1504.0 - Methodological News, Jun 2003  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 08/03/2004   
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MAKING AN IMPACT: BETTER ANALYTICAL WRITING

Even the most polished and professional piece of analysis relies as much on the words around it as the numbers themselves. Over the past few months a handful of analysts from Analysis Branch have begun developing a training course to improve written communication in the branch.

The course comprises three modules, each of which will last for about 2 hours:

  • Getting the fundamentals right: covering the importance of plain English, clear communication and motivating your writing.
  • Executive summaries: the importance of writing a good executive summary and how to do it.
  • Editing your own and other people's work: which brings a professional editor's perspective to the importance of good editing.

The course, which is strongly practical, will be structured around discussion and written exercises (some of which will be done in class, some of which will be set for homework). Although the course is designed primarily for analysts from ASB, it may be offered to others in the Bureau (if it is successful and if there is demand). And parts of it may find their way into Ken Tallis's TEDII (Turning Economic Data into Information) course.

A pilot course will be run in July.

For more information, please contact Jon Hall on (02) 6252 7221.

E-mail : jon.hall@abs.gov.au

or any of the analytical writing team

Annette Jose, Anil Kumar, John de Maio, Damian Mullaly, Cristy Williams