How Do You Handle A Writing Assignment At Work?
• Understand the assignment. Ask questions until you are sure you understand what is expected of you. Ask your boss, your colleagues, or whoever sent you the assignment. • Identify the purpose of the writing. Will it inform, record, or persuade? Is it to size up a problem and chart a course, or is it a review of work already done? • Decide what kind of document to write. How formal should it be? Can it be a quick email? Is it a large report or manual? Is it somewhere in between? • Don’t worry about length. They really did stop counting words and pages back in school. Focus on communicating what you need to say. • Identify your audience. Are you writing for colleagues? Managers? Customers? Suppliers? • Don’t forget, especially with email, that your distribution may quickly expand beyond the original recipients. • Gather the information that you will need to include in your document. • Talk to coworkers, managers, and anybody else that you need to consult, whether in a formal meeting or
