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Glossary
A
abbreviation a shortened form of a word or a
group of words.
absolute adjectives an adjective that cannot be
compared because it is already at the maximum
level of its potential.
analytical reports reports that analyze a problem,
present facts, draw conclusions, and make
recommendations.
animation the movement of text or images on a
slide.
antecedents nouns to which pronouns refer.
acknowledgment a message that tells a sender
that a communication has been received.
apostrophe a mark that is used primarily to indicate the omission of one or more letters or numbers in a contraction, to indicate possession in
nouns and indefinite pronouns, and to denote
time and money.
acronym a special type of abbreviation that is a
pronounceable word formed from the first
letter or letters of a series of words.
appendix section of a report that contains materials related to the report that are too long to be
included in the body.
action minutes minutes that summarize topics discussed, decisions made, and actions to be taken.
application form a standardized data sheet that
a company uses to compare qualifications of job
applicants.
accessibility the ease with which customers can
contact you.
action verbs verbs that can take direct or indirect
objects and that help to create lively, effective
sentences.
active listening listening that requires understanding and remembering and that has purpose.
appositive a noun or noun substitute that renames and refers to a preceding noun, providing
additional information that is not necessary to the
meaning of a sentence; it is set off with commas.
active voice verb voice and style of writing that indicates the subject of the sentence is doing the action.
attachment or enclosure notation notation that
tells the recipient that another separate document is included with the letter or memo.
address book an electronic document that stores
e-mail addresses, regular mailing addresses,
phone numbers, and other information.
attention getter a statement, a question, an anecdote, or another device designed to get the
audience’s attention.
adjective a word that describes or limits nouns or
noun substitutes, such as pronouns, gerund
phrases, and infinitive phrases.
attention line the part of a letter that is used when
the letter is not addressed personally to an individual and that directs the letter to a position or
department within the organization or to an
individual whom the writer considers to be the
best person to receive it.
adverb a word that describes a verb, an adjective,
or another adverb.
agenda the order of business to be discussed during a particular meeting.
alternative the possible solution to a problem.
B
back up to make an extra copy of files.
Glossary
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bar graph a graph that shows each data point as a
rectangular bar; used when you want your audience to be able to compare the data represented
in the graph.
beam the process of electronically transmitting
information from one handheld computer to
another or from a handheld to a printer.
bibliography the part of a report that lists the
sources used in preparing the report, shown in
alphabetical order by author’s names (called
“Works Cited” when using MLA guidelines).
block format a format of business letters in which
all lines begin at the left margin.
Bluetooth a popular technology for PANs that allows Bluetooth-enabled devices to connect via radio and communicate using their own set of rules.
body the part of an e-mail, a memo, or a letter
that contains the message.
body language communication symbols sent by
body movement, such as facial expressions and
gestures.
brainstorming thinking of every possible idea
about a particular topic.
briefing a short presentation usually given at a
meeting or conference to bring people up to date
on business activities, projects, programs, or
procedures.
broken-bar graph a bar graph that indicates omission of part of each bar if some quantities are so
large that they would go off the chart.
business communication the communication
process used in a business environment.
C
casual listening listening associated with conversation and entertainment in which the listener
expends little energy or effort.
cell phone a portable phone that allows receivers
and senders to make phone calls while away from
traditional telephones.
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Glossary
channel the mode a sender selects to send a
message.
chat or conversation window an electronic display
of everything said in the current chat session.
claim a message that requests a refund, an exchange, or a discount on merchandise or services.
clause a group of words with a subject and a
predicate.
closing paragraph a paragraph that ends a business
communication with a summation or a reference to
the main idea stated in the opening paragraph.
code of ethics a set of ethical guidelines followed
by an organization with respect to how it treats
clients and employees or members.
collection message a message that tries to persuade
a customer to pay a past-due bill.
collective noun a noun that represents a group that
usually acts as a single unit, such as jury or tribe.
