Module 2
Planning and Drafting Correspondence

Click on the links below to go to that section of the module.

Recognizing the Main Message

When planning a document, you must establish a clear relationship between your purpose, the reader’s main question, and the main message. These three elements are distinct from each other, but they must be linked together to provide coherence.

The Main Message in the Dialogue with the Reader

1. Focus My Thoughts

Purpose
(Why am I writing?)

To [recommend, request, inform, or other verb]…

Example 1
To recommend changes to two measures for assessing project effectiveness…

Example 2
To inform you of ACS staffing requirements in the unit for the coming year…

2. Plan the Document

Reader’s Main Question
What is this about?

Your Answer
(This sentence summarizes what you are recommending, requesting, or informing the reader of; it should reflect the purpose, but not necessarily in the same words. In a responsive document, it responds to the reader’s original request.)

(Example 1: What changes are you recommending?)

Example 1 Main Message:
I recommend that we change the first two measures so that they reflect work completed instead of work that is still in progress.

 

(Example 2: What staffing requirements are you informing me of?)

 

Example 2 Main Message:
The overall number of ACS staff will remain the same; however, since I am retiring in December, the unit will need to find a new office manager.