Southern Mississippi

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Successful Writing at Work, Tenth Edition
Philip C. Kolin
To Kristin, Erica, and Theresa
Evan Philip and Megan Elise
Julie and Loretta
Diane

and
MARY
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Contents
Preface xix

PART I: Backgrounds

2

Chapter 1: Getting Started: Writing and Your Career

4

Writing—An Essential Job Skill 4
How Writing Relates to Other Skills 4
The High Cost of Effective Writing 5
How This Book Will Help You 5

Writing for the Global Marketplace 5
Tech Note: Know Your Computer at Work 7
Competing for International Business 7
Communicating with Global Audiences 8
Seeing the World Through the Eyes of Another Culture
Cultural Diversity at Home 9
Using International English 9
Four Keys to Effective Writing 11
Identifying Your Audience 12

9

Case Study: Writing to Different Audiences in a Large Corporation 16
Establishing Your Purpose 17
Formulating Your Message 18
Selecting Your Style and Tone 19
Case Study: Adapting the Technical Details to Meet Your Audience’s
Needs 19
Case Study: Adapting a Description of Heparin for Two Different
Audiences 21
Characteristics of Job-Related Writing 23
1. Providing Practical Information 23
2. Giving Facts, Not Impressions 23
3. Supplying Visuals to Clarify and Condense Information
4. Giving Accurate Measurements 26
5. Stating Responsibilities Precisely 26
6. Persuading and Offering Recommendations 27

24

v


vi

Contents

Ethical Writing in the Workplace 29
Employers Insist on Ethical Behavior 30
Employers Monitor Ethical Behavior 30
Know Your Company’s Culture and Codes: A Letter from IBM’s CEO 31
Ethical Requirements on the Job 31
Computer Ethics 34
“Thinking Green”: Making Ethical Choices About the Environment 35
International Readers and Ethics 36
Some Guidelines to Help You Act Ethically 37
Ethical Dilemmas 38
Writing Ethically on the Job 40
Successful Employees Are Successful Writers 42
Revision Checklist 43
Exercises 43

Chapter 2: The Writing Process at Work

50

What Writing Is and Is Not 50
What Writing Is 50
What Writing Is Not 51
The Writing Process 51

Researching 51
Planning 52
Drafting 54
Tech Note: Planning on Your Computer 57
Tech Note: Drafting on Your Computer 58
Revising 62
Tech Note: Revising on Your Computer 63
Case Study: A “Before” and “After” Revision of a Short Report
Editing 66
Tech Note: Editing on Your Computer 67
The Writing Process: Some Final Thoughts
Revision Checklist 78
Exercises 79

64

77

Chapter 3: Collaborative Writing and
Meetings at Work
Teamwork Is Crucial to Business Success 84
Advantages of Collaborative Writing 86
Collaborative Writing and the Writing Process 88
Case Study: Collaborative Writing and Editing 88

84


Contents

Seven Guidelines for Establishing a Successful Writing Group 90
Ten Proven Ways to Be a Valuable Team Player 92
Sources of Conflict in Collaborative Groups and How to Solve Them 92
Common Problems, Practical Solutions 93
Models for Collaboration 95
Cooperative Model 95
Sequential Model 98
Functional Model 98
Integrated Model 100
Case Study: Evolution of a Collaboratively Written Document 101
Computer-Supported Collaboration 107
Advantages of Computer-Supported Collaboration 108
Groupware and Face-to-Face Meetings 108
Types of Groupware 108
Models for Computer-Supported Collaboration 113
Case Study: Using Google Docs as a Collaboration Tool 114
Avoiding Problems with Online Collaboration 116
Tech Note: Virtual Meetings: Teleconferencing, Web Conferencing,
and Videoconferencing 117
Meetings 118
Planning a Meeting 118
Creating an Agenda 120
Tech Note: Videoconferencing with Skype 120
Observing Courtesy at a Group Meeting 121
Writing the Minutes 122
Taking Notes 123
Conclusion 125
Revision Checklist 126
Exercises 127

PART II: Correspondence

130

Chapter 4: Writing Routine Business Correspondence:
Memos, Faxes, Emails, IMs, and Blogs

132

What Memos, Faxes, Emails, IMs, and Blog Posts Have in Common
Memos 133
Memo Protocol and Company Politics 133
Memo Format 136
Memo Parts 136
Questions Your Memo Needs to Answer for Readers 138
Memo Style and Tone 139
Strategies for Organizing a Memo 139

