Business Writing Today
A Practical Guide
"One-stop shopping for introductory business writing topics, with plenty of useful ideas for practice and assignments."
“A comprehensive textbook on workplace writing that bridges student's previous learning about rhetoric from a first-year writing class with workplace contexts. Lots of stylistic tips and tricks as well as considerations from industry experts. Attention to several key workplace genres including emails, reports, cover letters, etc. as well as general skills like storytelling, formatting, and stylistic concerns.”
"A slim volume packed with value for all levels of undergraduates that goes beyond the typical bcom topics to include areas of growth
such as persuasion."
"Concise, practical, and accessible."
"Business Writing Today is a rich and beneficial resource for teaching the most popular genres in professional writing. Written in a straightforward and engaging language, the textbook effectively introduces genre conventions and illustrates them through various examples. Canavor cogently discusses the content and form expectations for formal letters, emails, project reports, grant proposals, resumes, cover letters, etc. as well as online branding through tweets, blog posts, personal websites, LinkedIn, and the like. I have used the textbook in my business and integrative writing courses, and in both of them, my students have found it very enjoyable and easily navigable. The bulleted lists of tips, the samples highlighted in italics, the boxes with case studies, and the questions and exercises at the end of each chapter help the readers understand the genre conventions and practice and improve their professional writing."
“I’ve used this textbook for an intermediate undergraduate professional writing course for nearly a decade, as it contains essential advice on how to avoid implicit bias in relation to disability, gender, multilingual audiences, and age. Canavor writes in a personal and engaging style that is not only accessible but also practical. My students find that many of the Practice Opportunities at the end of each chapter help them gain confidence in their communication skills, as well as reflect on their career goals. While I’ve pivoted to online and open-access resources for many of my classes, I still require this textbook because it offers my students a reliable and cost-effective resource to support their learning.”
Sample Materials & Chapters
Chapter 1. Business Writing Today—and You
Chapter 2. How to Build Successful Messages