1. The Office Procedures and Technology Chapter 4 Communicating in Written Form Copyright 2003 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning

2. Reading at Work  Learning about the company  Understanding instructions for equipment  Following instructions on forms  Responding to inquiries  Using references/databases Topic 4-1 Reading and Writing at WorkSlide 2 Employees must read and comprehend instructions for equipment Comprehension: the ability to understand material that has been read Key Term

3. Reading Skills Topic 4-1 Reading and Writing at WorkSlide 3  Comprehension Practice techniques can improve skill  Focus  Sequence  Identify purpose  Draw a mental picture  Scan  Checkup  Summarize  Reread  Vocabulary Determine meaning from context Determine meaning by considering word parts Note unfamiliar words and check the meaning in a dictionary  Speed Improve reading rate with practice Focus on an entire paragraph Time your reading and set goals Force yourself ahead as you read  Reading as a single process Comprehension, vocabulary, and speed interact to determine reading skill

4. Writing at Work  Common applications Communicating policies and procedures Communicating plans or progress Seeking or providing information Sending messages to customers Following up oral discussions  Reviewing the writing of others Identify the writer’s purpose Judge for effectiveness Make candid suggestions  Composing messages For others For yourself  Characteristics of effective writing Topic 4-1 Reading and Writing at WorkSlide 4 Clear Complete Concise Correct Courteous Editor: person who reviews written material to suggest changes in wording, organization, or content Key Term

5. Manage Writing Tasks  Identify the purpose and secure information  Compose a draft  Review and revise  Prepare the final draft  Break down large projects into sections  Schedule time to complete each section Topic 4-1 Reading and Writing at WorkSlide 5

6. Preparing Effective Documents  Drafting Purpose Message Audience Response  Revising and editing Word choice Transitions Order of content points Consistency  Proofreading Verify changes from editing phase Use a spell checker Complete a detailed manual check Topic 4-2 Business CorrespondenceSlide 6 Proofreaders’ marks are used to edit printed documents

7. Business Letters  Message types Positive or neutral Negative Persuasive  Letter parts Topic 4-2 Business CorrespondenceSlide 7 StandardOptional Printed letterheadMailing notation DateAttention and subject lines Letter addressEnclosure and cover notations SalutationCopy notation BodyPostscript Complimentary closeReference initials Signature blockMultiple-page heading  Letter formats Block Modified block Modified block letter

8. Envelopes  Proper size and information Recipient’s name and address Sender’s return address Addressee notation, if any Mailing notation, if any  U.S. Postal Service recommended format Use all caps and omit punctuation (except in the ZIP code) in the letter address Topic 4-2 Business CorrespondenceSlide 8

9. Memos  Streamlined business documents  Used to communicate within an organization Topic 4-2 Business CorrespondenceSlide 9 The heading lines and body are the standard parts of a memo

10. E-mail  Electronic transfer of messages  Appropriate for quick, informal communications Topic 4-2 Business CorrespondenceSlide 10 Remember that e-mail messages are not private

11. Desktop Publishing Guidelines  Use consistency in the design  Use ample white space White space: empty area on a printed page Key Term  Consider balance and contrast in the design  Use relevant artwork or photos  Limit the number of fonts in a document  Avoid widow lines  Obtain permission to use copyrighted material Topic 4-2 Business CorrespondenceSlide 11

12.  Informational reports Based on data gathered in normal operations Formal or informal style Memo reports Business Reports Topic 4-3 Business Reports and Related DocumentsSlide 12  Analytical reports Often complex and usually require research Often in formal style  Writing guidelines Focus the report Plan the writing Write a first draft Revise and finalize visuals Present the report

13. Visual Aids  Tables Summarize or compare data Should be self-explanatory Topic 4-3 Business Reports and Related Documents Slide 13 Simple tables might not contain column headings or totals  Graphs Pictorial representations that aid in interpreting data Common formats  Pie  Line  Bar A pie chart shows the relationship of a part to a whole

14. Multipage Report Items  Pagination – number your pages  Header and Footer ……page numbers, name of company, date, etc.  Widows and Orphans…….first line of a paragraph printed by itself at bottom of a page is a widow. Last line of a paragraph printed by itself at the top of a page is an orphan. Avoid widows and orphans!  Footnotes and Endnotes --- use footnotes at the bottom of the page. Endnotes are all together at the end of the report on a separate page.

15. Topic 4-3 Business Reports and Related DocumentsSlide 14 Focus On … Voice Recognition Systems  Convert voice into digital form for processing by computers  A practical alternative to keyboarding  Particularly useful for repetitive tasks  Increase office productivity