132

vii


viii

Contents

Organizational Markers 140
Sending Memos: Email or Hard Copy? 141
Sending Faxes: Some Guidelines 141

Tech Note: Scanning a Document 141
Cover Page 142
Sending a Document 142
Email: Its Importance in the Workplace 142
Business Email versus Personal Email 144
Emails Are Legal Records 145
Guidelines for Using Email on the Job 145
When Not to Use Email 150
Instant Messages (IMs) for Business Use 150
When to Use IMs versus Emails 150
Guidelines for Using IMs in the Workplace 152
Blogs 153
Blogs Are Interactive 153
Blog Sponsors 153
Two Types of Blogs 155
Guidelines for Writing Business Blogs 158
Case Study: Writing a Blog to Keep Customer Goodwill
Conclusion 162
Revision Checklist 163
Exercises 164

Chapter 5: Writing Letters: Some Basics
for Communicating with Audiences Worldwide
Letters in the Age of the Internet 167
Letter Formats 168
Full-Block Format 168
Modified-Block Format 170
Semi-Block Format 171
Continuing Pages 171
Standard Parts of a Letter 171

Heading 171
Date Line 173
Inside Address 173
Salutation 173
Body of the Letter 174
Complimentary Close 174
Signature 174
Enclosure Line 176
Copy Notation 176

160

167


Contents

The Appearance of Your Letter 176
Envelopes 177
Organizing a Standard Business Letter 178
Making a Good Impression on Your Reader 178
Achieving the “You Attitude”: Four Guidelines 179
International Business Correspondence 183
Case Study: Writing Reader-Friendly Letters: Two Versions 183
Guidelines for Communicating with International Readers 187
Modifying a Letter for an International Audience 189
Respecting Your Reader’s Nationality and Ethnic or Racial Heritage 194
Case Study: Writing to a Client from a Different Culture: Two Versions
of a Sales Letter 196
Sending Professional-Quality Letters: Some Final Advice to Seal Your

Success 199
Revision Checklist 200
Exercises 201

Chapter 6: Types of Business Letters

207

Formulating Your Message 207
Letter Writers Play Key Roles 208
Letters and Collaboration at Work 208
The Five Most Common Types of Business Letters 209
Cover Letters 209
Inquiry Letters 209
Special Request Letters 210
Guidelines for Writing Special Request Letters 210
Sales Letters 213
Preliminary Guidelines 213
The Four A’s of Sales Letters 216
Customer Relations Letters 219
Diplomacy and Reader Psychology 219
The Customers Always Write 220
Being Direct or Indirect 220
Case Study: Two Versions of a Bad News Message
Follow-Up Letters 224
Complaint Letters 224
Adjustment Letters 230
Refusal-of-Credit Letters 238
Collection Letters 240

221

Case Study: Writing About Credit to a Non-Native Speaker 240

ix


x

Contents

Writing Business Letters That Matter: A Summary
Revision Checklist 246
Exercises 248

245

Chapter 7: How to Get a Job: Searches, Networking, Dossiers,
Portfolios/Webfolios, Résumés, Letters, and Interviews
Steps the Employer Takes to Hire 254
Steps to Follow to Get Hired 255
Analyzing Your Strengths and Restricting Your Job Search 255
Enhancing Your Professional Image 256
Looking in the Right Places for a Job 256
Using Online Social and Professional Networking Sites in Your Job Search
Finding Jobs Through Networking Sites 260
Using Facebook to Start Your Network 261
Promoting Your Best Image—Some Do’s and Don’ts 261
LinkedIn 263
Dossiers and Letters of Recommendation 265

Obtaining Letters of Recommendation 265
Career Portfolios/Webfolios 268
What to Include in a Career Portfolio/Webfolio 270
What Not to Include in a Career Portfolio/Webfolio 270
Career Portfolio/Webfolio Formats 272
Preparing a Résumé 272
What Employers Like to See in a Résumé 272
The Process of Writing Your Résumé 274
Parts of a Résumé 278
Organizing Your Résumé 284

254

260

Tech Note: Developing Your Own Website for Your Job Search 285
The Digital Résumé 288
Five Ways to Post, Email, Scan, or Videotape Your Résumé 288
Case Study: Developing an Electronic Résumé and Building a Network
Making Your Online Résumé Search-Engine Ready 296
Making Your Résumé Cybersafe 296
Testing, Proofreading, and Sending Your Online Résumé 298
Letters of Application 298
How Application Letters and Résumés Differ 298
Writing the Letter of Application 299
Going to an Interview 307
Preparing for an Interview 307
Tech Note: Skype Interviews 308
Questions to Expect at Your Interview 309

