Course Information
Writing for Clarity and Impact
Parking for SAO, Professional Development courses is in Garage B (1511 San Jacinto Blvd.). The Garage signage may read 1511 San Jacinto or Garage B. The elevator in Garage B is not reliable. If you are unable to walk the stairs, please contact the professionaldevelopment@sao.texas.gov for alternate parking arrangements. Handicapped parking is free at the meters around the downtown area.
A course coordinator will Email you a parking permit prior to the course start date. A permit must be displayed or you will be ticketed.
Course Description
Inappropriate word use, run-on sentences, and faulty punctuation can be costly and embarrassing. When you understand the essentials of grammar, you present a more polished, professional image. Participants learn to improve their communication skills immediately by applying the standards of good writing in a relaxed atmosphere
Course Objectives
· Apply principles of language and correct writing mechanics to demonstrate competence and professionalism in all agency documents.
· Identify and eliminate common grammar and usage errors.
· Review fundamental parts of speech and sentence structure as essential to correct expression.
· Strengthen communication through proper verb and pronoun use.
· Apply capitalization, punctuation, and spelling pointers to express ideas accurately.
· Master frequently misused terms, word pairs, and phrases.
Course Outline
Back to Basics: Grammar and Usage Skills
· Assess: Grammar and Usage Skill Survey
· Refresh: The Parts of Speech
Foundation: Effective Sentence Structure
· Identify Parts of Speech and Parts of Sentences
· Promote Subject-Verb Agreement
· Prevent Pronoun Problems
o Personal: He or him?
o Indefinite: Each is or each are?
o Relative: That or which?
Reinforcement: Communication Fundamentals
· Improve Capitalization and Spelling
· Apply Punctuation Pointers
· Choose Correct Verb Forms
o Verb Tense Accuracy
o Active vs. Passive Voice
· Master Commonly Confused Words
Application: Skill Building Practice
Instructors
Ms. Mc Carroll has invested over 20 years’ experience developing, delivering, and facilitating formal classroom courses as well as training workshops for government agencies, private industry, and academic institutions. As a seasoned professional, Jackie has successfully engaged course participants from diverse technical, socio-economical, and academic backgrounds. Her courses are highly interactive, with opportunities for participants to practice skills, share knowledge, and pose questions. As subject matter experts, participants have responsibility for the content they include in documents. With high regard for this individual expertise, Ms. Mc Carroll offers proven guidelines and encourages participants to strengthen their writing by focusing on their readers’ needs as well as the document’s purpose and overall readability.
Additional Information
TAC Rule 523.142(g) requires the CPE Sponsor to monitor individual attendance and assign the correct number of CPE credits. Participants will be asked to document their time of arrival and departure in compliance with this Rule. Additionally, attendance will be monitored throughout the day and CPE certificates will reflect actual attendance of each participant.
If you are making travel plans to come to Austin, we recommend making "refundable" air and hotel reservations or waiting until 14 days before the class to actually book your reservations. Courses are occasionally canceled or rescheduled due to low enrollment. We determine whether a course has enough participants 16 days prior to the course date. If we cancel or reschedule, we will email the participant and his or her billing contact no later than 14 days before the original class date.
The course coordinator will contact you with parking information. Handicapped parking is free at the meters around the downtown area.
Vending machines with Coca-Cola products and various snack items are available. There is also a refrigerator and microwave in our coffee bar area. Feel free to bring in your own drinks and food if you prefer.
You might want to bring a light sweater or jacket, as room temperatures vary.
To see answers to our Frequently Asked Questions, visit http://www.sao.texas.gov/training/faq.html.