CHAPTER 1--COMMUNICATING SUCCESSFULLY IN AN ORGANIZATION COMMUNICATION, BUSINESS, AND YOU

Communication skills help students obtain jobs and succeed in their careers Individual employees act as links in the communication chain, transmitting messages to and from the outside world and up and down the organization. the manager's essential function is to collect and disseminate information.

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

Each organization has its own communication re uirements and methods for e!changing information. "ormal communication channels are defined by the official chain of command and govern the flow of information up, dow, and across the organization. #essages may become distorted as they travel up and down the organization$ the bigger the company, the bigger the problem. "lat structures are less susceptible to distortion than tall structures. %ownward information flow& from upper to lower levels of the hierarchy$ permits management to direct activities of employees. 'pward information flow& from lower to upper levels$ enables management to monitor performance and obtain ideas. Employees are inclined to suppress bad news ()oing through the channels( can be awkward for employees$ some companies create alternative transmission lines from lower to higher levels. *orizontal information flow& from department to department, peer to peer$ enables employees to do their jobs efficiently. +mount of horizontal flow depends on degree of cross,functional interaction re uired by the organization. ()rapevine( supplements formal channels& o Contains mi! of business and personal messages o Contains mi! of facts, assumptions, opinions o Enables organization to function more efficiently -uccessful managers use the grapevine to keep in touch. "luid nature of grapevine contrasts with relatively rigid structure of formal channels.

EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION

.rganizations depend on communication with customers, suppliers, competitors, investors, government officials, community representatives. /wo types of e!ternal communication& formal and informal. #arketing is a type of formal communication aimed at selling goods and services. +nother type of formal communication, public relations deals more broadly with establishing the organization's reputation.

the reaction to a crisis can profoundly affect a company's future. .ne of the main functions of public relations people is to anticipate problems and outline steps for dealing with them. Individual employees make informal contacts with outsiders& receptionists present a distinct image to customers, lower,level employees pick up bits of information helpful to the organization, and top managers encounter colleagues, competitors, suppliers, and so forth with whom they regularly e!change information.

CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

Corporate culture determines the degree to which management 012 encourages honesty and debate and 032 shares information with employees. /hree distinct management styles are associated with various communication climates& o /heory 4& 5orkers are viewed as lacking motivation, re uiring control through fear$ closed communication climate. o /heory 6& 5orkers are viewed as motivated and responsible, deserving encouragement and support$ open communication climate. o /heory 7& 5orkers are viewed as part of a family or team$ open communication climate. Employees prefer to work for companies that are ethical in their communication practices$ that is, companies that are trustworthy, fair, and impartial in their dealings with people. Conflicting loyalties may pose ethical dilemmas for business communicators, whereas an ethical lapse is choosing an unethical or illegal action. o 8egal considerations& first priority is to obey the law +void uestions or comments that discriminate against people on the basis of gender, age, race, or religion +void making false or misleading statements about products 9emember that comments, letters, and reports can be used as evidence in court o 5hen the law does not apply, consider the moral implications of the message& /he legality /he balance of good and harm /he way the decision makes you feel /he way the decision works in the real world the effect the message will have on people outside the company, supervisors, employees, and co,workers -o many communication situations are neither black nor white. :usiness people occasionally find themselves forced to choose between several alternatives that are a muddy shade of gray. when handling these ethical dilemmas, people face conflicting loyalties and difficult trade,offs between principles and practicalities. .ften such dilemmas arise when organizations and individuals feel pressure to meet the competition, increase profits, or adhere to the (party line.( Intercultural communication is crucial both abroad and at home. Culture determines our perceptions, customs, and social conventions.

'nderstanding, using, and adapting to technology is crucial to successful business communication. +udience,centered approach is the best way to communicate effectively, openly, and ethically. #any organizations are awash in a sea of paper. /he solution& o 9educe the number of messages o #ake instructions clearer o %elegate responsibility o /rain writers and speakers *ow to improve& o +ssess strengths and weaknesses o -et goals o ;ractice

CHAPTER 2--UNDERSTANDING BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE THE BASIC FORMS OF COMMUNICATION

<onverbal communication is less structured and more spontaneous than verbal communication. <onverbal communication is important because it 012 has more impact than verbal communication, 032 is considered a more accurate and reliable indicator of meaning than words, and 0=2 conveys information uickly and efficiently. -i! varieties of nonverbal behavior& o "acial e!pressions and eye behavior o )estures and postures o >ocal characteristics o ;ersonal appearance o /ouching behavior o 'se of time and space #en and women use and interpret nonverbal communication differently. >erbal communication is the use of words arranged according to rules of grammar. +lthough business people tend to rely more heavily on oral than written communication, some things need to be put in writing. 'sing multiple channels 0both written and spoken2 gives your message ma!imum impact. ;eople spend more time receiving information than transmitting it. the listening?reading process re uires the ability to register, interpret, evaluate, sort, and store information.

THE PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION

Communication process& 1. -ender has idea 3. Idea becomes message 0encoding2 =. #essage is transmitted @. 9eceiver gets message 0decoding2 A. 9eceiver reacts and sends feedback communication is a dynamic process that can be interrupted before it really begins. ;roblems include o /rouble selecting the right amount and type of material o 8ack of information about the purpose of the message and the audience's needs o 8ack of skill in using language Communication barriers between people include o Individual perceptions of reality o Incomplete or overzealous screening or abbreviating of information before passing it on o 5ord choice and interpretation o 8ack of attention on the receiver's part o <egative reactions to message content or sender,receiver relationship 4

o Individual life e!periences Communication barriers within organizations include o /oo much information o Individual conflicts about content as well as difficulty with dry or technical material o %ivided audience attention o 'nwillingness to give and receive bad news o Inability to build trust o "ormal restrictions on who may communicate with whom o 8ack of media richness o %irective or authoritarian corporate structure o Illegal or unethical messages o 'nnecessary messages o :ad connections, acoustics, copy, and so forth

HOW TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION

"ive ualities of good communicators& o ;erception o ;recision o Credibility o Control o Congeniality -i! steps to creating effective messages& /hink about purpose$ analyze audience's background and needs /ell audience what to e!pect$ preview contents. 'se concrete, specific language$ pin down general concepts with memorable, graphic words. 4. -tick to the point$ weed out unnecessary information, but develop each idea ade uately. 5. Connect new information to e!isting ideas to help audience sort, store, and accept message. 6. Emphasize and review key points& allocate the most space to the most vital ideas$ use graphics, format, and body language to highlight main ideas$ and summarize major sections. /o minimize noise&
1. 2. 3.

Choose the communication channel and medium most likely to attract attention. /ailor messages for the reader's convenience. 9emove environmental distractions. 9educe the number of links in the communication chain. "eedback is vital but can be disruptive in some situations, so o /hink about how and when you want to obtain feedback. o Choose the channel and medium accordingly. o Encourage honest feedback. o +sk uestions to draw out the audience's reaction.
o o o o

o o o

8isten with an open mind. +void defensive reactions. 9evise message and try again if audience doesn't understand.