293


Contents

What Do I Say About Salary? 310
Questions You May Ask the Interviewer(s)
What Interviewer(s) Can’t Ask You 311
Ten Interview Do’s and Don’ts 311
The Follow-Up Letter 312
Accepting or Declining a Job Offer 312
Searching for the Right Job Pays 316
Revision Checklist 316
Exercises 317

311

PART III: Gathering and Summarizing Information

322

Chapter 8: Doing Research and Documentation on the Job

324

Skills Necessary to Do Research 324
Understanding Research Strategies 325
The Differences Between School and Workplace Research
Some Research Scenarios 326
Characteristics of Effective Workplace Research 327

The Research Process 328
Two Types of Research: Primary and Secondary 331
Conducting Primary Research 331
Doing Secondary Research 331
Methods of Primary versus Secondary Research 332
Primary Research 337
Direct Observation, Site Visits, and Tests 337
Interviews and Focus Groups 338
Surveys 346
Case Study: The WH eComm Survey
Secondary Research 353
Libraries 353
Tech Note: Intranets 355
Periodical Databases 358
Tech Note: Library Chat Rooms 361
Reference Materials 362
Tech Note: Grey Literature 368
Internet Searches 369
Evaluating Websites 375
Note Taking 378
The Importance of Note Taking 378
How to Take Effective Notes 378

346

325

xi

xii

Contents

What to Record 379
Tech Note: Using Bookmarks 379
To Quote or Not to Quote 380
Tech Note: Electronic Note-Taking Software

380

Documenting Sources 383
The Ethics of Documentation: Determining What to Cite 383
Documentation Styles 385
What MLA and APA Have in Common 385
Using MLA In-Text Citations 386
Using APA In-Text Citations 388
Preparing MLA Works Cited and APA Reference Lists 391
Sample Entries in MLA Works Cited and APA Reference Lists 391
A Business Research Report 397
Conclusion 414
Revision Checklist 414
Exercises 416

Chapter 9: Summarizing Information at Work
Summaries in the Information Age 423
The Importance of Summaries in Business 424
Contents of a Summary 425
What to Include in a Summary 425
What to Omit from a Summary 425

Preparing a Summary 426
Tech Note: Using Software to Summarize Documents 426
Case Study: Summarizing an Original Article 428
Make Sure Your Summary Is Ethical 433
Executive Summaries 435
What Managers Want to See in an Executive Summary 435
Organization of an Executive Summary 436
Evaluative Summaries 438
Guidelines for Writing a Successful Evaluative Summary 438
Evaluating the Content 438
Evaluating the Style 439
Abstracts 442
Differences Between a Summary and an Abstract 443
Writing an Informative Abstract 443
Writing a Descriptive Abstract 443
Writing Successful News Releases 444
Subjects Appropriate for News Releases 446
News Releases About Bad News 449

423


Contents

Topics That Do Not Warrant a News Release
Organization of a News Release 449
Style and Tone of a News Release 451
Conclusion 451
Revision Checklist 452
Exercises 453

449

PART IV: Preparing Documents and Visuals

458

Chapter 10: Designing Clear Visuals

460

Visual Thinking in the Global Workplace 460
The Purpose of Visuals 461
Types of Visuals and Their Functions 462
Choosing Effective Visuals 465
Ineffective Visuals: What Not to Do 466
Generating Your Own Visuals 467
Tech Note: Scanners and Scanning 468
Inserting and Writing About Visuals: Some Guidelines
Identify Your Visuals 468
Cite the Source for Your Visuals 469
Insert Your Visuals Appropriately 469
Tech Note: Importing Visuals from the Web 470
Introduce Your Visuals 471
Interpret Your Visuals 471
Two Categories of Visuals: Tables and Figures 472
Tables 472
Parts of a Table 472
Guidelines for Using Tables 473
Figures 475

Graphs 475
Charts 478
Maps 488
Photographs 489

468

Tech Note: Digital Photography 491
Drawings 492
Clip Art 494
Using Visuals Ethically 496
Guidelines for Using Visuals Ethically 497
Using Appropriate Visuals for International Audiences 503
Visuals Do Not Always Translate from One Culture to Another
Guidelines for Using Visuals for International Audiences 505

