University of North Dakota

Writers at Work: A Review for Professionals - Part 3: Writing Clearly, Concisely, and Coherently

Course Name

Writers at Work: A Review for Professionals - Part 3: Writing Clearly, Concisely, and Coherently

Contact Hours: 10 (an estimated time frame devoted to a course of study from start to finish that can vary from student to student)

Course Description

Don't let your good ideas get buried in dull, lengthy sentences or empty phrases. Make every word count. Capture and keep your reader's attention by using clear and concise sentences that create a coherent and eloquent message. Learn additional strategies to create effective email that increases your productivity.

Readings and exercises help reinforce your understanding of the concepts. You will receive personal feedback from the instructor on at least three writing assignments. The instructor is available at all stages of the course for tutoring.

Outcome

Upon successful completion of the course, you will gain these skills:

- Recognize and eliminate wordy, empty, and redundant phrasing to write a concise message.
- Use active voice, action verbs, and precise words to create a clear message.
- Use transitional and connective words to reinforce the relationships between your words, sentences, and paragraphs.
- Write effective and professional email messages that capture your reader’s attention and get a better response rate.

Assessment

You will complete self-check exercises in each lesson. You will write at least three documents and receive personal feedback from the instructor.

Outline

  1. Week 1: Learn strategies for writing more concisely by eliminating wordy, redundant, and empty phrases.
  2. Week 2: Learn strategies for writing more clearly by using words precisely, putting action in verbs, using the active voice, and more.
  3. Week 3: Understand how to develop ideas within a paragraph and use transitional words to guide the reader.
  4. Week 4: Learn how to structure email messages to be more effective.