colon an internal punctuation mark that directs
the reader’s attention to the material that follows.
comma an internal punctuation mark that is used
with introductory elements, independent clauses,
nonessential elements, direct addresses, numbers,
abbreviations, and repeated words; commas also
are inserted in a series and between adjectives.
comma splice the incorrect insertion of a comma,
instead of a semicolon or a period, between two
independent clauses.
common noun a noun that identifies a person,
place, or thing in a general way.
communication the process used to send and
interpret messages.
communication barriers obstacles to
communication.
comparison a change in the form of adjectives.
complete predicate everything in a sentence said
by, to, or about the subject, including the main
verb of the sentence.
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complete subject the simple subject in addition
to the rest of the sentence that is not part of the
complete predicate.
complimentary close the formal closing or the
“good-bye” of a letter.
compound adjective two or more hyphenated
words that precede and modify nouns.
compound antecedent an antecedent that consists of two or more elements.
compound noun a noun, proper or common,
that requires two or more words.
compound predicate two or more verbs with the
same subject that are connected by conjunctions.
compound subject two or more simple subjects
joined by conjunctions.
computer a machine that processes data according
to a set of instructions in order to perform specific
tasks.
computer presentation a presentation that uses
images that were created using computer
software.
computer vision syndrome (CVS) eyestrain and
related vision problems experienced by computer
users.
concise brief, to the point, short.
conclusion an opinion based on the interpretation
of data.
condition linking verb a verb with no object or indirect object that connects an adjective to the
subject.
confidential information private, secret information that is not to be shared with anyone except
those authorized to know it.
conjunctions words that join two or more sentence
parts.
conjunctive adverb a transitional word that joins
two independent but related sentences.
consensus a decision made and agreed upon by
all members of a group.
contact information the part of a resume that contains the applicant’s name, address, telephone numbers where the applicant can be reached, e-mail,
web address (if appropriate), and fax number.
contact list an instant messaging feature that lists
people who are online and available to chat.
coordinate conjunction a word that joins words,
phrases, and clauses of equal grammatical rank.
copy or blind copy notation notation that indicates that a copy of the memo or letter is being
sent to the person(s) named.
copyright the legal right to produce books, articles,
stories, photographs, and other works, usually held
by the artist or author of the work.
correlative conjunction words used in pairs that
join words, phrases, and clauses of equal grammatical rank, such as not only...but also, either...or,
and neither...nor.
courteous request a polite way to ask for action; it
does not ask for a yes or no answer, and it requires
a period rather than a question mark even when
phrased as a question.
credit refusal a message that denies credit to an
applicant.
cross-cultural communication communication
between people from different cultures.
culture a set of beliefs, attitudes, social customs,
and practices that distinguishes a group of people.
customer contact the process of maintaining customer satisfaction by communicating in a timely
manner by whatever means is convenient for the
customer.
customer service the performance of activities to
ensure customer satisfaction, including the categories of convenience, product, and price.
D
dash an internal punctuation mark, formed by
keying two unspaced hyphens, that is used sparingly to enliven sentences and make them forceful;
also used with appositives and other nonessential
Glossary
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elements that contain commas, before a summarizing statement, with a sudden change of thought,
and before a detailed listing.
double comparison the use of two forms of comparative degree adjectives (or superlative degree
adjectives) to describe a noun.
data information drawn from research results.
drawing a diagram that is useful for communicating a complicated idea or procedure.
dateline the part of a letter that shows the date
the letter was keyed.
declarative sentence a sentence that makes a
statement.
demonstrative pronoun a pronoun such as this,
these, that, and those that points to a specific person,
place, or thing in a given sentence or answers
where.
description a verbal and visual picture of
something.
desktop computer a personal computer that fits
on a desk but is too large to carry easily from
place to place.
developmental paragraph a paragraph that contains important information or explanations
about the main idea of the message.
digital camera a camera that records images in digital form, on a sensor chip rather than on film, and
from which they can be uploaded to a computer or
web site, e-mailed, or printed.
direct address use of the reader’s first or last name
at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence to
personalize a message; it is set off with commas.
direct object a noun or pronoun directly affected
by the action of the verb.
direct order method of organization of a business
communication in which the main idea is presented first, followed by supporting information.
direct-indirect order combination method of organization when both positive and negative messages are conveyed in a business communication.
discussion outline an outline that provides information about the topics and the subtopics
presented under each heading.
diversity differences in ethnicity, culture, background, and personality.
