Written Communications OST 289

1. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 1
CHAPTER
8 Written Communication
1 Effective Written Communication
2 Writing Effective Messages
3 Guides for E-Mail, Letters, Memos,
and Reports
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

2. CHAPTER 8
“C” Characteristics of SLIDE 2
Effective Communication
 Complete
 Clear
 Correct
 Concise AVAVA/Shutterstock.com
 Courteous
 Considerate
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

3. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 3
The W Questions
 Why is the message being written?
 What information is needed?
 Who needs to receive the message?
 When is the action taking place?
 Where is the action taking place?
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

4. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 4
Checklist for Conciseness
 Short sentences and paragraphs
 Simple, easy-to-understand words
 Bulleted and numbered lists
 Avoidance of
● Unnecessary repetition
● Excessive information
● Wordy phrases
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

5. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 5
Writing Effective Messages
 Determine the goal or purpose.
 Analyze the reader/audience.
 Consider the tone.
 Gather the appropriate information.
 Organize the content.
 Compose and edit the document.
 Prepare the final document.
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

6. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 6
Determine the Goal or
Purpose
 What is my purpose in writing?
 What do I hope to accomplish?
 You may want to
● Inform the reader
● Provide information
● Establish a record of facts
● Promote goodwill
● Persuade the reader to take or forego an action
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

7. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 7
Analyze the Reader/Audience
 Identify needs and interests.
 Write to address them.
 Consider level of formality and language.
● General audience
● Professional audience
● International audience
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

8. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 8
Consider the Tone and Gather
Information
 The you approach
 Sources of information
● The organization’s files
● Employer or colleagues
● The Internet, periodicals, or books
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

9. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 9
Organize the Content
 Read through your notes and group like ideas
together.
 Choose an approach.
● Direct—good news or routine request
● Indirect—negative news
● Persuasive—convince or convert negative or
indifferent readers
 Choose the message format.
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

10. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 10
Compose the Document
 Write everything you want to say in rough-
draft form.
 Do not spend time agonizing over each word
and punctuation mark.
 Typical business message structure
● Opening paragraph
● Developmental paragraphs
● Closing paragraph
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

11. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 11
Edit the Document
 Keep the “C” characteristics in mind.
 Check paragraphs for
● Unity
● Coherence
● Parallel structure
 Eliminate the passive voice.
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

12. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 12
E-Mail Guidelines
 Be appropriately formal.
 Write a descriptive subject line.
 Limit your message to one screen.
 Edit and proofread carefully.
 Include your name and title (if appropriate).
 Be wary of humor or sarcasm.
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

13. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 13
E-Mail
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

14. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 14
E-Mail Ethics
 Do not send personal e-mail.
 Be professional toward others.
 Do not forward
● Junk mail or chain letters
● Messages without the senders’ permission
 Do not include personal information.
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

15. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 15
Memorandum Guidelines
 Use a memorandum
● For longer messages
● When a signature is needed
● For confidential or sensitive messages
 Slightly more formal than e-mail but less
formal than letters
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

16. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 16
Memorandum
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

17. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 17
Letter Guidelines
 Represent the company to the public
 More formal than e-mail and memos
 Preferred for current and prospective clients
and customers
 May use
● Block or modified block style
● Open or mixed punctuation
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

18. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 18
Letter Using Direct Approach
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

19. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 19
Letter Using Indirect Approach
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

20. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 20
Letter Using Persuasive Approach
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

21. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 21
Guidelines for Reports
 Purpose of business reports
● Provide information
● Describe a problem and suggest a solution
 Informal or formal
● Informal: progress reports, monthly sales
reports, team or task force reports
● Formal: business proposals or research reports
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

22. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 22
Guidelines for Reports
 Conducting research
● Primary research
● Secondary research
 Evaluating information
 Documenting sources
Diego Cervo/Shutterstock.com
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

23. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 23
Informal Reports
 May have only one or two parts
● Executive summary (sometimes)
 Background
 Major findings
 Recommendations
● Body
 Or may be formatted as a memo
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

24. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 24
Formal Reports
 Usually contain several parts
● Executive summary
● Title page
● Table of contents
● Body
● Bibliography or references section
● One or more appendices
 Typically formatted in manuscript style
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e

25. CHAPTER 8
SLIDE 25
Tables and Graphics
© 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Procedures & Theory for Administrative Professionals, 7e