Business Fundamentals Tests
business fundamentals tests
How to Apply the Three Acid Tests of Persuasive Writing
by Philip Yaffe
“If you don’t know what you are looking for, you are unlikely to find it, even if it’s right in front of your nose.” — Anon
We all write in hopes that our readers will understand what we are saying with minimum effort and maximum pleasure. But how can we be certain that they will?
We can’t. However we can greatly improve the odds by abandoning subjective ideas of what constitutes effective writing and replacing them with quasi-objective criteria.
During my 40-year career, I have relied on three such criteria, or “acid tests”, that have served me very well. Not just for writing myself, but equally for evaluating the writing of others.
Many people don’t actually do much writing themselves, but frequently may have to critique the writing of others. It is of very little use to tell someone that a text isn’t “good enough”, “interesting enough”, or “just doesn’t feel right”. So work on it. Such fuzzy criticism is not only unhelpful; it can be positively demoralizing.
I am reminded of the story of a junior executive who presented a document he had written to his superior. He was told, “Make it more interesting”. Being conscientious (and somewhat fearless), he replied: “Sir, this is the best text I know how to write based on the information I have. Unless you tell me exactly what you are looking for, any way l change it will only make it worse.”
Fortunately, the man’s superior recognized the wisdom of the comment. In other words, in order to critique usefully, it is necessary to be explicit. This is exactly what my three criteria allow you to do
Actually, it is incorrect to call them “criteria”, because they are more than that. They are fundamental principles in the form of formulas that provide step-by-step instructions for producing recognizably well written texts, whatever the format or subject.
If you are the originator, they tell you:
1) How to write your text in the first place
2) How properly to edit it when you have finished
If you are the critic, they tell you:
1) What the text should contain
2) What needs to be done to improve it
Before looking at them in detail, let’s first agree what we mean by a well written text. For most people, it has at least two principal characteristics; it must be both “clear” and “concise”.
Unfortunately, both of these are “weasel words”. They mean different things to different people, as well as different things at different times. This is why we need quasi-objective test, to be certain that these words will mean essentially the same thing to all people all the time.
There is a third aspect of a well written text called “density”, for which we also have a quasi-test.
Test for Clarity
According to the Clarity Principle, to be clear a text must do three things:
1. Emphasize what is of key importance.
2. De-emphasize what is of secondary importance.
3. Eliminate what is of no importance.
In short: Cl = EDE
If you follow the formula, when you evaluate a text (yours or someone else’s), the first thing you should look for is: Do the key ideas fully stand out?
Key ideas are the concepts and conclusions the writer wants the readers to take away from text. Too many writers shy away from the hard work of defining the key ideas. It is far simpler to say that everything is of key importance, so they put in everything they have. However, unless the writer does the job of defining what he really wants the readers to know, they won’t do it for him. They will simply get lost in your text and either give up or come out the other end not knowing what they have read.
Second, check that the text de-emphasizes everything that is of secondary importance. Why? Because if you want readers to recognize and retain the key ideas, then you don’t want them getting lost in the details. Details (information of secondary importance) explain and support the key ideas; they must never overwhelm them.
Finally, you must ruthlessly eliminate everything of no importance. These are bits of information that are neither a key idea nor explain or support a key idea. Nothing in is neutral. Whatever doesn’t add to the text, subtracts from it. And so must be deleted.
Test for Conciseness
According to the Conciseness Principle, a well written text should be as:
1. Long as necessary
2. Short as possible
In symbols: Co = LS
“As long as necessary” means covering all the key ideas you identified under “clarity”, and all the information of secondary importance needed to explain and support them. Note that nothing is said here about the number of words, because it is irrelevant. If it takes 500 words to be “as long as necessary”, then 500 words must be used. If it takes 1500 words, then this is all right, too.
“As short as possible” means staying as close as you can to the minimum. Not because people prefer short texts. “Long” and “short” are weasel words; in the abstract they have no meaning because what is “long” in one circumstance is “short” in another.
The important point is: All words beyond the minimum tend to damage clarity. Subconsciously, readers will continually be trying to understand why those words are there. And will be continually failing because they serve no purpose.