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Glossary
E
e-commerce the buying and selling of goods on
the Internet.
edit the process of reviewing and revising a written
message in order to improve it.
electronic resume a resume that is sent electronically by e-mail or through an online resume
builder.
electronic whiteboard using special markers to
write text and draw images on an erasable whiteboard, the user can print out a hard copy of what
is written on the board.
e-mail mail that is written, sent, and received on a
computer.
emoticon a combination of keyboard characters
:-) or a smiley face icon ☺ used to reflect emotion
in e-mail and instant messages.
empathy understanding of the customer’s feelings
and situation.
empower the process of giving employees the
knowledge and skills they need to serve customers and giving employees the authority to
make independent decisions—within clear
boundaries or within reason—in delivering customer service.
enunciation the way in which each part of a word
is sounded out when spoken.
ergonomics the design of products and processes with user safety, comfort, and efficiency in
mind.
ethics the principles of right and wrong that
guide each person.
ethnicity the division of people into groups that
share a common ancestry, history, or culture.
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etiquette a set of rules of behavior for a particular
place or situation.
exclamation point an external punctuation mark
that follows a word, a group of words, or a
sentence that shows strong emotion.
executive summary a brief overview of the report;
sometimes called a synopsis or an abstract.
expletive a word such as there, it, or here that is
used to invert a sentence.
extemporaneous speech a speech given from
note cards or a brief outline rather than read
from a manuscript.
external barriers obstacles to communication
that lie outside the receiver or sender.
external communication communication that
originates within a company and is sent to receivers outside the company.
external customer someone from outside the company who requests information or purchases a
product or service.
external reports reports written for people outside
the organization.
F
fair use a doctrine that allows, under certain circumstances, limited use of copyrighted material
without the author’s permission.
fax machine a machine that sends and receives
documents over a phone line.
fax modem a device that interacts with fax machines and other fax modems to send and receive
electronic documents.
fax server a computer that handles all outgoing
and incoming faxes via one or more fax modems.
feature phone a cell phone that offers a variety
of special features, such as the ability to play
music, videos, and TV; send and receive e-mail;
and take digital still or video pictures.
feedback the receiver’s response to a message.
findings and analysis section of the report body
that presents the findings and supporting details
and examines those results.
firewall hardware, software, or a combination of
the two that restricts access to the network by
outsiders.
flowchart a step-by-step diagram of a procedure
or process.
follow-up letter a letter written within two days of
a job interview to the interviewer that thanks him
or her for the interview and indicates the sender’s
interest in the job.
formal communication communication that
follows established lines of authority.
formal reports reports that are long, analytical,
and impersonal.
frames popular web page features that divide
browser windows into parts, each of which can
display a separate web page.
friendship message a special type of goodwill
message that shows friendship between the
sender and the receiver.
functional order a form of organization used on
resumes that presents accomplishments and skills
in order of their importance, showing the most
important or impressive first.
future perfect tense verb a verb form that indicates action that will be completed at a specific
point in the future.
future tense verb a verb form that expresses an
action or a condition yet to come.
G
gesture the use of arms and hands to express an
idea or a feeling.
Global Positioning System (GPS) a worldwide
navigation system consisting of 24 satellites and
ground stations that allows users to determine
exactly where they are and how to get where
they need to go.
