Business writing skills value pack (45497448) - Online

Description

To write effective and appropriate business messages, you need to know your readers. Are you addressing multiple readers or a single reader? How much knowledge do your readers have of your subject, and what issues concern them most? These are just some of the questions to consider before you start writing your message. Closely tied with knowing your readers is knowing your purpose for writing. Do you need to inform customers about a new policy, or do you need to persuade employees to adopt a new business practice? Knowing your purpose will focus your message, making it clear to readers why it is important to them. In addition, identifying who your audience is and what your purpose is will guide you in selecting an appropriate tone for your business message. Tone is a significant element in writing – one that affects how the reader will respond to your message. Tone refers to the writer's attitude toward the reader and subject matter as expressed in the way the message is written. Have you ever received a memo that annoyed you by its tone? For example, it might have been patronizing or too familiar. The key to controlling the tone of your writing is to put yourself in the place of your reader. And you need to carefully choose the words that will create the right tone for your message. When you know who your readers are and what your purpose is, you can tailor your tone to suit them. This will help you create more effective business messages. This course addresses ways to identify your readers and to create messages that convey the appropriate tone for different reader roles. It also outlines how to write effectively for the three most common reasons for writing a business document – to inform, respond, or persuade.

This online course forms part of the SkillsNet short course suite.

Please note this course is only available to CPA Australia members.

Learning objectives

Audience

Description

People who have no problem communicating clearly when they speak sometimes struggle to make themselves understood when they write. That's because the ability to write clearly and concisely is a skill that requires effort to master. Acquiring this skill gives you the tools to create effective business documents for readers who lack the time or the patience to search for essential information buried in long, rambling e-mails or reports. Writing clearly also entails organizing content logically and appropriately for the subject and reader. Clear and concise sentences get you part of the way. But you need to organize these into coherent paragraphs that convey the relevant information in the most effective way. This course describes ways to make your writing more clear. Specifically, it covers the importance of using short, familiar words, appropriate connotations, concrete and specific language, and transitional words and phrases. The course also discusses ways to be more concise and explains some best practices for organizing content logically and appropriately.  

This online course forms part of the SkillsNet short course suite.

Please note this course is only available to CPA Australia members.

Learning objectives

Audience

Description

When it comes to business writing, most individuals don't really appreciate the importance of editing and proofreading a document before sending it. But have you ever distributed a document or message only to find later that you forgot to include a key point or correct an embarrassing spelling error? Reviewing is a crucial stage in the writing process. It entails editing for clarity, tone, accuracy, and completeness, and also proofreading for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Carelessness reflects badly on you, your work, and your organization. Taking the time to edit and proofread your writing will help you produce more focused, polished, and effective business documents. This course highlights the importance of editing and proofreading your business documents. It describes some key areas to consider when editing – like tone, structure, clarity, and accuracy. You will also explore ways to proofread effectively. In particular, you will find out about some of the most common grammatical, punctuation, and spelling mistakes that people make.

This online course forms part of the SkillsNet short course suite.

Please note this course is only available to CPA Australia members.

Learning objectives

Audience

Description

As you sit down to write your business messages, do you ever find yourself wondering whether a word should be capitalized or abbreviated? Or whether you should spell out a number rather than use a figure? Knowing the correct way to abbreviate, capitalize, and express numbers in your business messages goes a long way in helping you to present yourself as a reputable professional. This course presents the basic rules for using capital letters, abbreviations, and numbers. It covers abbreviations of titles, names, locations, and countries, as well as how to capitalize direct quotes, titles, names of organizations, and product names, among other elements. In addition, you will be introduced to the forms and uses of numbers with dates and time, money, fractions, and symbols.

This online course forms part of the SkillsNet short course suite.

Please note this course is only available to CPA Australia members.

Learning objectives

Audience

Description

Which would you rather do: prepare a business case for your latest project or go to the dentist? Given the choice, many of us would tend to choose the latter. Whether you want to invest in product development or reinvent your business processes with new marketing channels, it is now more important than ever to have a business case that is carefully planned, written, and presented, especially when you consider that corporate investments are being subjected to increased scrutiny. Writing a good business case will help you justify resource allocation to key decision makers and secure funding for your project. Otherwise, you may be eaten alive by the competition! In this course, you will learn how to plan, write, and present a business case to persuade key decision makers in your organization that your proposal is a winning initiative. This course will show you the principles for preparing an effective business case, and it will guide you through the writing process, from defining your business need and gathering relevant information, right through to assessing the financial impact of your solution. The course will conclude with practical advice on how to concisely present your business case to connect with your audience and key decision makers.

This online course forms part of the SkillsNet short course suite.

Please note this course is only available to CPA Australia members.

Learning objectives

Audience