CHAPTER 3--COMMUNICATING INTERCULTURALLY BASICS OF INTERCULTURAL BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Culture& a shared system of symbols, beliefs, attitudes, values, e!pectations, and norms of behavior. -ubcultures& cultural groups that e!ist within a major culture +n individual belongs to many subcultures& ethnic, religious, social, professional, and son on. Cultural differences that can affect communication& o -ocial values o 9oles and status o %ecision,making customs o Concepts of time o Concepts of personal space o Cultural conte!t o :ody language o -ocial behavior and manners o 8egal and ethical behavior -ocial values involve& o +ttitudes toward material success o +ttitudes toward efficiency o +ttitudes toward progress Culture dictates who you may communicate with and your concept of status. %ecision,making customs differ in process and authority. Culture dictates the way you perceive and use time. ;ersonal comfort zones are dictated by culture. Cultural conte!t may be high 0when people rely less on verbal communication and more on nonverbal and environmental cues2 or low 0when people rely heavily on verbal communication rather than nonverbal or environmental cues2. three ways body language can cause misunderstandings& o ;eople may misread intentional signal. o ;eople may overlook signal entirely. o ;eople may assume that meaningless gesture is significant. Eti uette may be formal or informal& o "ormal eti uette is a learned, conscious set of rules 0how to hold chopsticks2$ you don't necessarily e!pect outsiders to know all rules, so you e!cuse some mistakes. o Informal eti uette consists of subtle customs, ac uired through e!perience and observation 0when it is okay to touch someone2$ stranger's failure to conform to

informal customs makes (natives( uncomfortable, although they may not know why. "rom culture to culture, what is considered ethical 0and even legal2 may change. 8anguage barriers arise even when others speak English& o In English,speaking countries, problems are slight, arising from minor differences in vocabulary and pronunciation. o 5hen people use English as their second language, some misunderstandings arise, but basic message usually gets through. 5hen others speak no English, you have three options& o 8earn their language 0time consuming, impractical for short trips2. o 'se intermediary or translator. o /each other person to speak your language 0may make sense for group of foreign employees2 *ow most '.-. companies that do business abroad handle written communication& o 5rite most letters, memos, and reports in English. o /ranslate such items as advertisements, warranties, repair manuals, product labels, and some internal documents. ;roblems in handling oral communication may arise from differences in pronunciation, differences in inflection or volume, and confusion over idiomatic e!pressions. 5hen speaking to someone who uses English as second language& o /ry to eliminate (noise.( o 8ook for feedback. o 9ephrase when necessary. o %on't talk down to person. o 'se objective, accurate language. o 8et other person finish his or her remarks ;roblems arising from ethnocentric reactions& o +ssuming others will react as we do makes us overlook possibility that we will be misunderstood. o /endency to judge all other groups by our own standards makes us more likely to misunderstand others. o -tereotypes blind us to individual's uni ue characteristics.

TIPS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH PEOPLE FROM OTHER CULTURES

/wo approaches to developing intercultural communication skills& o 8earn as much as possible about specific culture. o 8earn general skills that are useful when interacting with people from a variety of cultures or subcultures. %on't e!pect to understand another culture completely. )eneral skills for intercultural communication& o /ake responsibility for communication o 5ithhold judgment o -how respect o Empathize

/olerate ambiguity 8ook beyond superficial :e patient and persistent 9ecognize your own cultural biases :e fle!ible Emphasize common ground -end clear messages /ake risks Increase your cultural sensitivity %eal with individual 8earn when to be direct If you learn about your counterparts' culture before you start to negotiate, you will be better e uipped to understand their approach to negotiation, their tolerance for open disagreement, and their problem,solving techni ues. /ips for writing letters& o 5rite in your own language 0and use a professional translator if necessary2. o 9ely on specific terms and concrete e!amples. o +void slang, jargon, and buzz words. o 9ely on short, simple sentences. o Beep paragraphs short. o Emphasize transitions. o Employ relatively formal tone. o :e tolerant of other styles in letters you receive. *andling oral communication& o :e alert to other person's customs. o Consider unintentional meanings that may be read into your message. o 8isten carefully and patiently. o :e aware that you may misread other person's body language. o +dapt your style to other person's. o Confirm that you both agree on outcome of communication. o "ollow up with letter or memo if appropriate.
o o o o o o o o o o o

CHAPTER 3--COMMUNICATING INTERCULTURALLY BASICS OF INTERCULTURAL BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Culture& a shared system of symbols, beliefs, attitudes, values, e!pectations, and norms of behavior. -ubcultures& cultural groups that e!ist within a major culture +n individual belongs to many subcultures& ethnic, religious, social, professional, and son on. Cultural differences that can affect communication& o -ocial values o 9oles and status o %ecision,making customs o Concepts of time o Concepts of personal space o Cultural conte!t o :ody language o -ocial behavior and manners o 8egal and ethical behavior -ocial values involve& o +ttitudes toward material success o +ttitudes toward efficiency o +ttitudes toward progress Culture dictates who you may communicate with and your concept of status. %ecision,making customs differ in process and authority. Culture dictates the way you perceive and use time. ;ersonal comfort zones are dictated by culture. Cultural conte!t may be high 0when people rely less on verbal communication and more on nonverbal and environmental cues2 or low 0when people rely heavily on verbal communication rather than nonverbal or environmental cues2. three ways body language can cause misunderstandings& o ;eople may misread intentional signal. o ;eople may overlook signal entirely. o ;eople may assume that meaningless gesture is significant. Eti uette may be formal or informal& o "ormal eti uette is a learned, conscious set of rules 0how to hold chopsticks2$ you don't necessarily e!pect outsiders to know all rules, so you e!cuse some mistakes. 9

Informal eti uette consists of subtle customs, ac uired through e!perience and observation 0when it is okay to touch someone2$ stranger's failure to conform to informal customs makes (natives( uncomfortable, although they may not know why. "rom culture to culture, what is considered ethical 0and even legal2 may change. 8anguage barriers arise even when others speak English& o In English,speaking countries, problems are slight, arising from minor differences in vocabulary and pronunciation. o 5hen people use English as their second language, some misunderstandings arise, but basic message usually gets through. 5hen others speak no English, you have three options& o 8earn their language 0time consuming, impractical for short trips2. o 'se intermediary or translator. o /each other person to speak your language 0may make sense for group of foreign employees2 *ow most '.-. companies that do business abroad handle written communication& o 5rite most letters, memos, and reports in English. o /ranslate such items as advertisements, warranties, repair manuals, product labels, and some internal documents. ;roblems in handling oral communication may arise from differences in pronunciation, differences in inflection or volume, and confusion over idiomatic e!pressions. 5hen speaking to someone who uses English as second language& o /ry to eliminate (noise.( o 8ook for feedback. o 9ephrase when necessary. o %on't talk down to person. o 'se objective, accurate language. o 8et other person finish his or her remarks ;roblems arising from ethnocentric reactions& o +ssuming others will react as we do makes us overlook possibility that we will be misunderstood. o /endency to judge all other groups by our own standards makes us more likely to misunderstand others. o -tereotypes blind us to individual's uni ue characteristics.
o

TIPS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH PEOPLE FROM OTHER CULTURES

/wo approaches to developing intercultural communication skills& o 8earn as much as possible about specific culture. o 8earn general skills that are useful when interacting with people from a variety of cultures or subcultures. %on't e!pect to understand another culture completely. )eneral skills for intercultural communication& o /ake responsibility for communication o 5ithhold judgment