505

xiii


xiv

Contents

Conclusion 507
Revision Checklist
Exercises 508

508

Chapter 11: Designing Successful Documents and Websites

517

Organizing Information Visually 517
Characteristics of Effective Design 522
Desktop Publishing 522
Tech Note: Desktop Publishing Programs 522
Type 523
Templates 523
Graphics 523
Before Choosing a Design 528
The ABCs of Print Document Design 528
Page Layout 529
Typography 530
Heads and Subheads 532
Graphics 534
Using Color 535
Poor Document Design: What Not to Do 535
Writing for and Designing Websites 536
The Organization of a Website: The Basics 537
Case Study: Converting a Print Document for a Web Audience 538
Web versus Paper Pages 539
Web versus Print Readers 540
Preparing a Successful Home Page 540
Designing and Writing for the Web: Eight Guidelines 542
Tech Note: Writing for Search Engines 546
Creating Storyboards for Websites and Other Documents
Tech Note: PDFs and the Web 549

Four Rules of Effective Page Design: A Wrap-Up 549
Revision Checklist 550
Exercises 551

Chapter 12: Writing Instructions and Procedures
Instructions, Procedures, and Your Job
Why Instructions Are Important 555
Safety 556
Efficiency 556
Convenience 557

555

547

555


Contents

The Variety of Instructions: A Brief Overview 557
Instructions Online 557
Assessing and Meeting Your Audience’s Needs 558
Key Questions to Ask About Your Audience 560
Writing Instructions for International Audiences 561
Using Word-Processing Programs to Design Instructions 561
Case Study: Meeting Your Audience’s Needs 564
The Process of Writing Instructions 566
Plan Your Steps 566
Perform a Trial Run 566

Write and Test Your Draft 566
Revise and Edit 566
Using the Right Style 567
Using Visuals Effectively 568
Guidelines for Using Visuals in Instructions 569
The Six Parts of Instructions 570
Introduction 570
List of Equipment and Materials 571
Steps for Your Instructions 572
Warnings, Cautions, and Notes 574
Conclusion 577
Troubleshooting Guide 577
Model of Full Set of Instructions 577
Writing Procedures for Policies and Regulations 593
Some Examples of Procedures 593
Meeting the Needs of Your Marketplace 593
Case Study: Writing Procedures at Work
Some Final Advice 597
Revision Checklist 597
Exercises 598

594

Chapter 13: Writing Winning Proposals
Writing Successful Proposals: Some Examples 601
Characteristics of Proposals 602
Proposals Vary in Size and Scope 602
Proposals Are Persuasive Plans 603
Proposals Frequently Are Collaborative Efforts 603
Types of Proposals 604

Solicited Proposals and Requests for Proposals 604
Unsolicited Proposals 605
Internal and External Proposals 609

601

xv


xvi

Contents

Eight Guidelines for Writing a Successful Proposal 610
Tech Note: Online RFPs 611
Tech Note: Document Design and Your Proposal 612
Internal Proposals 613
Some Common Topics for Internal Proposals 613
Following the Proper Chain of Command 618
Ethically Resolving and Anticipating Corporate Readers’ Problems
Organization of an Internal Proposal 619
Sales Proposals 621
The Audience and Its Needs 621
Being Ethical and Legal 627
Organization of a Sales Proposal 627
Proposals for Research Reports 629
Organization of a Proposal for a Research Report 630
A Final Reminder 636
Revision Checklist 636
Exercises 638

618

Chapter 14: Writing Effective Short Reports
Why Short Reports Are Important 642
Types of Short Reports 643
Seven Guidelines for Writing Short Reports 643
1. Anticipate How and Why an Audience Will Use Your Report
Tech Note: Creating Templates for Short Reports 644
2. Do the Necessary Research 645
3. Be Objective and Ethical 646
Tech Note: Using the Web to Write Short Reports 646
4. Organize Carefully 647
5. Write Clearly and Concisely 648
6. Create a Reader-Centered Design 648
7. Choose the Most Appropriate Format 649
Periodic Reports 649
Case Study: A Poor and an Effective Short Report 650
Sales Reports 654
Progress Reports 654
Audience for Progress Reports 654
Frequency of Progress Reports 656
Parts of a Progress Report 656
Tech Note: RSS Feeds 660
Employee Activity/Performance Reports 661
Guidelines for Writing an Activity Report 661

