Session 7

1. Session 7 Letters and Memos

2. Writing process • Inventing • Collecting • Organizing • Drafting • Revising • Proofreading

3. Inventing: coming up with your topic • Brainstorming: • Getting your ideas on paper so you can give yourself the widest range of topics possible

4. Brainstorming: coming up with ideas that interest you Listing: Paper Topics Political apathy Animal abuse NFL instant replay Air pollution Telemarketing scams Internet censorship NBA salary caps Brainstorming

5. Clustering: mapping out ideas Flag- Burning Amend-ment sportsmanship First Amendment NBA salary caps Internet censorship I animal abuse telemar- keting scams NFL instant replay three-party system political apathy

6. Collecting • Gathering ideas • Locating and evaluating research • Conducting interviews

7. Organizing: putting information in an outline OUTLINE I. Introduction A. Grab attention B. State the thesis II. Body A. Build points B. Develop ideas C. Support the main claim III. Conclusion A. Reemphasize the main idea I. II. III. Outline

8. Drafting • Give yourself ample time to work on your project. • Find a comfortable place to do your writing. • Avoid distractions. • Take breaks.

9. Revising: reviewing ideas • Review higher-order concerns: • Clear communication of ideas • Organization of paper • Paragraph structure • Strong introduction and conclusion

10. Editing and Polishing • Improve your first draft by identifying mistakes that are there and pieces of missing information that aren't. • Verify the content of your message and check the way you've written it. • Don't rely on computer programs entirely for your proofreading.

11. Proofreading Techniques • Read slowly and fixate on each word. • Sub-vocalize. • Read one line at a time. • When you find an error, reread the entire sentence. • Check for consistency in format.

12. Proofreading Techniques • Watch for common errors. • Pay special attention to headings. • Check not only for typographical errors but also for common word-processing errors.

13. Proofreading Techniques • Have someone who was not involved in the preparation of your text check it over. • Because certain errors can be caught more readily by the author, be sure to proofread your own copy when someone else has done your typing.

14. Proofreading Exercise

15. How not to write a letter Dear Sir/Madam, I have heard on the grapevine that you are seeking a company which is capable of installing new computers of all your departments. I believe that my company can be safely appointed as one in which you migh have complete confidence. Notwhitstanding our somewhat limited experience in your industry, I have been advized by some one who used to work for you that we would be just right for the job. I am most entousiastic, about the possibilities to mete you except please be advized that I will unfortunately be unable to visit your office on Mondays, Tuesdays, or on Wednesday afternoons. This is because at present I am a student at the De La Salle Graduate School of Business. Hope to hear from you soon, Maribel S. Cruz

16. Parts of a Business Letter February 23, 2010 Ms. Jeanette Martin Purchasing Manager Planning Company Suite 515 6750 Ayala Avenue, Makati City Dear Ms. Martin: Subject: Microsoft Enterprise System Thank you for your telephone inquiry. I am enclosing a recent brochure. You have confirmed that your company is interested in installing new computer software, and I am sure we will be able to supply your needs. I look forward to hearing from you and to meeting you soon. Please call me at 525-4616 if you have questions. Very truly yours, Maria de Jesus Maria de Jesus Manager, Corporate Sales Enclosure cc: Mr. Juan Santos, Microsoft Philippines

17. Letterhead • Official name of business organization • Address • Telephone and fax numbers • Email

18. Sender’s Address • Included if there is no letterhead • At the top of the letter one line above the date • Contains senders’ street address, city and zip code

19. Date • Indicates the date the letter was written • Include the month, day and year written two inches from the top of the page

20. Inside Address • The inside address is the recipient's address. • It is always best to write to a specific individual at the firm to which you are writing. • If you do not have the person's name, do some research by calling the company or speaking with employees from the company. • Include a personal title such as Ms., Mrs., Mr., or Dr. • Follow a woman's preference in being addressed as Miss, Mrs., or Ms. • If you are unsure of a woman's preference in being addressed, use Ms. • If there is a possibility that the person to whom you are writing is a Dr. or has some other title, use that title. • Usually, people will not mind being addressed by a higher title than they actually possess. • To write the address, use the U.S. Post Office Format. • For international addresses, type the name of the country in all-capital letters on the last line. • The inside address begins one line below the sender's address or one inch below the date. • It should be left justified, no matter which format you are using.

21. Letters http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/p_basicbusletter.html

22. Dos and Don’ts of Writing a Business Letter • Do use a company letterhead when corresponding on business. • Do address people as Mr. and Ms. until you are sure that you are on a first-name basis. • Do avoid sounding stuffy in your letters by writing as if you were talking to the person directly.

23. Dos and Don’ts of Writing a Business Letter • Do keep your letter to one or two pages on average. • Do use a serif font (Times or Palatino) instead of a sans serif (Arial and Futura) font. • Don’t send a cover letter out on company stationery if you’re submitting a resume.

