Collaborative Business Writing Instructor Guide
TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface ..............................................................................................................................................7 What is Courseware? ................................................................................................................................ 7 How Do I Customize My Course? .............................................................................................................. 7 Materials Required ................................................................................................................................... 9 Maximizing Your Training Power .............................................................................................................. 9 Module One: Getting Started ........................................................................................................... 11 Housekeeping Items................................................................................................................................ 11 The Parking Lot ....................................................................................................................................... 12 Workshop Objectives .............................................................................................................................. 12 Module Two: What is Collaborative Business Writing? ...................................................................... 13 Clarifying the Objective........................................................................................................................... 13 Practical Writing Approaches ................................................................................................................. 14 Collaborative Writing Strategies ............................................................................................................ 15 Collaborative Writing Patterns ............................................................................................................... 16 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 17 Module Two: Review Questions.............................................................................................................. 19 Module Three: Types of Collaborative Business Writing .................................................................... 22 Construction – “Cut and Paste” .............................................................................................................. 22 Parallel Construction – “Puzzle” ............................................................................................................. 23 Sequential Summative Construction ....................................................................................................... 24 Integrating Construction......................................................................................................................... 25 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 26 Module Three: Review Questions ........................................................................................................... 28
Module Four: Collaborative Team Members ..................................................................................... 32 Team Leader Selection ............................................................................................................................ 32 Chief Editor Selection .............................................................................................................................. 33 Characteristics of Team Members .......................................................................................................... 34 Ways to Build Collaborative Writing Team............................................................................................. 35 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 36 Module Four: Review Questions ............................................................................................................. 38 Module Five: Collaborative Tools and Processes ............................................................................... 41 Outlines and Storyboards ....................................................................................................................... 41 Collaborative Planning............................................................................................................................ 42 Collaborative Revision ............................................................................................................................ 43 Collaborative Team Cohesion ................................................................................................................. 44 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 45 Module Five: Review Questions .............................................................................................................. 46 Module Six: Setting Style Guidelines ................................................................................................. 49 Voice and Person .................................................................................................................................... 49 Format .................................................................................................................................................... 50 Consistent Spelling of Commonly Used Words ....................................................................................... 51 Numbers as Words or Figures................................................................................................................. 52 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 54 Module Six: Review Questions ................................................................................................................ 55 Module Seven: Barriers to Successful Collaborative Writing .............................................................. 58 Hoarding ................................................................................................................................................. 58 Innovation ............................................................................................................................................... 59 Search ..................................................................................................................................................... 60 Knowledge Transfer ................................................................................................................................ 61
Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 62 Module Seven: Review Questions ........................................................................................................... 64 Module Eight: Overcoming Collaborative Writing Barriers ................................................................. 67 Practice T-shaped Management............................................................................................................. 67 Building a Network of Alliances .............................................................................................................. 68 Implementing Enablers ........................................................................................................................... 69 Assessing the Culture and Areas for Improvement................................................................................. 70 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 71 Module Eight: Review Questions ............................................................................................................ 72 Module Nine: Styles of Dealing with Conflict .................................................................................... 75 Ensure that Good Relationships are the First Priority............................................................................. 75 Keep People and Problems Separate ...................................................................................................... 76 Pay Attention to the Interests that are Being Presented ........................................................................ 77 Listen First, Talk Second .......................................................................................................................... 78 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 79 Module Nine: Review Questions ............................................................................................................. 80 Module Ten: Tips for Successful Business Writing Collaboration ........................................................ 83 Determine Purpose ................................................................................................................................. 83 Formulate Outline and Organizational Format ...................................................................................... 84 When Choosing a Team Leader, Remember‌ ........................................................................................ 85 Assign Writing Tasks and Associated Duties .......................................................................................... 86 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 87 Module Ten: Review Questions .............................................................................................................. 88 Module Eleven: Examples of Collaborative Business Writing ............................................................. 91 Writing Emails ........................................................................................................................................ 91 Writing Reports....................................................................................................................................... 92
Writing Training Manuals ....................................................................................................................... 93 Writing Company Handbooks ................................................................................................................. 94 Case Study............................................................................................................................................... 95 Module Eleven: Review Questions .......................................................................................................... 97 Module Twelve: Wrapping Up ........................................................................................................ 100 Words from the Wise ............................................................................................................................ 100 Review of Parking Lot ........................................................................................................................... 100 Lessons Learned .................................................................................................................................... 100 Completion of Action Plans and Evaluations ........................................................................................ 101
It is the history of humankind that those who learn to collaborate and improvise most effectively have survived. Charles Darwin
Preface What is Courseware? Welcome to Courseware.com, a completely new training experience! Our courseware packages offer you top-quality training materials that are customizable, user-friendly, educational, and fun. We provide your materials, materials for the student, PowerPoint slides, and a takehome reference sheet for the student. You simply need to prepare and train! Best of all, our courseware packages are created in Microsoft Office and can be opened using any version of Word and PowerPoint. (Most other word processing and presentation programs support these formats, too.) This means that you can customize the content, add your logo, change the color scheme, and easily print and e-mail training materials.
