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Technical Communication A Reader-Centred Approach First Canadian Edition

Technical Communication A Reader-Centred Approach First Canadian Edition. Paul V. Anderson Kerry Surman. www.techcomm.nelson.com . Beginning a Communication. Chapter 3. Learning Objectives. Describe strategies for beginning your communication Select an appropriate strategy for your readers

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Technical Communication A Reader-Centred Approach First Canadian Edition

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  1. Technical CommunicationA Reader-Centred ApproachFirst Canadian Edition Paul V. Anderson Kerry Surman www.techcomm.nelson.com

  2. Beginning a Communication Chapter 3

  3. Learning Objectives • Describe strategies for beginning your communication • Select an appropriate strategy for your readers • Explore methods of beginning to address ethical problems (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  4. The Importance of Beginning Your Communication • Makes your communication persuasive • Readers receive your communication favourably • Readers actually read your communication • Makes your communication usable • Boosts efficiency of comprehension and use (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  5. Select a Strategy to Begin Your Communication • Choose on the basis of • Format and length of communication • Relationship with your reader • Receptiveness of your reader to your message • Use your knowledge of your readers developed from defining your communication’s objectives • Select a strategy that is reader-centred (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  6. Reader-Centred Strategies to Begin a Communication • Give your readers a reason to pay attention • State your main point • Tell your readers what to expect • Encourage openness to your message (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  7. Reader-Centred Strategies to Begin a Communication (continued) • Provide necessary background information • Adjust the length of your beginning to your readers’ needs • Write a summary for longer communications • Adapt your beginning to your readers’ cultural background (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  8. Give Your Readers a Reason to Pay Attention • Persuade readers to pay close attention by • Announcing your topic • Relating your topic to your readers’ benefit • Use statements of combined topic and benefit • State reader benefits explicitly (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  9. Show Your Readers How They Will Benefit • Refer to your readers’ request • Offer to help your readers solve a problem (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  10. State Your Main Point First • Helps your readers find what they most want or need • Increases the chance that your readers will actually read your main points • Provides your readers with a context for the details that follow (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  11. Tell Your Readers What to Expect • Tell about your communication’s organization • Use forecasting statements • Use forecasting lists • Tell about your communication’s scope • List the topics it addresses (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  12. Encourage Openness to Your Message • Present yourself as a partner • Delay the presentation of your main point • Establish your credibility (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  13. Provide Necessary Background Information • When your readers need to grasp general principles before specifics • When your readers are unfamiliar with technical terms • When your readers are unfamiliar with the situation (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  14. Adjust the Length of Your Beginning to Your Readers’ Needs • Readers need to know • The reason they should read • The main point • The organization and scope • The background information • You also need to encourage the readers to receive your message openly • See Figures 3.1 and 3.2 on pages 77 - 8 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  15. Write a Summary for Longer Communications • Informative summaries state the main points • Ideal for decision makers • See Figure 3.3, page 80 • Descriptive summaries indicate the topics discussed • Ideal for researchers • See Figure 3.4, page 81 (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  16. Adapt Your Beginning to Your Readers’ Cultural Background • Expectations and preferences about the beginning of a communication are shaped by culture • Chinese business person might prefer indirect, social beginning • Indian business person might prefer opening referring to corporate success (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  17. Ethics Guideline: Begin to Address Unethical Practices Promptly • Use a prompt and strategic approach to change unethical practices without risking your job • Plant the seeds of change • Use reason rather than accusation • Remain open to others’ views (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  18. Reference Guide: Seven Ways to End a Communication • Create endings to enhance usability and persuasiveness • Readers remember things said at the end of a communication than things presented in the middle • Use one or a combination of strategies (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  19. Seven Ways to End a Communication • Natural conclusion • Summary of key points • Goal restatement • Key feeling focus • Referral • Call to action • Social convention (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  20. Natural Conclusion • After you’ve made your last point, stop • Your pattern of organization may bring you to a natural stopping place • Proposals • Formal reports • Instructions (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  21. Summary of Key Points • Use this final chance to influence reader’s impressions • Help your readers make a decision • Persuade your readers to take an action • Increase usability by stating or reviewing points that readers will want to recall later (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  22. Goal Restatement • Beginning states a goal • Ending refers to the goal (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  23. Key Feeling Focus • Ending may be designed to build goodwill • Ending may be designed to shape complex attitudes (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  24. Referral • Tell your readers how to get assistance or more information • Provides your readers with useful information • Encourage your readers to see you as helpful (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  25. Call to Action • Acts as a transition from reading back into activity • Tells your readers • What you think should be done next • What needs to be found out next (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  26. Social Convention • Customary ways of closing • Letters • Formal reports and proposals • Organizational conventions • Memos • Personal relationships (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

  27. In Summary • Know the strategies for beginning and ending your communication • Select the best strategy or a combination for your readers • Begin to address ethical problems promptly (c) 2007 Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

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