24. Dos and Don’ts of Writing a Business Letter • Don’t write so informally that the recipient of the letter is made to feel uncomfortable. • Don’t carbon-copy everyone. Send your letter only to people who need it.

25. Memos http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/p_memo.html

26. Memos • Memos have one purpose in life: as the authors of Business Writing Strategies and Samples put it, "Memos solve problems." • inform the reader about new information • persuade the reader to take an action

27. Parts of a Memo • Heading Segment • Opening Segment • Discussion Segments • Closing Segment

28. Heading Segment • DATE: (complete and current date) TO: (readers' names and job titles) • FROM: (your name and job title) • SUBJECT: (what the memo is about, highlighted in some way)

29. Opening Segment • The purpose of a memo is usually found in the opening paragraphs and is presented in three parts: • the context and problem • the specific assignment or task • the purpose of the memo

30. Discussion Segments • The discussion segments are the parts in which you get to include all the juicy details that support your ideas. Keep these two things in mind: • Begin with the key findings or recommendations. • Think of an inverted pyramid. Start with your most general information and move to your specific or supporting facts. (Be sure to use the same format when including details: strongest to weakest.)

31. Closing Segment • After giving the reader all of your information, close with a courteous ending that states what action you want your reader to take. • "I will be glad to discuss this recommendation with you during our Tuesday meeting and to follow through on any decisions you make."

32. Memo Dos • Do carbon-copy others within your organization who need to see your memo. • Do send a memo to people who report directly to you, and let them distribute it within their units as they see fit.

33. Memo Dos • Do use bullet points and other graphics to identify your key points or issues. • Do stamp sensitive memos with “confidential” or “for internal use only” to inform people not to let anyone else know what they’ve just been told.

34. Memo Don'ts • Don’t cover too many issues in one memo. • Don’t carbon-copy everyone. • Don’t send a memo to anyone higher up than your immediate supervisor.

35. Memo Don'ts • Don’t send memos to customers or prospects. • Don’t use a memo to correct wayward employees or identify weaknesses they need to work on. • Don’t use memos to share bad news.

36. Reports

37. Purpose of a Business Report • Convey essential information in an organized, useful format • Provide complete, accurate information • Influence decisions and provide solutions to problems Reports must be CLEAR, CONCISE, and READABLE.

38. Why Write Reports • Monitoring and controlling operations • Implementing policies and procedures • Complying with legal or regulatory requirements • Obtaining new business or funding • Documenting work performed for a client • Guiding management decisions

39. Information to include in Reports • Why does the reader want the report? • Sketch a general answer based on results of research. • Create a question-and-answer chain. • The balance between general and specific depends on the nature of the report. • Every detail must relate to the main question.

40. Types of Reports • Record Report - merely states facts (e.g., Annual Report) • Statistical Report - presents numerical data, usually in the form of charts, tables, and graphs (e.g., Sales Report) • Progress Report - traces developments that have occurred over time (e.g., Status of Skyway construction)

41. Types of Reports • Investigative Report - based on a study or investigation of a situation or issue; presents and analyzes data (e.g., Accident Report) • Recommendation Report - investigative report taken one step further, providing recommendations based on the information provided (e.g., Reorganization Report)

42. Informal Reports • Most common form of business report • Usually short, about five pages or fewer • Generally drafted in the form of a memo (for inter-office use) or written as a letter (if sent outside the company)

43. Informal Reports • Typical format • First paragraph - presents main idea clearly and concisely • Second paragraph - develops main point with supporting details • Third paragraph - states objective conclusion

44. Title Page Table of Contents Introduction Summary Body Conclusion Recommendations Appendices Bibliography Formal Report

45. Reports Dos and Don’ts • Do make each report interesting. • Do use verbatim quotes from interviewees. • Do emphasize your most important findings and facts. • Do use headings for changes of subjects and subheadings for related themes. • Do word your report with courtesy and tact. • Do number the pages of your report.

46. Reports Dos and Don’ts • Don’t waffle (vacillate, write foolishly) or write unbroken long paragraphs. • Don’t overuse the first person singular (I) or allow your personal prejudices to show. • Don’t digress or go off on tangents. • Don’t draw conclusions from insufficient evidence. • Don’t print your report without thoroughly checking your sources.

47. Cite Your Sources • When you quote another person’s words and ideas, you must say so. • Failure to do this constitutes PLAGIARISM, which is information theft. • If you interview people, name them. • If your refer to books or articles, footnote them. • You lose no credit when you acknowledge the source of your information, but you lose all credibility if you are caught presenting another’s idea as your own.

48. Documenting Sources:Using the APA* Format A workshop brought to you by the Purdue University Writing Lab *American Psychological Association

49. Why Use the APA Format? • Allows readers to cross-reference your sources easily • Provides consistent format within a discipline • Gives you credibility as a writer • Protects you from plagiarism

50. Cross-Referencing Your Sources Cross-referencing allows readers to locate the publication information of source material. This is of great value for researchers who may want to locate your sources for their own research projects.