UNIT 4

PROFESSIONAL WRITING SKILLS

PROFSSIONAL DRAFTING SKILLS:Circular, Notice, Executive Summary

What is Circular?

Circular is like an advertisement, commonly printed on a page or leaflet, so as to disseminate

the information across the wide network of people,, i.e. employees, department or branches
of organization, business clients customers, etc.

During the course of business, a number of events may take place which requires sending
circular letters. With the help of these circulars, the sender intends
intends to provide some
information to the persons concerned. The process of sending circulars to different addressees
is termed circulizing.

These are used for a number of purposes or events such as – inviting employees for meetings,
sales campaigns, enforcing dress codes, an announcement of special developments i.e.
change of address, reorganization, and extension.

Points to be considered while drafting a Circular

1. The signature of the reader is taken, which indicates that the information has been
conveyed.
2. It is required to be specially written in an unambiguous and easily understandable
language.
3. It has to be printed or cyclostyled.
cyclostyled
4. Dear Sir/Madam is used as a general form of salutation.
Circulars are prepared once and then they are cyclostyled or electrostated with a space left
for variable details, for circulation to different recipients. To personalize the circular letter –
name, address, and individual salutations can be inserted in those spaces after it is cyclostyled
and addressed to one individual by way of post. However, they can also be randomly
distributed. It can also be issued like an advertisement in the newspaper.

Types of Circulars

 General Circular
 Official Circular
 Business Circular
 Sales Circular or Trade Circular

It is to be noted that the circulars differ in their layout, content, and matter.

Objective of Circular

1. To issue directions
2. To inform about new policies, procedures.
3. To gain publicity of the goods to be purchased or sold.
4. To influence the readers, with factual points about the company and its offerings.
5. To create interest of readers in the contents.
6. To gain the reader’s confidence.
7. To encourage sales.
8. To invite suggestions

Format of Circular
  Absence of Sender’s Reference: The reference of the sender is absent in the circular
because he doesn’t expect a reply from the receiver, as he wants to communicate
information to a number of customers.
 Absence of Inside Address: The inside address is absent in circulars as these are
printed copies and are addressed to different receivers. So, the inside address is not
printed in advance. At the time of posting the letter, the individual address is
mentioned at the bottom left-hand side margin.
 Use of Combined Salutation: Combined Salutation is used, to increase its
applicability to a variety of users.
 Use of Signature Block: The signature block of the authorized signatory is prepared
and affixed on the letter at the time of printing.
 Special Message: In case of a sales circular, it has to be drafted with a special
message i.e. Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action i.e. AIDA formula.

What is Notice?

Notice implies a piece of information related to a fact, communicated by an authorized

person of the organization to different parties like employees, clients, customers, suppliers,
etc. When it comes to intra-organizational communication, notices together with
an agenda are conveyed to all members beforehand, so as to hold meetings.

Many organizations have notice boards at notable places, all over the office, so that they can
be seen by all to whom it is meant. Every member of the organization is expected to read its
contents. It is also shown on the company’s website.

Points to be considered while drafting notice

 The company’s letterhead must be used for writing or printing the notice.
 Notice should be complete as regards the day, time, date, and venue of the meeting.
 Name of those members attending the meeting should be mentioned.
 The name of those members presiding over the meeting should also be stated.
 It has to be single-spaced and left-aligned. Further, one line should be left between
paragraphs.
 It must contain meeting agenda.

What is Agenda?

As the name suggests, the agenda is the list of all the matters which are raised in the meeting
in a specific order, commonly announced in advance.

Purpose

Notices are primarily used to grab the attention of the staff towards special matters. It also
plays an important role in ending legal contracts such as employment contracts. Notices are
displayed about:

 Inviting everyone for meeting

 New procedures or new rules to be initiated or followed
 Social events to be held
  Advertisements for internal appointments
 Reminders of company procedures
 Report on the matter of interest
 Holiday
 Deadlines about any particular job assigned.

Format of Notice

 The title of the company is the one issuing notice.

 The subject of the notice should be bold and catchy.
 The body of the notice may include reasons for writing notice, relevant event and
occasion information, and information about date/time/venue.
 Lastly, the signature, name, and designation of the issuer of notice are mentioned.

