Effective Writing for Greater Impact is a short, practical Harvard Online course on writing that actually gets read and acted on. Drawing on behavioural science, it shows you how to work out what a piece of writing is really for, cut everything that gets in the way, and make your message easy for a busy reader to take in and respond to.
This is an official Harvard Online course, featuring faculty from the Harvard Kennedy School and delivered on Harvard Online's learning platform. IPMC International handles your registration, payment and local support, then enrols you on the course. It is offered on demand, so you can start whenever suits you and learn at your own pace, and the microcredential and certificate details are set out below.
The course is built around three practical skill areas:
The course is taught by Professor Todd Rogers in conversation with writer and comedian Ilana Glazer, and is organised into five short modules. There are no prerequisites.
Accept that most readers skim, so pin down the core message and the action you want before drafting, and choose a tone that fits the professional context.
Write and rewrite to strip a message back to its essentials, favouring short, plain words over dense or obscure language.
Order ideas by priority, separate distinct points, and use devices such as bold and highlighting sparingly to flag what matters most.
Frame your message around what matters to the reader and make it easy to act, for example by giving direct links or specific options rather than open-ended questions.
Read the timing, tone and channels that work in your own workplace, and consider how the identities of both writer and reader shape how a message is received.
Todd Rogers — Your instructor. A Professor of Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, where he teaches on behaviour change. He is a behavioural scientist and co-author of Writing for Busy Readers: Communicate More Effectively in the Real World, with a particular interest in how people read and what moves them to act.
The course also features insights from Ilana Glazer, the comedian, writer, actor and director best known for co-creating and co-starring in the series Broad City. Affiliations are listed for identification purposes only.
This is an introductory course for anyone who writes at work, from graduates and early-career professionals to experienced managers who want their emails, reports and proposals to carry more weight. No prior study is required. It suits professionals and organisations who want a globally recognised Harvard Online credential to build practical skills.
The course includes a microcredential that recognises your completion of the material. It sits within Harvard Online's Power Skills for Career Growth series, and you earn a full Certificate of Completion once you finish any five of the seven courses in that series. Certificates are issued by Harvard Online, and you can add the credential to your CV and LinkedIn.
The course fee is confirmed on enquiry and put in writing before payment.
Pay IPMC securely by debit/credit card in UAE Dirhams (UAE) or by UPI, card or net banking in Indian Rupees (India).
Yes. The course is delivered by Harvard Online and the microcredential and Certificate of Completion are issued by Harvard Online.
It is offered on demand and you have 90 days from enrolment to work through the roughly 2.5 hours of material at your own pace.
No. The guest segments were pre-recorded to share perspective on the topics; there are no live sessions or additional interactions planned.
This is a self-paced, on-demand Harvard Online course, so you can start anytime and learn at your own pace. Enquire and we'll get you enrolled.
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