The best way to improve written expression is to get people to "mark" your work. We learn by seeing how others "correct" our expression.


Civil engineers can now reliably assess the claim that increased car and heavy truck traffic is shortening the life of roads and bridges. This breakthrough is achieved by a new instrument that measures and constantly analyses the fluctuating loads on critical parts of structures over long periods. The instrument provides information for predicting structural failure and therefore enables measuring the life span of bridges.

Previously, over-engineering allowed the life span of a bridge to be guessed at, say, fifty years. However, planners demand more specific information. While measuring distortion on structures is easy, the problem for engineers has been measuring loads that actually contribute to stress. The new instrument overcomes this.

(111 words)
    1. When you've completed a report go through it and cut out every superfluous word.

    2. Replace worn out and long-winded phrases such as "at this moment in time" with better words such as "now".

    3. Give the main message first and then give supporting messages. When checking your draft reports you may have to move paragraphs around to get the best logical sequence.

    4. Think of the logic of your story. Make sure that each thought links up with the next.

    5. Be precise. There's no point saying "It has been said that ...", because the reader will ask "Who said that?"


I hope you enjoyed this short taster exercise and found it helpful.

Look how the The Brilliant Reports web workshop will help you make your reports even better and at the same time make life a lot easier:


    		Two more brilliant ways to improve written expression
    Fourteen easy techniques to improve the logical flow and readability of your reports
    How to confidently interpret the report brief - making sure - without a doubt, that you will supply your manager or client with the information they want and need
    Six ways to make the introduction and five ways to make the conclusion have impact
    Five ways to lay out the body of the report for easy reading
    Twelve preparation strategies to save time and effort
    A brilliant report template you can follow when writing your next report
    Thirty-six common grammar mistakes and how to avoid them

    Thirty-three rules for using the main punctuation marks correctly.

 

 

All this for £79.95 plus VAT which means you:


 Save from £70 to £170 on the usual one-day, face-to-face course
Save travel and accommodation fees
Don't have to leave your office of home to enhance your skills
Can "attened" at your own pace and in privacy
Get almost instant feedback on your response to exercises.

Tell your training or personnel department about this web workshop. Since you have taken the initiative, perhaps your organisation will fund the training.

 

 

 
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