750 likes | 756 Views
Lecture Seven. Routine Business Messages. Yesterday. Editing – Content, readability Introduction and conclusion Indirect and direct messages. Today. Editing – Style Email/Memo Format Routine Messages Requesting Information Making a complaint Requesting a Reference Letter. Readability.
E N D
Lecture Seven Routine Business Messages
Yesterday • Editing – Content, readability • Introduction and conclusion • Indirect and direct messages
Today • Editing – Style • Email/Memo Format • Routine Messages • Requesting Information • Making a complaint • Requesting a Reference Letter
Readability • Avoid long sentences
Readability • Bad: confusing structure • It doesn’t matter who you are or what you know, because if you want to pass this class you must hand in all of your work on time, take all the tests, and come to each class.
Readability • Good: Split into sentences • All students who want to pass this class must come to each class. They must also do all the homework and take all of the tests.
Editing • Think of editing as having 3 parts: • For content • For readability • For style
Style • Now that you have all the words, we must make the document look good
Style • “High Skim Value” • Pretend someone is skimming your work. • Change the layout so they can easily find important points, main ideas, etc.
Style • Headings • White Space • Font
Headings • Headings should be parallel (same form) and make “stand alone sense” • This means they should make sense on their own
Headings • Ineffective: does not make stand alone sense • Recommendation
Headings • Effective: does make stand alone sense • Recommendation: Open a new store location
Headings • Ineffective: not parallel • Steps to increase business: • Build a new store • Getting more customers • To sell more products
Headings • Effective: parallel • Steps to increase business: • Build a new store • Get more customers • Sell more products
White Space • White space is empty space on the page. • It emphasizes main ideas • It presents ideas more clearly • It gives the reader a break
White Space • Vary paragraph length • Don’t have one long paragraph, or many small, similar sized ones • Have variety!
White Space • Ineffective – one long paragraph • If your reader has to get a dictionary to understand your report then you have not used plain English. When writing a report your job is to get your argument across to your reader, not to expand his or her vocabulary. Replace unusual or obscure words with ones that are easier to understand. For example, don't talk about a ‘paradigm shift' unless you really have to, instead tell them about a different approach or change of attitude or process. Also, delete unnecessary words. A crisis is always serious and dangers are always real so you do not need to say ‘serious crisis' or ‘real danger'. Are there trivial crises or imitation dangers? This point of grammar can seriously improve your report writing! Active sentences will usually have a subject-verb-object structure whereas passive ones have an object-verb-subject structure. Clear as mud? Forget the grammar and just look at some examples. For example, ‘The dog chased the cat' (5 words) is an active sentence whereas ‘The cat was chased by the dog' (7 words) is a passive sentence. Active sentences are normally shorter and a bit more direct. It is usually a good idea to aim for about 70-80% of your sentences to be active when writing reports. In technical reports you may have to lower your sights a little.
White Space • Ineffective – too many short paragraphs If your reader has to get a dictionary to understand your report then you have not used plain English. When writing a report your job is to get your argument across to your reader, not to expand his or her vocabulary. Replace unusual or obscure words with ones that are easier to understand. For example, don't talk about a ‘paradigm shift' unless you really have to, instead tell them about a different approach or change of attitude or process. Also, delete unnecessary words. A crisis is always serious and dangers are always real so you do not need to say ‘serious crisis' or ‘real danger'. Are there trivial crises or imitation dangers? This point of grammar can seriously improve your report writing! Active sentences will usually have a subject-verb-object structure whereas passive ones have an object-verb-subject structure. Clear as mud? Forget the grammar and just look at some examples. For example, ‘The dog chased the cat' (5 words) is an active sentence whereas ‘The cat was chased by the dog' (7 words) is a passive sentence. Active sentences are normally shorter and a bit more direct. It is usually a good idea to aim for about 70-80% of your sentences to be active when writing reports. In technical reports you may have to lower your sights a little.
