[Instructors: Download PDFs of the exercise and suggested solutions at the bottom of the post.]

Good writers know that readers prefer plain, easily understandable language and aim for language that is:

clear—avoids jargon and overly complex construction

concise—uses fewer words to get the message across

direct —gets to the point by omitting wordiness

Your task: Rewrite the sentences below[1] to eliminate overused buzzwords and unnecessarily complex phrasing.

When writing in a business setting, authors must be aware of how their word choice might affect the reader. Unconscious biases—discriminating and stereotyping based on factors such as race, gender, physical impairment, or age—are easy to eliminate with careful attention to the intended audience’s reaction to the text.

Revise the following sentences to reduce bias.

 

 

As a new semester begins, it’s always beneficial to set concrete and measurable goals for yourself. In this exercise, you will write an e-mail or a memo to your instructor that spells out your learning goals for this course.

Study your syllabus and textbook closely for the types of writing tasks you will be tackling to help you complete this task. Choose at least three types of messages that you want to perfect and explain why you selected them.  Your message should be about 250-300-words.