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Complete and Continue
Emphasis 360
Introduction
Welcome from Rob Ashton: watch this first
Week 1: A formula for writing any email (even a tricky one)
Video: The SCRAP formula
SCRAP in an email
Exercise
Video: exercise review
Summary
Week 2: How to catch any error (before you press Send)
Video: Foolproof proofreading
Exercise part 1
Exercise part 2
Exercise review
Summary
BONUS: The Write Stuff book
Week 3: How much does grammar matter?
Video: How much does grammar matter?
Week 4: Grabbing attention – a sure-fire technique for introductions
Video: This is Jacob
Exercise
Summary
Week 5: Get your emails opened
Video: The best subject line to get your email opened
Exercise 1
Video: The psychology of subject lines
Exercise 2
Exercise 1 revisited
Summary
Week 6: How to supercharge any sentence
Video: Sentence supercharging
Exercise
Summary
Week 7: In defence of jargon
Video: The case for jargon
Week 8: Get the best from lists and bullets
Video: Don't make these common list errors
Exercise
Summary
Week 9: Are you a good KISSer?
Video: Einstein was a good KISSer
Exercise
Summary
Week 10: How to unlock the information in your brain
Video and exercise part 1: When your mind goes blank
Video and exercise part 2: Another way in
Video: exercise review
Week 11: Manage email before it manages you
Video: Email is not the boss of you
Week 12: Are these words dragging your writing down?
Video: Keep your doing words doing
Exercise
Summary
Week 13: Email quality control
Video: Quality assurance for your emails
Exercise
Summary
Week 14: How to build a persuasive argument
Video: The four-step formula of a winning argument
Exercise
Summary
Week 15: Using mind maps to research and plan
Video: A better way to plan
Week 16: Using mind maps, part 2 – finding the structure
Video: Classifying your information
Video: Plotting your path
Summary
Week 17: How to punctuate bullet lists
Video: Punctuating bullets – a matter of style
Exercise
Summary
Week 18: Apostrophes – master the fundamentals
Video: Putting the apostrophe in its place(s)
Exercise
Summary
Week 19: That or which?
Using 'that' and 'which' – to define
Using 'which' – to inform
Punctuation can change the meaning
Exercise
Summary
Week 20: Is email best this time?
Video: When it's wrong to email
Exercise
Video: exercise review and summary
Week 21: The questions you should ask yourself every time you write
Video: A business mantra
Exercise
Summary
Week 22: Are your sentences back to front?
Video: Sentences for the non-psychic
What's a main clause?
Exercise
Summary
Week 23: Myth-hunting: is it OK to use singular 'they'?
The suspect rule: you can't use 'they' to mean one person
Loaded language
The case against continues
The verdict
Week 24: No offence – the do's and don'ts of email etiquette
Video: What are the rules of email etiquette (and why does it matter)?
Exercise
Video: The number one rule
Week 25: Ellipses: proceed with caution ...
The do’s and don’ts of the dot-dot-dot
Do
Don't
In conclusion …
Week 26: Don't let these confusing words kill your credibility
The confusing culprits
Quiz: Can you pick the right word?
Summary
Week 27: Sentences that don't throw your reader off-track
Video: Rein in the run-on
Exercise
Summary
Week 28: The top 5 rules of international emailing
Writers without borders
Rule 1: Use simple, concrete language
Rule 2: Avoid abbreviations and acronyms
Rule 3: Take care with colloquial expressions and popular culture
Rule 4: Explain local business terms
Rule 5: Don’t talk about the weather!
Exercise
Summary
Week 29: How to use 'however'
Video: Are you using 'however' right?
Exercise
Summary: Using 'however' (but remembering your options)
Week 30: Show, don't tell: 5 words on trial
Are you overusing or abusing these five words?
The ones that don't live up to their promises
The ones that could offend or irritate
The one that people love to hate
Week 31: Dash or hyphen – what's the difference?
Video: Dash it! Or should that be hyphen?
Exercise
Summary
Week 32: How to tackle tricky emails
The difficulties of writing difficult emails
The structure that guides your reader
Chasing up or asking for a reference
Turning down a job or making a complaint
And remember
Week 33: The secrets of effective subheadings
Video: Guide the way with subheading signposts
Exercise
Summary
Week 34: Unlock your documents with this journalist's formula
What can journalists teach us about structure?
WHAT in the news
Applying WHAT at work
The four-letter 'magic formula' for business writing
Summary
Week 35: The benefits of getting active
An introduction to getting active
So, what do we mean by 'active' and 'passive' anyway?
Passives in the wild
Summing up
Exercise
In conclusion
Week 36: Does it ever pay to be passive?
Is the passive sometimes preferable?
Reason one
Reason two
Reason three
The questions to ask yourself
Summary
Week 37: Why you need to be direct
Video: What Uncle Sam can tell you about writing
We, the people
Exercise
Summary
Week 38: Structure your bid's executive summary for success
The journey you need to take your reader on
The position: your prospect's situation
The problem: why things must change
The proposal: your solution
Reassurance: why they should choose you
Exercise
Summary
Week 39: Exactly what gives your writing impact
Video: Show your reader what’s behind the curtains
Specific benefits
Exercise
Summary
Week 40: Build your message brick by brick
Why is it important to plan your paragraphs?
What constitutes a paragraph?
How long is a paragraph (or a piece of string)?
Building bridges: transitions and connections
A final word
Week 41: When bullets can backfire – and three better alternatives
Bullet misfires
1. As a substitute for argument
2. To make comparisons and associations
3. To outline possibilities
The longer, shorter alternative
Week 42: Four ways to go out with a bang
Why you need to go out with a bang
End well: techniques 1 and 2
End well: techniques 3 and 4
Exercise
Summary
Week 43: How to make an impact with numbers
Join the dots with your numbers
1. Frame your statistics to show their significance
2. Watch out for unfamiliar units of measurement
3. Work smart with tables and charts
Make the most of your figures
Week 44: Three more attention-grabbing intros to hook your reader
Don't read that – read this!
Three effective ways to begin
Exercise
Summary
Week 45: The simple design tricks for readable (and read) documents
Video: Designing for impact
Exercise
Summary
Week 46: The best format for reports
Video: What is the best format for reports?
Week 47: 3 more grammar myths debunked
Join the myth hunt
1 You can't start a sentence with 'and' or 'but'
2 You shouldn't split infinitives
3 You can't end a sentence with a preposition
In conclusion
Week 48: Get the tone right
Striking the right tone
Too formal or pompous
Avoid indirect and impersonal
Too blunt
Danger!
To sum up
Week 49: A new way to research, part 1 – starting and collecting
Video: Master the research cycle, part 1
Week 50: A new way to research, part 2 – synthesising
Video: Master the research cycle, part 2
Week 51: Word hacks: transform your tables
Video: A step-by-step guide to professional-looking tables
Week 52: 11 ways to beat procrastination and get started
Starting writing is hard
Get your thinking clear
Get unstuck
Dispel distractions
Try something new
Resource library
Downloads from the lessons
So, what do we mean by 'active' and 'passive' anyway?
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