1. Business and Cover Letters Technical Writing

2. Purpose and Types to communicate in a formal manner regarding business transactions Positive- to communicate goodwill (feeling of friendship), convey good news, Negative- to communicate bad news, disappointment; to complain about a product or service Persuasive- to convince the receiver to buy a product/service or contribute to a cause

3. Positive Letters state the good news early. The tone is upbeat and positive. Letters of inquiry/responses to letters of inquiry Letters of appreciation Compliments to business Scholarship/college admissions Contest results

4. Negative Letters begin with a buffer. –buffer protects the reader from bad news by beginning with a positive statement. –explanation of complaint (why is this letter being written?). –close in a positive tone, offering suggestions, looking to the future, offering something, etc. Letters of complaint Refuse a request Delay an order Scholarship/college rejections

5. Professional Letter Format Heading: Complete address (no abbreviations) of the sender as a return address (personal business letter) or letterhead (company letter) Dateline: Date letter was typed or dictated Inside Address: Correct name (first name/initial and last name), title, address of person to whom you are writing (no abbreviations). Name should match name in salutation. Salutation: Exact name of person who you want to read your letter, may be written with or without punctuation Subject Line (optional): Focuses on topic of letter

6. Format Continued Body: Usually 2-5 paragraphs (but can be several pages long) and may use headlines similar to reports. The letter should look balanced on the page. The BODY of most letters is single-spaced, with a double space (one blank line) between paragraphs. The organization depends on what type of letter you are writing. Closing: Friendly, but business-like ending. Common closings include “Sincerely,” “Yours truly,” and “Cordially,” but never “Thank you.” Punctuate in pairs: both the Salutation and Closing, or neither

7. Format (end) Signature Line: Handwritten signature followed by typed name and title Reference Initials: Initials of person who dictated the letter, followed by initials of person who typed the letter Enclosure Notation: Indicates additional pieces in envelope Copy Notation: Indicates copies that have been sent to other people

8. Block Format