How Do I Customize My Course? Customizing your course is easy. To edit text, just click and type as you would with any document. This is particularly convenient if you want to add customized statistics for your region, special examples for your participants’ industry, or additional information. You can, of course, also use all of your word processor’s other features, including text formatting and editing tools (such as cutting and pasting). To remove modules, simply select the text and press Delete on your keyboard. Then, navigate to the Table of Contents, right-click, and click Update Field. You may see a dialog box; if so, click “Update entire table” and press OK.
(You will also want to perform this step if you add modules or move them around.) Page 7
If you want to change the way text looks, you can format any piece of text any way you want. However, to make it easy, we have used styles so that you can update all the text at once. If you are using Word 97 to 2003, start by clicking the Format menu followed by Styles and Formatting. In Word 2007 and 2010 under the Home tab, right-click on your chosen style and click Modify. That will then produce the Modify Style options window where you can set your preferred style options. For example, if we wanted to change our Heading 1 style, used for Module Titles, this is what we would do:
Now, we can change our formatting and it will apply to all the headings in the document. For more information on making Word work for you, please refer to Word 2007 or 2010 Essentials by Courseware.com.
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Materials Required All of our courses use flip chart paper and markers extensively. (If you prefer, you can use a whiteboard or chalkboard instead.) We recommend that each participant have a copy of the Training Manual, and that you review each module before training to ensure you have any special materials required. Worksheets and handouts are included within a separate activities folder and can be reproduced and used where indicated. If you would like to save paper, these worksheets are easily transferrable to a flip chart paper format, instead of having individual worksheets. We recommend these additional materials for all workshops:
Laptop with projector, for PowerPoint slides
Quick Reference Sheets for students to take home
Timer or watch (separate from your laptop)
Masking tape
Blank paper
Maximizing Your Training Power We have just one more thing for you before you get started. Our company is built for trainers, by trainers, so we thought we would share some of our tips with you, to help you create an engaging, unforgettable experience for your participants.
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Make it customized. By tailoring each course to your participants, you will find that your results will increase a thousand-fold. o
Use examples, case studies, and stories that are relevant to the group.
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Identify whether your participants are strangers or whether they work together. Tailor your approach appropriately.
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Different people learn in different ways, so use different types of activities to balance it all out. (For example, some people learn by reading, while others learn by talking about it, while still others need a hands-on approach. For more information, we suggest Experiential Learning by David Kolb.)
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Make it fun and interactive. Most people do not enjoy sitting and listening to someone else talk for hours at a time. Make use of the tips in this book and your own experience to keep your participants engaged. Mix up the activities to include individual work, small group work, large group discussions, and mini-lectures.
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Make it relevant. Participants are much more receptive to learning if they understand why they are learning it and how they can apply it in their daily lives. Most importantly, they want to know how it will benefit them and make their lives easier. Take every opportunity to tie what you are teaching back to real life.
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Keep an open mind. Many trainers find that they learn something each time they teach a workshop. If you go into a training session with that attitude, you will find that there can be an amazing two-way flow of information between the trainer and trainees. Enjoy it, learn from it, and make the most of it in your workshops.
