Attention structures

Tutor: Rolf Hughes

Introduction
The emphasis of this course is on speedily acquiring skills and strategies relevant to writing in a corporate environment and managing the written work of colleagues. The course will equip students with a 'toolbox' of practical business writing skills, with particular focus on writing for web sites, and a greater ability to evaluate quality in corporate English texts.

Aims
Participants in this course will:
acquire a 'toolbox' of practical business writing skills, with particular focus on writing for web sites
learn about the writer-reader relationship and how the dynamics of reading electronic texts differ from reading print-based media
develop the ability to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of competitors & colleagues' writing strategies
gain greater confidence in managing writing tasks
be motivated to devise new writing initiatives for their company.

Language:
English.

Pedagogical Approach
Participants will develop writing skills and strategies through the study of good and bad examples of corporate writing, short classroom exercises, written assignments ("homework"), constructive criticism, where appropriate, of other participants' work, and small group discussion. The course examines corporate web sites - the good, the bad, and, yes, the ugly too - in industries relevant to course participants, and will encourage students to substantiate arguments and write with a distinctive "voice". In a course of this nature, focus inevitably falls on the experience of reading as well as that of writing. We will develop critical, self-reflexive modes of reading so we can better evaluate quality work.

Each Metamorphosis course starts with an interview to identify the particular needs of individual participants and ends with a course evaluation form to assess how far your key objectives have been recognised and achieved through your participation on the course.

Structure
The course is taught over 5 weeks in the form of a weekly seminar/workshop at the clients' premises. Emphasis is on learning through doing, so brief but challenging writing exercises will be assigned regularly. The client must provide adequate internet access to allow participants to discuss and evaluate web sites identified by the tutor.

Module 1. Structure Specifics
Organising content: Preparation and Research
Identifying audience & purpose (objectives & goals)
Creating visitor profile(s)
Information acquisition
Medium-specific factors
Text structure
The value of specific detail
Presentation
To "chunk" or scroll?
Use of headings

Module 2. Attention Strategies
Attracting and retaining attention
Content (info) versus rhetoric (sales pitch)
Local considerations (cross-cultural factors)
Values
Focus
Simplicity
Usability
Credibility
Quality
Speed
Attention Pitfalls
Hype
Brand bores
Abstraction
Ellipsis
Vanity & pomposity

Module 3. Strategies of Persuasion
The dynamics of persuasion
Tone
Cadence, rhythm & momentum
Suspense
Structuring an argument

Module 4. Editing Corporate Writing
Translation
Revision
Proof-reading
Cross-cultural blind spots - editing for international readers

Module 5. Expert Web Site Analysis
Critique of competitors' web sites
Exercises in "textual intervention"
Self-assessment & course evaluation

The course is taught by Rolf Hughes, an experienced English copywriter and university lecturer who has written the web sites of some of Sweden's leading corporate players.

Miscellaneous
The course is modular and interested parties can therefore combine individual modules with units from other Metamorphosis courses, by agreement. It is also possible to order single lectures and one-day presentations/seminars concerning one or more element of the course.

Please contact Metamorphosis to discuss your company's specific requirements.

Further details: info@metamorphosis.se
Or phone Rolf Hughes on 070-757 0100.