CSUS English Department

Tone in Writing

What is tone?

“Tone in writing refers to the writer’s attitude toward the reader and the subject of the message. The overall tone of a written message affects the reader just as one’s tone of voice affects the listener in everyday exchanges.” (Ober 88)

Students often do not realize that they are using a tone when they write. Just as you can hear a voice in your ear when speaking or listening to someone speak, there is a tone of voice that can be heard in your brain when you are silently reading. This writing tone has a large influence on whether a piece is considered well-written, appropriate, and successful. However, what is sometimes uncertain is which tone to take for a given writing assignment.

Who is your audience?

This is the first thing you must ask yourself in order to determine the tone in which you should be writing. Writing an essay for a professor will have a very different tone than if you were writing an e-mail to your friend. Determine who your reader (or readers) will be and what your purpose is in writing to them – to teach, to entertain, to inform, etc.

What is your genre?

The determination of audience and genre often go hand-in-hand. A genre is a category of writing characterized by a particular style or format. Your genre will also determine your tone. Are you writing an academic essay, a memo for work, a creative non-fiction piece, a newspaper editorial, a website? There are also sub-genres within genres. For instance, when writing a paper for a college class, is it literary criticism, a personal reflection, a research paper, a persuasive paper? All around you are opportunities for writing, but the types of writing will call for different tones or styles to make the piece appropriate.

What tone should you take?

So here’s the big question. Once you have determined who your reader will be and what sort of piece you are writing, it is time to examine the tone of voice you should use.

      Academic Essays

Academic writing is the most formal, and probably most common, type of writing you will ever be called upon to do during your educational career. An academic tone is used in writing papers for college classes, a master’s thesis, proposals for academic journals, etc.

In academic writing, you may be writing in response to something you read, you may be proposing a new study you have developed, or you may be trying to persuade a reader of something you have researched. Whatever type of piece you are writing, an academic tone must include a clear thesis, proper grammatical structure, well organized paragraphs, and fully documented, integrated sources. Rarely are humor and conversational language used in academic essays. Academic papers call for serious, professional, scholarly writing, and that is achieved by the tone.

Advice on Academic Writing (From the University of Toronto) http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/advise.html

MLA (An essential site for formatting and documenting) http://www.mla.org/

Dartmouth Writing Program (Focuses on writing for college) http://www.dartmouth.edu/~writing/materials/student/ac_paper/what.shtml

"Where is Jane Austen?" by Jenny Lang (An example of academic writing, a student paper)

Link to word document



      Creative Nonfiction

With creative nonfiction there is more room for experimentation and, as the name implies, creativity. Creative nonfiction is a genre that has always been around but is starting to get more recognition. Creative nonfiction can cover any topic that interests the writer or the reader: movies, sports, biography, hobbies, memoirs, how-to’s, personal reflections, etc.

Creative nonfiction calls for a variety of tones, just as it can embrace a variety of topics. However, the tone used for academic essays is rarely used in creative nonfiction, unless used to emphasize something specific. Creative nonfiction lends itself well to the use of humor and more conversational language. That is not to say that all creative nonfiction is funny. Many excellent pieces of creative nonfiction deal with difficult or controversial issues, and it is fortunate that this genre is so broad as to give authors the opportunity to express themselves. The author has more opportunity to step out of the page, sharing their own thoughts, opinions, and dialogue.

"A Sudden Illness" by Laura Hillenbrand (A personal reflection by the author of Seabiscuit) http://www.cfids-cab.org/MESA/Hillenbrand.html

"Bred and Buttered" by Rick Rielly (A humorous Sports Illustrated piece)
Link to word document

"Turbulence" by David Sedaris (A memoir) http://www.newyorker.com/printables/shouts/050613sh_shouts

"How to Throw a Harry Potter Party and Live to Tell the Tale, Or Read the Next Book" by Jenny Lang (A "How-To" student paper)
Link to word document

Business Writing

Many of us are working while going to school, so we have to be able to make the transition from academic writing to business writing. Quite honestly, business writing does not require nearly as much vocabulary or style as an academic essay or creative nonfiction piece. Most business professionals do not have the time or patience to read lengthy documents, therefore, the old cliché of “short, sweet, and to the point” is quite appropriate here. Business writing may include memos, cover letters, resumes, letters of complaint, reports, etc.

