Session 7

Letters and Memos

Writing process
Inventing Collecting Organizing Drafting Revising Proofreading

Inventing: coming up with your topic

Brainstorming:
Getting your ideas on paper so you can give yourself the widest range of topics possible

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

Clustering: mapping out ideas

sportsmanship NBA salary caps animal abuse FlagBurning Amendment

First Amendment

Internet censorship

three-party system

political apathy

NFL instant replay

telemarketing scams

Collecting

Gathering ideas Locating and evaluating research Conducting interviews

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

Drafting

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

Revising: reviewing ideas

Review higher-order concerns:

Clear communication of ideas Organization of paper Paragraph structure Strong introduction and conclusion

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.

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.

Proofreading Techniques

Watch for common errors. Pay special attention to headings. Check not only for typographical errors but also for common wordprocessing errors.

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.

Proofreading Exercise

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

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 Manager, Corporate Sales Enclosure cc: Mr. Juan Santos, Microsoft Philippines

Maria de Jesus

Letters
http://owl.english.purdue.ed u/handouts/pw/p_basicbusle tter.html

Dos and Donts 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 firstname basis. Do avoid sounding stuffy in your letters by writing as if you were talking to the person directly.

Dos and Donts 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. Dont send a cover letter out on company stationery if youre submitting a resume.

Dos and Donts of Writing a Business Letter

Dont write so informally that the recipient of the letter is made to feel uncomfortable. Dont carbon-copy everyone. Send your letter only to people who need it.

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

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

Parts of a Memo

Heading Segment Opening Segment Discussion Segments Closing Segment

Heading Segment

DATE:

TO:

FROM:

(complete and current date) (readers' names and job titles) (your name and job title)

SUBJECT: (what the memo is about, highlighted in some way)

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

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.)

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."

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.

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 theyve just been told.

Memo Don'ts

Dont cover too many issues in one memo. Dont carbon-copy everyone. Dont send a memo to anyone higher up than your immediate supervisor.

Memo Don'ts

Dont send memos to customers or prospects. Dont use a memo to correct wayward employees or identify weaknesses they need to work on. Dont use memos to share bad news.

Reports

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.

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

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.

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)

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)

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)

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

Formal Report

Title Page Table of Contents Introduction Summary Body

Conclusion Recommendations Appendices Bibliography

Reports Dos and Donts

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.

Reports Dos and Donts

Dont waffle (vacillate, write foolishly) or write unbroken long paragraphs. Dont overuse the first person singular (I) or allow your personal prejudices to show. Dont digress or go off on tangents. Dont draw conclusions from insufficient evidence. Dont print your report without thoroughly checking your sources.

Cite Your Sources

When you quote another persons 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 anothers idea as your own.

Documenting Sources: Using the APA* Format

A workshop brought to you by the Purdue University Writing Lab
*American Psychological Association

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

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.

Using a Consistent Format

Using a consistent format helps your reader understand your arguments and the sources theyre built on. It also helps you keep track of your sources as you build arguments.

Establishing Credibility
The proper use of APA style shows the credibility of writers; such writers show accountability to their source material.

Avoiding Plagiarism
Proper citation of your sources in APA style can help you avoid plagiarism, which is a serious offense. It may result in anything from failure of the assignment to expulsion from school.

Where Do I Find the APA Format?

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th ed.

www.apastyle.org Composition textbooks OWL website: owl.english.purdue.edu

Title Page

Papers in APA style require a title page. The running head will be used as the header for the whole paper. Include the papers title and the authors name and affiliation.

APA Style: Two Main Concerns

Reference

Page Parenthetical Citations

Reference Page

A list of every source that you make reference to in your essay. Provides the information necessary for a reader to locate and retrieve any sources cited in your essay. Each retrievable source cited in the essay must appear on the reference page, and vice versa.

