Business Writer

Revisin g This series of interactive activities supplements what you have been learning about the writing proces s by providing a writing sample with expert commentary. Rather than simply showing the end result of the writing process, you will see a learner's written work as i t progress through several key steps in the process . Expert comments are added to help explain how the writing sample illustrates the writing process.

This interactive activity focuses on the first stag e, pre-writing. The three other stages, drafting, p eer reviewing, and revising are presented in separate activities. All four of the interactive activities follow the same learner through one assignment.

In addition to the material provided here, you may also want to review the freewriting handout provided by Capella. Assignment: Short Position Paper on Business and Te chnology Today's employees need to be current in their information technology skills. Given the wide range of w orker preparedness and the omnipresence of technology use , training is both a necessity and a challenge.

For this assignment, you will write a short paper t hat recommends the implementation of one trend in I T training for a specific type of business. You should support your ideas with at least two credible sources and thoroughly explain the pros—and to some extent, the cons–of the training option you choose.

Questions to consider:

What are the relevant skills for the business of yo ur choice? How do companies prepare their employees to be user s of the technology pertinent to their job and the organization?

Does the size of a company lead to certain choices over others? Training options to consider:

Third party vendors. In-house training.

Multimedia tutorials.

Self-paced training. While your paper should address some of the disadva ntages of the training method you select, don't write a wishy-washy piece. Your paper should have a strong thesis statement and support the training method you choose.

Length: 2 to 4 double-spaced pages.

Revising: Reverse Outline Learner Writing Sample Descriptive: 1 Intro Coaching comparison Web publishing Thesis 2 Description of web publishing job/situation Different positions and skills Huge, diverse technical needs Transcript http://www.capella.edu/interactivemedia/WritingModu le/bus3004revising... 1 of 6 8/17/2017 5:34 PM 3 Traditional methods may not work Web workers don't have much time Flexibility is crucial in training 4 Bite-sized training Examples where it's used 5 Forms of bite-sized training Purpose: can't be boring 6 Critics of bite-sized training Mention of blended training Blend of bite-size and blended training 7 Conclusion (not written yet) Revised: 1 Intro Coaching comparison Web publishing Thesis 2 Description of web publishing job/situation Different positions and skills Huge, diverse technical needs 3 Traditional methods may not work Web workers don't have much time Flexibility is crucial in training 4 A look at other training options Why they don't work Transition to bite-size training 5 Examples where it's used Connect back to web publishing company Make it relevant! 6 Critics of bite-sized training Mention of blended training Blend of bite-size and blended training 7 Conclusion Tie together web publishing, bite-sized, and blended Expert Commentary Descriptive The first step in reverse outlining is to simply re present what is going on in your writing: you shoul d describe your essay, paragraph by paragraph.

Description of web publishing job/situation Transcript http://www.capella.edu/interactivemedia/WritingModu le/bus3004revising... 2 of 6 8/17/2017 5:34 PM Though just a few short phrases are used to describe each paragraph, this is enough to get a sense for what is happening in the essay.

Revised After the descriptive outline is finished, it is ti me to write a new outline that improves upon the or ganization.

Tie together web publishing, bite-sized, and blende d Though only the second half of the outline changed, the writer now has a direction for his revisions. Reverse outlining gave the writer a short snapshot of his e ssay which he then used to make changes in the orga nization of his essay: he is one step closer to revising and fi nishing this assignment.

Notes on Reverse Outlines When you are knee-deep in the drafting process and cannot see the forest, the trees, or any other part of your project, give the reverse outline a try. It is prob ably the best way to get a handle on your draft and think through the organization.

Keep in mind: When writing a longer piece—5 pages, 1 0 pages, 15 pages and beyond—the reverse outline can be even more helpful.

Revising: Meal Plan Learner Writing Sample Original paragraph:

For this type of worker, many traditional methods o f training are not feasible. With as many as twenty projects going on at once, no one has time to take a whole d ay for training, and even half a day is hard to spare. Some deadlines are weekly, others are sporadic, and many projects have a hurry-up do-it-now high-stress vibe, only to get squashed at the last possible moment, leaving w orkers Revised paragraph:

For this type of worker, many traditional methods o f training are not feasible, due to the number and pace of projects. Some deadlines are weekly, others are spo radic, and many assignments have a hurry-up do-it-n ow high-stress vibe, only to get squashed at the last possible moment, leaving everyone frustrated. In th is environment, no one has time to take a whole day fo r training, and even half a day is hard to spare. Budgets may not allow for the use of outside trainers, and supe rvisors are under the same (or greater) time crunch as everyone else. Multimedia, Internet-centric trainin g may just burn out employees who are already hip-d eep in the web for the rest of the day. Given these constraint s, training should be as flexible and efficient as the employees.

Expert Commentary For this type of worker, many traditional methods o f training are not feasible.

The M—for main idea.

Some deadlines are weekly, others are sporadic, and many assignments have a hurry-up do-it-now high-st ress vibe, only to get squashed at the last possible mom ent, leaving everyone frustrated.