Business writing can be broken down into helpful guidelines. Be confident, so as to be persuasive – but be aware of not coming off too cocky. Be courteous and sincere, and try to avoid humor as this document may be read by many people with differing senses of humor. Get your ideas out quickly and actively; that is to say that some business professionals will not read the whole document, so place the most important part at the beginning and make sure you don’t sound passive. Finally, be sure to use non-discriminatory langauge. Instead of “wife” use “spouse,” instead of “Dear Sir” use “To Whom is May Concern,” and instead of “his” or “her” use “their.”

Business Writing (A resource of links regarding various topics of business writing) http://faculty.frostburg.edu/engl/gartner/buswrite.htm

The Writing Center at Rensselaer (A guide for memo writing) http://www.rpi.edu/dept/llc/writecenter/web/memos.html

Business Writing Practical Applications (Different types of business documents) http://www.hacc.edu/PROGRAMS/Divisions/CASS/engl106/business_index.html

Purdue OWL (The well-respected Online Writing Lab at Purdue University – this is also an excellent source when writing any kind of paper) http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/

Newspaper/Editorial

Newspaper writing has more in common with creative nonfiction than academic or business writing. This is because when people read the newspaper they want to be entertained – whether it be with something funny or with something gruesome. Like creative nonfiction, newspapers and editorials can cover a wide range of topics, although perhaps a little closer to home (as in local news).

In newspaper articles, the tone can be more conversational. However, you don’t want to sacrifice quality information for a more light-hearted tone. Newspaper writing must contain a balance between reporting news and being entertaining enough to keep the reader reading. Catchy titles and first sentences are often important, as well as exciting or intriguing quotations from outside sources. For editorial writing, although they are generally opinion pieces, research is important because if you haven’t done your homework, readers can respond in print. Many readers of the newspaper have limited time and concentration, so making things succinct, while maintaining lively language, is key.

Sacramento Bee (Online version of Sacramento’s newspaper) http://www.sacbee.com

Beginning Reporting (For aspiring journalists) http://www.courses.vcu.edu/ENG-jeh/BeginningReporting/Introduction/home.htm

Writing Editorials (A guide in outline format) http://www.k12albemarle.org/albemarleHS/ClassPages/shepard/WebQuest/WritingEditorials.htm

The State Hornet (Sacramento State’s online news resource) http://www.statehornet.com/

Website

Website writing is becoming more and more prevalent. As the World Wide Web expands and more people are going online, more sites are being created by individuals for the purposes of making friends (Myspace.com), researching (Highbeam.com), buying things (Amazon.com), planning vacations (Travelocity.com), playing games (Pogo.com), or an endless number of other things. Just as there are some really good websites, there are some REALLY bad websites. The good kind is, of course, preferred.

Good websites are easy to navigate and don’t leave the viewer wondering what they are supposed to do next. The average person surfing the web, whether it be for fun, work, or school, does not want to spend a lot of time having to read. They want to get their information quickly. Therefore, bolded links that enable a person to go directly to what they want is best. Think of your own surfing. Do you like to read a lot on a web page? Probably not, so keep copy succinct and topical. Images and colors are fun, but don’t let them get in the way of your content.

Examples of Good Websites (Self-explanatory) http://www.worldbestwebsites.com/

Examples of Bad Websites (Self-explanatory) http://www.worstoftheweb.com/

Vord Web Design (A How-To site for website design and writing) http://www.vordweb.co.uk/specification.htm

Blogcritics Website Writing (A less detailed, less formal website guide) http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/02/07/155502.php

* * * * *

If you are still uncertain as to what kind of tone you should be using, don’t be afraid to ask your professor, boss, editor, etc. There is nothing worse than putting your time and energy into a piece that has the wrong tone for the purpose. Writing should be a challenge, not a chore.