And now, time for the training!
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Alone we can do so little – but together we can do so much. Helen Keller Module One: Getting Started Collaborative business writing is a growing trend among industries because it is a concept that utilizes the talent and knowledge of several individuals to create one final piece of work. Since collaborative writing in the workplace can be done by several different employees, the final work can feature several different views, aspects and opinions that may not be seen if the job had been completed by one person. This concept is also helpful when companies have large projects to finish, since it can be broken down into several ‘parts’ for team members to complete individually.
Housekeeping Items Take a few moments to cover basic housekeeping items.
If you need an opening or a way to introduce the participants to each other, utilize the Icebreakers folder to begin or between breaks during the day.
Let participants know where they can find washrooms, break facilities, and fire exits.
Ask participants to turn off their cell phones or at least turn them to vibrate. If they must take a call, request that they do it outside.
Take this time to encourage the group to ask questions and make this an interactive workshop.
Write the words Respect, Confidentiality, and Practice on a piece of flip chart paper and tape it to the wall. Explain to participants that in order to get the most out of this workshop, we must all work together, listen to each other, explore new ideas, and make mistakes. After all, that’s how we learn!
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The Parking Lot Explain the concept of The Parking Lot to participants.
The Parking Lot is a visible place where you will “park” ideas that arise which are not on the agenda, may be off topic, or are better addressed outside of the program.
At the end of the session, we will review parked ideas and follow up, or make suggestions for your own investigation when you are back at work.
Suggestions for the trainer: 1. If you are working with a large group of participants, you may wish to nominate a recorder to park items as you are facilitating. 2. It’s a good idea to note the name of the contributor along with the parked item. 3. Items noted on the parking lot can be useful to you later as you plan future training sessions.
Workshop Objectives Research has consistently demonstrated that when clear goals are associated with learning, it occurs more easily and rapidly. With that in mind, let’s review our goals for today. At the end of this workshop, participants should be able to:
Define collaborative business writing
Know different types of collaborative writing
Know how to collaborate with team members
Learn methods of handling conflict in writing
Build collaborative writing teams
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Coming together is a beginning. Staying together is progress. Working together is success. Henry Ford
Module Two: What is Collaborative Business Writing? Collaborative writing is often simply defined as a project or piece of work that is created by a multiple of people combined together. It has become especially useful in many companies that prefer employees to work together on a project or require a large assignment to be divided into smaller parts in order to be accomplished on time. After each employee has finished their share, a group leader or editor works to assemble the parts together to create a final work or project.
Clarifying the Objective Once a collaborative project has been created, it is important to clarify the objective and outline what needs to be completed. Some objectives will outline the necessary components that need to be completed, as well as address which employee should complete it. Collaborative writing can be tough to start, so it’s best when members have some sort of shared goal and are aware of shared responsibility and accountability. Once the objective is established and the members know their role, they can benefit from the shared resources, authority and eventual rewards of working together. Define the objective:
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What are we doing this project for? What do we hope to accomplish? What parts/aspects need to be addressed in the project? What processes should be done in the project?
Estimated Time
7 minutes
Topic Objective
Discussing the reasoning of clarifying a group objective. Clarifying the Objective
Topic Summary
Discuss the various methods used to clarify a collaborative objective and why it is important to the project’s success.
Materials Required
Flipchart/board and marker
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Discuss with the class the different components of a project. Ask the group how these components could be confused/mislead/complicated if the project’s objective had not been clarified in the beginning. Write some of their answers on the board/flipchart.
Stories to Share
Share any personal or relevant stories.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to participate.
Review Questions
What is the purpose of clarifying a collaborative project?