Some sentences have been rearranged to create a mor e logical flow of ideas.

Multimedia, Internet-centric training may just burn out employees who are already hip-deep in the web for the rest of the day.

A few more training options have been mentioned.

Given these constraints, training should be as flex ible and efficient as the employees.

This should point the way toward the next paragraph nicely.

Revising: Reading Backwards Transcript http://www.capella.edu/interactivemedia/WritingModule/bus3004revising... 3 of 6 8/17/2017 5:34 PM Learner Writing Sample Original:

In a web publishing company, there are all sorts of employees with distinct jobs and varying levels of technical skill. Project managers help cybrarians, web design ers, web application developers, art directors, image archivists, production coordinators, editors, photo graphers, proofreaders, and numerous assistants wor k together to create web pages that serve diverse customers. T hough a proofreader obviously doesn't require the same degree or type of technical skill as an application developer, new skills are frequently required over time. That less-than-savvy proofreader may need more training than the tech-ier employees to learn the same task. Also, an image archivist will probably be a whiz with ima ge software but possibly a novice with other types of programs. Then there are tools that everyone needs to use, such as scheduling programs or programs that log time spend on various projects.

For proofreading:

Then there are tools that everyone needs to use, su ch as scheduling programs or programs that log time spend on various projects. Also, an image archivist will pro bably be a whiz with image software but possibly a novice with other types of programs. That less-than-savvy proof reader may need more training than the tech-ier emp loyees to learn the same task. Though a proofreader obviou sly doesn't require the same degree or type of technical skill as an application developer, new skills are frequen tly required over time. Project managers help cybra rians, web designers, web application developers, art director s, image archivists, production coordinators, editors, photographers, proofreaders, and numerous assistant s work together to create web pages that serve diverse customers. In a web publishing company, there are a ll sorts of employees with distinct jobs and varying levels of technical skill.

Expert Commentary Notes on Reading Backwards:

Proofreading is difficult, especially after you've been looking at the same essay for weeks. By revers ing the order of the sentences in your paragraphs, it's possible to read them with a fresher eye. Since you won't be able to follow your argument, you'll have to pay attention to the specific details of each sentence.

For example, look at this sentence: "Also, an image archivist will probably be a whiz with image software but possibly a novice with other types of programs." By forgetting about what "also" is transitioning fr om, it's easier to tune into the sound and form of the sentence and consider whether "also" really needs a comma af ter it (which it does). Content is the most important part of writing, but at this stage, your content should be in good shape already: now it's time to zero in on sentences, words, and punctuation.

Revising: Reading Backwards Learner Writing Sample Bite-size training: The right blend for a web publi shing company NFL coaches are notorious for sleeping in their off ice and working round the clock, yet many get fired every year, despite sacrificing their home life, health, and sa nity. Yet Bill Cowher—a non-workaholic coach who rep ortedly makes time for kids and home life—won the Super Bowl last year (Peters, 2006). You don't have to be a head coach to know that quantity doesn't always equal qu ality when it comes to time. In the web publishing business, there is little time to spare, as the onslaught of projects and deadlines makes even the slowest day a whirlwind.

At the same time, a web company presents persistent training challenges, as employees need to stay current or risk losing pace with competitors. Bite-sized train ing—utilized alongside the philosophy of blended tra ining—can be extremely useful in helping employees at a web comp any keep pace with technology.

In a web publishing company, there are diverse empl oyees with distinct jobs and varying levels of technical skill.

Project managers help cybrarians, web designers, we b application developers, art directors, image archivists, production coordinators, editors, photographers, pr oofreaders, and assistants work together to create web pages that serve diverse customers. Though a proofreader obviously doesn't require the same degree or type of technical skill as an application developer, new sk ills are frequently required over time. That less-than-savvy Transcript http://www.capella.edu/interactivemedia/WritingModule/bus3004revising... 4 of 6 8/17/2017 5:34 PM proofreader may need more training than his or her tech-focused coworkers to learn the same task, just as an image archivist may be a whiz with image software b ut a novice with other types of programs. Then there are tools that everyone needs to use, such as schedulin g software or programs that log time spent on proje cts.

This is where bite-sized training comes in: it can exist in many forms, such as "breakfast meetings, l unchtime learning events or taster sessions designed to see whether there is an appetite among employees for ce rtain subjects" (Bentley, 2006, para. 14). Bite-sized tra ining—which can take the shape of anything from the hippest multimedia presentation to the archaic form of a pi ece of paper—has been used in many different fields, perhaps most notably in promoting safety at nuclear power p lants, where 20-minute electronic modules were used to facilitate proper handling of radioactive materials (Bentley, 2006). Less dramatically, the Ford Motor Company has used 15-minute CD-Rom based modules to train em ployees (Stucky, 1998) and bankers have been trained using programs that are triggered by a computer's s creensaver (Dempsey, 2001). For employees of a web company, brief training opportunities like the scre ensaver option could be an ideal way to squeeze in learning opportunities.