	Tone in Writing What is tone? “Tone in writing refers to the writer’s attitude toward the reader and the subject of the message. The overall tone of a written message affects the reader just as one’s tone of voice affects the listener in everyday exchanges.” (Ober 88) Students often do not realize that they are using a tone when they write. Just as you can hear a voice in your ear when speaking or listening to someone speak, there is a tone of voice that can be heard in your brain when you are silently reading. This writing tone has a large influence on whether a piece is considered well-written, appropriate, and successful. However, what is sometimes uncertain is which tone to take for a given writing assignment. Who is your audience? This is the first thing you must ask yourself in order to determine the tone in which you should be writing. Writing an essay for a professor will have a very different tone than if you were writing an e-mail to your friend. Determine who your reader (or readers) will be and what your purpose is in writing to them – to teach, to entertain, to inform, etc. What is your genre? The determination of audience and genre often go hand-in-hand. A genre is a category of writing characterized by a particular style or format. Your genre will also determine your tone. Are you writing an academic essay, a memo for work, a creative non-fiction piece, a newspaper editorial, a website? There are also sub-genres within genres. For instance, when writing a paper for a college class, is it literary criticism, a personal reflection, a research paper, a persuasive paper? All around you are opportunities for writing, but the types of writing will call for different tones or styles to make the piece appropriate. What tone should you take? So here’s the big question. Once you have determined who your reader will be and what sort of piece you are writing, it is time to examine the tone of voice you should use. Academic Essays Academic writing is the most formal, and probably most common, type of writing you will ever be called upon to do during your educational career. An academic tone is used in writing papers for college classes, a master’s thesis, proposals for academic journals, etc. In academic writing, you may be writing in response to something you read, you may be proposing a new study you have developed, or you may be trying to persuade a reader of something you have researched. Whatever type of piece you are writing, an academic tone must include a clear thesis, proper grammatical structure, well organized paragraphs, and fully documented, integrated sources. Rarely are humor and conversational language used in academic essays. Academic papers call for serious, professional, scholarly writing, and that is achieved by the tone. Advice on Academic Writing (From the University of Toronto) http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/advise.html MLA (An essential site for formatting and documenting) http://www.mla.org/ Dartmouth Writing Program (Focuses on writing for college) http://www.dartmouth.edu/~writing/materials/student/ac_paper/what.shtml "Where is Jane Austen?" by Jenny Lang (An example of academic writing, a student paper) Link to word document Creative Nonfiction With creative nonfiction there is more room for experimentation and, as the name implies, creativity. Creative nonfiction is a genre that has always been around but is starting to get more recognition. Creative nonfiction can cover any topic that interests the writer or the reader: movies, sports, biography, hobbies, memoirs, how-to’s, personal reflections, etc. Creative nonfiction calls for a variety of tones, just as it can embrace a variety of topics. However, the tone used for academic essays is rarely used in creative nonfiction, unless used to emphasize something specific. Creative nonfiction lends itself well to the use of humor and more conversational language. That is not to say that all creative nonfiction is funny. Many excellent pieces of creative nonfiction deal with difficult or controversial issues, and it is fortunate that this genre is so broad as to give authors the opportunity to express themselves. The author has more opportunity to step out of the page, sharing their own thoughts, opinions, and dialogue. "A Sudden Illness" by Laura Hillenbrand (A personal reflection by the author of Seabiscuit) http://www.cfids-cab.org/MESA/Hillenbrand.html "Bred and Buttered" by Rick Rielly (A humorous Sports Illustrated piece) Link to word document "Turbulence" by David Sedaris (A memoir) http://www.newyorker.com/printables/shouts/050613sh_shouts "How to Throw a Harry Potter Party and Live to Tell the Tale, Or Read the Next Book" by Jenny Lang (A "How-To" student paper) Link to word document Business Writing Many of us are working while going to school, so we have to be able to make the transition from academic writing to business writing. Quite honestly, business writing does