Glossary
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globalization an increasing connection and interdependence among nations in commerce, economies, culture, and other areas.
hyphen an internal punctuation mark used in
word division, after some prefixes, and in some
compound words.
glossary a list of unfamiliar terms and abbreviations and their definitions.
hypothesis the possible cause or explanation for
a problem.
goodwill the favorable reputation that an individual or a business has with its customers.
goodwill message an acknowledgment or a
friendly message designed to build relationships
and to increase the receiver’s positive feelings
toward the sender.
graph a diagram that provides a means for comparing data.
graphic a visual representation of the words in a
message, such as a table, chart, or graph.
groupthink a phenomenon that occurs when the
members of a group suppress their own ideas and
make their opinions and decisions conform to
those of other members.
I
identity theft the act of stealing personal information such as Social Security and credit card
numbers.
impromptu speech a speech given on the spot
without any prior notice.
inclusion the practice of seeking and valuing the
contributions of everyone in a workplace and
treating everyone fairly.
indefinite pronoun a pronoun such as one or each
that refers in general terms to people, places, or
things.
indirect object a noun or pronoun that receives
the verb’s action.
H
handheld computer (palmtop) a computer that
weighs a pound or less and fits in the palm of
the hand.
headings words used in report writing that help
organize and present data and help readers follow
as the writer moves from point to point.
Hispanic a person of Spanish or Latin-American
descent.
home page the opening page of a web site.
hotspots places that offer wireless Internet
access.
hyperlinks text or graphics that, when clicked on,
take the user to another web page, another part
of the page, or a different web site.
hypertext markup language (HTML) a computer
language that permits the use of audio, video, and
graphics.
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Glossary
indirect order method of organization of a business communication in which the supporting information is presented before the main idea.
indirect question a statement that contains a
reference to a question.
informal communication communication that
does not follow established lines of authority.
informal reports short reports written in a lessformal style that are usually concerned with everyday matters that require little background.
informational reports reports that present information (facts) and that include very little
analysis.
instant messaging (IM) a means of communicating
immediately via electronic text messages with one
or more people in real time.
instructions written directions that tell readers
how to do something.
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intensive pronoun a compound pronoun form
created by joining a pronoun with self or selves
that provides emphasis in a sentence.
irregular verb a verb for which the past and past
participle forms are constructed irregularly.
interface a point of interaction between desktop,
windows, and other features that makes working
with the computer easy.
J
interjections words or expressions such as No! or
Help! that have no grammatical relationship with
other words in a sentence and are used to express
strong emotion.
internal barriers obstacles to communication that
lie within the receiver or sender.
internal communication communication that
originates and is sent to receivers within a
company.
internal customer a supervisor or fellow employee
who works within the company.
Internet a vast network connecting millions of
computers worldwide that is often referred to as
the Net.
Internet (web) faxing the delivery and receipt of
fax messages over the Internet.
internship an arrangement that allows a student
to work for a company or an organization for a set
period of time.
interrogative pronoun a pronoun such as which
or what used to begin a question that leads to a
noun response.
intranet a LAN that works like the Internet.
intransitive verb a verb that does not need an
object to complete the meaning of a sentence.
introduction the text that states the purpose of
the report.
irregular adjectives adjectives that do not form
their comparisons by adding er or more or adding
est or most.
irregular nouns nouns that do not form their
plurals with the addition of an s or es.
job objective a brief statement that describes the
type of position the applicant is seeking.
L
laptop computer a portable computer that is small
enough to fit on a person’s lap.
Latino a person of Latin-American descent.
letter address the part of a letter that contains
the name and address of the receiver.
letter of application a sales tool that markets
applicants to potential employers.
letter of transmittal a letter that transmits a
report to the reader and accompanies reports
sent to readers outside the organization.
letter reports reports written in letter format.
letterhead type of paper used for memos and
letters that often contains the company name
and additional information.
letters a format of messages used for external
documents.
line graph a graph that displays one or more sets
of data, connected by lines; useful for showing
changes in quantity or value over time.
listening the process of hearing and focusing
attention to understand and remember an oral
message.
local area network (LAN) a network in which the
computers are physically close together, such as in
the same building or group of buildings.
