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Writing Refresher:
Critical Thinking and Writing
How to Compose Clear and Effective Reports, Letters, Email, and Memos
Designed
for anyone who writes on behalf of their organization |
Do you need to improve your writing skills? This intensive one-day course helps students understand the three dimensions of professional writing: organization, format and style. In addition to reviewing and teaching specific writing techniques,
our faculty show you how to:
- Apply critical thinking
to the writing process
- Use the four keys to
effective writing
- Understand the five-step
writing process
- Develop an effective
writing style
Communication skills are the key to efficient and effective operations in business and government. New employees should brush-up on their basic written communication
and plain English skills, while experienced professionals, burdened by the additional workload caused by downsizing and budget cuts, can also benefit from this refresher course.
Lessons focus on writing as a process and ways to apply that process to everyday assignments. Previous attendees
include all staff levels including program managers, scientists and engineers, administrative assistants, legislative and budget analysts, vice presidents, paralegals, executive directors and attorneys.
See also
Writing
Congressional Correspondence.
The leadership competencies for this course include:
- Influencing/Negotiating
- Interpersonal Skills
- Strategic Thinking
- Written Communication
- Political Savvy
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Bring this course to your
site.
This course and any combination of it's
topics are available as
custom on-site training for
your organization. We have tailored this course for
attorneys, program analysts, administrative
assistants, scientists, and
others. For
more information about how this training can help your
members and staff, please contact
your client liaison. |
Space is limited.
If you get a
"Wait List Only" message when registering, please select
the next available date.
Click this link to add this program to your Google calendar (opens current month in new window or tab).
 |
Course materials include
personal copy of
"The Business
Writer's Handbook," by Gerald Alred, Charles
Brusaw, and Walter Oliu
Plus a 70-plus
page writing manual that includes a basic style guide.
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Agenda |
| Writing Refresher: Critical Thinking and Writing |
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9:00 |
Welcome and Introductions |
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9:15 |
Discussion: Critical Thinking and the Writing Process
- Keys to
effective communication
- The 5-step
writing process
- Characteristics of Good Business Communication
- The Writing Process in Your Office
Rediscovering Plain English
- Sentences and Paragraphs
- Sentence Style
- Active and Passive Voice
- Journalist's Checklist for Clear Communication
- Choose the Best Word and Eliminate the Redundancies
- Exercise
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10:30 |
Break |
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10:40 |
Managing the Writing Project
- Project Planning
- Manager's Toolkit: Punctuation Primer
- Manager's Toolkit: Usage Guide
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12:00 |
Lunch on your own |
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1:00 |
Creating and Using Style Guides
- Popular Style Guides
- Manager's Toolkit: Abbreviated Style Guide
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1:15 |
Writing Reports
- Project Planning and Reports
- Organizing Elements
- Transitions
- Exercise
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2:30 |
Break |
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2:40 |
Writing Letters,
Email, Memos and Executive Summaries
- Qualities of a Good Letter or Memo
- Clarity with Topic Sentences
- Bad News Letters
- Memos
- Buffers
- Negatives
- Exercise
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3:45 |
Additional Resources
- For More Information
- Free Newsletters
- Final Revision Checklist
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4:00 |
Complete Evaluations; Course
Concludes |
If you get a "Wait List Only"
message when registering, please select the next available
date.
This is a
sample agenda: the actual program may differ slightly. A
sample
agenda for a 2-day custom program is available on the web.
We have also developed a custom
"Writing Congressional Correspondence" program for
federal agencies.
Do
you need a training
course we don't offer or coverage of
an additional topic in this course?
If you have suggestions for courses or topics you would like to see us offer, please contact us or complete our
online suggestion form.
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Suggested
Prerequisites |
This
course is designed for all staff who need a
writing refresher: it focuses on writing as a
process and how to apply that process to everyday
writing assignments.
If
you need help deciding which courses you should take based
on your work experience or training, please contact
us via email
or phone: 703-739-3790.
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Rave
Reviews |
"I called my boss during
break to tell him this was a great course for clerical
staff as well as professional staff in our office."
-- Legislative Specialist, DOL
"Great refresher ...
with concise tips for improvement."
-- Unit Chief,
FBI
"I am glad that I took
this class. This will be a benefit to me for years to
come."
-- Legislative Analyst, Williams &
Jensen
"Great tips for
correcting passive writing."
-- Budget Analyst, Dept.
of Treasury
"Covered all materials
and explained all the topics clearly."
-- Supervisory
Paralegal Specialist, FBI
See
more testimonials about this course.
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Time
and Dates |
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
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Thursday, November 20, 2008
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Thursday, January 29, 2009
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Wednesday, April 1, 2009
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Friday, November 13, 2009
If you get a "Wait List Only"
message when registering, please select the next available
date.
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Location |
November 20, 2008:
DC Bar
Conference Center, 1250 H Street NW,
Washington, DC (Metro Center station)
Our map
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Google Map Other dates: Location
in Washington, DC will be announced
before course.