Practical Writing Approaches Collaborative business writing has become a great tool to better design group processes and procedures used in a company. Because of this, collaborative writing has become a practical writing approach that many companies have begun to adapt for their employees. In collaborative business environments, each employee is able to contribute to the project as a whole, while still being able to edit or revise work as needed. Many collaborative groups even allow for coworker’s to make comments on or edit each other’s work, allowing more views and ideas throughout the project. In addition, since the collaborative writing process can be done almost anywhere, it is easier for employees to include work from a variety of areas, such as from across the state, the nation or even the world. 0 Benefits:
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Improves collaborative processes Increase member communication Edit/peer review project segments Increase contributions from multiple parties
Estimated Time
8 minutes
Topic Objective
Discussing the benefits of collaborative writing Practical Writing Approaches
Topic Summary Discuss the various practical writing approaches for collaborative writing. Materials Required
Flipchart/board and marker
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Since the class knows the general definition of collaborative writing, ask them to describe various situations where it can be considered a practical approach. Why or why not? Write some of these answers on the board.
Stories to Share
Share any personal relevant stories.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to participate.
Review Questions
Why is collaborative writing considered a practical approach for businesses?
Collaborative Writing Strategies There is a number of different collaboration writing strategies that companies can use to fit the project they need completed. Some strategies rely on a small group of employees working on one piece at the same time. Other strategies involve multiple employees working on projects in individual roles to bring together later. Companies will choose a strategy to use based on a number of factors, including the size of the project, number of employees involved and what sort of deadline the project has. Some examples of writing strategies that will be discussed later:   
Parallel construction Sequential writing Integrated writing
Estimated Time
7 minutes
Topic Objective
Review the various types of collaborative writing strategies.
Topic Summary
Collaborative Writing Strategies
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Discuss the purpose of different types of collaborative writing strategies Materials Required
Flipchart/board and marker
Planning Checklist
Bring simple diagrams or flowcharts of the different types of writing strategies for the class to view.
Recommended Activity
Show the different flowcharts and diagrams of various types of collaborative writing strategies and discuss how they seem to function. Ask the class to name some sample projects or assignments in which different strategies would be best suitable. Write some of their examples on the board.
Stories to Share
Share any personal, relevant stories.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to participate.
Review Questions
How are collaborative writing strategies helpful?
Collaborative Writing Patterns A collaborative pattern refers to the ‘pattern’ in which employees will work together to complete the project. These patterns can be used with a set collaborative strategy or they can be used as an independent tool. The collaborative pattern that is used will focus on what members of the team will complete what tasks and how the rest of the team will work to support the main goal. Different patterns require a single person to perform a task, such as creating an outline or editing peer submissions, while other patterns require a group of employees to work on one task together in order to complete it. The collaborative pattern of the team depends on a number of factors, such as the type of project at hand, how many members are available, and the individual talents of each team member. Common collaborative patterns:
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The team collectively plans and outlines the project, and each employee completes their own part and is later compiled together into a whole piece. One individual of the team plans and writes a project draft while the group later revises it The team plans and writes the draft as a group while one or more other members revise the draft without any additional input. One member will dictate various parts of the project while another member transcribes and edits a final draft.
Estimated Time
10 minutes
Topic Objective
Review different types and components of collaborative writing patterns Collaborative Writing Patterns
Topic Summary Apply various types of collaborative writing patterns to sample projects Materials Required
01-Collaborative Writing Patterns
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Complete the worksheet in groups of 3-4. Share group answers with the class.
Stories to Share
Share any personal, relevant stories.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to participate.
Review Questions
How can a collaborative writing pattern change a project?
Case Study Ginger has been assigned to write a proposal that provides ideas for ways of improving employee proficiency and has asked to include her department coworkers in the process. Ginger knew this would best be done if they collaborated on the writing portions. She hoped that if her coworkers worked together it would generate ideas for the proposal and streamline the process of putting these ideas into words. Ginger used a writing strategy that involved having each employee work individually and then bring the pieces together. Based on this pattern, she decided she could manage the outline of the project as well as edit the employee’s work together to form the final proposal. This way, Ginger can get several different opinions from the department, but will be able to present them in an organized fashion to the management board.
Estimated Time
5 minutes
Topic Objective
Outline the What is Collaborative Business Writing case study. Case study
Topic Summary Discuss Ginger’s process of completing the collaboration project. Materials Required
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None
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Discuss the outcome of the case study. How would the outcome of Ginger’s project changed if she had used different strategies/patterns?
Stories to Share
Share any personal, relevant stories.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to participate.