642

643

Contents

Trip/Travel Reports 663
Questions Your Trip/Travel Report Needs to Answer
Common Types of Trip/Travel Reports 664
Test Reports 671
Case Study: Two Sample Test Reports 671
Questions Your Test Report Needs to Answer 675
Incident Reports 675
When to Submit an Incident Report 676
Parts of an Incident Report 676
Protecting Yourself Legally 678
Short Reports: Some Final Thoughts 679
Revision Checklist 680
Exercises 682

663

Chapter 15: Writing Careful Long Reports

686

How a Long Report Differs from a Short Report 686
Scope 687
Research 687
Tech Note: Using Government-Sponsored Research 688
Format 689
Timetable 689

Audience 689
Collaborative Effort 690
The Process of Writing a Long Report 690
Parts of a Long Report 691
Numbering the Pages of a Long Report 691
Front Matter 692
Tech Note: Automatically Formatting the Long Report 694
Text of the Report 696
Back Matter 700
A Model Long Report 700
Final Words of Advice About Long Reports 718
Revision Checklist 719
Exercises 720

Chapter 16: Making Successful Presentations at Work
Writing a Document versus Making a Presentation
Evaluating a Speaker 722
Types of Presentations 722
For Your Customers or Clients 722
For Your Boss 722

721

721

xvii


xviii

Contents

For Your Co-workers 722
For Community Leaders or Groups 724
Four Ways to Make a Presentation 724
Informal Briefings 725
Formal Presentations 727
Analyzing Your Audience 727
Consider Your Audience as a Group of Listeners, Not Readers
The Parts of Formal Presentations 729
Presentation Software 736
Tech Note: Webinars 737
Noncomputerized Presentations 740
Rehearsing Your Presentation 741
Delivering Your Presentation 741
Tech Note: Interactive Whiteboards 743
Evaluating Presentations 745
Revision Checklist 747
Exercises 747

Appendix: A Writer’s Brief Guide to Paragraphs,
Sentences, and Words
Paragraphs A–1
Writing a Well-Developed Paragraph A–1
Supply a Topic Sentence A–1
Three Characteristics of an Effective Paragraph A–2
Sentences A–5
Constructing and Punctuating Sentences A–5
What Makes a Sentence A–5
Avoiding Sentence Fragments A–6

Avoiding Comma Splices A–7
Avoiding Run-on Sentences A–9
Making Subjects and Verbs Agree in Your Sentences A–9
Writing Sentences That Say What You Mean A–11
Correct Use of Pronoun References in Sentences A–12
Words A–12
Spelling Words Correctly A–12
Using Apostrophes Correctly A–13
Using Hyphens Properly A–14
Using Ellipses A–14
Using Numerals versus Words A–14
Matching the Right Word with the Right Meaning A–15
Proofreading Marks
Index I-1

A-20

728

A-1


Preface
Successful Writing at Work, Tenth Edition, is a comprehensive introductory text for
business, technical, professional, and occupational writing courses. Writing is a vital
part of virtually every job, and as readers of earlier editions have learned, Successful
Writing at Work can help students develop key communication skills essential for
their career. This practical textbook will guide students to become better writers
while they also learn to develop and design effective workplace documents for multicultural, global audiences. Successful Writing at Work, Tenth Edition, is organized
to take students step-by-step from the basic concepts of audience analysis, purpose,

message, style, and tone to the processes of researching, drafting, revising, formatting/designing, and editing. Students will learn to write a variety of job-related documents, from emails to more complex proposals, reports, and presentations.

Building on Past Editions
Benefiting from the feedback of instructors, students, and employers over many
editions, this revised Tenth Edition continues to give students detailed, clear guidelines for preparing well-organized and readable emails, blogs, correspondence,
instructions, procedures, surveys, proposals, reports, websites, and presentations
intended for a variety of readers. Moreover, because effective models are critical
to learning new skills, students will find a wide range of realistic, up-to-date, and
rhetorically diverse examples (all of them annotated and visually varied) demonstrating the function, scope, format, and organization of numerous documents for
audiences with differing needs. Each of these model documents focuses directly on
practical issues in the world of work and portrays employees as successful writers,
either individually or as part of a collaborative writing group. Furthermore, this
new edition fully covers a broad spectrum of current workplace technologies and
considerations, such as instant messaging, Google Docs, Track Changes, webinars,
and storyboarding.
As in past editions, this Tenth Edition is as versatile as it is comprehensive.
Full enough for a sixteen-week semester, it can also be easily adapted to a shorter
six-, eight-, or ten-week course. Successful Writing at Work, Tenth Edition, is designed to go beyond classroom applications: It is a ready reference that students
can easily carry with them as they begin or advance in the workplace. As students
will discover, this edition maintains the reputation of former editions by including
numerous practical applications in each chapter. It can be as useful to readers with
little or no job experience as to those with years of experience in one or several
fields. This edition also addresses the needs of students re-entering the job market
or changing careers.

