BC.WE Acts.B Try

G o l f P r o f e s s i o n a l T r a i n i n g P r o g r a m

Business Communications

Work Experience Activities

The Professional Golfers’

Association of America

A PGA Publication

Publication date:December 1996

Work Experience Activity 1.1:
Writing Worksheet, Part I

It’s time to apply what you’ve learned so far to a writing project of your own. Follow these steps:

1.Think of a letter, memo, or short report you need to write. If nothing comes to mind, use one of these topics:

•Influence my reader to:

– Become a member of our club

– Correct a problem (be specific)

– Volunteer for ______committee

•Inform my reader about:

– The status of a project (be specific)

– The results of ______meeting Iattended

– What I have done in response to ______’s complaint

2.On the “Writing Worksheet” that follows, complete Steps 1, 2, and 3. When you’ve completed Steps 1, 2, and 3, put the worksheet aside and return to the next page in the apprentice manual. You’ll be asked to complete Steps 4, 5, and 6 of the writing worksheet later in this lesson.

Note: Remember to always make photocopies of any completed work experience activities, and to place the photocopies in your Work Experience Kit. In Business Communications, you’re asked to do some writing, and also to critique various writing samples. Whenever a work experience activity requires you to supply a sample of your own or another person’s writing, be sure to photocopy the material for your kit.

Writing Worksheet

Subject:

1.Look at what you’re going to write from your reader’s point of view.

Name or describe reader(s):

Write 5–6 points to keep in mind about your reader(s):

2.Decide on your primary purpose: (Mark with an X in box.)

Influence / Inform

3.Compose a key sentence:

I want my reader(s) to do or to know:

4.List the facts and ideas to include:

5.Group points into categories:

6.Write a summary sentence for each category and put them in order.

Work Experience Activity 1.2:
Writing Worksheet, Part II

You are now ready to complete your own writing plan. Continue on the “Writing Worksheet” you began earlier. (Work Experience Activity 1.1) You’ve already completed Steps 1, 2, and 3.

Now complete Steps 4, 5, and 6. When you’re done, put your worksheet aside. You’ll use it later to write a first draft.

Note: If you prefer, you can begin again with a new situation. Just use the extra copy of the “Writing Worksheet” that is at the end of this document, and complete all six steps. Remember to keep photocopies of all your work experience activities for your Work Experience Kit.

Now you know how to plan your writing to communicate your message clearly. Next, you’ll learn techniques for making sure your writing is easy to read.

If you’d like, take a break before continuing.

Work Experience Activity 1.3:
Drafting a Letter or Memo

Using the worksheet you completed for this lesson’s first two Work Experience activities, draft your own letter or memo. Apply the techniques you learned in this lesson to make sure the information is clear to your reader.

Option: If you wish, you may start with a new situation. If you do, begin by completing a new worksheet to develop a new writing plan.

When you’ve finished your draft, use the Writing Checklist below to evaluate what you’ve written.

Writing Checklist (Mark with an X in box.)

Main point stated clearly and at the beginning?
Main point explained/supported clearly?
Information organized logically?
Each paragraph focused on one point and short enough to
read easily?
Each sentence short enough to read easily?
Lists, headings, and subheadings used where needed?
Opening, closing effective?

What’s Next?
In the next lesson, you will learn additional techniques for writing informational materials such as announcements, notices, brochures, fee schedules, and signs.

First, review what you learned in this lesson by completing the following Self-Check, and then complete the Lesson 1 Review Checklist.

Work Experience Activity 2.1:
Writing Informational Material

Think of some informational material you need to write—a flier, announcement, brochure, newsletter article, policy, etc.

Note: If you can’t think of something you need to write, try an announcement for an upcoming tournament or other event or a description of a feature of your golf facility.

Follow the steps you have learned in this lesson to:

•Identify your readers, ask and answer readers’ questions, and write summary sentences and/or headings as needed.

•Write a first draft.

•Indicate the page layout, type sizes and styles, graphics, etc., you will use.

When you are finished, continue to Writing Policies, Announcements, and Promotional Materials on the next page.