Key Differences Between Circular and Notice

1. Circulars are a means of written communication used when the same information is to
be conveyed to a number of people. On the other hand, notice is a form of written
communication, used to transmit informational messages to members of the
organization.
2. While notice is displayed on the notice board, where everyone can see and go through
its contents. It is also shown on the company’s website. Unlike, circulars are
distributed to the members concerned.
3. Notices are generally used for intradepartmental communication, i.e. communicating
messages within the department. In contrast, circulars can be used for inter-
departmental communication, i.e. transmitting messages across departments or
branches of the organization as well as to clients, suppliers, and customers.
4. The font size used for writing circulars is smaller than the font size used to write a
notice. That is to say, notices are written in larger font size as it allows people to read
even from a distance. Conversely, circulars are handheld by individuals and that is
why their font size is smaller.
5. Notice is always written within a box, but no such boxes are used to write circulars.
 6. Notice is meant for a targeted audience. As against, the circular is a general
announcement.

Example

Circular

Notice
Conclusion

Notices have legal standing as they are displayed or posted prominently, which are supposed
to be read by every person for whom it is meant. Conversely, it cannot be said that circulars
have reached the target audience.

Comparison Chart

BASIS FOR
CIRCULAR NOTICE
COMPARISON

Meaning A Circular is also a written formal Notice is a formal document in

document meant for department- written form which is meant to
wide or organization-wide provide important information to
communication. the receivers.

Communication It is circulated among the members It is displayed in one place to bring

concerned. attention to something important.

Used for Interdepartmental communication Intradepartmental communication

Font size Small font size Comparatively larger font size

Use of box The box is not used. Notice is always written inside a
box.

Meant for General Announcement Targeted Audience

Executive summaries precede nearly every type of business document. Despite being the
shortest part, they often leave the biggest impression on the reader. Yet, many writers choose
to treat an executive summary as an afterthought. (And some presenters too!). Why? Because
writing an executive summary is a seemingly hard task. But our mission is to prove
otherwise!

 What is an Executive Summary?

 An executive summary is a preface to a larger business document such as an annual
report, business plan, or whitepaper, succinctly summarizing the key discussion
points. Effectively, an executive summary offers a “preview” of the content, so that
the reader could form a baseline opinion about the contents prior to diving into a deep
reading session.
The University of Arizona offers a more elaborated executive summary definition
which also notes that an executive summary should:

 Restate the purpose of the follow-up document

 Highlight the key discussion points and most notable facts
 Relay any notable results, conclusions, or recommendations

Though an executive summary is just a foreword to a bigger report, it’s one of the
most labor-intensive items as you have to condense a lot of information into a high-
level summary. Oftentimes, an executive summary also gets prominent placement in
the follow-up presentation, done on the report.

Executive Summary Examples

Nearly every type of business document will have an executive summary. Some are better
structured and presented than others. But it’s not just limited to business documents.
Executive summaries are also used in scientific projects, articles, and education. Below are
several admirable executive summary examples you may want to use as an inspiration for
writing.
Accenture: Gaming: The Next Super Platform

This executive summary for an industry report opens with some big quantifiable
claims, clearly communicating the main agenda — describing the size and state of
the global gaming market. The gaming industry is a huge market. The pullout texts
on the sidebar further detail the scope of the document. Plus clarify for whom this
report is intended.

Executive Summary Format

As the above executive summary examples illustrated, there is no one fit-it-all format
for writing an executive study. The best approach depends on your report type,
purpose, and contents.

That being said, an executive summary needs to fulfill several earlier mentioned
criteria — offer a preview, provide key information at glance, showcase any results,
recommendations. That’s what most readers expect to see on the first page after all.

The easiest way to approach writing is to draft a preliminary executive summary

outline featuring the following subsections:

1. General introduction, explaining the key problems discussed)

2. Main problem statement(s)
3. Selected findings or recommendations
4. The importance of discussed points

Since you’d also be likely working on presenting the executive summary to

other stakeholders, it helps you keep the above structured as bullet points at first. So
that you could easily transfer the main ideas to your executive summary PowerPoint
slide.

How Long Should an Executive Summary Be?

As a rule of thumb, an executive summary should not go longer than one vertical
page. That is an equivalent of 300-500 words, depending on the typeface. For longer
reports, two pages (a horizontal split) may be acceptable. But remember, brevity is
key. You are working on a trailer for a movie (the full report).

