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The Two Sets of Activities
You will complete two sets of activities to help you learn how to use openings, headings, and key terms. The first set of activities will help you practice identifying the generalizations, headings, and key terms.
When you finish these activities, you will see the second set of activities. Those activities ask you to write generalizations and headings using the key terms so you can practice the skill and receive feedback from your instructor.
Learning How to Write a Thesis Statement, Generalizations, and Headings Using Key Terms
Thesis statement
The thesis statement is a statement describing the contents of the message. In a memo, e‑mail, or letter, it usually will be one sentence long, at the end of the introduction. In a report, the thesis statement may be a paragraph or several paragraphs.
When possible, it should contain a summary of the main points in the document. If necessary, the thesis can begin with a very explicit statement: "This memo contains . . ."
NOTE: If you do not have a list of main points in the document, don't try to force a list into the thesis statement. Some thesis statements are simply statements of the main idea of the document. The thesis statement in the first activity below is an example of a thesis that does not have a list of main points.
Read the text in the box that follows. Place stars (asterisks) before and after the thesis statement. Then check your results by clicking on the "I have finished the activity." button.
Generalization
A generalization is a sentence describing the information that follows it. Every idea you present must be introduced with an opening in the form of a generalization.
Read the text in the box that follows. Place stars (asterisks) before and after the generalizations other than the thesis statement. Then check your results by clicking on the "I have finished the activity." button.
Place stars (asterisks) before and after the generalizations:
Key terms
In your business writing, you will use words that are critical to your message. There are three sets of key terms that you will use in your business writing:
- Thesis key terms
Thesis key terms are the terms that you use in the thesis statement to describe the subject of the entire document.
Main point key terms
The main points have their own sets of key terms.
Question or guideline key terms
These key terms are the words used by the person requesting the responses. Repeat the entire question or guideline if possible.
Read the text in the box that follows. Place stars (asterisks) before and after the key terms. Locate the thesis first. Identify its key terms. Then locate the generalizations for the main points. Identify their key terms.
When you are finished, check your results by clicking on the "I have finished the activity." button.
Place stars (asterisks) before and after the key terms:
Headings
Next, write headings for the main points. The headings should be exactly the same as the words you used in the main point statements. Use the same key terms in the same order. The levels of headings must also be distinct so they look like an outline of the text. The reader should be able to see at a glance the outline levels of the text.
In the box below, write headings above each of the three generalization sentences. Make the headings upper case (capitals) so they stand out.
Write headings for the three main point sentences:
Specifics
The writer explains the specific information that brought him or her to the generalization. The specifics include facts, concepts, visuals (charts, graphs, tables), and other information that helps the reader understand the statement in the generalization. The specifics could include other generalizations with their own sets of specifics.
Example:
Generalization: "We would be better off purchasing new equipment than upgrading the old."
Specifics: "New equipment carries warranties that will reduce repair costs. The equipment will also reflect the latest advances in technology that we would not have with the old."
Specifics are the smallest units in your written communication. When you are writing the specifics, you will have no more headings or generalizations for the point explained in the specifics. Each set of specifics is introduced by a generalization, and possibly a heading.
Read the text in the box that follows. Place stars (asterisks) before and after the specifics. Then check your results by clicking on the "I have finished the activity." button.
Place stars (asterisks) before and after the specifics:
Answers to the Activities
The thesis statement is in red:
Brazil's economic situation is currently improving as it emerges from a short and shallow recession: there is an absence of high inflation, the Brazilian real has performed well in the currency markets, the Brazilian government is promoting high trading volumes, and the public sector's long-term deficit is expected to decrease slightly.
THE ABSENCE OF HIGH INFLATION
The most noticeable aspect of the Brazilian economy following the January 1999 devaluation is the absence of high inflation. This is not entirely surprising in view of the structural changes that have taken place in Brazil in recent years, and the strong global and domestic deflationary pressures that were present at the time of the devaluation. Although those pressures are no longer present and some commodity prices are rising sharply, there is still no evidence of any strong inflationary pressures in the economy.
THE BRAZILIAN REAL HAS PERFORMED WELL IN CURRENCY MARKETS
The second indication that Brazil's economic situation is currently improving is that the Brazilian real has performed well in the currency markets. Brazil's currency has changed four times between 1986 and 1994, from the cruzado, to the cruzado novo, to the cruzeiro, to the Brazilian real. The country has displayed a pattern of devaluations as leaders attempted to fight inflation and stabilize the economy. In the late 1980s, there were three unsuccessful attempts to bring inflation under control: the Cruzado Plan (1986), the Bresser Plan (1987), and the Summer Plan (1989).
