Professional Writing Skills

Organizations of today require effective communication skills by individuals regardless of level or role. Just naming a few, individuals must compose a variety of written documents: white papers, staff summary sheets, memorandums, e-mails, trip descriptions, justifications for attending training, meeting invitations and notes, after-action reports, purchase requests, incident reports, resumes, and self-assessments for annual performance evaluations. Individuals must also develop and confidently deliver briefings that may be informational, persuasive, or requiring a decision by audiences of different backgrounds and interests. This course focuses on increasing participants’ writing power appropriate to their audience and the message. Participants practice effective writing as a two-step process of drafting and revision, with coaching from a writing expert. The course shows participants methods for developing a variety of documents and the specific elements of each type, including letters and memoranda. In addition, participants learn techniques for creating the proper tone and readability level, as well as utilizing computer-enhanced capabilities for generating accurate and swift revisions to final documents.

The learning outcomes expected for this course include, but are not limited to the following:

• Identify causes of grammatical errors and methods for eliminating them
• Understand sentence structure, word usage, punctuation, and other common issues in business writing
• Apply grammar rules successfully in business writing samples
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding for improved proofreading
• Demonstrate the skills needed for drafting and revising materials
• Overcome the blocks that get in the way of good writing
• Apply techniques for effectively communicating a message in writing
• Polish letters, memos, emails, and other written documents so they are more powerful and professional
• Spot sneaky mistakes that can destroy credibility

Register 21 days before class start date and save 10%! Enter discount code EARLY10 during registration.

Register 21 days before class start date and save $250! Enter discount code EARLY250 during registration.

Is there a discount available for current students?

UMBC students and alumni, as well as students who have previously taken a public training course with UMBC Training Centers are eligible for a 10% discount, capped at $250. Please provide a copy of your UMBC student ID or an unofficial transcript or the name of the UMBC Training Centers course you have completed. Asynchronous courses are excluded from this offer.

What is the cancellation and refund policy?

Student will receive a refund of paid registration fees only if UMBC Training Centers receives a notice of cancellation at least 10 business days prior to the class start date for classes or the exam date for exams.