M
main idea the central theme or most important
thought in a business communication.
Glossary
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manuals sets of instructions combined with explanations, descriptions, definitions, and other related
information.
manuscript reports informal reports written in
manuscript format.
map a visual aid that shows geographic relationships and is especially useful when your audience
may not be familiar with the geographic areas in
your presentation.
mechanics the practical and functional details of
a meeting.
mechanism a synthetic object that consists of
several moving parts working together to perform
one or more tasks.
memo of transmittal a memo that transmits a
report to the reader.
memo reports short internal reports sent to others
within the organization that are written in memo
format.
memorandums (memos) formats used for written messages sent to others in the same
organization.
memorization giving a speech entirely from
memory.
message a set of symbols selected to represent a
thought or an idea.
message environment the physical and/or social
setting in which a message is sent.
microprocessor the part of a computer that does
the actual computing.
mild command a stern request from the writer to
the reader, giving a sense of urgency but without
being strong enough to require an exclamation
point.
modified block format a format of business letters in which all lines begin at the left margin except for the dateline, complimentary close, and
writer’s name and title.
multimedia presentation a visually stimulating
presentation that includes features such as sound,
animation, and video clips.
multinational company a company that conducts
business in at least two nations.
multiple-bar graph a bar graph that is useful for
comparing more than one set of data at various
points in time.
multiple-line graph a line graph that shows the
movement of two or more quantities or values
over time.
N
negative-news message a message that conveys
news that will disappoint the receiver.
netiquette a set of informal guidelines for behaving
courteously online.
network a group of computers and their peripheral devices—printers, for example—linked by
wires, cables, optical fibers, phone lines, infrared,
radio, or satellite.
networking an informal way to find out about job
opportunities through talking with personal
contacts.
neutral opening an opening of a message that implies neither a positive nor a negative response
from the receiver.
news release a document that announces important information from an organization that is distributed to newspapers, television and radio
stations, and other media outfits.
minutes the official record of the proceedings of
a meeting.
nominative case pronoun a pronoun, also called
a subjective case pronoun, used as a subject or a
predicate nominative.
mixed punctuation punctuation used in a letter
that has a colon after the salutation and a comma
after the complimentary close.
nondisclosure agreement an agreement in which
an employee promises not to divulge trade secrets
to others for a certain period of time.
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nonessential elements interrupting expressions,
nonrestrictive elements, and appositives; they
include information that may be interesting but
is not necessary to the meaning or the structure
of a sentence.
nonrestrictive phrase (nonrestrictive clause) a
phrase or clause adding information that is not
essential to the meaning of the sentence.
oral communication spoken communication.
order a letter that requests goods and/or
services.
organization chart a chart used to illustrate the
relationships and official lines of authority and
communication among employees and departments of an organization.
nonverbal communication communication composed of nonverbal symbols that send messages
without words.
P
nonverbal message a message that is sent without
words or in addition to words.
pager a small handheld device suitable for slipping
in a pocket, clipping on a belt, or stowing in a
purse that alerts receivers that they have a
message.
nonverbal symbols gestures, posture, facial expressions, appearance, use of time, tone of voice,
eye contact, or space used to send a message.
nouns words that name people, places, or things.
