语言教学 | 普渡大学写作教学系列Subject-Specific Writing6-Professional Writing6

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征稿：二语写作

Subject-Specific Writing 6 - Professional, Technical Writing 6

6、Parallel Structure in Professional Writing

It is important to be consistent in your wording in professional writing, particularly in employment documents; this is called parallelism. When you are expressing ideas of equal weight in your writing, parallel sentence structures can echo that fact and offer you a writing style that uses balance and rhythm to help deliver your meaning. You can use parallel structure in any kind of writing that you do, whether that writing is on or off the job. We also have another handout that has more general information about parallel structure.

Here are some examples that demonstrate how to implement parallelism in preparing employment documents. When you're done reviewing them, try the practice exercise at the bottom.

Incorrect:
My degree, my work experience, and ability to complete complicated projects qualify me for the job.

Correct:
My degree, my work experience, and my ability to complete complicated projects qualify me for the job.

Incorrect:

• Prepared weekly field payroll

• Material purchasing, expediting, and returning

• Recording OSHA regulated documentation

• Change orders

• Maintained hard copies of field documentation

Correct:

• Prepared weekly field payroll

• Handled material purchasing, expediting, and returning

• Recorded OSHA regulated documentation

• Processed change orders

• Maintained hard copies of field documentation

Practice

Correct the following bulleted list from a final report.

On the web page there is much wasted space which is unappealing to the viewer. Following are suggestions for eliminating the unwanted blank space:

• Move some of the text into the blank space

• Centering the picture

• Centering the picture and add text to each side

• On the right of the picture, tell a little bit about the picture (who owns the balloon, what year and where this picture was taken, etc.)

• Have pictures that stretch the length of the screen, like with a panoramic camera

• Or as a last resort even take the picture out

7、Activity and Postmortem Reports 

（1）Introduction

What are activity and postmortem reports?

As companies increase in size, number of locations, and networking capabilities, managers may no longer have the time or resources to oversee projects directly. In order to facilitate communication within and across an organization, many managers require employees to write, distribute, and circulate reports to inform all stakeholders, that is, all individuals with a vested interest, of a project’s status.

It is vital for professional and technical writers to understand the purpose, context, and audience of organizational reports—for example, activity and postmortem reports—to effectively communicate and collaborate in 21st century work environments.

（2）Activity Reports

What is an Activity Report?

Depending on the organizational context, an activity report can go by a number of names: work log, progress report, project update, or status report. Taken as a whole, activity reports are a form of workplace communication that describes, in clear and concise terms, a project’s progress. While these activity reports are often short, informal messages sent by inter-office memo or email, they are an essential document for communicating, collaborating, and cooperating in the workplace.

The purpose of an activity report is not to persuade an audience or argue a particular position; rather, they aim to keep employees and managers informed about past, present, and future tasks. These types of reports are either requested by a manager or fellow employee or can be circulated to inform coworkers of any progress or obstacles encountered while working on a project.

Key information in an activity report

1. Project information

Any activity report should include key information that identifies the project, all members of the team, and the most up to date status on project’s progress (i.e., “we are just beginning the project,” “we are half way through producing the deliverable,” or “we are putting the final touches on our work”).

2. Project tasks

In addition to these identifying details, activity reports should articulate project tasks that have been completed, tasks currently underway, and what tasks are needed to complete the project in a timely manner. This information should communicate what each team member is working on so as to expedite the reader’s communicating of questions or concerns.

Your description of completed tasks, current activities, and responsibilities going forward should inform your reader of the project’s timeline and its estimated time of completion.

3. Describe any challenges

Activity reports should identify any challenges encountered, with particular reference to possible actions that can mitigate or avoid these obstacles in the future. Describing these difficulties will also provide reasoning for the project’s timeline and whether it is maintained or modified. Keeping managers and fellow employees in the loop on difficulties also provides an opening for you to ask for additional resources, time, or help on the work going forward.

4. Tone, style, and length

Although activity reports circulate in workplace environments through informal channels, it is important to write them in an appropriate and a professional tone because fellow employees and managers alike will read them.

Use clear, concise, and concrete language in discussing the progress of a project in order to avoid ambiguity on its current status.

Finally, keep activity reports brief. As they are informal messages that, hopefully, require no immediate action, you want your reader to skim through its contents quickly and efficiently. Using brief lists and avoiding excessive detail while using concrete language will ensure that your activity report effectively communicates your project’s status.

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