We've already discussed this, so I'll keep my rap short: Analyze your audience and give your audience members what they need, in a way they can understand it.

ndependent sentences dependent clauses parenthetical asides separate sections If you're using relatively simple terms and have a knowledgeable audience, use simple, short definitions that fit within an ordinary sentence. If the definition is a bit more complex and/or your audience needs a bit more information, use a parenthetical statement. If you're defining complicated or detailed information, even to a knowledgeable audience, insert full paragraphs or subsections. Sometimes, depending on the nature of the document that contains a definition, you'll refer readers to entire sections, such as footnotes, a glossary in the back of a textbook, or appendices at the end of formal proposals and reports (hint, hint on this last part).

As we've already mentioned, the audience's need for information will drive how much information you provide. If the audience both needs and can handle a lot of information, then get super-detailed. On the other hand, if the audience only needs or only can handle the basics for whatever reason, then keep the definition short and include just the absolutely necessary information.

Descriptors Let's talk descriptors that can be used in writing a definition. Here's a partial list of possible items you can use to define a noun: physical characteristics (a thing's color, shape, size, material, smell, taste, texture, and so on) uses functions operation (how it works, but not how to work it -- that's what goes in instructions) effects origins analogies ("It tastes like chicken," for example) specific examples pictures diagrams

Use simple vertical lists when the list items do not need to be emphasized and are listed vertically merely for ease of reading.

First-level headings are for formal reports with multiple sections (or "chapters")

If you are writing a brief document, start with secondlevel headings in the body of the document

Make the phrasing of headings parallel. In the following illustration, notice that the second-level headings use the how, what, when, where, why style of phrasing. The third-levels use noun phrases. (Check out this tutorial on Parallel Structure from the Purdue OWL)

For short documents, begin with the second-level heading; skip the first-level.

Don't overdo headings: for example, a heading for each of a series of one- or two-sentence paragraphs. (Also, you don't need a heading per paragraph;

Lists are useful tools for emphasizing important points, enabling readers to scan text rapidly, and providing more white space.

Highlighting here refers to bold text, italics, alternate fonts, capital letters, quotation marks, and other typographical tricks used to call attention to text

In the text before each figure appears, provide a cross-reference to the figure. If you include a label and caption, place them below each figure. Omit labels and captions if they have no vital function and are not needed (for example, in instructions when the figures are closely related to the individual steps

Insert plenty of headings, perhaps one heading for every two to three paragraphs. Avoid overkill, though: lots of headings with only one or two sentences per heading does not work.

it is not generally a good practice to send correspondence—paper or electronic—to persons at levels above your supervisor without talking to your supervisor about the matter first and perhaps asking him or her to unofficially review and approve your memo or email.

Something you may not know about is the "through" or "via" line on paper memos. In the military or in especially hierarchical companies, it may be frowned upon for a person to send an email to someone at a level above his or her direct supervisor. At such organizations, any correspondence to a person above the writer's direct supervisor must go through the supervisor. The memo must go first to the direct supervisor, indicated with a "through" or "via" line. The direct supervisor initials by his or her name to show he or she has read and approved the memo, and then sends it to the next level until it arrives at its destination. When the final recipient receives it, he or she is assured that your memo has been read and approved all the way up the chain of command.

Bcc stands for blind carbon copy, and bc is blind copy, but they are the same thing. When you use the bc option, only the person bc-ed can see who gets the email. The person in the "to" box or anyone cc-ed cannot see that a bc copy was sent or who received it.

When do you use the cc option? When you want someone to have a copy of the email, but only for reference purposes. Or to put it more casually, to keep someone in the loop. For example, you manage a team, and you recently had a meeting. You send the meeting minutes to the team members who attended the meeting. You also want your supervisor to know that 1) you had a meeting and 2) you covered important topics and some decisions are made. Your supervisor isn't necessarily going to respond to the email and isn't directly involved in the meeting or projects. This is a good time to use a cc. When you cc someone on the email, everyone who gets the email can see who is cc-ed.

So the "cc" in the email heading stands for carbon copy, even though we don't use carbon anymore. In fact, sometimes, the cc is just changed to c for copy.

CC stands for carbon copy

in email, the reader feels pretty confident that the email really came from the sender because, presumably, the sender had to log in to a secure email account.

Memos and emails have the to, from, subject, date heading format in common. For this reason, emails are often considered to be synonymous with memos

Audience analysis can get complicated by at least three other factors: mixed audience types for one document, wide variability within audience, and unknown audiences.