10

-how respect Empathize /olerate ambiguity 8ook beyond superficial :e patient and persistent 9ecognize your own cultural biases :e fle!ible Emphasize common ground -end clear messages /ake risks Increase your cultural sensitivity %eal with individual 8earn when to be direct If you learn about your counterparts' culture before you start to negotiate, you will be better e uipped to understand their approach to negotiation, their tolerance for open disagreement, and their problem,solving techni ues. /ips for writing letters& o 5rite in your own language 0and use a professional translator if necessary2. o 9ely on specific terms and concrete e!amples. o +void slang, jargon, and buzz words. o 9ely on short, simple sentences. o Beep paragraphs short. o Emphasize transitions. o Employ relatively formal tone. o :e tolerant of other styles in letters you receive. *andling oral communication& o :e alert to other person's customs. o Consider unintentional meanings that may be read into your message. o 8isten carefully and patiently. o :e aware that you may misread other person's body language. o +dapt your style to other person's. o Confirm that you both agree on outcome of communication. o "ollow up with letter or memo if appropriate.
o o o o o o o o o o o o o

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CHAPTER 4--COMMUNICATING THROUGH TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY AND THE NEW WORLD OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

/he choices you make as a communicator today are more complicated. 5hen choosing communication technology, consider o +udience e!pectations o /ime and cost o <ature of the message o ;resentation needs TECHNOLOGY IN WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

5ord,;rocessing software is the most common tool for creating printed documents. %esktop publishing 0%/;2 software computerizes the process of assembling finished pages. when planning documents, you can use technology to o 9esearch your audience and your content 0via databases, statistical analysis software, and C%,9.# information sources2. o .utline your document. 5hen composing documents, you can use technology to o Enter te!t 0via keyboarding, pen,based computers, voice recognition systems, dictation systems, and scanning2. o +dd graphics and sound. 5hen revising documents, you can use technology to o Cut and insert material. o -earch for and replace te!t. o )enerate supporting elements 0such as notes, inde!es, tables of contents. o ;rint documents. o %istribute documents 0using such tools as mail merge and fa! machines2 /echnology helps you create electronic documents usch as e,mail, documents that are created, transmitted, and read entirely on computer. E,mail networks can be set up within an office, across the country, or around the world. E,mail has changed the style of business communication o :y opening new channels of communication inside the organization. o :y being an informal communication channel. 12

:y encouraging people to drop their inhibitions and speak out.

TECHNOLOGY IN ORAL COMMUNICATION

/echnology helps you improve oral communication between individuals 0via telephone tools such as call management systems, ;:- systems, pagers, and voice mail2. /echnology helps you improve oral communication between groups 0via teleconferencing, overhead transparancies, =A,mm slides, computer,driven presentation, and group decision support systems. HOW TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING COMMUNICATION

/echnology both positively and negatively affects o Information flow o Communication ease o .rganizational structure o ;rofits o ;eople with no access to technology o ;ressure levels on people to perform /echnology adds comple!ity, costs a lot, and is only as good as the person using it.

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CHAPTER 5--PLANNING BUSINESS MESSAGES UNDERSTANDING THE COMPOSITION PROCESS

/he composition process varies in the order and the duration of stages. /hree categories in the composition process& I%#&$ %efine purpose +nalyze audience Establish main idea -elect channel and medium Composing 9evising .rganize message "ormulate message Edit message 9ewrite message ;roduce message ;roof message :ecause composition is often a team effort, with different people handling different stages, collaborative writing is an important influence on the composition process. -cheduling also affects the composition process 0try allotting half of the time for planning, less than a uarter for composing, and more than a uarter for revising2.

P !"#$$ ;lanning

DEFINING YOUR PURPOSE

/he purpose guides many decisions about a message, including o whether sending the message is worthwhile. o whether the message addresses the audience's needs. o what to include and e!clude. o what channel and medium to use. Common general purposes of business messages& to inform, persuade, or collaborate. 14

-pecific purpose& what the audience should think or do after considering the message. #ultiple purposes are acceptable as long as they are compatible& o Establish clear priorities, with one major purpose. o -ubordinate personal goals to business goals. /o test the purpose, ask these uestions& o Is the purpose realisticC o Is this the right timeC o Is the right person delivering the messageC o Is the purpose acceptable to the organizationC

ANALYZING YOUR AUDIENCE

%evelop your audience's profile so that you can tailor your message to fit your audience& o Choose a channel and medium geared to size and composition of the group. o -lant the message to appeal to the audience's common interests. o Include something for everyone. o Identify key members of the audience and design the message around their needs and interests. o +nticipate the audience's reaction$ adjust the style and organization accordingly. o )ear information to the audience's level of understanding. o Consider your relationship with the audience$ you'll need to 1. build credibility with an unfamiliar audience, 3. compensate for the audience's preconceptions about you, and =. adopt a style appropriate to your status. /he audience has three types of needs& informational, motivational, practical. /o tell people what they need to know in terms that are meaningful to them 0to satisfy their informational needs2& "ind out what the audience wants to know by asking specific uestions and determining the audience's priorities. 2. +nticipate unstated uestions$ provide something e!tra. 3. ;rovide all the re uired information& who, what, when, where, why, and how. 4. Check accuracy by ascertaining that commitments are achievable and by double, checking facts, figures, and assumptions. 5. Emphasize ideas of greatest interest to the audience. /o make a message as appealing as possible 0to satisfy motivational needs2&
1.

+ppeal to reason. +ppeal to emotions. /o make a message as convenient as possible 0to satisfy practical needs2& o :e aware that business audiences are pressed for time and face many interruptions. o :e brief. o #ake the message easy to follow.
o o

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ESTABLISHING THE MAIN IDEA

#ain idea& central point that sums up the message$ theme$ (hook,( as in advertising. %ifference between topic and main idea& o /opic is the broad subject of the message. o #ain idea makes a statement about the subject and motivates the audience to accept your point of view. ; rewriting techni ues for identifying the main idea& o -toryteller's tour& two,minute narrative about the message. o 9andom list& list of points, analyzed for relationships. o "C9 worksheet& findings, conclusions, recommendations. o Dournalistic approach& who, what, where, when, why, and how. o Euestion,and,answer chain& answers to all of the audience's possible uestions, from general to specific. /he main idea must be geared to constraints on length$ it takes time to e!plain comple! ideas, establish credibility, and overcome resistance. -tick to three or four major points to support the main idea, developed in more or less detail depending on o nature of the subject. o audience's familiarity with the topic. o audience's receptivity. o your credibility.

SELECTING THE APPROPRIATE CHANNEL AND MEDIUM

/he choice of channel and medium is affected by the o nature and purpose of the message, o the location of the audience, o the need for speed, and o the formality of the situation. /he channel and the medium affect how the message is formulated and perceived. /hree basic channels& oral, written, and electronic. .ral communications permits immediate feedback and is therefore good for dealing with uestions, making group decisions, presenting controversial information. "orms of oral communication include unplanned conversations, telephone calls, interviews, small group meetings, seminars, workshops, training programs, formal speeches, and presentations. -ize of audience determines amount of interaction and level of formality. 5ritten communication gives the writer a chance to plan and control the message and is therefore good when information is comple!, documentation is re uired, audience is large and dispersed, or feedback is re uired. /he most common forms of written business messages are letters, memos, reports, and proposals& o #emos and letters are relatively brief documents, memos internal and letters e!ternal.

