Latest Complete Handbook of Official Document Writing

Author: Lin Yunqing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: 3. Main Body
(1) Introduction
The introduction is the opening statement of a briefing. It should use concise language to accurately summarize the content of the report, state its purpose, and guide readers through the entire text. The general requirement for writing an introduction is "cutting straight to the chase," immediately delving into the basic facts or core issues to give readers a clear impression.
The specific writing style of the introduction can vary depending on the theme and may adopt several forms, such as narrative, descriptive, interrogative, or conclusive. A narrative approach summarizes the main content of the briefing in broad terms. A descriptive approach vividly portrays the key facts or a meaningful aspect of the briefing to pique readers' interest. An interrogative approach raises the main issue of the briefing in the form of a question to provoke readers' thinking. A conclusive approach states the conclusion in one or two sentences at the beginning and then provides necessary explanations and elaborations in the main body. These introduction styles each have their strengths, and the writer can choose the appropriate one based on the characteristics of the manuscript.
(2) Main Body
The main body is the core part of the briefing. Its task is to use sufficient, typical, and persuasive material to concretize the content of the introduction and illustrate the points with evidence. Writing a strong main body is the key to compiling a well-crafted briefing. The content of the main body may reflect specific situations, introduce concrete practices, narrate achievements and experiences, point out existing problems, or a combination of these, depending on the specific circumstances and without a fixed framework.
The hierarchical arrangement of the main body can take two forms: "vertical" and "horizontal." The vertical structure arranges material in the chronological order of event occurrence and development, while the horizontal structure organizes material based on classification of issues. If the content is rich, each section can be supplemented with subheadings.