Business Writing Style Guide

Reviewed by April Asbury, Instructor, Radford University on 7/4/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

The "Table of Contents" is clear and easy to navigate. Key terms are boldfaced and clear, but a glossary and index would be helpful. (For example, the text mentions "SWOT" multiple times before actually defining the acronym.)

Content Accuracy rating: 5

As an English instructor and editor, I am not experienced enough with some of the models and strategies for data analysis included to evaluate them thoroughly. I would appreciate seeing evaluations from more experienced business teachers and students.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Unlike some popular business writing textbooks, this style guide is stripped down the essentials. The writing process and assignments are usually treated in a more general way, without as many references to current events and brand names as textbooks I used in the past. Too much concern with keeping "hot" and "current" references can date a book quickly. (Just consider how much Twitter has changed as a business!) This text should be easy to keep current,

Clarity rating: 4

The authors' language is clear and accessible. Important terms are in boldface and usually defined or clarified with text and illustrations.

Consistency rating: 5

The language, voice, and framework seems to be consistent.

Modularity rating: 5

Titles, subtitles, and text-block sidebars should make this work easy to skim, assign sections, and highlight key information.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The "Introduction" lays out some important expectations, followed by sections on "The Writing Process," "Writing Essentials," and a selection of models. While this layout would still benefit from a glossary and index, the topics are clear and logically presented.

Interface rating: 4

I tested the online version, as well as the downloadable pdf. (The formatting looks more clean and consistent online.) Navigation is quick, easy, and clear, with embedded hyperlinks working as expected. A minimum of graphics should make this roll smoothly even on a small screen.

Grammatical Errors rating: 3

Some "picky" grammatical issues include unclear references (a lot of "it happens" going on), periods outside quotation marks, occasional comma problems, and other issues. Take this quotation, for example: "Pronouns- 'it’s [sic] shares' refers to Apple’s shares" (70), A "Grammar" section is included.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

Created as a guide for native- and non-native English speakers, this text stresses that conventions in business writing will change depending on culture and location. This distinction is an important one, and students should understand expectations will change, not just due to a corporation's culture, but within different countries and writing for different cultural audiences. While this element could be highlighted a bit more, possibly with additional examples, these differences are absolutely crucial for business writing students in a global market.

Comments

This text would be an excellent contender for an introductory text on writing business reports. Don't expect thorough guides to business letters, memos, or other forms of communication; expect a review of Bloom's Taxonomy, advice on prewriting, and the importance of analysis. For more advanced classes, you may need a more thorough text--for example, advanced writers in college are probably sick of the five-paragraph essay structure. However, if you need a clear, quick handbook for writing brief reports and essays, with attention to language and critical thinking skills, this could be a good place to start.

Reviewed by Susan Waldman, Associate Professor, English, Leeward Community College on 3/26/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This text covers all aspects of the writing process from brainstorming to revision to formatting, with an emphasis on the writing specifically needed for business students in order to write business reports. The TOC is very complete, including links for every section so that the student can easily jump to whatever is needed or assigned. One aspect that I especially appreciated was making the connection between essay writing, which the student might already be familiar with, and business report writing, the subject at hand. In particular, there was a chart included with comparisons of style and formatting between academic writing and business writing. Although business writing includes many other types of products, such as memos and letters, the concepts and practices included in this text are applicable across the board. The examples offered will no doubt mirror concepts being included in their Management courses, making this text a good companion for those classes.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The text seemed error-free and unbiased to me.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This is an invaluable resource for today's business students who are making the writing transition into the specific style needs of their discipline. A revision history is included at the end of the text, indicating that the authors are continuously reviewing the text for errors and made revisions as of November 2020. The inclusion of business concepts in the examples section will directly connect the writing process to the students' business courses.

Clarity rating: 5

The writing style of the text reflects the authors' stand that business writing is clear and concise, with a directness not typically found in academic writing. Topic headings such as, "What is good writing?" or "What does this mean?" help guide the students to answers to frequently asked questions, including a thorough explanation of what a counterargument is, among many other relevant topics for the beginning business writer.

Consistency rating: 5

Terms are explained, reviewed, and referenced from section to section.

Modularity rating: 5

The thoroughness of the TOC allows for the assignment of specific sections, including exercises and writing samples.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Extremely well-organized.

Interface rating: 5

I found no interface issues.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I found no grammar errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

The text uses examples I consider culturally neutral, focusing on process rather than content.

Comments

As a professor of Business Writing at a community college, I will select sections of this text appropriate to beginning writers, but I can also see how the more advanced sections would be appropriate for a 4-year program. At the freshman/sophomore level, all of the general writing process chapters will be very useful to guide my students from academic writing to business-appropriate writing for reports. The concepts of concision, persuasion and clarity can be applied to all types of writing assignments.