Business Week Online: MBA Writing Tips (Article Review)

In the professional world, there are a few rules of thumb to consider when writing for work. Sometimes it is hard to know what is expected of the writer, and what is considered acceptable and unacceptable. An article called "MBA Writing Tips" by Alison Damast of Business Week Online proved to be very helpful.

Damast wrote the article about a new and innovative Business Writing Course at the University of St. Thomas' Opus in Minneapolis. The course was designed and is headed by Opus faculty member Roseanne Bane. In most business colleges, a writing course is not considered to be of utmost importance. But Bane felt that being a strong writer in the business world was a vital skill, and as a result, the school created a business writing course. The course focuses on how to write strong and effectively in the professional world.

Here are a few tips from this course:

• Don't be long winded. In other words, be concise.
• Know your medium. E-mail is not always the right form of communication.
• Understand your audience. What do they already know and what do they need to know? Keep in mind which information is most significant.

"Identify the purpose of your communication, consider the context of the situation, and then select the message accordingly," Bane says.

• Be practical. Understand that your writing should be fast reading and easy to understand.

Overall, this article was helpful not only for its suggestions and tips, but also because the source is credible. I would recommend that anyone read this article if you work in the business world.

http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/ nov2008/bs20081118_490130.htm