16

9eports and proposals 0factual, objective documents for internal or e!ternal audiences2 are generally longer and more formal than letters and memos. Electronic communication affords the communicator speed, overcomes time,zone barriers, and reaches a widely dispersed audience personally. Electronic communication includes voice mail, teleconferencing, videotape, fa!, e,mail, and computer conferencing.
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CHAPTER '--COMPOSING BUSINESS MESSAGES ORGANIZING YOUR MESSAGE

"our common organizational problems& o taking too long to get to the point o including irrelevant material o getting ideas mi!ed up o leaving out necessary information *allmarks of good organization& o subject and purpose are clear o all material is related to subject and purpose o ideas are grouped and presented in a logical way o all necessary information is included Importance of good organization& o helps audience identify main points and comprehend information. o helps audience accept the message, which is more clear and more credible. o saves audience's time by eliminating unnecessary information and putting information in logical order. o simplifies communicator's job by speeding up the composition process and facilitating collaboration.

HOW GOOD ORGANIZATION IS ACHIEVED

.rganization is a two,step process& 1. define and group ideas, and 3. establish se uence with organizational patterns.

F +n outline reveals the relationships among points. F +dvantages of working from an outline& reduces tendency to ramble. 17

helps writer achieve proper order and emphasis. clarifies transitions.

F /ypes of outlines& traditional alphanumeric format schematic organization chart 0hierarchy of ideas, based on company organization chart format2 F -teps in the outlining process& 1. %efine the main idea& what the audience should do or think after absorbing the message and why they should do it or think it. 3. -tate four or fewer major points. =. Identify supporting points, translating general concepts into tangible facts and figures. F ;urpose determines organization& "or informational messages, follow the natural order suggested by your subject 0such as activities to be performed, functional units, spatial or chronological relationships, or parts of the whole2. "or persuasive or collaborative messages, use logical order based on reasons. F /he amount of evidence to use depends on your topic and audience& ;rovide more details for comple!, unfamiliar subjects and skeptical audiences. 'se fewer details for routine, familiar subjects and receptive audiences. F >arious types of evidence add interest& "acts and figures& statistical evidence <arration& chronological story %escription& word picture of person, place, or thing E!ample& typical case that illustrates point 9eferences to authority& uotations or informed opinions >isual aids& graphs, charts, or tables F 'se organizational plans to establish the se uence of ideas. F /wo basic se uences& %irect 0deductive2 approach& main idea presented first. Indirect 0inductive2 approach& evidence precedes statement of main idea. F /he choice of organizational approach depends on the audience's probable reaction& 'se direct approach for receptive audiences. 'se indirect approach for resistant audiences. F "our organizational plans for shorter messages& %irect re uests use a straightforward approach because the audience will be willing to comply& 1. :egin with the re uest or main idea, 3. ;rovide necessary details, and 18

=. Close with a statement of the desired action. 9outine, good,news, and goodwill messages emphasize the positive because the audience will be neutral or pleased by information& 1. :egin with the main idea or good news, 3. ;rovide necessary details, and =. Close with reference to the good news or positive comment. :ad,news messages cushion the blow when the audience will be displeased& 1. :egin with a neutral buffer, 3. Dustify the negative point with evidence, =. -tate the bad news in positive terms, and @. Close cordially. ;ersuasive messages provide motivational incentives when the audience is unwilling to comply or uninterested in the message& 1. :egin with an attention,getter, 3. :uild interest by describing the general idea, =. E!plain benefits to create desire, and @. 9e uest action.

F /wo organizational approaches for longer messages& informational and analytical. F Informational reports?presentations follow a natural order imposed by the subject& order of importance. se uential order. chronological order. spatial order. geographical order. categorical order. F +nalytical reports?presentations are organized according to the audience's probably reaction& If audience is receptive, organize around conclusions and recommendations. If audience is skeptical or hostile, organize around the reasons your point of view is correct. FORMULATING YOUR MESSAGE

"ocus on getting ideas on paper$ revise later. 'se tools and techni ues that facilitate the revision process. %ifference between style and tone& o -tyle& the way words are used to create effects. o /one& the overall effect$ the result of style. /ips for achieving the right style and tone& o -trive for a businesslike tone& objective, rational, efficient. o 'se the (you( attitude$ present the message from the audience's point of view. o Emphasize the positive. o Establish credibility. o :e polite. o ;roject the company's image. 19

/o achieve a businesslike tone& o +void being too familiar or folksy. o 5atch the use of humor. o +void obvious flattery. o +void preaching or bragging. o :e yourself. *ow to achieve the (you( attitude& o -ubstitute you and yours for I, me, mine, we, us,and our. o %on't use too many pronouns$ focus on conveying genuine empathy. o +void the use of you in a judgmental, blaming conte!t. Emphasizing the positive means o Calling attention to bright side of things. o "ocusing on opportunities for improvement, not on mistakes or problems. o ;ointing out benefits from the audience's standpoint. o -ubstituting euphemisms for offensive terms without resorting to double,talk. :e polite, especially in written messages. o :e tactful and restrained when e!pressing yourself. o %o e!tra little thins, like sending birthday cards. o :e prompt in handling correspondence. /o project the company's image, adopt the style that is favored by the organization. /o establish credibility 0which is particularly important when dealing with strangers2& o Emphasize points in common 0such as similar occupations2. o ;resent credentials in an unboastful way. o #ention credible references. o -upport ideas with facts. o +void e!aggeration. o +void insincere compliments. o +void false modesty and hesitant phrasing.

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CHAPTER (--REVISING BUSINESS MESSAGES EDITING YOUR MESSAGE

/hree steps in the editing process$ 1. Evaluate content and organization. 3. Evaluate style and readability. =. +ssess word choice. 5hen editing for content and organization, check the o order of points o mi! of general and specific o balance among points o emphasis o uality and uantity of evidence o irrelevant information o uality of introduction and conclusion 5hen editing for style and readability, check the o tone o interest level o clarity and readability "og Inde!& readability formula based on sentence length and word length. .ther aspects of readability& o sentence structure o order and flow of ideas o paragraph construction o transitions o appearance of te!t /wo goals when assessing word choice& correct usage and effective style. ;lain English is a way of writing so that your audience can understand your meaning. the focus on plain,english laws has resulted in clearer contracts, credit application forms, and insurance policies. /wo types of words& o functional words 0conjunctions, prepositions, articles, pronouns2 and o content words 0nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs2 "unctional words& o e!press relationships. o have one fi!ed meaning. Content words& o carry meaning of sentence. 21