Test for Density
“Density” is a less familiar concept than clarity and conciseness, but it is equally important. According to the density principle, a text should contain:
1. Precise information
2. Logically linked
In other words: D = PL
Using precise information rather than wishy-washy weasel words aids clarity. For example, if you say it is a “hot” day, what do you mean? One reader might interpret hot as 24° C while another might interpret is as 36° C. However, if you say the temperature outside is 28° C, there is no room for interpretation — or misinterpretation.
Using precise information also generates confidence, because it tells the reader that the writer really know what he is talking about. This helps to hold the reader’s attention and makes it easier to get key points across.
However, precise data (facts) by themselves are insufficient. To be meaningful, data must be organized to create “information”. There are two important tests to apply when converting data into information.
A. Relevance
Is a particular piece of data really needed? As we have seen, unnecessary data damages clarity and ultimately confidence. Therefore, any data that do not either aid understanding or promote confidence should be rigorously deleted.
B. Misconceptions
The logical link between data must be made explicit to prevent readers from coming to false conclusions. Example: A singular occurrence may be misinterpreted as part of a broad pattern; a general policy may be misinterpreted as applying only in specific circumstances, etc.
To ensure that a logical link is clear, the two pieces of data should be placed as close to each other as possible, preferably right next to each other. When data are widely separated, their logical link is masked. If the writer doesn’t make the logical connection, it is unrealistic to expect readers will do so for themselves.
So there they are — three fundamental “acid tests” for clear, concise, dense writing. Although quasi-objective, these tsts are not a panacea. They require you to think; in fact, they force you to think. And that is their strength, because they guide your thinking to precisely what you should be thinking about.
To repeat the adage at the beginning of this article:
“If you don’t know what you are looking for, you are unlikely to find it, even if it’s right in front of your nose.”
Now you know.
Philip Yaffe is a former reporter/feature writer with The Wall Street Journal and a marketing communication consultant. He currently teaches a course in good writing and good speaking in Brussels, Belgium. His recently published book In the “I” of the Storm: the Simple Secrets of Writing & Speaking (Almost) like a Professional is available from Story Publishers in Ghent, Belgium (storypublishers.be) and Amazon (amazon.com).
For further information, contact:
Philip Yaffe
Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)2 660 0405
phil.yaffe@yahoo.com, phil.yaffe@gmail.com
About the Author
Philip Yaffe is a former writer with The Wall Street Journal and international marketing communication consultant. Now semi-retired, he teaches courses in persuasive communication in Brussels, Belgium. Because his clients use English as a second or third language, his approach to writing and public speaking is somewhat different from other communication coaches. He is the author of In the “I” of the Storm: the Simple Secrets of Writing & Speaking (Almost) like a Professional. Contact: phil.yaffe@yahoo.com.
fundamentals of e-business?
You are to select a group of people to test the usability of a new Web site. The site sells sports clothing for the entire family. In terms of demographics, which people would you select for the usability test? Explain your choice.
young professionals, cause they shop on internet and they mostly exercise.
