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Diction
Diction refers to word choice, especially when commenting on the appropriateness

of word choice. Diction establishes "tone," which we will be discussing in the next

section.

There is an appropriate professional diction that you should try to use in your various

correspondences. Sometimes proper diction is obvious, for example, cussing and
slang are, of course, inappropriate in the office. But proper diction is much more

complex than avoiding profanity and childish jokes. Consider the following

suggestions:
Consciously use contractions

Choose words with a positive connotation

Avoid excessive modifiers and "buzz words"
Speak to your specific audience

Going forward, try to notice how they are related. For example, how would
differentiating your audience and then speaking directly to them influence the use

of contractions?

Consciously Use Contractions

Contractions instantly make a correspondence less formal. This means that they
have a very specific use in the business world and should be used with care.

For example, certain formalities are probably unnecessary when speaking on the

phone or through e-mail with other associates at your level—especially if they are
your usual lunch crowd. Consequently, contractions are probably fine. This is also

true if you are trying to make information more "accessible" to a particular audience.

For example, if a rocket scientist is trying to explain to us the nature of parabolic
projectiles, then limiting the jargon and formality to a reasonable level will help him

or her and his or her information seem more accessible and less pretentious.

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