xix


xx

Preface

Distinctive Features of Successful Writing at Work
The distinctive features that in the past have made Successful Writing at Work a
student-friendly text in the contemporary workplace continue to be emphasized
and expanded in this Tenth Edition. These features, stressing up-to-date approaches
to teaching business, technical, and professional writing, can be found throughout
this new edition.
■•

■

■

Analyzing audiences. The Tenth Edition once again focuses on the importance of audience analysis and the writer’s obligation to achieve the “you attitude” in every workplace document. In addition, the concept of audience
extends to readers worldwide, as well as to non-native speakers of English,
whether as co-workers, employers, clients, or representatives of various
agencies and organizations. Memos, emails, letters, résumés, presentations,
and other documents are written, designed, organized, and introduced with
the intended audience(s) in mind.
•Approaching writing as a problem-solving activity. The Tenth Edition
continues to emphasize workplace writing not merely as a set of rules and
formats but as a problem-solving activity in which employees meet the needs
of their employers, co-workers, customers, clients, community groups, and
vendors worldwide. This approach to writing, introduced in Chapter 1 and
woven through subsequent chapters, helps students understand the varied
situations and problems they will have to address and highlights the rhetorical and design options available to them to solve these problems. As in earlier
editions, this new Tenth Edition teaches students how to develop the critical skills necessary for planning, researching, drafting, revising, designing,
and editing business documents. In-depth case studies throughout, as well
as boxed inserts offering professional advice from experts in the world of

work, guide writers in finding resources and developing rhetorical strategies
to solve problems in the business world.
•Being an ethical employee. Stressing that companies expect their employees to
behave and write ethically, the Tenth Edition reinforces and expands discussions
of ethical writing practices in almost every chapter. Beginning with a discussion of ethical writing at work, Chapter 1 introduces a study of ethics in the
workplace with enhanced sections on ethical behavior and solving ethical dilemmas in the workplace. Subsequent chapters offer practical guidelines on and
numerous examples of documents that illustrate the types of ethical choices
workers must make in the business world. Special attention to ethics can be
found in discussions on editing to avoid sexism and biased language in Chapter 2;
working cooperatively with a collaborative writing team in Chapter 3; writing accurate memos, emails, instant messages, and blogs in Chapter 4; drafting
diplomatic letters in Chapters 5 and 6; preparing honest, realistic résumés and
portfolios/webfolios in Chapter 7; conducting truthful, objective, and carefully
documented research in Chapter 8; using and constructing unbiased visuals and
ethical websites in Chapters 10 and 11; preparing safe, legal instructions and
procedures in Chapter 12; writing honest proposals and reports in Chapters 13
to 15; and making clear and accurate presentations in Chapter 16.


Preface

Writing for the global marketplace. In today’s international workplace,
effective employees must know how to write for a variety of readers, both in
the United States and across the globe. Consequently, almost every chapter
in this new edition has increased coverage of writing for international readers and non-native speakers of English. The needs of these audiences receive
special attention starting with a discussion of International English in
Chapter 1 and continuing through the chapters on correspondence, visuals,
instructions, websites, proposals, short and long reports, and presentations.
Especially important, too, is the revised, updated long report in Chapter 15
on the role international workers play as members of a diverse workforce in
the global corporate world.

■ •

New and Updated Material in the Tenth Edition
To meet the growing and changing needs of employees in today’s global workplace,
this new edition is one of the most extensively revised editions of Successful Writing at Work yet. It has been carefully streamlined and updated to meet the needs
of today’s students. Throughout this Tenth Edition you will find expanded coverage of key topics, writing guidelines, and a wealth of new annotated examples of
workplace documents, plus many new Tech Notes, case studies, and extended box
commentaries featuring advice from professionals in the business world. Numerous
exercises after each chapter make teaching and learning workplace writing relevant
and current.
With its full-color palette, this new edition also exemplifies a wide range of professional design and layout choices that writers make in the world of work, thus
giving students models to help them prepare their own documents. Not only has
the layout of the text been streamlined and redesigned, but many of the examples
and figures have also benefited from the full-color adaptation and have been revised
to show the variety of layouts, logos, and visual designs used in the world of work.
The next section outlines, chapter by chapter, the specific additions found in
the Tenth Edition.