o are subject to many interpretations. o vary in degree of abstraction %enotative meaning is the literal, dictionary meaning$ connotative meaning consists of the associations and feelings evoked by the word. Concrete terms& o anchored in the tangible, material world 0for e!ample, chair, table, horse. o >ivid, clear, e!act. +bstract terms& o Concepts, ualities, characteristics. o <ecessary part of sophisticated communication. o -ometimes ambiguous or boring. /ricks of the wordsmith's trade& o 'se strong words such as verbs and nouns, and use specific terms 0 pioneer, not person who led the way to new territory2. o 'se familiar words and the vocabulary of the audience 0 earth, not terrestrial sphere2$ avoid cliches 0on a roll, cutting edge, alternative lifestyle 2. o 9ely on short words 0making money, not revenue generation2. o +void changing verbs into nouns and adjectives with such endings as -ion, -ment, -ency (Winners will be notified by December 15 , not otification of winners will occur by December 15!. /he goal of bias,free language is to avoid appearing insensitive. /o avoid gender,biased language& o %on't use man in the broad sense of mankind (workforce, not manpower" synthetic, not man-made, business person, not businessman. o +void female,gender words 0author, not authoress. o %on't use he to refer to both males and females 0#he average worker$ $ $ he or she, not #he average worker$ $ $ he. o +void ascribing gender to certain roles 0not all nurses are women, not all bosses are men2. /o avoid racial and ethnic bias& o Eliminate references to stereotypes 0 poor ghetto black. o Eliminate racial?cultural labels 0 %arry &olberg, 'ewish lawyer2. Eliminate age references unless relevant 0'ohn (arston, not 'ohn (arston, a spry octogenarian2. %ownplay references to disabilities$ avoid reference entirely$ avoid words such as handicapped, crippled, or retarded" emphasize the person rather than the disability.

REWRITING YOUR MESSAGES

-entence& chain of words that e!presses a complete thought$ includes a subject 0noun or noun e uivalent2 and predicate 0verb or verb phrase2. /hree types of sentences& o -imple& has a single subject and a single predicate 0 )rofits have increased!$ may have object and modifiers.

22

Compound& e!presses two or more independent but related thoughts of e ual importance, joined by and, but, or or (Wage rates have declined, and turnover has been high!. o comple! sentence& e!presses one main thought 0independent clause2 and one or more subordinate thoughts 0dependent clauses2 0 *lthough the sales force is strong, the business depends heavily on advertising to reach consumers! . 'se a mi! of sentence types for variety$ select the type that best fits the thought. #atch sentence style to the audience and the subject. Beep sentences short,,3G words on average,,but vary length to make writing interesting. Beep verbs in active voice 0subject before verb2, but use passive voice to soften criticism 0#he shipment was lost, not +ou lost the shipment!. Eliminate unnecessary words and phrases, such as o 8egalistic language 0on the occasion of2. o 9edundancy 0visible to the eye2. o 'nnecessary relative pronouns 0who, that, which2. o E!cessive articles 0usually the2. o <eedless repetition of words. o %ouble modifiers 0modern, up-to-date e,uipment2. +void obsolete or pompous language, including big words, trite phrases, and elaborate sentences 0I will fill the order when I receive more supplies , not -pon procurement of additional supplies, I will initiate fulfillment of the order 2. +void gushy, overblown terms 0e.tremely, e.ceptionally, deeply, importantly 2. %ivide long, strung,out sentences into two or three shorter sentences. +void hedging words such as seems or may. 5atch out for indefinite pronoun starters such as it and there 0/ive new employees start today, not #here are five new employees who start today 2. E!press parallel ideas in parallel form 0 %e came, he saw, he con,uered!$ Eliminate awkward pointers, even if they save a few words$ readers are confused by terms such as respectively, the former, the latter$ Correct dangling modifiers 0Working as fast as possible, the committee completed the budget, not Working as fast as possible, the budget was soon completed$ +void long noun se uences by putting some of the nouns in modifying phrases 0 #he committee on reducing paperwork will complete its report on /riday , not #he paperwork reduction committee will complete its report on /riday!$ Beep words together that work together$ too many intervening modifiers are confusing 0instead of writing We will mark down the refrigerator that you ordered last week this /riday, write #his /riday, we will mark down the refrigerator that you ordered last week$ Emphasize key thoughts& o )ive the most space to the most important thoughts. o ;ut key thoughts in power positions& the beginning and end of the sentence. o #ake the key thought the subject of the sentence. ;aragraph& a series of sentences related to a single thought. ;aragraphs are indicated o in oral communication with pauses and inflections. o in written communication with typographical devices.
o

23

/hree basic elements of the paragraph& topic sentence, related sentences, transitional elements. /opic sentence& summary of main idea$ usually comes first. :ecause related sentences e!plain the main idea, they must
1. 2. 3.

all pertain to the main idea. be more specific than the topic sentence. /ransitional elements link sentences and paragraphs, and they establish the relationships among ideas. /ransitional elements may take several forms& o 'sing connecting words and phrases 0 and, however, in addition! o 9epeating words or phrases from previous paragraph or sentence (#he system should $ $ $In reviewing the system$ $ $! o 'sing a pronoun that refers to the antecedent 0 (s$ *rthur$ $ $0he has $ $ $! o 'sing fre uently paired words 0minimum, ma.imum!. .f the five ways to develop a paragraph, the one that is used should reflect the topic, audience, and purpose of the message& o Illustration& e!amples that demonstrate the general idea. o Comparison or contrast& similarities or differences among thought. o Cause and effect& reasons for something. o Classification& division of idea into subcategories. o ;roblem and solution& what's wrong and how to fi! it.
o o

PRODUCING YOUR MESSAGE

%esign elements 0such as white space, margins, headings, typefaces, and type styles2 provide visual clues to the importance of various ideas and their relationships. %esign decisions demand attention to o consistency o balance o restraint o detail

PROOFING YOUR MESSAGE

;roofing messages for mechanics and format ensures a professional appearance. )rammar and spell checkers are useful tools as long as writers don't rely on them too heavily.

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CHAPTER )--WRITING DIRECT RE*UESTS INTERCULTURAL RE*UESTS

9e uests are most effective when they follow the customs of the audience.

ORGANIZING DIRECT RE*UESTS

'se the plan for direct re uests when the audience is interested and cooperative. :e tactful. "ollow the direct plan& 012 main idea, 032 details, 0=2 re uest for action. .pen with a direct statement of the re uest or main idea& o :e specific when stating the scope of the re uest. o E!plain the overall reason for writing 0use a uestion but without a uestion mark2. o -ave detailed uestions for later paragraphs. ;rovide justification, e!planation, and details in the middle of the message& o E!plain the reason for the re uest o Emphasize the benefits of complying with the re uest "or comple! re uests, use a series of specific uestions in descending order of importance& o 5hen re uesting several items or answers, use an itemized list. o 8imit uestions to those dealing with the main idea. o %on't use uestions for which you can find answers yourself. o #atch the form of the uestion to the type of information re uired 0yes,or,no uestions for specific information$ check,off forms when asking the same uestion of many people$ open,ended uestions for more general re uests2. o +void leading uestions. o 8imit each uestion to one topic. Close with a re uest for specific action& o E!press goodwill. 25

o o o

#ention time limits. Include phone number, office hours, or other information. -ave thank,you note for later, after the transaction has been completed.

PLACING ORDERS

)et right to the point$ the audience will be interested and cooperative. 'se a mail,order form as a model. Include necessary details& o %ate$ an offer to make a purchase$ description of goods 0catalog number, uantity, color, size, price, amount due2$ delivery and billing address0es2$ shipping arrangements$ payment details. )ive a detailed description for unusual or nonstandard orders& o E!plain how the item will be used. o Include drawings. Beep a copy of the order on file.

