Chapter 14 Correspondence Technical Communication: Strategies for College and the Workplace by Dan Jones & Karen Lane Chapter 14 Correspondence Copyright © 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. All rights reserved.
Formatting Effective Letters Use at least a one-inch margin on all sides Single-space paragraphs Use a conservative typeface (––Continued––) Copyright © 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. All rights reserved.
Formatting Effective Letters Use only one typeface Use italics, bold, and underline for emphasis only Keep paragraphs short (––Continued––) Copyright © 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. All rights reserved.
Formatting Effective Letters Use quality stationery Use color sparingly Put second and subsequent sheets on matching, non-letterhead paper Copyright © 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. All rights reserved.
Patterns of Organization In correspondence, the terms direct and indirect refer to the order in which you present good news. bad news or delicate information Copyright © 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. All rights reserved.
Direct Pattern Presents the main idea first Relays “good news” Copyright © 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. All rights reserved.
Indirect Pattern Presents the main idea in the middle section or last paragraph Relays bad news Challenges you to see your subject and purpose from the reader’s perspective Copyright © 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. All rights reserved.
Guidelines: Indirect Pattern Give an adequate buffer in the opening of your letter Consider possible concerns or objections the reader may have (––Continued––) Copyright © 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. All rights reserved.
Guidelines: Indirect Pattern Present the bad or delicate news as tactfully as possible Check that your wording is convincing Copyright © 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. All rights reserved.
Tips for Writing Effective Memos
For Effective Memos Keep your memo as brief as possible Use a prose style and tone appropriate for your subject, audience, and purpose State your purpose in the opening paragraph Use a forecasting statement (––Continued––) Copyright © 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. All rights reserved.
For Effective Memos Keep the paragraphs brief Use headings to help your reader with organization Use a continuation-page header for a second or third page (––Continued––) Copyright © 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. All rights reserved.
For Effective Memos Use one typeface (with a coordinating typeface for headings) Avoid novelty or display fonts Copyright © 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. All rights reserved.
Sending Effective E-Mail
E-mail Tips Verify the e-mail address Make sure that your name and e-mail address appear in the header Clearly state the topic in the subject line (––Continued––) Copyright © 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. All rights reserved.
E-mail Tips Use a “signature” for your e-mail Consider whether your message is formal or informal Make your e-mail easy to read (––Continued––) Copyright © 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. All rights reserved.
E-mail Tips Be cautious when using color and other design features Proofread your message carefully before sending it (––Continued––) Copyright © 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. All rights reserved.
E-mail Tips Consider the size of the attachment Reply to messages appropriately Keep your response brief Copyright © 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. All rights reserved.