Chap 4: Revising business messages

 Managing the Process of Revision

1. Revising for conciseness
a. Eliminating flabby expressions: turning out slim sentences and lean messages.
b. Limiting long leads-in: delete unnecessary introductory words.
c. Dropping unnecessary There is/are and It is/was fillers
d. Rejecting redundancies: unexpected surprise-> surprise
2. Revising for Clarity
a. Eliminating trite business phrases: every effort will be made-> we will try
b. Avoiding jargon and slang:
- Jargon (thuật ngữ chuyên ngành), which is terminology unique to certain
professions, should be reserved for individuals who understand it.
- Slang sounds fashionable, but it lacks precise meaning and should be avoided
in business writing.
c. Eliminating clichés:
- Clichés are expressions that do not have clear meaning and that have been
overused (last but not least, quick as flash,…)
3. Revising for Vigor and Directness
a. Unburying verbs:
- Buried verbs are those that are needlessly converted to wordy noun
expressions (create a reduction in-> reduce)
b. Controlling exuberance:
- Avoid excessive use of adverb intensifiers ( very, really, quite, actually,…)
c. Choosing Clear, Precise Words (nêu cụ thể số lượng, người được nhắc đến,…)
- Use specific verbs, concrete nouns, and vivid adjectives.
d. Plain Writing Movement:
- Use easy-to-understand language (use instead of utilize,…)
4. Designing Documents for Readability
a. Employing White Space (empty space)
- To create the appropriate amount of white space, use headings, bulleted or
numbered lists, short paragraphs, and effective margins.
b. Understanding Margins and Text Alignment
- Business letters and memos usually have side margins of 1 to 1.5 inches.
- Business documents are most readable with left-aligned text and ragged-right
margins.
c. Choosing Appropriate Typefaces
- Serif typefaces: like Times New Roman,…
+ suggest tradition, maturity, and formality.
+ frequently used for body text in business messages and longer documents.
- Sans serif typefaces: like Arial,…
+ widely used for headings, signs, and material that does not require
continuous reading.
 + Web designers often prefer sans serif typefaces for simple, pure pages.
d. Capitalizing on Type Fonts and Sizes
- Fonts include caps, boldface, italic, underline, outline, and shadow.
- Readers are generally most comfortable with 10 to 12-point type for body
text.
e. Numbering and Bulleting Lists for Quick Comprehension
- Lists provide high “skim value” (readers can browse quickly and grasp main
ideas.)
- Techniques to make your lists look professional:
+ Numbered lists
+ Bulleted lists
+ Capitalization
+ Punctuation (chấm câu)
+ Parallelism
f. Adding Headings for Visual Impact
- Headings help writers to organize information and enable readers to absorb
important ideas.
- They encourage the writer to group similar material together.
5. Recording Proofreading Edits Manually and Digitally
a. What to Watch for in Proofreading
- Spelling.
- Grammar.
- Punctuation.
- Names and numbers.
- Format.
b. How to Proofread Routine Documents
- To proofread documents at your computer, use the down arrow to reveal one
line at a time, thus focusing your attention at the bottom of the screen.
- Read carefully for faults such as omitted or doubled words.
- To proofread printed letters or memos, read from a hard copy.
c. How to Proofread Long, Complex, or Important Documents
- Print a copy, preferably double-spaced, and set it aside for at least a day. You
will be more alert after a break.
- Allow adequate time to proofread carefully.
- Be prepared to find errors.
- Read the message at least twice—once for word meanings and once for
grammar/mechanics. For very long documents, read a third time to verify
consistency in formatting.
d. Understanding Manual and Digital Proofreading
- Revising printed documents manually is “hard” proofing.
- Revising digital documents with digital proofing tools is known as “soft”
proofing.
o Advantages:
 + Corrections and edits can be transferred electronically among authors,
editors, proofreaders, and typesetters—and then on to the printer.
+ Save mailing costs and production time by avoiding sending hard-copy
proofs back and forth.
o Disadvantages
+ Tired eyes, especially when you are working on long documents.
+ The fear of losing your work because of a computer crash.
e. How to Proofread and Revise PDF Files
- The professional PDF software program enables you to make changes on the
document by inserting, replacing, highlighting, deleting, underlining, and
adding notes.