RE*UESTING ROUTINE INFORMATION AND ACTION

+ny re uest is an important tool for building a favorable image of the company. In re uests to company insiders, o 'se memo format. o "ollow direct plan& 012 state purpose, 032 e!plain and justify re uest, 0=2 close with reminder of re uest and instructions for complying. o 'se matter,of,fact style. + typical purpose of a re uest to another business& to obtain information about products. 5hen re uesting information from other businesses in response to advertisements, o "ill out and return the response card, if available. o If not, write a sentence or two re uesting information and mentioning where you saw the advertisement. o Enclose a handling fee, if re uired. for other product in uiries, provide more e!planation& o %escribe the re uest. o Indicate any reader benefit for replying with the re uest 0generally, possibility of doing business2. o #ake compliance easy. /ypical purposes of re uests to customers and other outsiders& to ask for information, re uest simple actions, reestablish a relationship. 9e uests to customers and other outsiders can often be handled with a short, simple letter. 5hen a longer, more detailed approach is necessary& o E!plain the re uest. o :reak the procedure for complying into steps. o Dustify re uest, emphasizing benefits to the reader.

26

#ake compliance easy$ include a stamped, preaddressed reply envelope if customer is an individual.

RE*UESTING CLAIMS AND AD+USTMENTS

#ost companies are happy to honor reasonable claims, because doing so uickly and cheerfully often saves the most dishonest customer. 'se the direct plan. Employ a positive, unemotional tone. %ocument a claim with photocopies of invoices, receipts, canceled checks, and the like. :e specific about what you want the company to do, or e!plain the problem and ask the company to suggest a remedy.

MA,ING ROUTINE CREDIT RE*UESTS

5rite to ask for a credit application form. Credit applications re uire the name of your company, the length of time in business, the name of your bank, the addresses of businesses where you have e!isting accounts, a financial statement, and a balance sheet. /o obtain commercial credit when placing a first,time order for goods, open with a re uest for credit, e!plain the order, and offer evidence of credit worthiness.

IN*UIRING ABOUT PEOPLE

8egal liability makes companies reluctant to answer in uiries about people, but some organizations still ask for references when selecting candidates for jobs, memberships, awards, and the like. /he purpose of letters re uesting a recommendation& to get someone to serve as a reference for you. In a letter re uesting a recommendation, o 'se direct approach. o E!plain the situation. o 9emind the reader who you are. o Include a copy of your resume or e uivalent description of your ualifications. o Close with a summary of the re uest and the details on how to comply. o Include a stamped, preaddressed envelope to encourage a reply. In a letter checking on a reference given by a job or credit applicant, o 'se the direct approach. o E!plain the applicant's situation and re uirements of the position. o -tate why you value the reader's opinion. o #ention that the re uest was authorized. o %o not include a stamped, preaddressed envelope if the re uest is directed toward a business. o ;romise to keep the recommendation confidential.

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CHAPTER ---WRITING ROUTINE, GOOD-NEWS, AND GOODWILL MESSAGES ORGANIZING POSITIVE MESSAGES

'se the direct approach for this common form of correspondence& 012 main idea, 032 necessary details, 0=2 courteous close. /he main idea is the single most important idea, concisely stated. <ecessary details& o -atisfy reader's information needs. o 9einforce positive tone. o Emphasize positive aspects of disappointing news. Courteous close& o -ummarizes main point. o Indicates what should happen ne!t. o *ighlights reader benefit.

WRITING POSITIVE REPLIES

-end a confirmation that an order is being filled when it is a large order, a first order from a customer, or an order that can't be filled right away. .rder acknowledgments are often handled with standard paragraphs, personalized to fit the reader. .rder acknowledgments follow the direct plan& 1. -tatement that order is being processed. 3. -ummary of transaction 0delivery and payment details2 =. -elling information 0resale and sales promotion2 and references to enclosed brochures or order blanks. @. 9eminder of order benefits and offer of additional services. 28

9esale information& reassures buyer about purchase. -ales promotion& alerts buyer to other goods and services. 9eplies to re uests for information and action. o +re courteous and prompt. o 9e uire careful consideration$ responses on letterhead are legally binding. o Can often be handled with form responses. /wo types of re uests for information and action& o 9e uests from potential customers. o 9e uests that do not involve a potential sale. /hree main goals when responding to re uests from potential customers& o +nswer customer's uestions. o Encourage sale. o Create good impression of firm. /wo main goals in responding to those who re uest information and action not related to a potential sale& o +nswer individual's uestions. o Create good impression.

RESPONDING FAVORABLY TO CLAIMS AND AD+USTMENT RE*UESTS

+ssume the customer has a legitimate claim, unless o /he same customer repeatedly submits dubious claims. o /he customer is obviously dishonest. o /he dollar amount involved is very large. use the direct approach. .bjectives when answering adjustment re uests& o 9epair company's image. o 9egain customer's good will.

HANDLING ROUTINE CREDIT RE*UESTS

/wo types of positive responses to routine credit re uests& o Credit approvals o Credit references Credit approvals mark the beginning of a business relationship with a customer, so the goal is to convey the necessary information while building good will. 'se the direct approach& .pen with good news that credit has been approved. E!plain credit arrangements using a positive tone. Close by emphasizing the benefits of doing business with the firm 0resale information and sales promotion2 Credit arrangements to be discussed&
1. 2. 3. o

'pper limits of account. 29

:illing dates. +rrangements for partial payments. %iscounts for prompt payment. Interest charges on unpaid balances. %ue dates. +void legal problems when providing credit references by o #aking sure re uest for credit reference is legitimate. o .ffering only facts, not opinions.
o o o o o

CONVEYING POSITIVE INFORMATION ABOUT PEOPLE

;ositive information about people includes o 9ecommendation letters. o )ood news about employment. )oal of recommendation letters& to convince the reader that the person being recommended deserves the job or award. 9ecommendation letters mention o full name of candidate. o job or benefit that candidate seeks. o uality that prompted writer to offer recommendation. o relationship between writer and candidate. o facts relevant to candidacy. o .verall evaluation of candidate's suitability. /o achieve credibility, use specific e!amples that illustrate the candidate's abilities. /wo choices when writing recommendation letters for candidates with limitations& o Ignore candidate's bad points. o ;rovide honest, balanced appraisal. /he risk in providing negative information is that the candidate may sue for libel. 8ibel& false and malicious written statement that injures candidate's reputation. /o minimize legal risks, o %on't mention shortcomings that are irrelevant to the job. o :e honest about serious shortcomings, but stick to facts. o +void value judgments. o ;ut negative comments in positive conte!t. /he goal of a good,news message about employment& to offer the candidate a job and e!plain the necessary details. )ood news about employment 0a job offer2 includes& o job title o starting date o salary o benefits o friendly, welcoming tone + job offer is legally binding. /o avoid implying that the employee will be kept on for a full year, no matter what& o -tate salary in monthly increments.

30

:e vague about timing of performance reviews and raises.

WRITING DIRECTIVES AND INSTRUCTIONS

%irectives& memos that tell employees what to do. Instructions& messages that tell someone how to do something. /he objective of both directives and instructions is to make the message crystal clear. 'se direct order. :e concise but complete& who, what, when, where, why, how Instructions& o #ay be in form of letter, memo, or booklet. o 9e uire more detailed development than directives. o +re often presented as numbered series of steps.