Review Questions
What steps or processes did Ginger use to establish the collaborative project?
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Module Two: Review Questions 1. Establishing what can help clarify the objective of a collaborative project? a) b) c) d)
A shared goal Salary ranges A designated work space Parking spaces
It is important to clarify the objective of the collaborative project from the beginning. One way of accomplishing this is to establish a shared goal for the collaborative team. 2. Which of the following is a question to ask when establishing an objective? a) b) c) d)
What am I going to be paid for this? What hours will each employee need to work? What does this project hope to accomplish? What sort of timeline will we need to create?
When attempting to clarify an objective for a collaborative group, it is important to ask a series of questions to determine what the project is for. One common question is asking what the group/project wants to accomplish with this work. 3. Which of the following is one benefit of utilizing a practical writing approach? a) b) c) d)
Decrease employee down time Improve the group collaboration process Better determine the group’s rate of efficiency Increased employee merit
One benefit of using collaborative writing as a practical approach is the ability to improve and construct the group collaboration process. In this approach, many companies are able to determine how they want to form collaboration groups and what processes/procedures would work best. 4. What is one example of a practical writing approach of collaborative writing? a) b) c) d)
Dividing employees into unrelated groups Enabling a communication tree only between certain employees Asking all employees to work in one area Enabling employees to peer review their contributions
One example of using a practical approach to collaborative writing is allows for employees to peer review each other’s contributions made to the group.
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5. What factors can effect what type of writing strategy is used in a project? a) b) c) d)
The size of the project The number of employees on the team The deadline assigned to the project All of the above
The size of the project, the employees involved, and the deadline of the project are all factors that can effect what type of collaborative writing strategy is chosen for the project. 6. Which of the following is not a type of writing strategies? a) b) c) d)
Dimensional writing Sequential construction Parallel writing Integrated construction
Dimensional writing is not a type of collaborative writing strategy. Integrated, parallel and sequential are types of collaborative writing strategies. 7. Collaborative writing patterns determine what in a project? a) b) c) d)
What employees will be compensated for the project What type of tools the team will use What employees complete each task What office the project will need to be completed in
Collaborative writing patterns determine what tasks need to be completed and what employee, or employees, is assigned to complete them. 8. Which of the following is a factor that can affect a collaborative writing pattern? a) b) c) d)
The scheduled hours of each team member The individual talents of the team members The workspace provided The topic of the project at hand
Collaborative writing patterns focus on team members and the tasks involved. The individual talents of each team member can effect what type of writing pattern can be used for a project.
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9. Ginger was assigned to write a proposal in order to increase what? a) b) c) d)
Employee proficiency Employee morale Manager incentives Parking spaces
Ginger was assigned to write a proposal for ideas that can help increase employee proficiency in the office. 10. Why did Ginger want employees to finish their assignments individually? a) b) c) d)
To make the job easier To challenge the other employees To make her job seem important To gain their own perspective
Ginger wanted to include a variety of ideas and perspective in the proposal. By asking the employees to complete their assignment individually, the work would capture their individual views and thoughts.
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Training often gives people solutions to problems already solved. Collaboration addresses challenges that no one has overcome before. Marcia Conner Module Three: Types of Collaborative Business Writing Collaborative business writing can cover a wide range of documents and projects, including proposals, memos, letters and even instruction sets. Typically the type of collaborative writing used depends on the type of project at hand and how it will need to be completed. Based on a number of factors, the collaborative team can best determine what type of collaborative writing would give them the best result in the end.
Construction – “Cut and Paste” As we’ve said previously, collaborative writing involves combining the many works and tasks of others into one final piece. One form of bringing these parts together is to use cut and paste parallel construction. With this method, often called ‘divide and conquer’, the team members will either work individually or in groups of 2-3 to completed different parts of the final project. Once each person or group has finished their part, they are turned into a designated editor/assembler (although there can two people assigned to this task). The editor(s), work to compile these separate pieces into one final draft piece. Since this process is done almost solely by the editor, the original authors may not be consulted on how/when/where their contribution is used in the final draft. Characteristics of cut and paste parallel construction:
Begin with many different parts Combine the employee drafts into formatted final draft Typically done by one or two final editors – may not consult with the rest of the group
Estimated Time
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7 minutes
Topic Objective
Review the types of parallel construction Parallel Construction – Cut and Paste
Topic Summary Discuss the aspects of Cut and Paste construction Materials Required
Flipchart/board and marker
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Discuss the different pieces of work that could be assembled by cut and paste constructions, such as a newsletter. Write some of the examples on the board.