O
object something natural or synthetic that can be
seen or touched, such as an apple, a coffee cup,
or a pencil.
objective case pronoun a pronoun used as a direct or indirect object of a transitive verb and as
an object of a preposition.
objective what a writer wants to achieve through
a business communication.
open punctuation punctuation used in a letter
that has no punctuation after the salutation or
complimentary close.
paragraph a group of one or more sentences that
express a single idea.
paralanguage the nonverbal symbols that accompany a verbal message and reveal the difference
between what is said and how it is said.
parenthesis a mark that is used in pairs (called
parentheses) to set off nonessential words, phrases,
or clauses.
passive voice a verb voice and style of writing that
indicates the subject of the sentence is receiving
the action.
past perfect tense verb a verb form that indicates
action that began in the past and continued to
the more recent past when it was completed.
past tense verb a verb that describes a former state.
open-ended question a question that requires
more than a simple yes or no answer.
perfect tense verb a verb form that describes the
action of the main verb in relation to a specific
time period that is in the past, from the past to
the present, or in the future.
opening paragraph a short paragraph that opens
a business message and tells the receiver the
subject of the message.
period an external punctuation mark that can be
used to indicate the end of a sentence or an
abbreviation and to accompany an enumeration.
operating system software that performs the computer’s most basic operations, including the transfer of data and files; controlling equipment such
as the keyboard, monitor, and printer; and
managing all of the files.
personal area network (PAN) a network that
spans a short distance, up to about 30 feet.
personal computer (PC) a computer intended
for use by one person at a time.
Glossary
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personal digital assistant (PDA) a type of handheld computer that serves as a personal organizer
and includes such features as a date book, an
address book, a task list, a memo pad, e-mail,
and a calculator.
personal pronouns pronouns that refer to people,
places, or things.
personal space the space immediately surrounding a person within which other people should
not intrude.
photograph a picture used to provide a realistic
view of a specific item or place and to make a document more appealing to read.
phrase a group of words with no subject or
predicate.
pie chart a circular chart that shows how the
parts of a whole are distributed and how the parts
relate to one another.
pitch the highness or lowness of a voice.
plagiarism the act of passing off someone else’s
words or ideas as one’s own.
portfolio a file that contains information about a
worker’s skills, abilities, and accomplishments.
positive response a message that tells the receiver
the sender is saying yes to a request.
possessive case pronoun a pronoun that indicates
ownership or possession.
postscript a sentence or paragraph at the end of
a letter that reinforces the message.
predicate everything in a sentence said by, to, or
about the subject.
predicate nominative a noun or pronoun that
refers to the subject and follows a form of the
verb to be (am, is, are).
preposition a word that is linked to a noun or
pronoun to form a phrase.
prepositional phrase a phrase that begins with a
preposition and ends with a noun or noun
substitute that functions as the object of the
preposition.
present perfect tense verb a verb form that indicates continuous action from the past to the
present.
present tense verb a verb that describes a current
state or action.
primary appeal the benefit that will most appeal
to the reader.
primary research the process of gathering fresh
new data.
process a series of events that take place over
time and result in a change or a product.
process description a description that explains
how something works.
pronouns words that are short, convenient replacements or substitutes for nouns.
pronunciation the way a speaker makes a word
sound.
proofreading the process of reviewing and
correcting the final draft of a written message.
proper adjectives proper nouns that precede and
modify other nouns.
proper noun a noun that names a specific person,
place, or thing.
proposal a formal report that describes a problem
and recommends a solution.
Q
prejudice an irrational aversion to a group of
people.
qualifications skills, abilities, and accomplishments that make a person fit for certain jobs.
preliminary reports the parts of a formal report
that appear first, providing the reader with information about the report body.
question mark an external punctuation mark that
is used after a direct question and after each part
in a series of questions.
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quotation marks a pair of punctuation marks that
is used to indicate a direct quotation, a definition,
nonstandard English, a word or phrase used in an
unusual way, and a title.
