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1$7,21$/#(;$0,1,1*#%2$5' )25#683(59,625<#0$1$*(0(17 :ULWWHQ &RPPXQLFDWLRQ 4XDQWXP#37 Continue © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 Copyright :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ COPYRIGHT STATEMENT Members Membership is your annual licence to use our products which are produced for use by FENC members only. The staff and students of member colleges are encouraged to utilise our materials in all practical ways – to work on screen, print out, produce as many copies as required, modify, update, localise, cut and paste into new formats, etc. Note: colleges must credit FENC in any new versions of our material and take responsibility for obtaining permission of credited material as stated in the membership terms and conditions. Non-members Non-members must obtain prior written consent of the Board of Trustees for the FENC before using our ® materials in any way or format. No part of this quanta may be copied, reverse engineered, reproduced or transmitted in any format without the prior written consent of the Board of Trustees for the FENC. Warning The unauthorised reproduction or transmission of this publication is an infringement of copyright and may result in civil proceedings and a criminal prosecution. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES STATEMENT The Further Education National Consortium (FENC) believes that discrimination and prejudice on the grounds of ethnicity, gender, religion, marital status, sexual orientation and social class is incompatible with the principle of Equal Opportunities. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 2 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ Objectives By the end of this quantum you will be able to produce clear and written communications as appropriate, produce professional reports and prepare relevant notes and summaries. WELCOME Written communication encompasses all types of visual representation, for example, memos, letters, reports and even diagrams. It can use either physical or electronic media. A manager needs to read a large amount of written material, which involves an enormous amount of their time. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 3 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ They must learn to cope with this sheer volume of written material by learning to eliminate some reading material by means of discrimination. Before reading any written material, managers should ask themselves what contribution they can expect it to make towards achieving their objectives. This will place them in a better position to allocate a sensible amount of time to reading it. Improving personal techniques, such as skim reading and speed reading, will help the manager cope with the volume of written communications. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 4 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ WRITTEN COMMUNICATION The main advantage of written communication, particularly over oral communication, is that it is permanent and less prone to misinterpretation. It is possible to spend more time on composing a written communication, allowing the author to think carefully about what requires communicating. However, a disadvantage is that it takes longer to generate a written form of communication than it does an oral one. Everyone can write some text onto a piece of paper, but how meaningful is it when read? You may have an idea of the information you wish to convey, but there is the possibility of misinterpretation when not written clearly and accurately. You should carefully consider your words and the manner of their expression, in order to facilitate a good clear understanding of them by the reader, and reduce the chance of misinterpretation. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 5 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ A great deal of business communication is excessively wordy, and many documents, if carefully written, can frequently be reduced by one-third without significant reduction in the quantity of information contained within. Let's consider the many forms written communication can take, and the relevant skills you need in order to achieve effective and clear communiqués. THE MEMORANDUM One of the most common forms of written communication in business today is the memorandum. The memorandum, or memo, is a form of communication that is internal to the business. Its purpose is to convey organisational information, generally in the form of a brief message. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 6 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ Activity 1 Consider some uses of a memorandum. Click here to check your answers NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 7 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ The usual format for writing memos requires short sentences, with limited use of paragraphs, if any. The general style of a memorandum can be best described as 'short and sweet'. Memos can be either typed or hand-written. Today people will generally type a memo, although some still prefer to hand-write them. Quite often, a hand-written memo is more adequate and less time consuming than a typed one. Some managers make the excuse that their hand writing is too bad and difficult to read. In fact, a small amount of care when writing, and less rushing, will help to overcome this. Whether they are hand-written or typed, memos should generally be written on letter headed paper. Most organisations have a company logo, often found on the headed paper of their memos and business letters. The layout is standard throughout the organisation, with minimal differences being kept to the inclusion of the department name. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 8 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ The format of a memo consists of the following: xý the recipient's name xý the sender's name xý names of others who should receive a copy xý the date xý reference xý a brief description of the subject matter (title) xý the message (body of the text) NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 9 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ Here is a sample memo: &25325$7(#75$,1,1*#/,0,7(' MEMORANDUM To: From: CC: Date: Mr. T. Thyme Mr. A. Bell Mr. L. Dupp 28th October 1998 Re: Reservation of Facilities Reference: TT/MB/1 I wish to reserve Training Room 6 on the 6th November 199- at 13:00 hours, for the duration of the afternoon. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 10 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ REPORTS A written report can be either formal or informal in nature. Informal reports are generally less structured and shorter than formal ones. Reports can be either 'routine' or 'one-off'. People produce routine reports regularly as part of their normal working practice, while one-off reports deal with non-routine circumstances. Activity 2 List some examples of 'routine' and 'one-off' reports. Click here to check your answers NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 11 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ When you are writing the report it is important to remember whom it is being written for, and to use language and terminology that they will understand readily, and with less chance of misinterpretation. As with all forms of written communication, it is important to write reports clearly and concisely. Try to ensure that your reports do not incorporate any of the barriers to communication discussed previously. Layout This is especially important, particularly with formal reports which require careful structuring in order to satisfy the need for clarity. It is also beneficial to use a well-defined structure to reduce, and preferably avoid, the possibility of repetition. If a report appears to ramble, however relevant its content, its possibility of acceptance will be much lower than a clear and well-argued report. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 12 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ A formal report with a sufficiently detailed and organised structure tells the reader that there is a greater level of detail of information contained within. This is a typical structure for a formal report: xý Title Page xý Amendment Record xý Distribution xý Glossary of Terms or Abbreviations xý Contents xý Summary xý Terms of Reference NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 13 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ xý Introduction xý Facts Discovered xý Conclusions, Findings, Evaluations xý Recommendations xý Appendices xý References (Bibliography) xý Acknowledgements xý Index This is not the only structure that a formal report may follow. However, using a structure is an effective means for assembling ideas and data logically. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 14 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ Section numbering and headings are an important and useful way to structure your reports. Reports can be broken down into headings and sub-headings. When preparing a report, use meaningful headings that are brief but descriptive of the content of the associated section or paragraph. Unless the report is very short, number the headings and paragraphs so that they may be located quickly. It is good practice to include a table of contents at the beginning of any report, and/or an index at the end to facilitate quick location of text within the report. Here's an example of a typical section numbering convention: 3. Proposals for Cost Reduction 3.1 Proposal 1 – Hotel Accommodation 3.1.1 Definition NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 15 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ Composing the Report When you start writing a report, consider who the recipients are and determine what information the report should convey. Try to adopt a style that is clear and straightforward for the reader, avoiding unnecessary and superfluous material. INTERNAL PUBLICATIONS An example of an internal publication is the company magazine or newspaper. Their purpose is to communicate organisational information to the personnel. They also communicate personal information, for example, the performance of the company football team, retirements, weddings, etc. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 16 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ Another internal publication is a bulletin, which can communicate to the staff the company's targets for the coming year, and its performance against the previous year's targets. INSTRUCTIONS Instructions communicate information regarding operational procedures. They tend to be written in the correct protocol to meet the relevant quality standard. Instruction communiqués may appear in the form of circulars, which are circulated throughout the department or division, and contain information regarding new procedures or instructions on operational requirements. They can also contain organisational information, for example, cost codes for particular tasks for time recording, or where to find new document formats. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 17 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ AGENDAS AND MINUTES OF MEETINGS It is the responsibility of the chairperson of a meeting to prepare the agenda, and issue this with the invitation to attend. The agenda contains the order for conducting the meeting. Below is an example of the content of an agenda. xý Apologies for absence xý Minutes of the previous meeting xý Progress report xý Matters arising xý Any other business xý Date and time of next meeting NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 18 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ The minutes of the meeting are the responsibility of the secretary, usually nominated by the chairperson. Minutes are records kept of business meetings, which include discussions conducted during the meeting, and any decisions made and actions appointed during the meeting. The secretary keeps a record of the proceedings, and then prepares the formal minutes of the meeting. BUSINESS LETTERS Business letters are important because the organisation must deal with bodies and individuals outside the organisation. If it did not, it would have no customers, and ultimately would not be able to survive. External communication can involve a very diverse range of organisations. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 19 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ A high standard of communication through business letters is essential. The letter will often be the initial contact between any external organisation or person and your organisation. It will perform a public relations role to others who have no experience of you, and could ultimately be used to judge the organisation. The presentation of a business letter should always be courteous, as this will advertise a positive image of the organisation. The content of an effective business letter should be A-B-C – Accurate, Brief and Clear. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 20 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ Layout Business letter layout should contain the following: xý the printed letter heading xý the salutation xý the sender's name and address xý title xý references xý the recipient's name and address xý enclosures xý the date xý the author's signature NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 21 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ If there is an absence of printed letter headed paper, the letter should contain the sender's name and address in the top right hand corner of the first page. The recipient's name and address should appear at the top left hand corner of the first page of the letter, alongside the date. It should always be lower down the page than the sender's address. Following the sender's name and address, on the right hand side of the page, is the date of the letter. It is advisable to display the month fully to avoid any confusion between the date and any reference which may shown on the letter. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 22 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ The salutation often causes confusion. Letter-writers are unsure whether the closure of the letter is 'Yours sincerely' or 'Yours faithfully'. I must confess this is one aspect that I double check when I am writing letters. xý If the salutation is 'Dear Sir', 'Dear Sirs', or 'Dear Madam' the correct closure is 'Yours faithfully' xý If the recipient is named in the salutation, for example, 'Dear Arthur', the correct form of closure is 'Yours sincerely' Below the salutation, and commonly located centrally on the page, is the title of the letter. It is advisable to highlight the title, either by underlining it or using bold text, so that the letter can be retrieved quickly in future by the recipient. The title briefly indicates to the recipient the subject of the letter. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 23 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ After the letter closure will be the author's signature, preferably followed by the name printed below. The printed name makes it clear who the sender is, as the signature some people use can be rather difficult, nigh on impossible in some instances, to read. There are two references that should appear on a business letter, 'Your Ref:' and 'Our Ref:' The use of references enables a link between various correspondences on the same subject, and can be used to aid traceability. On the following screen is an example of a business letter. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 24 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ Aberdaire & Son Ltd. 40 Albert Place Carlisle Cumbria 21st October 1998 George Watkiss Watkiss Engineering Ltd. Unit 12 Business Park Carlisle Cumbria Dear George, I would like to pay a visit next Tuesday, 27th October, to give a presentation on our new range of components. Could you please let me know if this is acceptable. Yours sincerely G.L. Aberdaire NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 25 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ ELECTRONIC MAIL (E-MAIL) Electronic mail is a system for communicating messages through the electronic media, rather than the physical media. E-mail is used for many types of communications, for example, memos, letters, instructions, notices, even as an alternative to the fax. Documents can be attached to an e-mail and sent to the recipient in their entirety, at a fraction of the cost of posting them. PRESS RELEASES Another form of external written communication is the press release. This can be used to inform the outside world of facts pertaining to the organisation, for example the achievement of a major contract, the annual accounts and profits statement, or activities in the local community. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 26 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ Attention to detail when preparing a press release is important, because any misinterpretation is open to a large number of people. Information misinterpreted publicly can be damaging to a company's reputation, and can have adverse consequences on the organisation's future potential. BROCHURES Brochures communicate the company's products to potential customers. The information within the brochure must be accurate, up to date and well presented to facilitate possible orders. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 27 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ OTHER FORMS OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION Job Applications & CV's When you apply for a job, it is very important that you communicate effectively on the application form, the CV, and the letter of application. All of these inform an organisation whether an applicant is worthy or not of consideration for an interview. It is on this evidence that a prospective employer will initially determine an applicant's suitability or unsuitability for the position. Clarity and conciseness are especially important here as excessively wordy letters or CV's can often be a reason to dismiss an applicant during the selection process, particularly with a large number of applicants. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 28 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ Most organisations design their own application forms rather than rely on a letter of application, because they want certain information to be communicated by all the applicants. A standard form is an efficient and effective method of achieving this. Activity 3 1ý List some examples of internal and external written communications. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 29 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ 2ý How would you communicate company information to the team? Click here to check your answers NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 30 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ EFFECTIVE WRITING SKILLS Skills that make writing effective include the use of style, tone, grammar and spelling. When preparing a communication, a writer should: xý write legibly xý use correct grammar to express ideas and information xý use vocabulary appropriately xý spell correctly xý be aware of the purpose of the message xý be aware of the use of style and tone NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 31 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ xý be aware of the recipient xý ensure accuracy of the material xý edit material before issue It is important to use paragraphs when writing. A paragraph is a distinct division of written matter that consists of one or more sentences, and typically deals with a single thought or topic. Each change of topic should herald a new paragraph. Strive to keep paragraphs to a manageable length. Long paragraphs make it difficult for the reader to cope with large blocks of information. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 32 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ STYLE AND TONE Style and tone are very important in writing. They depend on both the intended reader and the message you want to convey. The definition of style is 'a customary manner of representing printed material, including usage, punctuation and spelling'. You can also think of style as 'individually expressed in one's actions and tastes'. The definition of tone is 'the pitch of a word or phrase'. Tone can also be thought of as 'manner of expression'. Organisations often have their own particular standard formats for the layout and content of documents and reports, which you should follow, wherever possible, when preparing a new document. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 33 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ However, the style and tone used depend on the message you're conveying, and on the intended recipient. For example, if you were preparing a report for senior management, you would use a more formal style of writing than for a memo between peers. GRAMMAR A definition of grammar is 'a prescriptive set of rules setting forth the standard of usage'. Its aim is to ensure that the arrangement of words in a sentence conveys a single meaning. A sentence should be complete and convey a question, a statement or a command. Effective and accurate communication is lost if any ambiguity exists within a sentence. A minor change in the grammar of a sentence can alter the meaning completely. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 34 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ Consider the following sentence: "No entry to men under twenty-five years of age and women." This statement is ambiguous. It implies no entry to women as opposed to no entry to anybody under the age of twenty-five. Modification to the grammar of the sentence will make it clearer: "No entry to persons under twenty-five years of age." After leaving school, many of us begin to misuse the English language as we forget the correct way to structure a sentence, its syntax, and proper word formation. A sentence is an independent grammatical unit that has a subject and a predicate with a finite verb. The predicate is that part of the sentence, including the verb, that expresses what the subject is or does. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 35 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ The content of a sentence can be formed using the eight constituents of speech listed below: xý verbs xý nouns xý pronouns xý adjectives xý adverbs xý prepositions xý conjunctions xý interjections NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 36 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ Verb A Class of word that expresses existence, action or occurrence, for example, "I am walking". Noun A Class of word that names a person, place, thing, quality, or action, for example, 'office'. Pronoun Function as substitutes for nouns, used when a person or place has already been mentioned in the text, for example, 'they'. Adjective Used to modify a noun by limiting, qualifying, or specifying, for example, 'the small office'. Adverb Used to modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb, for example, "I am walking slowly". NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 37 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ Preposition A word placed before a noun indicating its relation to a verb, an adjective, or another noun, for example, "I am walking on the pavement". Conjunction Joins words together, for example, "I am walking on the pavement and whistling". Interjection Exclamations, such as "Ah!" – unlikely to appear in business communications. Most forms of written communication in business today are generated on computers using word processor packages. Modern word processors have a grammar checking feature, which is very useful to the modern author. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 38 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ Modern word processors, following completion of a grammar check, will display various readability statistics. These generally compute readability based on the average number of syllables per word and the average number of words per sentence, and readability based on characters per word and words per sentences. PUNCTUATION Punctuation is extremely important in writing. It is the use of standard marks and signs to separate words into sentences, clauses, and phrases to clarify meaning. It enables the provision of tone and expression to the written word. People tend to read as if they were speaking. Thus, if there were no punctuation marks within a sentence, they would not take a breath until the end of the sentence. Punctuation provides pauses to enable the reader to take a breath before continuing. NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 39 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ The punctuation marks used in writing are as follows: xý comma xý colon xý semicolon xý brackets xý full stop xý dash xý apostrophe xý quotation marks NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 40 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ Use these punctuation marks as follows: Comma To separate ideas, elements or clauses within a sentence Colon To introduce a quotation, explanation, example or series Semicolon To connect independent clauses, and indicate a close relationship between the clauses Full Stop A period, to mark the end of a sentence Dash To indicate a break or omission Apostrophe To indicate omission of a letter or letters from a word, the possessive case, and the plurals of numbers, letters, and abbreviations Brackets For providing additional information in the form of an aside Quotation Marks To indicate directly reported speech. Single quotation marks are used for titles NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 41 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ SPELLING Spelling is the use of letters to form words. More specifically, the term spelling usually implies that the letters are used according to accepted conventions. The apparent ignorance or deliberate non-observance of spelling conventions reveals information about the writer. Because spelling conventions are second nature to readers, variations are, in general, intrusive. Commonly accepted spellings allow words to be recognisable. Modern word processors have a spelling checker feature that employs an electronic dictionary to check for misspellings in documents. A sophisticated spelling checker can have a base dictionary of well over 100,000 words. It can provide the user with the ability to create special-purpose dictionaries of proper names, technical terms, and other word forms not included in the main dictionary. Click the Home Button to move on NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 42 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ ACTIVITY 1 – ANSWERS NEBSM xý Issue instructions xý Recording facts xý Expressing opinions or points of view xý Requesting information xý Submitting a suggestion © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 43 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ ACTIVITY 2 – ANSWERS Routine xý Annual Report xý Sales Figures xý Progress Report One-off NEBSM xý Trial Report xý Research Study © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 44 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ ACTIVITY 3 – ANSWERS 1 Internal External xý Memorandums xý Business Letters xý Instructions xý Company Brochures xý Reports xý Press Releases xý Agendas xý Customer Questionnaires xý Minutes xý Invoices xý Circulars xý Notice Boards xý Suggestion Boxes NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 45 :ULWWHQ#&RPPXQLFDWLRQ 2 xý Team briefing sessions xý Question and answer communication sessions xý Informal lunch question and answer sessions with senior management/Managing Director NEBSM © Copyright 2000 Further Education National Consortium Version 01 – NEBS0404 46