Generalizations are in red:
Brazil's economic situation is currently improving as it emerges from a short and shallow recession: there is an absence of high inflation, the Brazilian real has performed well in the currency markets, the Brazilian government is promoting high trading volumes, and the public sector's long-term deficit is expected to decrease slightly.
THE ABSENCE OF HIGH INFLATION
The most noticeable aspect of the Brazilian economy following the January 1999 devaluation is the absence of high inflation. This is not entirely surprising in view of the structural changes that have taken place in Brazil in recent years, and the strong global and domestic deflationary pressures that were present at the time of the devaluation. Although those pressures are no longer present and some commodity prices are rising sharply, there is still no evidence of any strong inflationary pressures in the economy.
THE BRAZILIAN REAL HAS PERFORMED WELL IN CURRENCY MARKETS
The second indication that Brazil's economic situation is currently improving is that the Brazilian real has performed well in the currency markets. Brazil's currency has changed four times between 1986 and 1994, from the cruzado, to the cruzado novo, to the cruzeiro, to the Brazilian real. The country has displayed a pattern of devaluations as leaders attempted to fight inflation and stabilize the economy. In the late 1980s, there were three unsuccessful attempts to bring inflation under control: the Cruzado Plan (1986), the Bresser Plan (1987), and the Summer Plan (1989).
The key terms are in red:
Brazil's economic situation is currently improving as it emerges from a short and shallow recession: there is an absence of high inflation, the Brazilian real has performed well in the currency markets, the Brazilian government is promoting high trading volumes, and the public sector's long-term deficit is expected to decrease slightly.
The Absence of High Inflation
The most noticeable aspect of the Brazilian economy following the January 1999 devaluation is the absence of high inflation. This is not entirely surprising in view of the structural changes that have taken place in Brazil in recent years, and the strong global and domestic deflationary pressures that were present at the time of the devaluation. Although those pressures are no longer present and some commodity prices are rising sharply, there is still no evidence of any strong inflationary pressures in the economy.
The Brazilian Real has Performed Well in Currency Markets
The second indication that Brazil's economic situation is currently improving is that the Brazilian real has performed well in the currency markets. Brazil's currency has changed four times between 1986 and 1994, from the cruzado, to the cruzado novo, to the cruzeiro, to the Brazilian real. The country has displayed a pattern of devaluations as leaders attempted to fight inflation and stabilize the economy. In the late 1980s, there were three unsuccessful attempts to bring inflation under control: the Cruzado Plan (1986), the Bresser Plan (1987), and the Summer Plan (1989).
The three headings follow. Your headings should have the key terms exactly as they appeared in the thesis and generalizations. The headings are in red.
Thesis: There are three problems associated with downsizing: morale inside the company suffers, investors become reluctant to invest in the company, and costs may outweigh benefits.
MORALE INSIDE THE COMPANY SUFFERS
The first problem associated with downsizing is that morale inside the company suffers.
INVESTORS BECOME RELUCTANT TO INVEST IN THE COMPANY
The second problem associated with downsizing is that investors become reluctant to invest in the company.
COSTS MAY OUTWEIGH THE BENEFITS
The third problem associated with downsizing is that the costs may outweigh the benefits.
The specifics explain the statement in the generalization. The generalizations are in green. The specifics are in red.
The most noticeable aspect of the Brazilian economy following the January 1999 devaluation is the absence of high inflation. This is not entirely surprising in view of the structural changes that have taken place in Brazil in recent years, and the strong global and domestic deflationary pressures that were present at the time of the devaluation. Although those pressures are no longer present and some commodity prices are rising sharply, there is still no evidence of any strong inflationary pressures in the economy.
The second indication that Brazil's economic situation is currently improving is that the Brazilian real has performed well in the currency markets. Brazil's currency has changed four times between 1986 and 1994, from the cruzado, to the cruzado novo, to the cruzeiro, to the Brazilian real. The country has displayed a pattern of devaluations as leaders attempted to fight inflation and stabilize the economy. In the late 1980s, there were three unsuccessful attempts to bring inflation under control: the Cruzado Plan (1986), the Bresser Plan (1987), and the Summer Plan (1989).
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