Basic Letter & Memo Writing Fifth Edition

1. Basic Letter & Memo WritingFifth Edition Chapter 1:Effective Communication

2. Effective Communication • Meets the organization’s goals • Satisfies the recipient’s need • Gives you information you require • Helps builds good relationships • Is essential for success at work

3. Keys to Effective Communication • Desire • Persistent effort • Wise choices • Knowledge • Seeing it through

4. Choosing a Medium • Anticipated response of recipient • Sensitivity of the situation • Speed required • Complexity of information • Need for documentation • Status and accessibility of recipient • Costs

5. Technology for Communication • E-mail: most used and abused • Software suites • Online reference tools • Shared location or database for files • Intranets: company-owned networks • Internet

6. What Determines Cost • Who produces the document • How the document is produced • How many copies are produced • How the document is distributed

7. Basic Writing Skills • Clear, accurate, concise writing • Appropriate language • Correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation

8. Advanced Skills • Critical thinking • Analytical skills • Reading skills • Interpersonal skills • Research skills • Information management skills

9. Style • People prefer different styles • Formality matters • Style should be appropriate to the situation • Adapt your style to the reader’s needs

10. The Process of Writing • Using a free-form approach • Put down thoughts, organize thoughts & add substance for first draft, revise, edit, & proofread draft • Using a structured approach • Plan a message, collect & organize information, prepare a detailed outline, write a draft, review it & then revise

11. Using combined approach • Planning, having at least mental outline, preparing draft, revising draft, editing & proofreading Use a style that works best for you

12. Good Writers • Want to write well • Develop related skills • Revise and edit as needed • Work hard to be better writers