CONVEYING GOOD NEWS ABOUT PRODUCTS AND OPERATIONS

-ome positive developments that companies might want to publicize& opening new facilities, appointing a new e!ecutive, introducing goods or services, sponsoring community events. )ood news to a limited audience may be put in letter or memo format. "or mass audiences, good news is generally handled through news 0or press2 releases. "ormat for news releases& o /ype on plain H 1?3 by 11 inch paper or on special letterhead for press releases. o %ouble,space for print media$ triple,space for electronic media. -tyle for news releases& o 'se direct plan& good news, details, positive close. o 5rite in third person, in journalistic style. o +void blatant plugs for the firm$ stick to facts.

WRITING GOODWILL MESSAGES

;urpose of writing goodwill messages& to build a good personal relationship with the reader. /one is particularly important& o :e sincere. o +void e!aggeration. o :ack up compliments with specific points. .ffer help if appropriate, but don't promise more than you can deliver. /hree main types of goodwill messages& o Congratulations o #essages of appreciation o Condolences .bjective of congratulations& to recognize happy events 0such as weddings and births2 and praiseworthy accomplishments 0such as business achievements2.

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Congratulatory form letters mailed to people mentioned in newspapers can be used to build a mailing list and introduce the firm,,but avoid a direct sales pitch. .bjective of messages of appreciation& to recognize contributions of employees and associates. #essages of appreciation o -erve as a record of good performance in personnel file. o #otivate recipient to keep up good work. 9easons to send message of appreciation& o /o praise employee for good work. o /o thank supplier for special service. o /o recognize long,term support or productive relationship. o /o thank speaker. o /o acknowledge donations. .bjective of condolences& to e!press sympathy in times of sorrow 0such as health problems, death, business misfortune2. 'se the direct plan for condolences& o :egin with statement of sympathy. o #ention subject's good ualities and contributions. o -tate what subject meant to you. o Close with positive, uplifting thought. o .ffer help if appropriate and sincere. 5hen writing condolences, o :e brief. o 'se own words. o :e tactful. o :e accurate. o 5rite about special ualities of the deceased. o 5rite about special ualities of the bereaved.

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CHAPTER 1.--WRITING BAD-NEWS MESSAGES ORGANIZING BAD-NEWS MESSAGES

.bjective of bad,news messages& to convey the bad news without bruising the reader's feelings. /wo basic issues to decide when planning a bad,news message& tone and organization. +dopt a tone that achieves three objectives& o #akes audience aware that decision is firm. o #akes audience agree that decision is fair. o 8eaves audience with positive attitude toward the organization,,and perhaps toward you. /he issue of organization concerns a choice between the indirect and the direct plan. .bjective of indirect plan& to ease the audience into the part of the message that justifies the decision or builds goodwill. "our parts of indirect plan for bad,news messages& buffer reasons bad news positive close :uffer& neutral, noncontroversial statement closely related to the point of the message.
1. 2. 3. 4.

33

/ips for formulating a buffer& %on't beat around the bush$ stick to subject. %on't build up false hopes of positive answer. +void saying no. +void know,it,all tone. +void wordy, irrelevant phrases. %on't apologize. %on't be long,winded. :uffer should be pleasant, relevant, and neutral, and it should lead smoothly into the reasons that follow. /ips for providing reasons in bad,news messages& o :egin with most positive points$ move on to less positive ones. o %on't blame decision on company policy unless e!planation would help audience meet re uirements later. o %on't apologize$ apology implies that organization made a mistake. o 'se positive, nonjudgmental tone. o -kip reasons if they are confidential, purely negative, self,serving, or complicated. /ips for stating the bad news& o #ake answer clear, but present it in positive, impersonal language. o #inimize space or time devoted to bad news. o -ubordinate bad news in compound or comple! sentence. o Embed bad news in middle of paragraph. o 'se (if( or (when( statement to suggest conditions under which positive answer might be possible. o "ocus on what you did do, not on what you didn't do. o +void blunt or offensive phrases. /ips for providing a positive close& o Conclude on upbeat note. o ;ropose attainable solution. o ;rovide resale and sales promotion. o #ake sure audience understands any action re uired. o %on't repeat bad news. o %on't apologize. o %on't urge additional communication. o %on't anticipate problems. o %on't include insincere cliches. o %on't e!press doubt that audience will remain a customer. %irect plan& bad news first, followed by reasons and a courteous close. +dvantages of using the direct plan& o +llows shorter message. o )ets directly to point. 5hen to use the direct plan for bad,news messages& o for internal memos. o "or routine bad,news messages to other businesses.
o o o o o o o

34

o o

"or audiences who prefer direct approach. "or situations that demand firmness.

CONVEYING BAD NEWS ABOUT ORDERS

.rder may be unclear, product may be out of stock or discontinued, or customer may not have met ordering re uirements. .bjectives& o /o work toward eventual sale comparable to original order. o /o keep instructions or additional information clear. o to maintain audience's interest and goodwill. 'se the indirect approach to clarify an order& :uffer confirms order and provides resale information. #iddle e!plains why order cannot be filled and emphasizes positive side of situation. 3. Close e!plains what is re uired and describes benefits of acting promptly. :ack orders represent two possible types of bad news&
1. 2.

.nly part of order can be shipped. <one of order can be shipped. .rganizational plan for notifying customer about shipment of a partial order&
o o

:uffer announces good news 0part of order en route2. #iddle e!plains why rest of shipment is delayed and states or implies bad news. Close encourages favorable attitude toward transaction. /he same pattern can be used when none of the order can be shipped, but the buffer can only confirm the order. If substitution is necessary because an item is no longer available, send the substitute if the audience is sure to want it. 5hen in doubt about the customer's willingness to accept the substitute, write a sales letter first&
1. 2. 3.

'se indirect plan. ;ut resale information in buffer. If substitute is more e!pensive, emphasize added features and superior uality. %on't refer to new item as (substitute.( In close, make it easy for audience to order substitute. 5hen the order cannot be filled at all, suggest an alternative source. 'se this organizational plan for unfillable orders&
o o o o o 1. 2. 3.

Compliment audience on good taste. E!plain why order cannot be filled$ state bad news. Close with helpful suggestion and reference to future business.

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COMMUNICATING NEGATIVE ANSWERS AND INFORMATION

'se the direct plan if the audience will not be deeply disappointed$ otherwise, use the indirect plan. ;ossible buffers& o E!press appreciation for being thought of. o +ssure audience that re uest received careful consideration. o Compliment audience. o E!press understanding of situation and audience's needs. In the middle, 012 e!plain the reasons for the bad news, 032 state the bad news, and 0=2 provide suggestions for handling the situation and offer help, if appropriate. In the close, e!press interest, encouragement, and goodwill. 5hen providing bad news about products, o 'se direct approach if message will have little emotional impact. o 'se indirect approach when audience will be seriously affected. 5hen denying cooperation with routine re uests, o Choose direct or indirect plan, depending on emotional impact of message. o 'se warm, positive tone. o +void cliches, stodgy language, and abrupt or negative phrasing. 5hen declining re uests for favors, choose the direct or indirect plan, depending on your relationship with the audience& o %irect plan with close friends and associates. o Indirect plan with relative strangers.