R
race the division of the human population into
groups based on physical characteristics such as
skin or hair color.
receiver a person or thing to whom a message is
sent.
recommendation a suggestion of what should
be done.
redundancy needless repetition.
reference initials the initials that identify the
writer and/or the individual who keyed the
message.
request for proposal (RFP) a document that solicits a proposal and outlines the information
that must be included in it.
restrictive phrase (restrictive clause) a phrase or
clause that is essential to the meaning of a
sentence; it is not set off with commas.
resume a concise summary of an applicant’s qualifications for employment that highlights skills and
abilities the prospective employer needs; sometimes called a data sheet or curriculum vitae.
reverse chronological order a form of organization used on resumes that presents the most
recent work experience first and works backward
to earlier jobs.
revise to make changes or incorporate edits.
rhetorical questions questions to which an answer
is not expected.
reference line the part of a letter that directs the
reader to a source document that is included with
the letter.
routine request a request for an action that will
be done willingly.
reflexive pronoun a compound pronoun form
that ends in self or selves and refers to a noun or
pronoun that appears earlier in the sentence.
S
regular verb a verb that expresses its past and
past participle forms with the addition of ed to the
present form.
sales message a message that tries to persuade a
potential customer to purchase a product or
service.
salutation the part of an e-mail or a letter that
acts as a greeting to the receiver.
relative pronoun a pronoun such as who, whom, or
which that begins a dependent clause and relates
to a person, place, or thing that appears earlier
in the sentence.
scannable print resume a resume designed so
that it can be scanned and become part of an
electronic file.
repetitive motion disorders a variety of muscle
conditions that result from constantly repeating
the same motions.
scanner an electronic device that reads paper
copy, such as sheets of paper and pages in books,
newspapers, magazines, photos, slides, and film,
and creates a computer file from it.
report body the text of a report that contains the
introduction; the findings and analysis; and the
summary, conclusions, and recommendations.
screenshot an image of a computer screen that is
saved as a text or graphics file.
reports a format of messages designed for a
group of people.
secondary research the process of locating data
that already has been gathered and reported.
request denial a message that says no to the
receiver’s request.
self-directed work team a group of employees who
are empowered to make decisions and to take
Glossary
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actions that traditionally are the responsibility of
supervisors and other higher-level personnel.
semicolon an internal punctuation mark used to
denote a pause; it is stronger than a comma but
weaker than a period.
sender a person or thing that originates a message and initiates the communication process.
sentence a group of words that contains a subject
and a predicate and expresses a complete
thought.
service culture a combination of customer-focused
policies and attitudes that apply throughout a company from executive offices down.
short message service (SMS) or text messaging
a method of sending brief written messages over
cell phones and other devices.
signature file a short block of text that is used to
close an e-mail message and that contains useful
contact information for the sender of the message.
simple-bar graph a bar graph that compares only
one set of data.
software (programs) sets of step-by-step instructions written by computer programmers in a programming language such as Java, C, or PHP that
tell computers to perform specific tasks.
solicited asked for or requested.
solicited letter of application a letter of application
written to apply for a specific job opening that has
been announced or advertised.
spam unsolicited junk e-mail messages.
stacked bar graph a bar graph that divides each bar
into the parts that contributed to each total bar.
state-of-being linking verbs verbs, frequently the
verb to be, that do not take objects or indirect
objects.
stereotype an oversimplified belief about a group
of people.
style manual a set of guidelines for formatting
documents that are used to help report writers
plan the appropriate margins, spacing, headings,
and other details.
simple horizontal bar graph a simple-bar graph in
which the length of the bar indicates quantity.
subject a word or group of words that represents
the person speaking; the person spoken to; or the
person, place, or thing spoken about.
simple predicate the verb contained in the complete predicate.
subject line an optional part of a letter or memo
that states the main idea.
simple subject the main word in the complete
subject that specifically names what the
sentence is about.
subordinate conjunction a word such as when,
unless, and while that is used to join elements of
unequal grammatical rank and is used primarily
to connect dependent clauses with independent
clauses.
simple vertical bar graph a simple-bar graph in
which the height of the bar indicates quantity.
subparts parts of parts.
single-line graph a line graph that shows the
movement of only one quantity or value over time.
slides images transferred to 35mm film that are
placed in a slide carousel and projected on a
screen, using a slide projector.
smart phone a cell phone that has the features of
a PDA or another handheld computer.
soft sale an attempt to sell a product or service,
but it is not strong or pushy.
