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30005-Glossary_pp2.qxd 8/23/06 4:42 PM Page 1 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 G-1 30005-Glossary_pp2.qxd 8/23/06 4:42 PM Page 2 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. G-2 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. 30005-Glossary_pp2.qxd 8/23/06 4:42 PM Page 3 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 G-3 30005-Glossary_pp2.qxd 8/23/06 4:42 PM Page 4 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. G-4 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. 30005-Glossary_pp2.qxd 8/23/06 4:42 PM Page 5 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 G-5 30005-Glossary_pp2.qxd 8/23/06 4:43 PM Page 6 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. G-6 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. 30005-Glossary_pp2.qxd 8/23/06 4:43 PM Page 7 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 G-7 30005-Glossary_pp2.qxd 8/23/06 4:43 PM Page 8 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. G-8 Glossary 30005-Glossary_pp2.qxd 8/23/06 4:43 PM Page 9 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 G-9 30005-Glossary_pp2.qxd 8/23/06 4:43 PM Page 10 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. G-10 Glossary 30005-Glossary_pp2.qxd 8/23/06 4:43 PM Page 11 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 G-11 30005-Glossary_pp2.qxd 8/23/06 4:43 PM Page 12 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. G-12 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. 30005-Glossary_pp2.qxd 8/23/06 4:43 PM Page 13 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 G-13 30005-Glossary_pp2.qxd 8/23/06 4:43 PM Page 14 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. G-14 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.