White Space • Effective – varying lengths If your reader has to get a dictionary to understand your report then you have not used plain English. When writing a report your job is to get your argument across to your reader, not to expand his or her vocabulary. Replace unusual or obscure words with ones that are easier to understand. For example, don't talk about a ‘paradigm shift' unless you really have to, instead tell them about a different approach or change of attitude or process. Also, delete unnecessary words. A crisis is always serious and dangers are always real so you do not need to say ‘serious crisis' or ‘real danger'. Are there trivial crises or imitation dangers? This point of grammar can seriously improve your report writing! Active sentences will usually have a subject-verb-object structure whereas passive ones have an object-verb-subject structure. Clear as mud? Forget the grammar and just look at some examples. For example, ‘The dog chased the cat' (5 words) is an active sentence whereas ‘The cat was chased by the dog' (7 words) is a passive sentence. Active sentences are normally shorter and a bit more direct. It is usually a good idea to aim for about 70-80% of your sentences to be active when writing reports. In technical reports you may have to lower your sights a little.
White Space • Effective: split ideas into a list • I want to remind you of the following things you must do for me: • Finish your homework • Prepare your presentations • Study for you quiz
White Space • Ineffective: paragraph with no structure • You have to do your homework before tomorrow. You also have to come and talk to me. Will you study for your exam? You shouldn’t forget to do that either.
White Space • Indenting is important
White Space • Be sure your lists look like this • And that your lists don’t look like this
White Space • It is better to use “ragged right” margins • Don’t use justified margins
White Space • Good: Ragged Right If your reader has to get a dictionary to understand your report then you have not used plain English. When writing a report your job is to get your argument across to your reader, not to expand his or her vocabulary. Replace unusual or obscure words with ones that are easier to understand. For example, don't talk about a ‘paradigm shift' unless you really have to, instead tell them about a different approach or change of attitude or process. Also, delete unnecessary words. A crisis is always serious and dangers are always real so you do not need to say ‘serious crisis' or ‘real danger'. Are there trivial crises or imitation dangers? This point of grammar can seriously improve your report writing! Active sentences will usually have a subject-verb-object structure whereas passive ones have an object-verb-subject structure. Clear as mud? Forget the grammar and just look at some examples. For example, ‘The dog chased the cat' (5 words) is an active sentence whereas ‘The cat was chased by the dog' (7 words) is a passive sentence. Active sentences are normally shorter and a bit more direct. It is usually a good idea to aim for about 70-80% of your sentences to be active when writing reports. In technical reports you may have to lower your sights a little.
White Space • Bad: Justified If your reader has to get a dictionary to understand your report then you have not used plain English. When writing a report your job is to get your argument across to your reader, not to expand his or her vocabulary. Replace unusual or obscure words with ones that are easier to understand. For example, don't talk about a ‘paradigm shift' unless you really have to, instead tell them about a different approach or change of attitude or process. Also, delete unnecessary words. A crisis is always serious and dangers are always real so you do not need to say ‘serious crisis' or ‘real danger'. Are there trivial crises or imitation dangers? This point of grammar can seriously improve your report writing! Active sentences will usually have a subject-verb-object structure whereas passive ones have an object-verb-subject structure. Clear as mud? Forget the grammar and just look at some examples. For example, ‘The dog chased the cat' (5 words) is an active sentence whereas ‘The cat was chased by the dog' (7 words) is a passive sentence. Active sentences are normally shorter and a bit more direct. It is usually a good idea to aim for about 70-80% of your sentences to be active when writing reports. In technical reports you may have to lower your sights a little.
White Space • For business writing, use a 12 pt. Font • “Times New Roman” is the standard Font
White Space • You can use other ones, but don’t go too crazy.
White Space • Effective: 12 pt. Normal font If your reader has to get a dictionary to understand your report then you have not used plain English. When writing a report your job is to get your argument across to your reader, not to expand his or her vocabulary. Replace unusual or obscure words with ones that are easier to understand. For example, don't talk about a ‘paradigm shift' unless you really have to, instead tell them about a different approach or change of attitude or process. Also, delete unnecessary words. A crisis is always serious and dangers are always real so you do not need to say ‘serious crisis' or ‘real danger'. Are there trivial crises or imitation dangers? This point of grammar can seriously improve your report writing! Active sentences will usually have a subject-verb-object structure whereas passive ones have an object-verb-subject structure. Clear as mud? Forget the grammar and just look at some examples. For example, ‘The dog chased the cat' (5 words) is an active sentence whereas ‘The cat was chased by the dog' (7 words) is a passive sentence. Active sentences are normally shorter and a bit more direct. It is usually a good idea to aim for about 70-80% of your sentences to be active when writing reports. In technical reports you may have to lower your sights a little.