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Glossary
suite a combination of programs grouped
together in an integrated software package.
summary, conclusions, and recommendations
section of the report body that summarizes the
findings, draws conclusions, and makes
recommendations.
supplementary parts the parts of the report that
follow the report body, such as a bibliography or
an appendix.
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supporting information essential facts that explain, reinforce, or justify the main idea of a
business communication.
trade secrets information that gives a business a
competitive advantage and that the business
makes reasonable efforts to conceal.
synchronize the ability of information entered
into one computer to appear in one or more
other computers automatically.
transition a word or phrase that connects sentences
in paragraphs and, in turn, connects paragraphs in
a message.
T
table an arrangement of information organized
in rows and columns.
table of contents a list of the report’s content
that includes the main headings shown in the
report body and the page number where each
heading occurs.
tablet a portable personal computer that people
can write on by using either a finger or a digital pen.
technology the application of scientific knowledge
for practical purposes, such as eliminating work or
making it easier to do, and the tools, machines,
and other inventions developed for such purposes.
transitive verb a verb that must have an object to
complete the meaning of the sentence.
transparencies clear acetate film on which images
are transferred and then projected on a screen,
using an overhead projector.
U
underscore a line, or underline, underneath a word
that calls attention to a word or an expression or
notes titles of literary and artistic works; its use is
less common now that computer-created documents can use italics instead.
uniform resource locator (URL) the address of a
given web site.
teleconference a telephone link between two or
more locations that allows for the exchange of
oral messages.
unsolicited letter of application a letter of application written to apply for a position that has not
been advertised or announced and may or may
not be open.
temp agency an agency that provides workers for
a project as required by an organization.
unsolicited not asked for or requested.
template a file that stores the parts of frequently
sent e-mail messages that remain the same so the
sender does not need to key the information
each time the message is sent.
V
textual presentation reading a written copy of a
speech.
title page the page in a report that shows the report title; the name, title, and organization of the
person for whom the report was written; the
writer’s name, title, and organization; and
the date the report was submitted.
verb a word that indicates action or a condition
or a state of being.
verbal symbols words used in speaking and writing.
videoconference a conference that allows participants at different locations to see and hear each
other on video when exchanging messages.
video clips brief video features that usually include sound.
tone the way a spoken message sounds.
topical outline an outline containing headings
that describe in a few words the topics that have
been investigated.
virtual team a team whose members don’t share a
physical work space but who work together routinely or who collaborate on short-term projects
using communications technologies.
Glossary
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visual aid an aid that provides a visual image that
stimulates thought and interest, such as a poster,
photograph, drawing, or scale model.
web server a computer that hosts web sites and
sends web pages on request to the browsers of
other computers.
voice mail a computerized system that answers
telephone calls and allows a caller to leave a
recorded message if the receiver is not available
when the call comes in.
white space empty space on a page that does not
contain text or pictures.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) a technology
in which phone calls go through a high-speed
Internet connection rather than a conventional
phone line.
W
web browser software such as Internet Explorer
or Netscape Navigator that provides access to the
Internet and displays web pages.
web conference a conference in which participants exchange messages over an Internet connection through instant messaging, chatting, or VoIP.
web resume a resume formatted in HTML that is
posted on the World Wide Web.
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Glossary
wide area network (WAN) a network in which the
computers are physically distant from one another,
such as in different cities or different countries.
Wi-Fi a technology that enables electronic devices
to communicate with one another and connect to
the Internet wirelessly and at a distance as great as
1,000 feet.
workstation a workspace that generally consists of a
desktop computer, monitor, keyboard, and mouse
(and desk and chair).
World Wide Web a part of the Internet in which
computers communicate using hypertext transfer
protocol. Often called the graphical portion of
the Internet, it contains web pages stored on
servers.