Normas de redacción

Writing Standards for Administrative Documents

Effective writing depends on clear, well-connected ideas and language suited to the audience and purpose.

Key Concepts

Writing involves expressing ideas in an orderly way and connecting them so the text is understandable. Four elements to consider are:

• Order: Arrange ideas logically.
• Coherence: Make the ideas fit together and make sense as a whole.
• Cohesion: Link sentences and paragraphs, including through connectors.
• Appropriateness: Adapt the language to the audience and context.

Before writing, consider the document’s purpose, intended audience, type, and structure.

Practical Writing Standards

• Be genuine and use language that feels natural and appropriate.
• Prefer clear, simple, lively wording that helps readers understand the message.
• Avoid artificial or outdated expressions, especially in openings and closings.
• Use modern, direct phrasing. For example, use “Mr. Martinez” rather than an outdated formal address, and “I am informing you” rather than “I am submitting this to your office.”
• Use connectors to make relationships between ideas clear.

Types of Connectors

• Addition: Adds or summarizes ideas, as in also and in summary.
• Concession: Introduces an idea that limits or qualifies the previous one, as in however and nevertheless.
• Consequence: Shows a result, as in so and therefore.
• Opposition: Contrasts ideas, as in on the contrary and although.

Connectors improve clarity and readability. For example, adding then between postponing a meeting and making use of the time clarifies the relationship between those ideas. A connector can also clarify how finishing a report relates to submitting it by a stated date.

Main Takeaway

For administrative writing, develop clear, coherent ideas, connect sentences and paragraphs appropriately, and choose natural, modern language suited to the reader. These habits make documents easier to understand and support better interpersonal and workplace communication. The instructor encourages learners to practise these standards.

Speakers and Sources

• Speaker: Licda. Adriana Beatriz Baires, identified in the course context as the instructor.
• Source: UTEC Virtual course material for Expresión oral y escrita, Universidad Tecnológica de El Salvador.