White Space • Ineffective: 8 pt. Normal font If your reader has to get a dictionary to understand your report then you have not used plain English. When writing a report your job is to get your argument across to your reader, not to expand his or her vocabulary. Replace unusual or obscure words with ones that are easier to understand. For example, don't talk about a ‘paradigm shift' unless you really have to, instead tell them about a different approach or change of attitude or process. Also, delete unnecessary words. A crisis is always serious and dangers are always real so you do not need to say ‘serious crisis' or ‘real danger'. Are there trivial crises or imitation dangers? This point of grammar can seriously improve your report writing! Active sentences will usually have a subject-verb-object structure whereas passive ones have an object-verb-subject structure. Clear as mud? Forget the grammar and just look at some examples. For example, ‘The dog chased the cat' (5 words) is an active sentence whereas ‘The cat was chased by the dog' (7 words) is a passive sentence. Active sentences are normally shorter and a bit more direct. It is usually a good idea to aim for about 70-80% of your sentences to be active when writing reports. In technical reports you may have to lower your sights a little.
White Space • Ineffective: 12 pt. weird font If your reader has to get a dictionary to understand your report then you have not used plain English. When writing a report your job is to get your argument across to your reader, not to expand his or her vocabulary. Replace unusual or obscure words with ones that are easier to understand. For example, don't talk about a ‘paradigm shift' unless you really have to, instead tell them about a different approach or change of attitude or process. Also, delete unnecessary words. A crisis is always serious and dangers are always real so you do not need to say ‘serious crisis' or ‘real danger'. Are there trivial crises or imitation dangers? This point of grammar can seriously improve your report writing! Active sentences will usually have a subject-verb-object structure whereas passive ones have an object-verb-subject structure. Clear as mud? Forget the grammar and just look at some examples. For example, ‘The dog chased the cat' (5 words) is an active sentence whereas ‘The cat was chased by the dog' (7 words) is a passive sentence. Active sentences are normally shorter and a bit more direct. It is usually a good idea to aim for about 70-80% of your sentences to be active when writing reports. In technical reports you may have to lower your sights a little.
Formatting When sending a business message, it is critical that we put it in the right format Many companies will have a standard format. When in doubt use the format on page 163 for memos and 167 for letters: Full Block Format
Formatting • Date (on top of the page) • Address (name of the person you are sending the message to) • Salutation (Dear Mr., Dear Mrs.) • Subject line (optional) • Body • Closing (include signature)
Formatting • Memo/email • To: • From: • Date: • Subject:
Formatting • Subject must be direct, clear and provide instructions. Can include dates. • Send figures for July sales • Bring report to Friday’s meeting • Need budget for report
September 13 2009 James Smith President Coca Cola Company 123 Fake Street Springfield, IL, USA 16802 Dear Mr. Smith, Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Body. Sincerely, Keith Cochrane
Routine Messages • For normal business situations • About day to day activity • Rarely complicated • Quick, clear, and direct
Routine Messages • 3 Step writing process: • Step 1: Planning (gather, organize, focus) • Step 2: Writing (Drafting) • Step 3: Completing (editing)
Routine Messages • 3 Step writing process: • Step 1: Planning (gather, organize, focus) • Step 2: Writing (Drafting) • Step 3: Completing (editing)
Planning • Even though messages are short, it is still good to plan the message. • Collect info, organize your thoughts, focus your ideas
Planning • Go over 5 communication strategies • Purpose? Objective? Style? Channel? Audience
Planning • Use the “you” attitude • Adapt message to readers
Routine Messages • 3 Step writing process: • Step 1: Planning (gather, organize, focus) • Step 2: Writing (Drafting) • Step 3: Completing (editing)
Writing • Assume your reader is interested or neutral • Assume they will respond positively
Writing • Must have a clear opening (introduction) • State all main ideas (Body) • Close Politely (conclusion)
Routine Messages • 3 Step writing process: • Step 1: Planning (gather, organize, focus) • Step 2: Writing (Drafting) • Step 3: Completing (editing)
Editing • Check content, readability, style format. • Proofread typos, errors, etc. • Read over before sending
Message Strategy • We will look at the strategy for writing routine messages. • Start with Introduction
Introduction Strategy • State your request at the beginning • Pay attention to your tone • Avoid personal intros • Be specific (say exactly what you want)