This course is about changing dense, difficult-to-read, obscure text into clear, easy, enjoyable writing. It's about helping you clarify, motivate, and engender beliefs, rather than impress your reader.

As you proceed through the lessons, your writing will become more effective. You will discover how to make your point, and, more importantly, how to get your point across.

Using Plain English techniques will

• strengthen your writing
• generate the responses you want from readers
• make your writing successful, whatever it is
• bring you admiration for the clarity of your writing
• let people know you are intelligent and articulate

E-mail, Email, e-mail, and email

New words such as "online" and "email" are spelled in different ways because some educated people spell them one way and others another. Many currently use "e-mail" and "on-line" while others use "email" and "online." The important thing is to be consistent--spell them the same way throughout any single document. We have chosen to use "e-mail" and "online" in this course. You may use "email" or "on-line." That is fine. Just be consistent.

About the Author

The author is R. Craig Hogan, Ph.D., director of the Business Writing Center. Dr. Hogan has taught writing for 32 years at two community colleges, three universities, and the Business Writing Center. He has been the manager of communications at a telephone billing service company and owner of a consulting firm writing reports, manuals, documentation, and advertising copy for a wide range of companies. The Business Writing Center is a Web-based school (at writingtrainers.com) providing business writing training through online courses and workshops at company sites.

Explanation of this
Online Interactive Textbook