Lesson 2 Business and Academic Writing

Posted on by

Lesson 2 Vocabulary Lessons

  1. Learn categories  kitchen words, mechanics word
  2. Journal or sticky notes used for new words
  3. Collocations- combinations of words that are frequently used together a lion roars
  4. Mnemonics- create your own ways to remember words and meanings’
  5. Speak it write it.
  6. Words can be area specific
  7. Keep an onservation journal
  8. Spaced recognition   Use software at ankisrs.net or omniglot.com/language/srs.php

There are formal and informal word choices that can be used in writing.

Tone- the emotion used in a piece of writing.

My three examples:

The office was in a maelstrom of a mess.  The books stacked haphazardly on bookshelves that looked like they might spill over at any minute.  The desk was covered in paperwork to the point that the top was invisible.  Knickknacks were strewn throughout the room. Some sat on the front of the desk, others wobbled on a small table.  It looked like a storm of wind had brought paperwork into this place.  Andrew Messner sat in the middle of it all with his eyes closed.

My office can often be frustrating to me.  On the large desk in it, I strew paperwork and things all over it.  To one side I have paper trays that hold junk I should probably go through and get rid of to make more space.  I frequently rearrange what I have inside the drawers, often because I am searching for something.  I even have shelves under the desk where I try to hide some of the mess. I often wonder if I should have professional come in and help it become more organized, but then I am afraid I would lose my system of organized chaos.

The books sat on its last page on the computer screen.  Fully written at last.  The office was a quiet area, made for a write to work in.  Notes and pages were kept in folders to keep the chaos down to a minimum.  The desk only had the computer and the files on it.  It was kept clean and tidy or the work would stop until it was.  No one else used this space except the writer.  Too bad everyone else had given up on her and the book.

1st picture is creepy, scary. Edgar Allan Poe- The Raven, Halloween time, mysterious, haunted, crime thriller

Aweeee, cuteness, adorable, disgusted, clean at last,

Sunset, evening, work is at an end, coming home, work time is over, slow ride home, peaceful,

Tone lets your reader know what your attitude towards your subject.

Academic writing usually uses a neutral, objective tone.

Examples of letters that use tone: Business writing

To: Mr. Viola

RE: Changing rooms for the day on December 19th  

I am planning a big lesson for two classes to participate in on December 19th. Your room is the only one big enough to hold everyone invited.  This includes administration and parents who are also coming.  I am requesting that we trade classrooms for one day, so this demonstration of core and team teaching can have a larger place to happen.  If this is a major problem to you and your classes, I can try to make other arrangements.  Please email me to let me know if this is possible as soon as you can. That way everyone can be notified in time and we can talk about the arrangements needed for both of our classes.   I look forward to working with you.

Katherine Soto M-2

Hey Rich,

I’m working on a big idea for our core and team-teaching project.  I need a bigger classroom to use on the day of the event.  You have the biggest room on campus, so I was wondering if we could use it on December 19th.  I have two classes coming, plus admin and parents, too. We can talk about it after school, or during lunch if I see you.  Thanks.

Katherine  M-2

Mr. Viola,    

I am once again asking you to please get back to me on whether I can trade classrooms with you on December 19th. You have the largest classroom on campus.  I am working on a core and team-teaching demonstration that includes two classes.  I also have administrators and parents coming.  I need to know as soon as possible so I can finish planning or make other arrangements.  I have CCed this email to our team chairperson in the hopes you will get back to her or to me as soon as possible.  Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Katherine Soto Core Team Coordinator  M-2

My feeling on this assignment:

I have written these types of letters a lot during twenty years of teaching school.  Sometimes you have to remind your colleagues about things that intersect with their world in order to get what you need or want.  I hate writing the third type of letter.  There is a fine line between getting what you need and making a colleague angry with the tone of your email or letter.  I try to find the polite way to say please help me.

Optional Assignment: In your journal, write about this question: How can you balance the desire to write interesting, meaningful ideas with the need to be grammatically correct? How important should grammar be?

Writing needs to be grammatically correct in order to be understood.  People read grammatically correct work.  Authors have so many tools to use to correct and check their work, there is no excuse to not have your work letter and word perfect.  It is jut being lazy and taking the easy way out to not work on the grammar of a piece.