Syntax Training - Need Assessment

Use this assessment to score your company’s or
your team’s writing effectiveness.

0 = Never 1 = Rarely
2 = Sometimes 3 = Usually 4 = Always

Effective Business Writing: Recognizing and Achieving Goals
1.	We know what we are trying to accomplish in our writing.
2.	We know how to accomplish our goal in our writing.
3.	We make it clear if there is an action we would like readers to take, and by when.
4.	We know when to write and when to communicate face to face or by phone, and we choose the best method.
5.	We work toward the larger goal of building customer, employee, and other stakeholder relationships by communicating consistently, courteously, and professionally.

Effective Business Writing: Saving Time for Writers and Readers
6.	We plan, write, and edit quickly.
7.	We get our point across to our readers clearly and concisely.
8.	We organize our writing so that it is easy to follow.
9.	We format our writing so that key points stand out and readers can skim for information.
10.	We include the right information in our documents, avoiding the need for time-wasting follow-up messages.
11.	We choose the right vocabulary for our readers, including customers.
12.	We save valuable company time by using email efficiently.
13.	We can confidently distribute the writing of managers, coworkers, and direct reports without needing to rewrite it or edit it heavily.

Effective Business Writing: Writing Correctly
14.	We understand and correctly apply the essential rules of grammar, punctuation, and usage.
15.	When we have questions about usage, formatting, and other aspects of writing correctly, we know how to find the answers.
16.	We can be proud of the writing we send to external and internal customers, knowing it is virtually error-free.

Effective Business Writing: Using Tools
17.	In our company, we can easily find excellent models of the kinds of documents we write.
18.	We use one or more quick-planning methods to organize our writing.
19.	We use practical tools to edit and proofread our documents.
20.	When we need to write consistently across our team or business unit, we refer to our style guide.

Your Total (Click in Box for Final Total)

Total Score	Comments
70 - 80	Congratulations! Your team employs exceptionally strong writers, and uses tools to maintain consistent outstanding performance.
60 - 69	Your team includes very good writers. Review the assessment to identify any opportunities for even better written communication.
50 - 59	Your team is doing well, but you can improve. Choose an item you marked Never, Rarely, or Sometimes to work on today.
40 - 49	Your team is doing some things well. At a team meeting, talk about ways to improve business writing, and pick an area to improve. Refer to our Business Writing Tips.
Below 40	Your team could be writing much more effectively. Contact us to discuss ways to improve writing at your organization.

Review our Business Writing Tips, or see
Our Classes for a quiz in Grammar and Punctuation.

Email Syntax Training | Telephone 206 - 782 - 8410