Stories to Share
Share any personal, relevant stories.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to participate.
Review Questions
What is the purpose of cut and paste parallel construction?
Parallel Construction – “Puzzle” Another form of bringing project parts together is to use the ‘puzzle’ parallel construction method. With this method, sometimes referred to as the Frankenstein method, the team members can work individually or in groups of 2-3 to complete different segments of the final project. In this method, the original author does not necessarily need to complete the whole assignment – sometimes they just need to send in a partially completed piece and let the editor(s) finish the rest. Once each person or group has finished their part, they turn them into a designated editor/assembler. The editor, or editors, will begin to work these segments into a final draft. But in the ‘puzzle’ part of this construction, the editors will not typically use the entire piece submitted in the final draft. This method allows the editor to take bits and parts of the author’s work and piece them with other contributor’s work to form one, solid, cohesive draft. Characteristics of puzzle parallel construction:
Begin with many different parts Team members can submit a finished or partially finished piece Various parts, segments and bits are pieced together from different authors Typically done by one or two final editors
Estimated Time
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8 minutes
Topic Objective
Review the different methods of parallel construction. Parallel Construction - Puzzle
Topic Summary Discuss how puzzle construction is collaborated. Materials Required
Flipchart/board and marker
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Discuss the different pieces of work that could be assembled by puzzle construction, such as a business report. Write some of the examples on the board.
Stories to Share
Share any personal, relevant stories.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to participate.
Review Questions
What can be a benefit of using the puzzle parallel construction method?
Sequential Summative Construction Sequential summative construction is a type of collaboration that involves a team member creating a piece of work and having other team members add to it. It starts with every team member being assigned their share of the project. Once they are all complete, one team member begins by bringing their work forward to be edited or reviewed. Once this piece is reviewed, additional members will one by one add their part onto the previous one. Once the next submission is added, this acknowledges that the previous submission is correct and does not need any corrections/editing. The team goes through each member’s submissions until they are all added to the final draft to satisfaction. This method allows for more peer editing and group work than some of the other methods. Characteristics of sequential summative construction:
One team member submits a finished or partially finished piece Additional team members add onto this piece Team members cannot change/alter what has initially been submitted The team works together to edit/compile final draft
Estimated Time
7 minutes
Topic Objective
Review the different types of collaboration.
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Sequential Summative Construction Topic Summary Discuss the details of using sequential summative construction. Materials Required
Flipchart/board and marker
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Discuss the different pieces of work that could be assembled by sequential summative construction, such as a newsletter. Write some of the examples on the board.
Stories to Share
Share any personal, relevant stories.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to participate.
Review Questions
How is sequential summative construction different from other methods?
Integrating Construction One different method of collaboration is the integrated construction method. This method involves the entire team engaged in a form of discussion, so all members must be present to participate. In integrated construction, the team typically presents with a beginning piece of work. From here, the group discusses and suggests new content to add to it. Through these discussions, the editors (sometimes called scribes) will edit and revise content per the instructions of the group. Since this method involves the entire team at once, it can be difficult to take in all of the discussion at once and use every person’s input. This can cause the editor/scribe to make a lot of revisions and corrections while working on the piece. Because this method involves the entire team at one time, instead of allowing them to work independently, it is typically not suited for projects that are large or complicate, or projects that have a quickly approaching deadline. Characteristics of integrated construction:
Team members engage in discussion to write project content One team member (or small group) create and change content Typically involves many revisions Not suitable for very large projects/projects with short deadlines
Estimated Time
7 minutes
Topic Objective
Review the different types of collaboration construction.
