Caveat Academy course · Grades 9 to 12

Business and Professional Writing

The writing work runs on: plain language and professional tone, emails, memos and workplace chat, letters, persuasive requests and bad news delivered well, reports, proposals and minutes, numbers, charts and sources, and revising and proofreading until every sentence earns its place. Six modules at your own pace, built on before-and-after drafts, with a certificate at the end.

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$19one-time · every device you sign in on
Buy · $19

Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the High school electives library, $119 for 66 items.

6 modules · 18 lessonsabout 13 hours$19

Six modules, eighteen lessons

Each module ends with a practice set that tracks mastery, an explain-it-back prompt, a short written response and a module exam. The final opens when every module is proficient; passing it earns a certificate with a verification code.

  1. Module 1: Writing that works at work

    Analyze purpose, audience and context, and revise drafts into plain, active, professional language with the main point first.

    • Purpose, audience and context
    • Plain language
    • Tone and professionalism
    about 2.1 h

  2. Module 2: Emails, memos and workplace chat

    Write effective emails, memos and workplace chat messages with specific subject lines, clear requests and appropriate channels.

    • Writing effective emails
    • Memos and internal announcements
    • Workplace chat and professional messaging
    about 2.1 h

  3. Module 3: Letters, persuasion and bad news

    Format business letters and design persuasive requests and bad-news messages with AIDA, problem-solution and indirect patterns.

    • Business letters
    • Persuasive requests
    • Delivering bad news
    about 2.1 h

  4. Module 4: Reports, proposals and minutes

    Organize short reports, proposals with itemized budgets, executive summaries and meeting minutes with action items.

    • Short reports
    • Proposals
    • Executive summaries and meeting minutes
    about 2.1 h

  5. Module 5: Writing with numbers, visuals and sources

    Present numbers accurately, choose and title honest charts, and summarize, paraphrase and credit sources.

    • Writing about numbers clearly
    • Tables and charts in business documents
    • Summarizing, quoting and citing sources
    about 2.1 h

  6. Module 6: Revising, proofreading and writing about yourself

    Revise in focused passes for concision and clarity, proofread for common errors, and write specific professional bios and outreach.

    • Revising for clarity and concision
    • Proofreading and common errors
    • Writing about yourself professionally
    about 2.1 h

Try it before you start

This is how every lesson works: step through a worked example at your own pace, then answer a check and get the reason right away. Nothing here is saved; the course keeps your progress.

Module 6 · Revising for clarity and concision

Worked example: a concision pass

  1. Original, 42 words: I am writing this email in order to let you know that due to the fact that the printer is broken at this point in time, it is important to note that the reports will be delayed until some time next week.

A lesson check from each module

The checks need JavaScript turned on. The course itself works the same way.

What you get

Academics · High School$19 · included with the Academy pass and Whole-school licenses

What you finish with
A finished course in business and professional writing: you can name a message's purpose, audience and context before writing, put the main point first, turn wordy, passive drafts into plain active sentences, set a professional tone, write emails with subject lines that get read, memos that answer every question, and chat messages that do not waste anyone's time, format a block-style letter, persuade with AIDA and a problem-solution request, deliver bad news fairly, organize reports, proposals with budgets that add up and minutes with action items, present numbers and charts honestly, paraphrase and credit sources, revise in focused passes and proofread names and numbers. Passing the final earns a Caveat certificate of completion.
Who it is for
Students in grades 9 to 12 taking or preparing for a business writing, business communication or English course, students starting internships, jobs or club leadership roles, and homeschool families who want a complete course on practical writing. All companies, people and figures in examples are invented for teaching.
Format
An online self-paced course: 6 modules and 18 lessons with worked examples you reveal step by step, 144 practice and exam items (multiple choice, numeric, fill-in and ordering), an explain-it-back prompt and a rubric-checked short response in every module, module exams with one retake, a 24-question final and a certificate with a verification code. About 13 hours in all; works on a phone or a computer.
Access
$19 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the course opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the High school electives library ($119) and the Academics Suite pass ($149), and 1 more bundle. Progress is saved in this browser on this device, and the certificate page lets you download your record.
Where it lives
The High School space in Caveat Academics.
Support
Access, a receipt, a refund or a correction to the course: team@caveatacademic.com.

How it works

  1. Open the course and start Module 1. Each lesson takes about 25 to 35 minutes; two or three a week finishes the course in about a semester.
  2. Answer the checks as you read. Every answer shows the reason, and a miss links you back to the lesson that covers it.
  3. Finish each module with its practice set and exam. Proficient on every module opens the final; 70 percent passes it.
  4. Print or download your certificate and record from the certificate page.

Start the course

Sources and accuracy

The lessons are original writing by Caveat Academic Services. Facts were checked against these free, open references, which are also good places to read further.

  1. PlainLanguage.gov, federal plain language guidelines: plainlanguage.gov
  2. Purdue Online Writing Lab, professional, technical and workplace writing: owl.purdue.edu
  3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, an example of a reliable public data source for business writing: bls.gov
  4. Federal Trade Commission, the CAN-SPAM Act compliance guide for business email: ftc.gov
  5. Section508.gov, creating accessible documents and charts: section508.gov

Business and Professional Writing is a self-paced course from Caveat Academic Services. Every company, person, number and quoted passage in its examples is invented for teaching unless a source is named. Style conventions described, such as number style and letter format, follow common American business practice; organizations and teachers may prefer other styles. It does not replace a school course and awards no credit. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.