Before one can select a topic, gather information, or begin to strategically organize ideas for a document, he/she must first specify the overall objective of the document. What is the general purpose of the document? Determining the general purpose is a critical first step in the writing process, because it influences the strategic decisions one will make throughout the rest of the process: what information to include, how to organize that information, what style/tone is most appropriate, etc.
Broadly speaking, there are two primary objectives one must choose between: informing and persuading.
Informing. When one's overall goal is to inform, he/she will provide information that helps the reader better understand the topic. An informative document educates, explains and describes. It enhances the reader's knowledge and insight about th e topic, but does not attempt to convince the reader to do or believe something in particular.
Persuading. When one's overall goal is to persuade, he/she will use sound reasoning and evidence to change the reader's existing beliefs or actions. A persuasive document recommends, defends and convinces. It makes a claim about a belief or cour se of action, offers evidence in support of that claim, and uses appeals to emotions, logic and credibility to change the reader's current viewpoint.
There are three critical steps to take when deciding between informing and persuading: (1) Consult the contact person (or assignment sheet) and clarify the nature of the assignment. Are you being asked to objectively give information without arguing for
or against something? OR are you being asked to propose a specific solution or recommendation and defend it?
(2) Assess the audience/reader. What does the reader expect? Would recommending or asserting a particular point of view be offensive to t
he readers under the circumstances?
(3) Assess the situation or context. What would be most appropriate in this situation? What would be most practical and functional? What are the norms of this situation?
Different writing tasks will require different formats, such as a memo, letter, report, proposal, or essay. In order to determine the appropriate format, one should follow the same three steps used when determining the document's general purpose (see above).
In many professional situations, the writer's topic is pre-determined; i.e., the writer is specifically asked to produce a document about a particular topic. When the writer is not assigned a specific topic, however, it is his/her task and obligation t o select a meaningful and appropriate topic. The basic goal is to select a topic that is useful and relevant to both the writer and the reader. There are three key factors to consider when choosing a topic:
(1) Expertise and Interests of the Writer. Few things will hinder the writing process as severely as a topic which bores or overwhelms the author! When given the chance, it makes good sense to explore a topic the writer already knows about and is interested in. Brainstorming potential topics through self analysis is a good starting point for this process.
(2) Characteristics and Dispositions of the Audience. Audience analysis is perhaps the most useful skill in communicating effectively. The value of writing is in offering something relevant and beneficial to the reader, and this can only be ach ieved by thinking carefully about the people who will read what is written. The most important question to ask is: What do the members of the audience (the readers) have in common? Answering this question allows the writer to generate many ideas about what topic would be most interesting, meaningful and relevant to the majority of readers.
(3) Characteristics of the Context and Situation. Having identified a topic that is a match between one's own expertise/ interests and relevance to the reader, the writer must determine whether this topic is appropriate for the situation at hand. Some topics, while relevant to both writer and reader, would simply be inappropriate for the given situation. For example, in a company newsletter distributed to employees, it is probably inappropriate to write about poor decisions made by the company' s CEO, even though these decisions affect both writer and reader. The newsletter would simply be the wrong forum in which to discuss such matters.
Having chosen or been assigned a general purpose and topic, the writer must next determine his/her specific purpose for writing the document, and state this specific purpose in writing. What, specifically, is the objective of the document? The answer t o this question represents the writer's "purpose statement" (sometimes referred to as a thesis statement), which reflects the core idea or central message of the document. It is a formal, declarative statement of the document's specific purpose - why th e document is being written, what the writer intends to accomplish, and what the reader can expect. In short, the purpose statement is a specific, clear and concise statement which summarizes the goal of the document. Ideally, the purpose statement can be expressed in a single sentence.
There are two main functions of a purpose statement. First, the purpose statement serves as a map or blue print for the writer, providing direction and focus as the writing process unfolds. It helps the writer make critical decisions about the entire do cument, such as what information to include and how to organize this information. It also helps keep the writer on track during the writing process, such that the writer is clear about where he/she is headed and can avoid rambling off on tangents. Secon d, the purpose statement serves an important function for the audience by clarifying what the document is about and what types of information it will include. The purpose statement is included in the document itself, and specifies for the reader what the document will do, why the document has been written and what information it will cover.
In order to write an effective purpose statement, one must go through a refining process in which a broad topic is narrowed down to something precise and specific. For example, let's assume you have been assigned to write an informative document. You ha ve chosen "technology in the workplace" as your topic. Notice how broad and vague that topic is the way it is currently stated. Without narrowing this topic down, the writer has no clear direction to take in researching and organizing information to beg in writing. Likewise, the reader has no clear idea of what this document might cover or what to gain from reading it. Some obvious questions one might ask about this sample topic include: What aspects of technology in the workplace will the document co ver? What types of technology will the document focus on? What types of organizations or industries will the document include? Will the document cover "uses" or "functions" of computer technology? If so, what types of functions?
In short, document planning involves a refining process in which the writer moves from a broad purpose ("to write an informative paper") to a specific focus ("to write an informative paper about this aspect of this particular topic with t his goal in mind"). The process of narrowing one's topic into a specific, precise and clearly stated objective is critical. It requires a great deal of thought about what would be most relevant to the reader, writer and situation.