not require nearly as much vocabulary or style as an academic essay or creative nonfiction piece. Most business professionals do not have the time or patience to read lengthy documents, therefore, the old cliché of “short, sweet, and to the point” is quite appropriate here. Business writing may include memos, cover letters, resumes, letters of complaint, reports, etc. Business writing can be broken down into helpful guidelines. Be confident, so as to be persuasive – but be aware of not coming off too cocky. Be courteous and sincere, and try to avoid humor as this document may be read by many people with differing senses of humor. Get your ideas out quickly and actively; that is to say that some business professionals will not read the whole document, so place the most important part at the beginning and make sure you don’t sound passive. Finally, be sure to use non-discriminatory langauge. Instead of “wife” use “spouse,” instead of “Dear Sir” use “To Whom is May Concern,” and instead of “his” or “her” use “their.” Business Writing (A resource of links regarding various topics of business writing) http://faculty.frostburg.edu/engl/gartner/buswrite.htm The Writing Center at Rensselaer (A guide for memo writing) http://www.rpi.edu/dept/llc/writecenter/web/memos.html Business Writing Practical Applications (Different types of business documents) http://www.hacc.edu/PROGRAMS/Divisions/CASS/engl106/business_index.html Purdue OWL (The well-respected Online Writing Lab at Purdue University – this is also an excellent source when writing any kind of paper) http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/ Newspaper/Editorial Newspaper writing has more in common with creative nonfiction than academic or business writing. This is because when people read the newspaper they want to be entertained – whether it be with something funny or with something gruesome. Like creative nonfiction, newspapers and editorials can cover a wide range of topics, although perhaps a little closer to home (as in local news). In newspaper articles, the tone can be more conversational. However, you don’t want to sacrifice quality information for a more light-hearted tone. Newspaper writing must contain a balance between reporting news and being entertaining enough to keep the reader reading. Catchy titles and first sentences are often important, as well as exciting or intriguing quotations from outside sources. For editorial writing, although they are generally opinion pieces, research is important because if you haven’t done your homework, readers can respond in print. Many readers of the newspaper have limited time and concentration, so making things succinct, while maintaining lively language, is key. Sacramento Bee (Online version of Sacramento’s newspaper) http://www.sacbee.com Beginning Reporting (For aspiring journalists) http://www.courses.vcu.edu/ENG-jeh/BeginningReporting/Introduction/home.htm Writing Editorials (A guide in outline format) http://www.k12albemarle.org/albemarleHS/ClassPages/shepard/WebQuest/WritingEditorials.htm The State Hornet (Sacramento State’s online news resource) http://www.statehornet.com/ Website Website writing is becoming more and more prevalent. As the World Wide Web expands and more people are going online, more sites are being created by individuals for the purposes of making friends (Myspace.com), researching (Highbeam.com), buying things (Amazon.com), planning vacations (Travelocity.com), playing games (Pogo.com), or an endless number of other things. Just as there are some really good websites, there are some REALLY bad websites. The good kind is, of course, preferred. Good websites are easy to navigate and don’t leave the viewer wondering what they are supposed to do next. The average person surfing the web, whether it be for fun, work, or school, does not want to spend a lot of time having to read. They want to get their information quickly. Therefore, bolded links that enable a person to go directly to what they want is best. Think of your own surfing. Do you like to read a lot on a web page? Probably not, so keep copy succinct and topical. Images and colors are fun, but don’t let them get in the way of your content. Examples of Good Websites (Self-explanatory) http://www.worldbestwebsites.com/ Examples of Bad Websites (Self-explanatory) http://www.worstoftheweb.com/ Vord Web Design (A How-To site for website design and writing) http://www.vordweb.co.uk/specification.htm Blogcritics Website Writing (A less detailed, less formal website guide) http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/02/07/155502.php *** * * * *** If you are still uncertain as to what kind of tone you should be using, don’t be afraid to ask your professor, boss, editor, etc. There is nothing worse than putting your time and energy into a piece that has the wrong tone for the purpose. Writing should be a challenge, not a chore.
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