You have to plan, draft, and edit your document, either by yourself or in a group.

Plan by establishing your relationship with your audience. You want them to accept what you tell them. They have to accept you as credible—because they know "who you are" or because you have performed the "right action" to familiarize yourself with the topic.

Draft by carrying out your plan. Find your best production method. Some people write a draft quickly, focusing on "getting it out," whereas others write a draft slowly, focusing on producing one good sentence after another. Keep basic strategies—for instance, the "top-down" method of first announcing the topic and then filling in the details—in mind as you write. If the writing causes you to see a new, better way to present the material, change.

Finish by making the document consistent. Look for surface problems, such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Make sure all the presentation elements—heads, captions, margins—are the same.

Work in a group by expanding your methodology. For groups, add into your planning a method to handle group dynamics—set up a schedule, assign responsibilities, and, most important, select a method for resolving differences.