|
|
American Business English/ESL: The Fundamentals [VHS] $50.00 This advanced program is designed for people who don’t want their English skills to stand in the way of their success in the business world. Here’s the way for non-native English speakers to learn American Business English correctly and efficiently. This unique approach to learning English emphasizes reading, listening, and, most importantly, speaking in real business situations. This pr… |
|
|
Drobo B800FS Beyond Raid 8-Bay Dual Gigabit Ethernet/SATA 6GB/S Storage Array $2,199.00 The Drobo DR-B800FS-4A21 B800fs Network Attached Storage features its Eight 3.5” SATA hard drive bays to make room for SATA I, II, or III hard drives. With this, you are enable to bear up to 24TB of storage capacity, great for your enterprise’s demands. This NAS works efficiently as it possesses the Drobo Dashboard for easy customization. Also, it comes with 2x Gigabit Ethernet ports f… |
|
|
TI-36X Pro Scientific Calculator $16.49 TI’s most advanced scientific calculator is ideal for engineers students and professionals. MultiView&trade display allows you to view multiple calculations at the same time while MathPrint&trade feature shows math expressions symbols and stacked fractions as they appear in textbooks. Input data scroll through entries and make edits like using a graphing calculator. Toggle key converts fractions a… |
|
|
Fundamentals of Corporate Finance Alternate Value 8th Edition $67.00 The best-selling Fundamentals of Corporate Finance (FCF) is written with one strongly held principle??? that corporate finance should be developed and taught in terms of a few integrated, powerful ideas. As such, there are three basic themes that are the central focus of the book: 1) An emphasis on intuition???underlying ideas are discussed in general terms and then by way of examples that illustr… |
|
|
Microsoft Office 2010: Introductory (Shelly Cashman) $85.93 Gary B. Shelly wrote and published his first computer education textbook in 1969. More than twenty million copies of Shelly Cashman Series’ textbooks have been sold. Gary and a talented group of contributing authors have produced books on computer programming, computer concepts, and application software that are the leading textbooks in the computer technology market today. Gary has hosted the ann… |
|
|
Financial Accounting (8th Edition) $68.50 Financial Accounting helps students “nail” the accounting cycle up front in order to increase success and retention later on. The concepts and mechanics students learn in the critical âaccounting cycle’ chapters are used consistently and repetitivelyâand with clear-cut details and explanationsâthroughout the remainder of the text, minimizing confusion. A solid en… |
|
|
Fundamentals of Corporate Finance Standard Edition $89.99 The best-selling Fundamentals of Corporate Finance (FCF) is written with one strongly held principleâ that corporate finance should be developed and taught in terms of a few integrated, powerful ideas. As such, there are three basic themes that are the central focus of the book: 1) An emphasis on intuitionâunderlying ideas are discussed in general terms and then by way of examples that i… |
|
|
Fundamentals of Business Law: Summarized Cases, 9th Edition,Cengage Advantage Books: $157.95 Brief and affordable, FUNDAMENTALS OF BUSINESS LAW: SUMMARIZED CASES, 9th Edition focuses on the core business law topics students need to know, including contracts and sales, in an abbreviated, paperback book. The summarized cases integrated throughout the text illustrate key points of law without overwhelming students with unnecessary detail. Intended for the one-term course focused primarily on… |
|
|
Fundamentals of Nursing + Laboratory And Diagnostic Tests $120.32 No Synopsis Available |
|
|
Business Fundamentals $29.25 No Synopsis Available |
|
|
The Fundamentals of Business-To-Business $18.71 This book is in New – Excellent condition |
|
|
Chapter And Unit Tests, Intro To Business $22.93 No Synopsis Available |
|
|
Business Mathematics, Exercises, Problems, and Tests $15.88 No Synopsis Available |
|
|
The Fundamentals of Business-to-Business Sales & Marketing $20.78 No Synopsis Available |
|
|
Business Fundamentals for the Rehabilitation Professional $57.28 No Synopsis Available |
|
|
Cimastudy.com Fundamentals of Business Economics $263.71 No Synopsis Available |
|
|
Fundamentals of Contemporary Business Communication $173.57 No Synopsis Available |
|
|
Surveying Fundamentals for Business Analysts $32.48 No Synopsis Available |
|
|
Fundamentals of Business Marketing Research $98.73 This book is in Good Used condition |
|
|
Fundamentals of Business Enterprise Taxation $1.95 This book is in Acceptable condition |
|
|
Fundamentals of Business Maths $60.75 This book is in New – Excellent condition |
|
|
MBA Fundamentals in Business Law $14.96 This book is in New – Excellent condition |
|
|
Fundamentals of Leisure Business Success $60.03 This book is in Good Used condition |
|
|
Fundamentals of business law $1.99 This book is in Used condition |
|
|
Fundamentals Of Business Strategy $1330 This book is in New – Excellent condition |
|
|
E-Business Fundamentals $257.21 This book is in Used condition |
|
|
Fundamentals of Business Marketing Education $72.42 This book is in Good Used condition |
|
|
Fundamentals of Business Law $1.89 This book is in Good Used condition |
