Thursday, March 26, 2009

Mar26 Mindmap (C10 The Business of Reports: Informal and Formal Report Writing)

Mar26 Summary (C10 The Business of Reports: Informal and Formal Report Writing)

Chapter10 Summary

This chapter discussed what reports and proposals are designed to do and strategies to compose and organize them.

A formal report is used to document the results of an experiment, a design, or to pass on any type of information in a formal style. When writing a formal report it is important to ensure good English use and to follow the correct format. A formal report that has been done correctly will leave the reader understanding what has been done, why it was done, and the conclusion on what was done. Examples of primary data collection methods are surveys, experiments, observation, interviews etc and Examples of secondary data collection methods are library, internet search engines, books, specific data bases, authoritative websites, journal articles etc.

Writing report is no different than sitting down to write a letter in terms of the approach taken.
1. Determine your purpose(s).
2. Consider your audience.
3. Analyze the problem(s).
4. Conduct your research.
5. Evaluate your results.
6. Prepare your outline.

Mar26 Mindmap (C9 Direct and Indirect Communication Strategies)

Mar26 Summary (C9 Direct and Indirect Communication Strategies)

Chapter9 Summary

Direct and indirect strategies allow us to communicate clearly and efficiently, with greater attention paid to the purpose of the message. The direct communication strategy allows you to deliver an important point quickly, usually in the beginning of a message. The indirect communication strategy delays an important point until you have had a chance to provide an explanation. We need both of these strategies because the audience is the communicator’s first consideration.

Communication does not just happen. It must be organized, developed, and built. The first step in the process is to define a communications strategy.

A good communications strategy allows you to exercise better control over your work and to frame the issues in a perspective other than research. A communications strategy removes doubt, emphasizes planning, and involves all the project participants in raising the visibility of the research.

Defining the communications strategy is a task that is best carried out as a group. In addition to pooling expertise, a group approach has the even more important advantage of building on interactions between the participants.
There are different types of direct messages they are; request for information, claims and adjustments, directive and policy statement, good news, good will etc. And the components of direct messages are; main idea, justification, explanation, details and courtesy close. There are also different types of indirect messages they are; refusals/ denials, collections, social refusals .And the goal of indirect persuasive message are; to generate attention, to arouse interest, to arouse desire, to reduce resistance and to push for action.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Mar05 Mindmap (C8 Business Writing Design)

Mar05 Summary (C8 Business Writing Design)

The ability to write clearly and use the tools and formats appropriate to your audience will significantly increase your chance of moving up the corporate ladder. Writing is a communication channel that preserves over a period of time the details of an action, idea, or contact.

The writing process includes brainstorming and prewriting, gathering information, considering strategy, outlining and drafting, revising and editing, and proofreading. The best business writing style also uses positive expressions, reader benefits, active sentences, concrete language, and grammatically correct sentences.
Memos are primarily circulated internally within a business and contain one topic only. Letters can communicate requests, claims, adjustments, rejections, reports, sales information, and goodwill. Good business letter writing is almost lost art in our society today. With the speed of electronic mail, voice mail, and faxes, good letter writing has held less importance in daily business operations. A well-written letter that is personalized can do wonders for your key business relationships. Business correspondence does not have to be dry and tedious. In fact, the most effective business letters often touch on very personal matters, not just on money or the bottom line. There are basically two types of business letters: formal business letters and informal business letters. Examples of informal letters include congratulatory letters, complimentary letters, and requests for favors, thank you letters, and letters of encouragement. And formal business letters do not have to be all business. Business letters may include one or two personal sentences or even touch on a personal subject. How to improve our business writing skills? I think we will find what is most effective for us. In the meantime, consider taking classes in business letter writing to improve our ability to communicate effectively with others.

Memos and letters contain an introduction, a body, and a close that calls for action. However, E-mail messages are written communication and conform to the principles of written communication. They are usually very short.