The Business Style Handbook, Second Edition: An A-to-Z Guide for Effective Writing on the Job, 2nd Edition

The Business Style Handbook, Second Edition: An A-to-Z Guide for Effective Writing on the Job, 2nd Edition

by Helen Cunningham, Brenda Greene
Released October 2012
Publisher(s): McGraw-Hill
ISBN: 9780071800112

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Book description

Revised and updated for the newest digital platforms—the classic guide to business writing style and protocols

While retaining all the valuable information that has made The Business Style Handbook a modern classic, the second edition provides new words, phrases and guidance to help you express yourself clearly, confidently and correctly on any digital platform.

New to this edition:

  • Updated A-to-Z section with 250 new entries
  • Best practices for email in a world of portable devices
  • Insights from communications executives at global companies

    Praise for The Business Style Handbook

    “This may be the handiest and clearest book of tips on basic business writing I’ve read in a long time.”
    —Pam Robinson, cofounder, the American Copy Editors Society

    “An excellent primer on how to communicate effectively in a business setting.”
    —Michael Barry, vice president, media relations, Insurance Information Institute

    “This book is especially helpful for people when English is their second language. I recommend it to all my business classes.”
    —Elizabeth Xu, Ph.D., author, executive mentor and leadership class instructor, Stanford University

    “You never want poor writing to get in the way of what you’re saying. . . . This style guide is a valuable resource to help ensure that the quality of your writing differentiates you.”
    —Bart Mosley, principal and chief investment officer, Alprion Capital Management LP

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    Table of contents

    1. Cover Page
    2. The Business Style Handbook, Second Edition: An A-to-Z Guide for Effective Writing on the Job, Second Edition
    3. Copyright Page
    4. Contents
    5. Acknowledgments
    6. Introduction
      1. Writing: a core competency
      2. How to meet the standard
    7. 1. Fortune 500 Survey Results
      1. It matters
      2. Guidelines, with caveats
      3. The content explosion
      4. Influence of technology
      5. How employees are writing
      6. When you need a stylebook
      7. Stylebooks used by companies’ professional writers
      8. Coping with lag time
      9. Strong views on buzzwords
      10. Preferred dictionaries
      11. How it all adds up
    8. 2. Why Style Matters
      1. Language is dynamic
      2. Writing that gets the job done
      3. Take charge
      4. Pulling it together
    9. 3. The Case for Standards
      1. Time for companies to invest in the users
      2. Create a standard
      3. Win employee buy-in
    10. 4. Write WITH Purpose
      1. Have a goal
      2. Know your audience
      3. Write and think at the same time
      4. Use the right language
      5. Keep it short . . . most of the time
      6. Make longer documents user-friendly
      7. Get right to the point
      8. Take the credit
      9. Shift the emphasis
      10. Take a stand
      11. Think about point of view
      12. Keep a tight timeframe
      13. Strengthen your professional brand
      14. Review everything
      15. Make it look good
      16. Budget your time
    11. 5. Email: Before You Hit Send
      1. Write smartphone-friendly emails
      2. Choose the right style
      3. Be cautious with content
      4. When to use email, and when not to
      5. Use cc, bcc and Reply to All appropriately
      6. Make it easy on your reader
      7. Be formal in formal email
      8. Be appropriate with greetings
      9. Sign off
      10. Be smart about email
    12. The A-to-Z Entries
    13. Sources We Like
    14. Notes
    15. Bibliography
    16. List of Fortune 500 Companies

    Product information

    • Title: The Business Style Handbook, Second Edition: An A-to-Z Guide for Effective Writing on the Job, 2nd Edition
    • Author(s): Helen Cunningham, Brenda Greene
    • Release date: October 2012
    • Publisher(s): McGraw-Hill
    • ISBN: 9780071800112