December 12th, 2008
MBA Students Need Stronger Writing Skills
“MBAs’ rusty composition skills could benefit from a brush-up,” said a recent article in Business Week. Writing classes aren’t usually core requirements at business schools, though more and more schools are recognizing the need for writing classes and workshops.
Business writing is significantly different than academic writing, says Roseanne Bane, a business writing professor. She shares her tips:
- Don’t be long-winded. Padding and fluff have no place in the business world.
- Know your medium. What works in an academic essay won’t work in an e-mail or a presentation.
- Understand your audience. Ask yourself what your audience already knows, and what they need to learn.
- Practice writing often. Make time for writing several drafts.
Do you teach a course in business writing? Write It Well’s workbooks provide the right structure for classroom learning. Years of teaching experience have helped us find the perfect mix of process, examples and exercises for classes full of teachable moments.
Not in business school? Write It Well offers business writing workshops tailored to your company’s needs, as well as do-it-yourself workshop facilitator kits.
Tags: business writing instruction, MBA