Many of our courses are held at
these locations:
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Cannon House Office Building (HOB), First and C Streets, SE,
Washington, DC (Capitol South Metro
stop)
Our map
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Google Map
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Capitol
Hill Club, 300 First Street SE, Washington,
DC (directly across the street from the
Capitol South Metro
stop) Our map
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Google Map
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College of William & Mary Washington DC Office,
1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 810, Washington, DC 20036 (two blocks southeast of the
Dupont Circle Metro
stop)
Google Map
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DC Bar
Conference Center, 1250 H Street NW,
Washington, DC (Metro Center station)
Our map
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Google Map
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Goethe-Institut, 812 Seventh Street NW,
Washington, DC 20001 (Gallery Place /
Chinatown Metro stop) Our map
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Google Map
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Hall of the States, 444 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC (1 1/2 blocks from the
Union Station Metro
stop)
Our map
| Google Map
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The Liaison Capitol Hill, 415 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, DC
(2 1/2 blocks from the
Union Station Metro
stop)
Our map
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Google Map
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Longworth House Office Building (HOB),
New Jersey Ave. and C Streets, SE, Washington, DC
(one block west of the
Capitol South Metro stop)
Our map
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Google Map
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National
Democratic Headquarters, 430 So. Capitol Street
SE, Washington, DC 20003 (Capitol South Metro
stop) Our map
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Google Map
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Rayburn House Office Building (HOB),
Independence Ave. SW and South Capitol Street
(two blocks west of the
Capitol South Metro stop)
Our map
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Google Map
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Reserve Officers Association, One Constitution Avenue NE, Washington, DC (3 1/2 blocks from the
Union Station Metro
stop)
Our map
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Google Map
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Course
Materials |
Materials
include your personal copy of The
Business Writer's Handbook and a 70-plus
page writing manual that includes a basic style
guide.
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Registration Fee |
$295
If you get a
"Wait List Only" message when registering, please
select the next available date.
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Discounts |
There
are no discounts for this program.
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Certificate of
Training
and
CEU Credits |
A Certificate of
Training is available for this
course.
To get a
Certificate of
Training,
your registration fee must be paid in full, and you
must attend the entire course.
 This course is
approved for .6
CEU credits from George Mason University.
 This is a
required course for the
Certificate
in Communication and Advocacy. |
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Policies |
For this course, substitutions, cancellations, and transfers must be submitted in writing to us. Our transfer and cancellation fees are outlined below.
** Transfer and Cancellation Fee
For all registrations received on or after September 1,
2007 |
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Time Before Course |
Substitutions Allowed |
Transfer Fee |
Cancellation Fee |
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More than 4 weeks |
Yes, in writing |
None |
None |
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2 to 4 weeks |
Yes, in writing |
25% of tuition |
50% of tuition |
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3 days to 2 weeks |
Yes, in writing |
50% of tuition |
75% of tuition |
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1 to 2 days |
Yes, in writing |
75% of tuition |
100% of tuition |
day of program
(no refunds to no-shows) |
Yes, in writing |
100% of tuition |
100% of tuition |
No refunds for no shows. We reserve the right to
change this fee and time period.
TCN
reserves the right to cancel any course in the event of
insufficient registrations.
All statements and
discussion at all of our courses, workshops and seminars, public and custom,
are off the record and not for attribution, unless specified otherwise.
The resulting confidentiality ensures a frank and
free exchange of views.
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FAQs |
FAQs
about our training
including suggested attire.
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Register
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We accept
checks,
VISA,
MasterCard,
Discover,
American Express
If you get a
"Wait List Only" message when registering, please
select the next available date.
Click here for a
course description and registration form
(pdf)
 Fax or Mail: Print
out and complete the registration
form
(in Adobe pdf). The completed form should
include your method of payment.
Fax the completed form to us at
703-739-1195.
Mail the completed form to us at
TheCapitol.Net, Inc., PO Box 25706, Alexandria, VA
22313-5706
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Related
Information |
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Educational Tracks |
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Related
Training |
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Available as custom, on-site training? |
Yes.
This
program can be tailored
for on-site agency, association and corporate training.
When customized for government agencies, materials
can include government correspondence manuals and
style guides. We have also developed a custom
"Writing Congressional Correspondence"
program for federal agencies.
Please call 703-739-3790 for information.
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Need
more information? |
Phone:
703-739-3790
Email: registrar -at- TheCapitol.Net
Complete our
online information request.
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Non-Partisan |
TheCapitol.Net is a
non-partisan firm, and the opinions of its faculty,
authors, clients and the owners and operators of its vendors are
their own and do not represent those of TheCapitol.Net.
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URLs: www.TheCapitol.Net/PublicPrograms/write.html
www.WritingRefresher.com
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parked
www.WordWorkshop.com
WritingProfessionalCorrespondence.com
ProfessionalCorrespondence.com
WritingExecutiveCorrespondence.com
ExecutiveCorrespondence.com
Last updated:
September 03, 2008
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