How To Sharpen Your Business Writing Skills, Second Edition

2Getting Organized

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

• Write an outline with the appropriate level of detail.

• State the first two questions that a reader asks when receiving a memo, letter, proposal, or report.

• Name four criteria for good evidence.

• Describe direct and indirect patterns of organization and explain when each should be used.

• Name and define five common sequences of supporting ideas.

You’ve considered the needs and purposes of your readers and figured out what you want to cover in your piece of writing, but there is more preparation to do. The next prewriting step is to organize the material ...