Effective Writing in the Public Sector

John W. Swain has taught public administration courses for more than thirty-five years. He has also provided training to and worked with a wide variety of staff members, administrators, and officials in the public sector. His previously published books focus on public budgeting, public finance administration, and local government. He is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire (B.A.) and Northern Illinois University (M.A. and Ph.D.).Kathleen Dolan Swain has been an editor for more than twenty years, working primarily the field of scholarly publishing. She has also worked extensively in the development of curriculum materials and has written news and feature articles for local news outlets. She is a graduate of Marquette University (B.A. in political science and history) and Northern Illinois University (M.A. in political science).

"The ability to influence and motivate depends upon your ability to communicate both orally and in writing. I congratulate John and Kathy Swain for producing a book that salutes the elegance of the written word." -- David Limardi, ICMA Midwest Regional Director"Effective Writing in the Public Sector should be a required purchase for all public administration students--and one of the books they should retain throughout their careers. The book provides very valuable information on the most common writing errors, including incorrect word usage and grammar and punctuation errors. If all my students heeded the lessons in this book, their writing would be greatly improved--and I would find grading their assignments much more enjoyable." -- Joan E. Pynes, University of South Florida

• Acknowledgments Introduction Part 1: The Basic Components 1. Essential Preliminary Steps to Effective Writing 2. The Mechanics of Writing: A Refresher Course on the Basic Rules of English 3. Polishing Your Writing: Special Writing Problems in the Public Sector 4. Proofreading Part 2: Basic Forms of Writing in the Public Sector: Public Audiences 5. Memos and Letters 6. E-mail 7. Media Releases and Public Service Announcements 8. Newsletters Part 3: Basic Forms of Writing in the Public Sector: Internal and Technical Audiences 9. Formal Reports 10. Proposals: An Overview 11. Grant Proposals 12. Budget Justifications 13. Rules Appendix A. Troublesome Words and Phrases Appendix B. Documentation Styles Appendix C. Answers to Exercises Notes Annotated Bibliography Index About the Authors