Work Experience Activity 2.1 (continued):
Writing Informational Material

Work Experience Activity 2.2:
Promotional and Announcement Writing

Look through your writing samples for an announcement or other piece of promotional writing that needs revising and see what you can do to improve it. If you have no promotional writing of your own, try your hand at something someone else wrote.

Photocopy the originals and your revisions, and put the copies in your Work Experience Kit.

Work Experience Activity 2.3:
Schedules, Notices, and Signs

1.Write or rewrite:

•A fee or price schedule

•A notice

2.Design a sign. Indicate the size of the sign, the size of the type, the colors you’ll use. Sketch any visuals you think will help convey the information quickly.

That’s it for Lesson 2. In Lesson 3, you’ll learn additional techniques for writing instructions and rules.

First, review what you’ve learned by completing Self-Check 2, and then complete the Lesson 2 Review Checklist.

Work Experience Activity 2.3 (continued):
Schedules, Notices, and Signs

Work Experience Activity 3.1: Rules

Following the guidelines in this lesson, write a set of rules. Make sure they are clear and easy to follow.

Put photocopies of your set of rules in your Work Experience Kit.

When you have finished, continue to Developing Useful Forms on the next page.

Work Experience Activity 3.1: Rules

Work Experience Activity 3.2: Forms

1.Design or revise two forms. If the forms require instructions, follow the guidelines you learned in this lesson to write them.

2.When you have finished the forms, “test” them by asking two or three people to complete them. Then revise the forms as needed to make sure they meet the criteria on page 138.

You’ve now finished this lesson. In Lesson 4, you will learn to use language that communicates actively and clearly.

Before you begin Lesson 4, review what you learned in this lesson by completing Self-Check 3, and then complete the Lesson 3 Review Checklist.

Work Experience Activity 3.2: Forms

Work Experience Activity 4: Revising Wordy, Passive, or Pompous Language

Do you use too much passive, pompous, and/or wordy language when you write? Take out two or three of your own writing samples—drafts you completed earlier in this program or other writing samples you have.

1.Look for some sentences that are written in passive voice, use overly formal or pompous language, and/or are too wordy. Underline or circle those sentences.

Note: Language problems seldom stand alone. If a sentence is wordy, you might also find that it is written in the passive voice and includes pompous language.

2.Revise the sentences so the language conveys your message clearly and concisely.

You’ve finished this lesson. In the next lesson, you’ll review some important principles of grammar.

But first complete Self-Check 4, and the Lesson4 Review Checklist.

Work Experience Activity 4: Revising Wordy, Passive, or Pompous Language

Writing Sample #1:

Revision of Writing Sample #1:

Work Experience Activity 4: Revising Wordy, Passive, or Pompous Language

Writing Sample #2:

Revision of Writing Sample #2:

Work Experience Activity 5:
Correcting Errors in Structure and Usage

You’ll probably need to do this lesson with pen and paper rather than on your computer.

1.Proofread two or three samples of your own writing. Circle or underline any errors in sentence structure, pronoun use, or verb use.

2.Correct the errors.

You’ve completed this lesson. In Lesson 6, you’ll review punctuation—when and how to use commas, apostrophes, and semicolons.

Before you begin Lesson 6, complete Self-Check 5 and the Lesson 5 Review Checklist.

Work Experience Activity 6: Proofreading Your Own Writing

You’ll probably need to do this lesson with pen and paper rather than on your computer.

1.Proofread two or three samples of your own writing. Circle any punctuation errors you find.

2.Correct the errors.

When finished, put photocopies of the samples in your Work Experience Kit.

You’ve now completed the six lessons in this manual. There are only two things left to do. First, complete Self-Check 6 on the following page, and then complete the Lesson 6 Review Checklist.

Writing Worksheet

Subject:

1.Look at what you’re going to write from your reader’s point of view.

Name or describe reader(s):

Write 5–6 points to keep in mind about your reader(s):

2.Decide on your primary purpose: (Mark with an X in box.)

Influence / Inform

3.Compose a key sentence:

I want my reader(s) to do or to know:

4.List the facts and ideas to include:

5.Group points into categories:

6.Write a summary sentence for each category and put them in order.