The ability to write well correlates highly with the ability to think well—to analyze information, weigh alternatives, and make decisions. Government managers must make instructions and policies clear to employees, give effective presentations, and communicate effectively with the public. In addition, government managers must model clear, effective writing for their staffs. A comprehensive chapter on using social media effectively and appropriately is included.
A Plain-English Guide to Government Writing Whether you're in the public or private sector, good writing skills are critical to your success in the workplace. Plain Language in Government Writing: A Step-by-Step Guide shows you how to apply federal plain-language guidelines to every type of writing — from emails, memos, and letters to agency communications, technical procedures, and budget justification statements. Through numerous exercises as well as examples from a variety of federal and state agencies, this practical guide walks you step-by-step through every phase of the writing process, providing tips for improved clarity, conciseness, and completeness. This valuable reference will help you: Write for diverse audiences in reader-friendly, plain language Overcome writer's block Gain confidence in your ability to write — and get results Make your writing visually appealing Prepare for briefings and presentations Recognize successful writing and identify what makes it effective A Plain-English Guide to Government Writing will enable you to express yourself more clearly and concisely, produce documents more efficiently, and work more effectively with others throughout the writing process.
Government is reading your mail, and the Intelligence services are reading the Government's mail. Who is in charge?. The National Security Agency was formed under such secrecy that it evades even Congressional scrutiny. A former NSA scientist raises an alarm over this abuse of America's founding principles. Along the way, he gives a technical briefing on how messages were encrypted and deciphered until the Internet age, demonstrates that the paranoiac secrecy over encryption is now obsolete, and explains why. All this is enlivened with entertaining behind-the-scenes anecdotes from the author's life at home in West Virginia, in the Army, and in the intelligence services during the Cold War.