How to Write an Executive Summary: a 3-Step

Framework
You can start with the aforementioned loose format and then adapt it to your
document type. Remember, you don’t need to follow all the recommendations to a T.
Instead, mix some ideas to make your executive summary sound both professional
and engaging. Here are several tips for that:
 How
to Write an Executive Summary for a Presentation

1. Start with a Problem Statement

Think of the first paragraph as if of an opening slide for a presentation: you need to
make a big compelling statement that immediately communicates your agenda. Set
the scene for the reader. There are several ways to do so:

 Answer the “why now” question in the opening paragraph

 Address the urgency of the matter
 Highlight the importance of the discussed issue

Alternatively, you can also go for a more traditional opening and explain the
background of the research and discussed issue. For example, if you have conducted
a go-to-market strategy evaluation for the team you can start by saying that “This
report analyzed online furniture brand performance in 5 target EMEA markets in
terms of market share, local brand recall, brand preference, and estimated online
sales volumes.” Afterward, briefly communicate the main aim of the report.

2. Present the Main Discussion Points

Next, flesh out what’s included in the scope of this report to properly manage the
reader’s expectations. You can use the report’s section subheads as key discussion
points or come up with snappier, more descriptive statements.

Here are several good writing practices to follow:

 Use bullet points and numbered lists to break down text blocks.
 Quantify the biggest findings when possible. Style them as “call-outs”.
  Mention the limitations of your report and what it does not account for.
 Discuss the used research methods and data sources.

Finally, summarize the findings in one concluding paragraph if you have space. Or
style it as a featured quote to draw the reader’s eye towards crucial information.

3. List the Recommendations or Next Steps

The bottom part of the page, around 100-150 words should be allocated towards
underlining the results, conclusions, and follow-up action expected from the reader.
Summarize what you have found during the course of your research. Mention if you
have identified any specific type of solution or a type of recommended action.

Once you are done, send over an executive summary draft to a team member who
hasn’t seen the complete report. Ask for their feedback. Can they tell what the report
content is after reading the summary? Does the summary intrigue them? Is it
descriptive enough for someone without any other context into the matter? Use the
critique to further improve the document.

How to Prepare an Executive Summary Presentation

High chances are that you’ll also be asked to write the copy for the executive
summary presentation, and perhaps even design it too. So let’s get you up to speed
on this aspect as well.

How Does an Executive Summary Slide Look Like in PPT?

There’s no ultimate look for an executive summary slide as most presenters

customize it to best reflect the content they’d want to showcase. But if you want
some universal example, here’s our executive summary slide template:
Source: Executive Summary PowerPoint Template by SlideModel

What Makes a Good Executive Summary Slide?

A good executive summary slide visually communicates all the important information
from the full report. Typically, it’s an even more condensed version of the written
executive summary, prefacing the document. Thus to create a good executive
summary slide, be prepared to do some ruthless editing.

Include a condensed version of the:

 Main problem statement or report agenda

 Key findings. Prioritize quantifiable ones
 Recommendations and next steps.

Also, you will need some PowerPoint design mastery to ensure that an executive
summary in your PowerPoint presentation looks compelling, but not cluttered.
Prioritize white space. Here is where a good executive summary template can make
your life easier. To minimize the number of texts, add icons and other simple
visualizations. Trim headers and subheads to give the slide even more breathing
room.

How to Write an Executive Summary for a

Presentation
Most likely you won’t need to write a brand new copy for this slide, but rather adapt
the text at hand. That already makes your job a lot easier when summarizing a
presentation into an executive summary slide. Still, you don’t want to mess anything
up. So stick with the executive summary template you’ve chosen and fill in the gaps
using our tips.

1. Keep the Tone Consistent

Use the same tone of voice and word choices in your slide deck as you’ve adopted in
the report. If the tone of your presentation speech differs too much with terms used
on the slide and in the report copy, some audience members may get confused, and
then disengaged.

2. Focus on Telling a Story

Stakeholders will have the extra time to read the “dry” report. During the
presentation, your main goal is to draw their attention to the most important issue,
showcase the value-packed inside the report, and make them eager to learn more by
actually flipping the full copy afterward.

3. Chop Full Sentences into Bullet Points

Go snappy and present information in a snackable manner. Remember, our brain can
only keep 3-5 items at once in the working memory. So you shouldn’t try to overload
the audience with a long list of “very important points” in one sitting.

Also, per a recent presentation survey, among the 3 things that annoy audiences
most about presentations are slides that include full sentences of text. So, when
working on your presentation summary slide, trim those lengthy texts and move on
some of the other points to separate slides.