Chapter-by-Chapter Updates
Chapter 1 Getting Started: Writing and Your Career
■
■

■
■
■
■

■

■

New section on how writing relates to other skills in the world of work
New case study on adapting technical information to meet the needs of
diverse audiences
New section, “Know Your Company’s Culture and Codes”
New figure, “A Letter from the CEO of IBM”
Expanded discussion, “Ethical Requirements on the Job”
New section, “‘Thinking Green’: Making Ethical Choices About the
Environment”
Further attention to solving ethical dilemmas in the workplace
•Additional exercises on diversity in the workplace and on audience analysis

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Preface

Chapter 2 The Writing Process at Work
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Enhanced coverage of drafting, revising, and editing on the job
Expanded case study, “A ‘Before’ and ‘After’ Revision of a Short Report” on

writing for a general reader
Additional advice on avoiding stereotypical language, including eliminating
sexism
New section, “The Writing Process: Some Final Thoughts”

Chapter 3 Collaborative Writing and Meetings at Work
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Increased emphasis on being a team player at work
Greater attention to collaborative communication technologies
New sections and figures illustrating using Track Changes and Google Docs
for collaborative team writing
Updated discussion of conferencing tools and presentation software

Chapter 4 Writing Routine Business Correspondence: Memos, Faxes,
Emails, IMs, and Blogs
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Substantially revised sections on email and instant messaging in the workplace
Expanded discussion of business blogs, blog sponsors, and blog formats with
two new examples, including a blog post from Whole Foods emphasizing
eco-friendly aquaculture and building consumer confidence

Chapter 5 Writing Letters: Some Basics for Communicating
with Audiences Worldwide

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Further emphasis on the importance of letters in the age of the Internet
New sections on envelopes and formatting letters
Greater attention to the needs of international audiences
New exercises

Chapter 6 Types of Business Letters
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Strengthened discussion on the contexts for correspondence
New section on cover letters
Numerous redesigned letters and logos
Use of Web-based media in connection with correspondence
Enhanced case study on adapting letters to international readers
New conclusion, “Writing Business Letters That Matter: A Summary”

Chapter 7 How to Get a Job: Searches, Networking, Dossiers, Portfolios/
Webfolios, Résumés, Letters, and Interviews
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Expanded section on identifying marketable job skills
Updated coverage on where to look for a job, with further examples of and
advice on using job-posting sites
New section, “Using Online Social and Professional Networking Sites in
Your Job Search”


Preface

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New section, “LinkedIn Network” with a new annotated figure of a
LinkedIn profile with commentary
Updated and redesigned résumés
Eight different résumés for print and digital formats, presented as models for
students
Greater attention to online résumés, with two new model résumés

New case study, “Developing an Electronic Résumé and Building a Network”
New Tech Note, “Skype Interviews”
Expanded coverage of interview do’s and don’ts
Updated, practical advice on finding salary ranges and inquiring about salary
Additional exercises on preparing online résumés and application letters

Chapter 8 Doing Research and Documentation on the Job
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Updated coverage and examples of databases used for research
New section on using social networking sites to recruit participants in
research projects
Greater attention to evaluating websites, with a new figure illustrating FDA
advice on assessing online veterinary pharmacies
Coverage of latest MLA and APA documentation styles, with additional
guidelines and updated examples
An extensively revised and updated long business report with new information on m-commerce and customizing a website used in a marketing
campaign
New exercises

Chapter 9 Summarizing Information at Work

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New section, “Summaries in the Information Age”
New sample abstracts

Chapter 10 Designing Clear Visuals
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Expanded section, “Visual Thinking in the Global Workplace”
Greater attention to documenting and citing visuals in written work
Further guidelines on using pictographs
New models throughout chapter (e.g., maps, clip art, tables, drawings)
Enhanced discussion of using visuals for international readers
Additional discussion and examples of icons
New exercise on using visuals and creating corporate logos

Chapter 11 Designing Successful Documents and Websites
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New figure, “Designing a Company Newsletter: Advice from a Publications
Manager”

New section on creating and incorporating reader-friendly headings and
subheadings in a document

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