Assumptions About Effective Writing

As you have seen so far, effective writing is founded on a few key assumptions. This course is based upon these assumptions; as you work through the course, you will have the opportunity to consider each one in turn. Effective writing occurs at three main levels in any document:

• At the document level. A document has a clear purpose and main message—“The bottom line is on top.”  Documents provide information in manageable sections or groupings, and there is a logical hierarchy of ideas.
• At the paragraph level. A document is well reasoned and arguments are supported with evidence.  Paragraphs each contain a main idea, and paragraphs work together to serve the main message of the document.
• At the sentence level. Words, sentences, and the entire document are concise—no longer than necessary. Sentences employ correct usage and are free from errors in spelling and grammar.

“When I get a document that’s too long, I always wonder,
‘What was it that they couldn’t figure out,
that they should have put up front?’ ”
―Sector Manager