4. Don’t Go Data Galore

Including numbers and data visualizations is a great way to present your executive
summary. However, overloading your data slides with data nuggets makes your
presentation less impactful.

To Conclude
An executive summary is the first page and/or slide a reader will see. That’s why the
stakes are high to make it look just right. Granted, that shouldn’t be an issue. Since
you now know how to write, design, and present a compelling executive summary to
others!
What is email etiquette?

Email etiquette means the principles that guide our behavior when sending and receiving
emails. This code of conduct includes guidelines regarding appropriate language, spelling,
grammar, and manners. The proper etiquette depends on whom you are emailing. In the
workplace, it's always safer to err on the formal side of these conventions.

Why is email etiquette important?

Adhering to the email etiquette will help you establish professionalism, build stronger
relationships in the workplace and represent your employer well. It'll also make
communications more efficient and prevent you and the business from getting into trouble.
Familiarizing yourself with professional email etiquette will help you communicate
respectfully with others and succeed in your career.

1. Write a clear subject line

As many of us are constantly buried in our inboxes, the subject line can have a significant
impact on whether your email gets opened or not.

To adhere to email etiquetteAim for a clear and short subject line that describes what your
email is about in a couple of words or a concise sentence. Use identifiers such as "proposal"
and "application" that immediately tell the recipient explicitly what to expect from your
email. Subject lines that provide utility are more likely to get read, so keep it practical.

Whatever you do, never send an email without a subject line. It's a clear violation of proper
email etiquette. Seeing the "No subject" almost guarantees that the recipient will move your
message straight to the trash as it seems suspicious.

2. Start with a professional greeting

The best way to greet a person in an email always depends on your relationship with them
and the subject matter. The appropriate way to start an email professionally varies from
formal to casual, but you should never come across informal.

Some of the most common greetings include:

 Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr.<Last name>,

 Hello <First name>,
  Hi <First name>,
The list of informal greetings that count as bad email etiquette ranges from "Heya" and "Yo"
to just the recipient's name – and trust us, you don't want to make this email etiquette mistake.

3. Don't forget to introduce yourself

You shouldn't ever assume that the recipient knows who you are. Especially if you contact
someone you don't know for the first time, it's part of email etiquette to start your email's
body with a brief introduction – a short line or two covering relevant information will do. If
you know the recipient but you're not quite sure whether your name rings a bell to them, find
a way to mention the last time you talked or remind them how you know each other

4. Keep it short

As an average office worker receives well over 100 emails a day, no one has time to read
lengthy messages.The worst thing you can do is make the recipient skim through the whole
email to find out what your message is even about. Instead, you should be upfront about your
email's purpose by stating it in the very beginning. Make your point fast, don't be wordy, and
use short sentences that read well. Ideally, your email only has one goal, but if you need to
cover different topics, consider condense them to bullet points.

When you think you are done, take time to edit your message to ensure it's clear and delete all
the unnecessary words. If you still think it's too long, consider if there's a better channel than
email to communicate about the topic.

5. Refrain from humor

Without the right tone and expression to accompany them, even the most hilarious punchlines
can land miles away from their target.That's why humor often gets lost in translation in an
email. Sarcasm is especially dangerous in written format, as the reader can literally interpret
you meaning the opposite you just said. Unless you are really tight with the recipient, you
should shy away from joking in a professional email. It's not even about the risk of being
misunderstood – what you find funny is not necessarily funny to the recipient.

6. Structure the email properly

A professional email should include a subject line, greeting, body, sign-off, and signature.
Streeting away from this structure can be considered as a violation of email etiquette. You
should always separate these parts with paragraph breaks to make your message easily
digestible.

Aim to deliver your message so that the email body is no longer than three paragraphs. As
people tend to "scan" emails looking for something interesting to dive into instead of reading
them word-by-word, start each paragraph by highlighting the most important thing.
Remember also to leave an empty line between the paragraphs to improve readability.
In case you feel the risk of information overload, consider using bullet point or numbered
lists to bring more structure to your writing, break up wordy sections. If you use bold to
highlight what's most important, never use it for more than one word or phrase per email.

7. Use sentence case

Using a sentence case means capitalizing the first letter of the first word in a sentence and
any proper nouns.

To

[email protected]

Hi Pete,

It was great talking to you. I'm looking forward to learning more about Corpod's pricing plans
soon.
Using capital letters in a conventional way is part of business email etiquette, so you
shouldn't foray from it. Remember that writing in all caps at work is also considered a faux
pas.

