An action plan is the set of steps you plan to take to achieve some specified goal. The steps should follow one another in sequential order, and proceed logically to establishing the goal.

A benefit of a recommendation is something positive that will happen for the organization as a direct result of implementing the recommended plan.

The copy list or distribution list is all the people to whom the message is being sent.

A dangling modifier is a word (or phrase) that appears to modify an inappropriate word in the same sentence.

An effective business document is one that truthfully conveys all the important information on a subject in a way that convinces the reader to do what you'd like him to do.

The flow of a document is the ease with which the reader can move from one statement to the next. In a document that flows well, each statement follows logically from the previous one, and each subsequent statement is the one the reader expects to see, based on what he's already read.

A framework for a business document is a guide to writing the document. It tells you the specific sections to be included and the type of information that should be contained in that section.

An independent clause is a group of words that can stand alone as a complete sentence.

Leadership is having a vision for what you'd like to happen, and setting in motion the events that will realize your vision. It doesn't mean you must necessarily command the forces that execute the plan—merely that you guide the thinking that eventually causes the plan to be executed.

A memo (short for memorandum) is any written interoffice communication, including most e-mail correspondence. The most common memos are recommendations and summaries.

A poorly written document is one in which the thinking is hard to follow, the point is hard to find, or the writing has mistakes or other flaws that distract and detract from the main message.

A presentation deck is the written form of a presentation—the "deck" of pages that you show your audience as you go through your presentation. A page of a deck is sometimes called a slide.

A rationale point is one specific reason why accepting your proposal makes sound business sense.

Resources are the money, materials, or people needed to advance your business objectives.

A risk important enough to be included in a Risks section is a threat to the success of the plan that is unique to this situation or significant in some way. The "usual" risks, such as possible competitive response or unforeseeable disasters, wouldn't generally qualify, since those risks are assumed to be there in all cases, and needn't be pointed out each time you write a recommendation.

The sell-in is the period at the start of a new product introduction in which the product is first sold into the stores that will carry it. Since stores must usually build up an inventory of a new product, the sell-in can be a significant percentage of total sales for a new product introduction.

The style of a letter is its manner of expression—for example, formal as opposed to conversational, or stiff as opposed to relaxed.

A storyboard is a collection of sketches similar to panels in a cartoon strip, used by advertising agencies to present the idea of a television commercial to their client prior to actually filming the commercial.

A telegraphic subject line is one that very succinctly conveys the subject and nature of the message.

A topic sentence is the first sentence of a paragraph, and states the main point. Additional sentences in the paragraph should support the point made in the topic sentence.

A well-written document is one in which the main message is clear and compelling and the writing itself—the style, grammar, and logic flow—doesn't distract the reader from the point being made.