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Integrated Construction Topic Summary Discuss the aspects of using integrated construction collaboration. Materials Required
Flipchart/board and marker
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Discuss the different pieces of work that could be assembled by integrated construction. Write some of the examples on the board.
Stories to Share
Share any personal, relevant stories.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to participate.
Review Questions
How does the integrated construction method work for group projects?
Case Study Matthew was put in charge of writing a newsletter for the company shareholders in order to let them know what is going on in the different departments. Matthew contacted different representatives from each department and asked them to submit a piece about what’s happening in their area. After all of the submissions were gathered, Matthew wasn’t sure what would be the best way to put it together. Since he would be the chief editor of the newsletter, he thought the best way to collaborate the different pieces of work would be through cut and paste parallel construction so that all the pieces come together, but still retain their independent voice. Once the piece was finished, Matthew was happy with how the final piece came together and was happy to submit it to the company shareholders.
Estimated Time
5 minutes
Topic Objective
Outline the Types of Collaborative Business Writing case study. Case Study
Topic Summary Discuss the use of different types of collaborative writing. Materials Required
None
Planning Checklist
None
Recommended Activity
Discuss the outcome of the case study. How would the newsletter different if
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Matthew used a different type of collaboration? Stories to Share
Share any personal relevant stories.
Delivery Tips
Encourage everyone to participate.
Review Questions
Why do you think Matthew chose that type of collaboration to use?
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Module Three: Review Questions 1. Cut and Paste Construction is often called what? a) b) c) d)
Divide and Conquer Construction Separation Strategy Puzzle Piece Construction Mosaic Compilation
Cut and Paste construction is often referred to as Divide and Conquer Construction because the project is typically divided into many sections for different people to complete at once. 2. Cut and Paste Construction is typically completed by whom? a) b) c) d)
The team leader Peer team members Upper management The editor
In Cut and Paste Construction, the editor (or editors) is responsible for doing much of the editing and compilation. They may not necessarily seek approval from the authors during this process. 3. In Puzzle Construction, employees are able to submit what? a) b) c) d)
Partially finished content Completely finished content Both A and B None of the above
Puzzle Construction does not require a full finished piece to be finished before it can be compiled into the final product. Therefore, employees can turn in a partially finished product if they cannot complete a full piece to turn in. 4. Puzzle Construction is sometimes called what? a) b) c) d)
The Mosaic Construction The Frankenstein method The Jigsaw Assembly The Cut and Paste Construction
Because Puzzle Construction uses parts and sectors from different employee works to make a final draft, it is sometimes referred to as the Frankenstein Method.
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5. In Sequential Summative Construction, who assembled the final draft? a) b) c) d)
The team The editors The team leader A designated copier
In Sequential Summative Construction, the team works together to edit and assemble the final draft instead of designating one particular person to do so. 6. Sequential Summative Construction is a good tool for what? a) b) c) d)
Employee evaluation Grammar practice Peer review Employee training
Because Sequential Summative Construction involves the entire team during the editing and assembly process, it can be a great tool for allowing team members to peer review and critique each other’s work. 7. In Integrated Construction, who does the majority of the editing? a) b) c) d)
The group members The team leaders The copy crew The scribes
In Integrated Construction, the scribes (sometimes simply called editors) are responsible for the majority of recording and editing. Since the content is discussed and submitted by the group, there must be a designated scribe to record and edit the information into a final draft. 8. Integrated Construction is not recommended for what type of projects? a) b) c) d)
Department assignments Large projects Intradepartmental projects Small projects
Since Integrated Construction involves a large amount of group discussion and group assembly, it is not recommended for larger projects. Integrated construction can be a long process due to the need for every group member’s input and approval.
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9. What item was Matthew asked to create for the shareholders? a) b) c) d)
A newsletter A training manual An annual report A company handbook
Matthew’s group was assigned to create a newsletter for the shareholders to inform them about the different company departments. 10. What type of collaboration did Matthew choose to use for his assignment? a) b) c) d)
Puzzle Construction Integrated Construction Sequential Summative Construction Cut and paste construction
Matthew decided to use Cut and Paste Construction when assembling his newsletter so that each department could be displayed in their own way.
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