Read the following discussion question response written by Owen, a fictional Axia student. Identify areas of vagueness and ambiguity and discuss how you could clarify the email’s message using the writing principles addressed in the text.
Hi class,
I don’t have a lot of time to explain but off the top of my head answer is as a reader critical thinking affects me all ways. Not just reading but writing too. Sometimes what I read I must write about later like this discussion question so clearly I have to read. Clear writing is the hardest thing in the world. Though I don’t the average writer has to write business rapports which can build report and be inter personal. In critical writing, writers construct sentences with clear intentions. Business people write fast because the business people I know are always in a hurry. Business reading is reports, memos and articles. My aunt is a university professor and she writes articles for journals. She is smart and a better writer than my uncle who is a businessman. So critical writers are better than business writers. But critical writing like argumentative essays have structure, so business writing has structure too. It’s not a matter of one kind of writing being harder than the other it’s that the structure is harder.
Thanks,
Owen
help with homework
We'll be glad to comment on your suggestions for Owen.
There's a list here that should get you started thinking!
(Broken Link Removed)
Areas of vagueness and ambiguity in Owen's email include:
1. Lack of clear organization: The email lacks clear organization and jumps between different ideas without a clear structure. It could benefit from a more organized and logical flow of ideas.
2. Ambiguous statements: There are several ambiguous statements in the email that could be clarified. For example, it is not clear what Owen means by "reader critical thinking affects me all ways" and "business rapports which can build report and be inter personal." These statements need to be clarified to convey a more specific message.
3. Unclear comparisons: Owen makes comparisons between different types of writing, such as critical writing and business writing, without clearly explaining the criteria for comparison. It is unclear what he means by "better" or "harder" in relation to these different types of writing.
To clarify the message and address these areas of vagueness and ambiguity, the writing principles addressed in the text can be applied:
1. Clear organization: The email can be organized into paragraphs or sections, each addressing a specific idea or topic. This would make it easier for the reader to follow the flow of ideas.
2. Clarity in statements: Ambiguous statements can be clarified by providing more specific examples or explanations. For example, Owen can explain how critical thinking affects his reading and writing or provide specific examples of business rapports.
3. Clear comparisons: Owen should clearly explain the criteria used for comparison when discussing different types of writing. He can provide specific examples of the structure and challenges in critical writing and business writing to support his points.
By applying these writing principles, the email can be made clearer and more effective in conveying Owen's message.