8. Watch your tone

It's not just what you say but how you say it.

Be intentional with your word choices and always consider how the recipient might interpret
them. As you can't rely on facial expressions and intonation to deliver the message, make an
extra effort to come across as positive.

In addition to refraining from humor, don't use negative words and adjectives that can make
you seem more emotional than you actually are.

Flowrite can help you deliver the message in a way you intended to – choose the tone for
your email, and let our AI-powered writing tool take care of the rest.
9. Write like nothing is confidential

Keep away from discussing sensitive topics or confidential information over email as they
can get into the wrong hands notoriously easily. No matter who the recipient is, you shouldn't
trust that they're the only person who'll see your email as a leak can be just a matter of
accidental forward or CC. It's always better to be safe than sorry, so a good guideline for
business email etiquette is not to write an email you wouldn't want the whole world to read.

10. Spare the exclamation points!!!

You surely don't shout that often at work, right? That's why you should be mindful when
using exclamation points in business emails. The only real reason to use one is to express
excitement – and that never requires more than an exclamation point. Using more than one
per email can make you appear unprofessional, not even to mention ending a sentence with a
number of them.

11. Be aware of cultural differences

Miscommunication can easily happen due to cultural differences.

The risk is even greater in written words as there's no body language to accompany the
message. That's why you should try to familiarize yourself with the recipient's culture when
you are emailing someone abroad. Accommodating their preferences will help you to build
stronger relationships with them.

The basic elements of professional email writing:

1. Your email address

2. Subject line
3. Email opening
4. Email body
5. Email ending
6. Email Sign off
7. Email signature/footer
 Guidelines for Writing a Thesis or Dissertation

Getting Started

1. Most research begins with a question. Think about which topics and theories you are
interested in and what youwould like to know more about. Think about the topics
and theories you have studied in your program. Is there some question you feel the
body of knowledge in your field does not answer adequately?
2. 2. Once you have a question in mind, begin looking for information relevant to the
topic and its theoretical framework. Read everything you can--academic research,
trade literature, and information in the popular press and on the Internet.
3. As you become well-informed about your topic and prior research on the topic, your
knowledge should suggest a purpose for your thesis/dissertation. When you can
articulate this purpose clearly, you are ready to write your prospectus/proposal. This
document specifies the purpose of the study, significance of the study, a tentative
review of the literature on the topic and its theoretical framework (a working
bibliography should be attached), your research questions and/or hypotheses, and
how you will collect and analyze your data (your proposed instrumentation should
be attached).
4. 4. At this point, master's students need to recruit committee members (if they
haven't done so already) and hold a preliminary meeting. The purpose of this
meeting is to refine your plans if needed and to make explicit expectations for
completion of the thesis. Doctoral students discuss their dissertation proposal as
part of their qualifying exam. At the completion of this meeting, the student should
submit a memo to committee members summarizing what was agreed upon during
the meeting.
5. 5. Once your instrumentation is developed, you need to clear it and your informed
consent protocol with the Institutional Review Board before you begin collecting
data. Leave adequate time to do so. The process can take several days or weeks. 6.
Obviously, the next steps are collecting and analyzing data, writing up the findings,
and composing the final chapter. You also should make sure Chapters 1 and 2 are
now fully developed. Your chair and committee members provide guidance as
needed at this point but expect you to work as independently as possible. 7. You
should be prepared to hire assistance with coding and data entry and analysis if
needed. 8. Get a copy of the graduate school's guidelines for writing theses and
dissertations and follow these guidelines exactly. Writing 9. Each thesis or
dissertation is unique but all share several common elements. The following is not
an exact guide but rather a general outline.

Chapter 1: Purpose and Significance of the Study In the first chapter, clearly state what
the purpose of the study is and explain the study's significance. The significance is
addressed by discussing how the study adds to the theoretical body of knowledge in the
field and the study's practical significance for communication professionals in the field
being examined. Ph.D. students also must explain how their research makes an original
contribution to the body of knowledge in their discipline. They also should address the
significance of the study for mass communication education. It is especially critical that
this chapter be well developed. Without a clearly defined purpose and strong theoretical
grounding, the thesis or dissertation is fundamentally flawed from the outset.

Chapter 2: Review of the Literature The purpose of the study should suggest some
theoretical framework to be explained further in this chapter. The literature review thus
describes and analyzes previous research on the topic. This chapter, however, should
not merely string together what other researchers have found. Rather, you should
discuss and analyze the body of knowledge with the ultimate goal of determining what is
known and is not known about the topic. This determination leads to your research
questions and/or hypotheses. In some cases, of course, you may determine that
replicating previous research is needed.

