About this course
Badly written emails, reports and notes waste time and create risk. This short course covers how to write clearly and get the response you need.
It covers planning before you write, structuring a document, plain English, tone and audience, proofreading, and the conventions of emails, reports and business letters.
What learners cover
- Planning your purpose, audience and key message
- Structuring emails, reports, letters and notes
- Plain English, grammar and punctuation that aids clarity
- Tone, formality and writing for different readers
- Proofreading and common mistakes to avoid
Course content
The course is delivered in short, bite-size sections that learners can stop and restart at any point.
- Section 1
Before you write
Purpose, audience, key message and the right format for the job.
- Section 2
Structure
Openings, logical order, headings and bullet points, and clear calls to action.
- Section 3
Style
Plain English, active voice, sentence length, jargon, and matching tone to reader.
- Section 4
Accuracy
Grammar, punctuation and spelling pitfalls, proofreading technique and final checks.
Who it is for
Anyone who writes emails, reports, records or notes at work, including administrators, supervisors and managers.
Entry requirements: No prior knowledge is needed. The course is written in plain English and suitable for all staff.
How it is delivered
Fully online and self-paced
Learners work through the course at their own pace and can pause and resume where they left off.
Any device
Works on desktop, laptop, tablet and mobile, with audio, video and written transcripts throughout.
Interactive throughout
Scenarios, exercises and images keep learners engaged rather than clicking through slides.
Knowledge checks
Short checks at the end of each section so learners can see what has landed before moving on.
Average completion time is around 45 mins, though learners can take as long as they need and return as often as they like.
How it is assessed
Knowledge checks run throughout the course so learners can test understanding as they go. The course ends with a multiple-choice assessment taken online. Learners who do not pass first time can retake it.
Certification
Learners receive a Highfield Online Training digital certificate as soon as they pass the end-of-course assessment. Certificates download straight away and can be saved to a CPD log or staff training record.
Refresher guidance: Refresh whenever it is useful. Often used as part of induction or a development programme.
How it works for teams
- 1. Choose how many licences you need and pay by card, or request an invoice.
- 2. Add your learners' names and email addresses.
- 3. We set them up on the course platform and they receive their login by email.
- 4. Track who has been set up from your account.