Presenting a Flawless Memo - Essay Example

Memorandum Ahmed Sharif Shah, Management Trainee, HR Department Junko Hwang December 21, 2007 Wait Until Tomorrow Presentinga flawless memo, report, or any other business document is important for a worker. This gives the employee a chance to prove to clients and colleagues their competency level. A well written document separates professionals from the ordinary. One process in creating a well written document is proofreading. I have several techniques for proofreading my written documents that might be helpful. The first step is to jot the document down on paper. This gives one the chance to change, add, or delete thoughts and ideas. After writing a rough draft on paper, I then type up the document on my laptop. Then I automatically spell and grammar check through a computer program. After completing the computer program, I reread the piece one more time. While creating this document, I do not sit continuously at the computer. I get up every once in awhile to stretch, take a bathroom break, or get a drink. This helps me refocus upon my task. This is a good time to check margins and tabs. Formatting a word document depends on the computer program being used. Spacing, paragraphs, and margins are important for several reasons. The most primary reason is so your document can be printer ready. Without the correct formatting, printing can cause the document to run together, lose page numbers, or have incorrect headers or footers. Formatting is also vital for email and faxing documents. No matter how good an item is proofread, if the formatting is wrong, the document will not arrive to the intended target in a professional manner. When checking a document’s formatting, searching for one type of mistake at a time can help catch more mistakes. For example, first look for spelling errors only. Then grammar errors can be searched for in your document. Page numbers, headings, footnotes, font size and type, or any other error can be looked for one type of error at a time. This helps focus your attention on one type of mistake, instead of trying to take the whole document in at once. If I try to look for all the mistakes at once, I generally miss one type, due to my focus being divided. Then I practice another familiar technique. I walk away from my project for the day. After a good night’s sleep, I come back to my computer. Sometimes, I only take a nap. The point is to rest before continuing work. Then I reread what is written. Many times I can see where in the heat of the moment, I did not logically write what I meant. Since some spelling and grammar mistakes will not be picked up by a computer program, I rewrite where necessary. An example of the flaw in spelling and grammar checks is the word to, which can be spelled correctly to, two, or too. The spelling check would pass over the incorrect sentence of “I went two the store.” By rereading and proofreading the next day, these simple mistakes can be fixed. I have also found that reading my written document to another individual is helpful. If what I am reading does not make sense or is not logical, then changes are required. If I am writing in a second language, then I try to find a person that is a native speaker. This helps tremendously. If they correct my speech, I must rework my document. It is also possible to read a document aloud to oneself, if no one else is around. When reading to oneself, it is important to read out loud and silently numerous times. One of the most important elements of writing any type of document is not to procrastinate. Some work assignments are due immediately, but most are given with plenty of time to review and proofread. However, due to other work demands, family, and even the reluctance to write down one’s thoughts tend to make individuals put off today, what they can do tomorrow. This makes for a rushed document, with little or no time to proofread. The result is an unprofessional piece of work, which shames yourself and turns your intended audience against you. Procrastination will create a document full of mistakes at the worst. At the best procrastination will not help you write a document to your full potential. It can be helpful to print your document and read it. Computer screens can make an individual’s eyes play tricks on them. Staring at a computer screen for too long can cause watery eyes, making an individual miss a mistake. It is easy to scroll hastily through a document on a computer screen. However, when you read a document on paper, an individual tends to take more time. When reading a printed document, a highlighter or pen can be used to track mistakes. This helps an individual correct a mistake easily on the computer screen by providing a guide to what needs to be changed. Finally here are some final tips to remember when proofreading. Ask yourself who, what, when, where, why, and how when reading for content. Does the text answer all the questions you think it should? If not, changes need to be made. You can highlight sentences that best who, what, when where, why, and how in order to see if the facts are in logical order. Check that all pictures, charts, graphs, and illustrations are in order and right side up. Numbers must be checked, especially math, page numbers, and footnotes. References must be properly referenced within the paper and on the bibliography page. All of these tips are important to remember. No one is perfect. This is why depending upon rest, good proofreading techniques, and other editors are a must. Writing flawless documents is an art that anyone can master. It only takes time and patience. It is also important not to procrastinate, but write your document immediately. This allows for time to proofread and correct. When writing a document, an individual is presenting themselves. Just like when we speak, a document proves how professional an individual behaves. Intended targets want to read clear, logical, and professional documents. With a little effort, this objective can be accomplished. Read More