Chapter 3: Methodology This chapter describes and justifies the data gathering method
used. This chapter also outlines how you analyzed your data. Begin by describing the
method you chose and why this method was the most appropriate. In doing so, you
should cite reference literature about the method. Next, detail every step of the data
gathering and analysis process. Although this section varies depending on method and
analysis technique chosen, many of the following areas typically are addressed: --
description of research design internal validity external validity --description of
population and description of and justification for type of sample used or method for
selecting units of observation --development of instrument or method for making
observations (e.g., question guide, categories for content analysis) pre-test reliability
and validity of instrument or method --administration of instrument or method for
making observations (e.g., interviews, observation, content analysis) --coding of data --
description of data analysis statistical analysis and tests performed identification of
themes/categories (qualitative or historical research)

Chapter 4: Findings This chapter addresses the results from your data analysis only. This
chapter does not include discussing other research literature or the implications of your
findings. Usually you begin by outlining any descriptive or exploratory/confirmatory
analyses (e.g., reliability tests, factor analysis) that were conducted. You next address
the results of the tests of hypotheses. You then discuss any ex post facto analysis. Tables
and/or figures should be used to illustrate and summarize all numeric information. For
qualitative and historical research, this chapter usually is organized by the themes or
categories uncovered in your research. If you have conducted focus groups or
interviews, it is often appropriate to provide a brief descriptive (e.g., demographic)
profile of the participants first. Direct quotation and paraphrasing of data from focus
groups, interviews, or historical artifacts then are used to support the generalizations
made. In some cases, this analysis also includes information from field notes or other
interpretative data (e.g., life history information).

Chapter 5: Discussion The purpose of this chapter is not just to reiterate what you found
but rather to discuss what your findings mean in relation to the theoretical body of
knowledge on the topic and your profession. Typically, students skimp on this chapter
even though it may be the most important one because it answers the "So what?"
question. Begin by discussing your findings in relation to the theoretical framework
introduced in the literature review. In some cases, you may need to introduce new
literature (particularly with qualitative research). This chapter also should address what
your findings mean for communication professionals in the field being examined. In
other words, what are the study's practical implications? Doctoral students also should
discuss the pedagogical implications of the study. What does the study suggest for mass
communication education?

This chapter next outlines the limitations of the study. Areas for future research then are
proposed. Obviously, the thesis or dissertation ends with a brief conclusion that
provides closure. A strong final sentence should be written.

Finishing 10. Do not expect to begin and finish your thesis in the same semester. You
need to make significant progress (which usually means you are already collecting data)
the semester before you want to graduate. The defense is scheduled when the thesis
has been completed successfully--not when it is convenient for the student to graduate.
Even if nothing goes wrong (and things often do), a quality thesis takes about six to nine
months to complete (from inception to graduate school clearance). Obviously, the same
principles apply for dissertations as well but doctoral students must allot even more
time. A quality dissertation usually takes about a year to complete (best case scenario).
11. Do not expect your chair or committee members to copy edit your thesis or
dissertation. Before turning in any drafts, you should carefully edit and spell check your
work. Editing occurs at two different levels at least. Micro editing involves correcting
spelling and grammatical errors. It also involves checking for proper paragraph and
sentence structure, consistent use of terms, and variety in word choice. Macro editing
assesses the overall structure of the thesis. This includes making sure each chapter flows
logically from the previous chapter, headings and subheadings are used properly and
consistently, and transitions are included between major topics. Macro editing also
determines whether any parts of the thesis need to be streamlined or expanded. In
some cases, it may be necessary for you to hire a professional editor.

12. Leave time for the chair to read your completed thesis or dissertation at least twice
before giving it to your committee members. Don't expect to submit the completed
thesis or dissertation for the first time to the chair and defend in the same or following
week. Also, it is customary to give the thesis or dissertation to committee members at
least a week before the defense.

13. It is the student’s responsibility to reserve a room for the defense and to bring the
signature page and the examination form to the defense.

14. Be prepared for revisions after the defense. You can expedite clearance by the
graduate school by letting the staff examine a draft of the thesis or dissertation before
you defend.

15. It is customary to provide your chair and committee members with a bound copy of
the final version of the thesis or dissertation.