A Sample Reference Page

Shell Shock 12 References Fussell, P. (1975). The Great War and modern memory. New York: Oxford UP. Marcus, J. (1989). The asylums of Antaeus: Women, war, and madnessis there a feminist fetishism? In H. A. Veeser (Ed.), The New Historicism (pp. 132-151). New York: Routledge. Mott, F. W. (1916). The effects of high explosives upon the central nervous system. The Lancet, 55(2), 331-38. Showalter, E. (1997). Hystories: Hysterical epidemics and modern media. New York: Columbia UP.

Reference Page
Most citations should contain the following basic information: Authors name Title of work Publication information

References: Some Examples

Book Shay, J. (1994). Achilles in Vietnam:

Combat trauma and the undoing of character. New York: Touchstone.

Article in a Magazine Klein, J. (1998, October 5). Dizzy days. The New Yorker, 40-45.

References: Some Examples

Web page Poland, D. (1998, October 26). The hot button. Roughcut. Retrieved October 28, 1998, from http://www.roughcut.com

References: Some Examples

A newspaper article Tommasini, A. (1998, October 27). Master teachers whose artistry glows in private. New York Times, p. B2.
A source with no known author Cigarette sales fall 30% as California tax rises. (1999, September 14). New York Times, p. A17.

Reference Page
What other types of sources might you need to list on your reference page?
Study the basics of APA citation format. When something odd comes up, dont guess. Look it up!

When Should You Use Parenthetical Citations?

When quoting any words that are not your own

Quoting means repeating another source word for word, using quotation marks

When Should You Use Parenthetical Citations?

When summarizing facts and ideas from a source

Summarizing means taking ideas from a large passage of another source and condensing them using your own words

When paraphrasing a source

Paraphrasing means using the ideas from another source but changing the phrasing into your own words.

Keys to Parenthetical Citations

Readability

Keep references brief Give only information needed to identify the source on your reference page

Handling Quotes in Your Text

Authors last name, publication year, and page number(s) of quote must appear in the text
Caruth (1996) states that a traumatic response frequently entails a delayed, uncontrolled repetitive appearance of hallucinations and other intrusive phenomena (p.11).

A traumatic response frequently entails a delayed, uncontrolled repetitive appearance of hallucinations and other intrusive phenomena (Caruth, 1996, p.11).

Handling Parenthetical Citations

Sometimes additional information is necessary. More than one author with the same last name (H. James, 1878); (W. James, 1880) Two or more works in the same parentheses (Caruth, 1996; Fussell, 1975; Showalter, 1997) Work with six or more authors (Smith et al, 1998) Specific part of a source (Jones, 1995, chap. 2)

Handling Parenthetical Citations

If the source has no known author, then use an abbreviated version of the title: Full Title: California Cigarette Tax Deters Smokers Citation: (California, 1999)

Handling Parenthetical Citations

A reference to a personal communication: Source: email message from C. Everett Koop Citation: (C. E. Koop, personal communication, May 16, 1998) A general reference to a web site Source: Purdue University web site Citation: (http://www.purdue.edu)

Handling Parenthetical Citations

Recently, the history of warfare has been significantly revised by Higonnet et al (1987), Marcus (1989), and Raitt and Tate (1997) to include womens personal and cultural responses to battle and its resultant traumatic effects. Feminist researchers now concur that It is no longer true to claim that women's responses to the war have been ignored (Raitt & Tate, p. 2). Though these studies focus solely on women's experiences, they err by collectively perpetuating the masculine-centered impressions originating in Fussell (1975) and Bergonzi (1996). However, Tylee (1990) further criticizes Fussell, arguing that his study treated memory and culture as if they belonged to a sphere beyond the existence of individuals or the control of institutions (p. 6).

Handling Quotes in Your Text

There are many different combinations and variations within APA citation format.

If you run into something unusual, look it up!

Where can you go for additional help with APA documentation?

Purdue University Writing Lab

http://owl.english.purdue.edu owl@owl.english.purdue.edu