Effective Government Correspondence Course

Module 1: What is Correspondence?

• Define the term "correspondence" and understand its importance in government communication.
• Examine the role of correspondence in internal and external communication within government agencies.
• Identify different types of correspondence, such as emails, memos, and letters, used in government communication.

Module 2: Finding the “Good” in Good Writing

• Define the Seven Traits of Good Writing.
• Understand and implement the principles of the Plain Writing Act of 2010.
• Use plain language principles to improve writing clarity and conciseness.

Module 3: Your Writing Toolbox and the Writing Process

• Identify communication goals, audience needs, and appropriate formats for government correspondence.
• Understand and apply the four-step writing process: Prewrite, Draft, Revise, Refine.
• Learn strategies for drafting effective communication based on audience and purpose.

Module 4: Emails That Connect

• Learn techniques for writing clear and concise emails.
• Understand the first steps in the writing process: identifying your reader, planning, and drafting.
• Master email etiquette and subject line creation for effective communication.

Module 5: Clear, Concise Letters

• Identify conventions for government letter-writing.
• Apply techniques such as headings, subheadings, and lists to improve clarity in letters.
• Write formal government letters using proper structure and professional tone.

Module 6: From Rough Draft to Polished: Revise and Refine Memos

• Define revising and refining in the context of memo writing.
• Learn techniques for content-level editing and sentence-level refinement.
• Understand conventions for writing effective government memos.

Module 7: Legal and Ethical Considerations in Correspondence

• Identify legal and ethical considerations when writing government correspondence.
• Understand policies and privacy laws affecting government communication.

Module 8: Time-Saving Writing Tools

• Identify and assess time-saving tools for writing government correspondence.
• Explore the use of Generative AI in writing government communications and its potential benefits and risks.