English: preparation

Tutoring English, strategies towards writing are important. The tutor mentions preparation.

The following is by my understanding.

Preparation, in the context of writing, means deciding what you want to explain, to whom, and why.

In a high school setting, in which an essay is due, preparation may seem straightforward: the student wants to prove Thesis A to Teacher A to get a good mark. On the other hand, in the case of a cover letter, the writer wants to explain to the hiring manager why they’re the best candidate for Job A so they will be hired for it.

In both cases – the essay and the cover letter – the “why” is definite. Yet, the “what” can depend on the “whom,” as follows:

In the case of the English essay, a given teacher will be more receptive to one thesis statement than another. An efficient thesis, therefore, will show comprehension of the topic as well as of the classroom climate. In the case of the cover letter, it’s often much the same. Quite likely, the hiring manager is going to be persuaded by the writer’s social consideration as much as by their definable skills towards the job.

The “whom” dimension seems straightforward in the case of writing an essay assigned by a teacher. In the case of the cover letter, however, it’s potentially much less definite. One can perhaps search up the company website and find out about its culture, for instance.

Whether it be to a teacher or to a hiring manager, a heavy suggestion of shared values seems riskier than a measured one.

Source:

Brusaw, C.T., Alred, G.J., Oliu, W.E. (1993). The Business Writer’s Handbook, fourth edition. St. Martin’s Press, Inc.