Bite-sized learning certainly has some pitfalls and critics. Obviously, not everything can be taught in a short amount of time. Also, Jo Hennessy (2006) thinks tha t the practice adds stress and leaves no time to digest what is being taught, adding that "time for reflection is g reatly under-rated during and after a learning inte rvention" (p.

20). She goes on to emphasize the need for thoughtf ul post-training reflection, saying:

I believe it is most beneficial to implement a blended learning intervention, compris ing a range of learning techniques over a period of time, both in and out of the workplace. A combined approach will enable the best transfer of learning, so long as space to think is part of thi s. (p.

20) Hennessy certainly raises valid concerns about the already dense and stressful work day: for a web pub lishing company, these concerns are particularly apt. In fa ct, there's a paradox here: the stress-filled work day makes bite-sized training ideal, yet bite-sized training might raise that stress level even more. Perhaps He nnessey's mention of blended learning points in the direction of a solution. As Donald Clark (2003) has written, blended learning is not a novel concept, but the arrival of new and diverse types of web-centric learning tool s have given blended learning new life. Clearly, there's no blen d that will work for every situation, and in the case of a web company, it may be that less reliance on the web wo uld provide solid training and much-needed refreshm ent:

Non-web bite-sized training might be a welcome brea k for the eyeballs and brains of employees.

For NFL coaches, there's no simple choice between s leeping in your office and living the easy life. Every coach has a different personality, team, owner, and family to consider. Likewise, each web publishing company wi ll have unique training needs. Since both bite-sized traini ng and blended training are flexible concepts, supe rvisors and trainers who use those concepts would be free to in novate methods that suit their own company the best .

Diverse, blended options for bite-sized training mi ght make the bites easier to swallow—and easier to t ruly digest too.

References Bentley, R. (2006, April). Can a little really beat a lot? Training Magazine , 6.

Retrieved September 24, 2006, from the Business Source Premier database.

Clark, D. (2003). Blended learning.

Retrieved September 26, 2006, from http://www.e pic.co.uk/content/resources/white_papers /Epic_Whtp_blended.pdf.

Dempsey, M. (2001, June 6). Bite-sized training chu nks for busy merchant bankers:

Episodes reaches (sic) the trainee with a seque nce of training documents over several days. Financial Times, p.

05.

Retrieved September 26, 2006, from the ABI/INFO RM Global database. Transcript http://www.capella.edu/interactivemedia/WritingModule/bus3004revising... 5 of 6 8/17/2017 5:34 PM Hennessy, J. (2006, February). Bite-size learning—it leaves very little time to think. Training and Coaching Today, 20.

Peters, J. (2006). No sleep till touchdown.

Retrieved September 8, 2006, from http://www.sl ate.com/id/2149181.

Stuckey, S. (1998, December 4). Take a break for bi te-size training. The Engineer, 32.

Retrieved September 26, 2006, from the ABI/INFO RM Global database.

Expert Commentary Bite-size training: The right blend for a web publi shing company.

The title is now in synch with the new thesis state ment and the essay as a whole.

The essay is now double-spaced and the paragraphs a re indented: these are standard features of nearly all the work you'll turn in.

Bite-sized training—utilized alongside the philosoph y of blended training—can be extremely useful in hel ping employees at a web company keep pace with technolog y.

The thesis statement is revised and improved as wel l. It now incorporates the idea of blended learning, so it's consistent with the revised essay. It's a specific, arguable assertion, which is exactly what a thesis statement should be.

Remember, it's fine—and necessary—for you to adjust y our thesis statement, outline, and draft as you revise.

The only time they all need to line up perfectly is now, when it's time to hand in your work.

(Bentley, 2006, para. 14) If your source doesn't have page numbers that will be consistent for all readers, use paragraph number s.

Perhaps Hennessey's mention of blended learning.

Though the paper was handed in at this point, the d iscussion of blended learning is still a little inadequate: more defining of blended learning would have been helpfu l. It's a fact that no paper you turn in will be perfect: learning to do the best you can in the time you have is a sk ill you'll develop. And with each paper you write, you'll learn more about yourself as a writer and have a better s ense of what to pursue and avoid in future projects.

As Donald Clark (2003) has written, blended learnin g is not a novel concept, but the arrival of new and diverse types of web-centric learning tools have given blen ded learning new life.

Previously, this information came in the form of a direct quote, but it's now been paraphrased. Paraph rasing is usually preferable to quoting: it shows you've dige sted the material more.

For NFL coaches, there's no simple choice between s leeping in your office and living the easy life.

Echoing your introduction is a very effective way o f writing a conclusion, which can be one of the trickiest parts of an essay to compose. You don't want to simply repea t yourself, and it's not a good idea to introduce much new material either.

The entire paragraph.

Notice in the APA-formatted references that journal s such as Training Magazine do not use a "p." before the page number—in this case, page 6—but newspapers, such as Financial Times, do use "p." before the page number, in this case, page 05. Transcript http://www.capella.edu/interactivemedia/WritingModu le/bus3004revising... 6 of 6 8/17/2017 5:34 PM