REFUSING AD+USTMENT OF CLAIMS AND COMPLAINTS

'se a tactful, courteous tone. 'se the indirect plan. 1. :uffer& brief, positive, noncontroversial statement 3. #iddle& e!planation of reasons, followed by indirect statement of bad news, presented as positively as possible. =. Close& e!pression of interest in future relationship.

REFUSING TO EXTEND CREDIT

'se the indirect plan to soften the audience's disappointment. 5hen the credit applicant may ualify at a later date, offer encouragement& o +void condescending lecture on (earning( credit. o Emphasize firm's interest in doing business with applicant. 5hen applicant is a business as opposed to an individual, o Emphasize reasons credit is being denied. o -uggest alternatives 0cash purchases, third,party loans2. o E!plain what applicant must do to ualify. o Emphasize positive aspects of situation 0discounts for cash purchases2.

36

Consider the decision to deny credit carefully$ denying credit can seriously damage the applicant's reputation or business.

CONVEYING UNFAVORABLE NEWS ABOUT PEOPLE

"our types of unfavorable news about people& o 9efusals to write recommendation letters. o 9ejections of job applicants. o <egative performance reviews. o /erminations of employees. 'se the direct plan for messages to prospective employers, the indirect plan for messages to job applicants and employees. 5hen writing to an applicant to turn down the opportunity to write a recommendation letter, use the indirect plan& o .pen with positive comment about applicant. o -tate refusal indirectly. o -uggest alternatives. o Close with polite encouragement. 5hen rejecting job applicants, be brief and impersonal. 5hen giving negative performance reviews, o #ention positive points. o E!plain how employee is falling short. o -uggest ways to improve. .bjectives when terminating employees& o /o present reasons for decision. o /o avoid statements that might pose legal problems. o /o promote best relationship possible under circumstances. "or legal purposes, termination letters should present specific, objective, verifiable, measurable reasons.

CHAPTER 11--WRITING PERSUASIVE MESSAGES MOTIVATING WITH PERSUASIVE MESSAGES P# $/0$1!2& the process of changing people's attitudes or influencing their actions, either immediately or at some time in the future. *ow to set the course for effective persuasion& o -tate the problem 0preferably in one sentence2 37

Identify the audience %etermine the desired outcome "our strategic elements& o <eeds and appeals o Emotion and logic o Credibility o -emantics In general, only after more basic needs have been met will an individual strive to meet higher,level needs 0#aslowe's *eirarchy of <eeds2 >arious audiences have different needs and therefore respond to different appeals ;eople respond emotionally when their needs are not being met 8ogic provides justification for and reinforces emotional decisions +udiences resist those who lack credibility "acts that build credibility& o /estimonials o %ocuments o )uarantees o -tatistics o 9esearch results Eualities that enhance personal credibility& o Enthusiasm o .bjectivity o -incerity o E!pertise o )ood intentions o /rustworthiness o -imilarity 5ord choice also affects the credibility of a message -emantics& the meaning of words and other symbols +bstractions 0words with many connotations2 permit many interpretations and often have broad appeal -pecifics help prevent misinterpretation of abstractions
o o

ORGANIZING PERSUASIVE MESSAGES

'se an indirect approach for organizing persuasive messages .ne four,part plan commonly used is the +I%+ plan& o +ttention -park audience's curiosity +void e!travagant claims and irrelevancies o Interest 9elate message to audience's needs ;rovide factual description of item or service #ention benefits to audience o %esire

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;rovide evidence to back claims %raw attention to enclosures :uild audience's willingness to take action

+ction -tate desired action -ummarize benefits #ake action easy +ction ending& close of persuasive message that suggests a specific step the audience may take

WRITING PERSUASIVE RE*UESTS FOR ACTION

<eed for such messages& o #otivate inside audiences to change policies, approve investments, promote individuals, protect turf #otivate outside audiences to provide funds or perform favors /wo,fold challenge& o #ust motivate someone who is busy and may not receive any tangible reward o #ust compete with many othe re uests Bey to success& highlight direct and indirect benefits /he attention,getter reflects an understanding of the audience's interests /he middle section establishes credibility and convinces the audience of the value of your cause Beep the re uest within bounds

WRITING SALES LETTERS

:ecause sales letters are binding contracts, avoid even implying offers or promises you can't deliver 8egal problems can result from o #aking a false statement o #isrepresenting price, uality, or performance o 'sing a person's name, photo, or other identity without permission o ;ublicizing a person's private life #ake every attempt to persuade without manipulating ;lanning involves& o %etermining selling points and benefits o %efining audience o ;lanning format and approach -elling points& the most attractive features of a product Consumer benefits& particular advantages buyers will realize from those features Identify selling points and benefits by analyzing the product and the potential buyer %emographic characteristics& age, gender, occupation, income, education ;sychographic characteristics& personality, attitude, lifestyle /o define the audience, form a mental image of the typical buyer >ariables to consider when planning the format and approach& 39

<umber of pieces 0letter, brochure, sample, response card, and so on2 )raphics& type style, color, special symbols, logos <umber of pages in sales letter .verall makeup of campaign& one mailing or several, telephone or in,person follow,up In general, e!pensive items and hard,to,accept propositions call for a more elaborate campaign /ypical attention,getters in a sales letter& o ;iece of news o +ppeal to audience's emotions and values o -tatement of most attractive feature and corresponding benefit o Intriguing number o -ample of product o Illustration with story appeal o -pecific trait shared by audience o ;rovocative uestion o Challenge o -oltion to problem +ttention,getting format devices for sales letters& o ;ersoanlized salutations o -pecial type o 'nderlining o Color o Indentions Emphasizing the central selling point means focusing on the single most important feature %etermine the central selling point by asking three uestions& o 5hat does competition have to offerC o 5hat most distinguishes firm's productC o 5hat is buyer's primary concernC *ighlight the consumer benefits associated with the central selling point #ention the most important benefit several times, near the beginning and end of the letter 9efer to other benefits throughout the body of the letter Choose words with strong emotional impact, such as verbs and colorful adjectives, but avoid e!aggerations that destroy credibility /he price that customers will pay is related to prices for similar products, the state of the economy, and their psychology ;ave the way for your price by giving hints like (economical( or (lu!urious( before mentioning the specific price If the price is low, compare features to the competitor's to show relative value$ if price is a major selling point, mention it in a prominent position 0first or last or highlighted graphically2 If the price is high, stress features and benefits to justify it /o de,emphasize price& o .mit reference o #ention in accompanying brochure
o o o o

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#ention in middle of paragraph, clsoe to end of letter, after e!plaining selling points o :reak uantity price into units o Compare favorably to some other product or activity /ypical methods for supporting claims about the product& o -amples o /estimonials o ;hotographs o E!amples o -tatistics o )uarantees ;urpose of sales letter& getting someon to do something /o motivate action, whether it is making an immediate purchase, re uesting more information, or authorizing a representative to call& o -tress importance of acting immediately o #ention deadline if appropriate o .ffer discounts, prizes, and special offers for early orders o Encourage use of credit cards and toll,free numbers o .ffer free trial, unconditional guarantee, or no,strings re uest card "ive traditional elements of direct,mail packages& o .uter envelope telegraphing message o #ultipage sales letter o :rochure 0usually color2 o .rder blank o ;ostage,paid return envelope .ne popular alternative to the traditional package is a self,mailer, a single piece of folded paper that can be returned to place na order$ another is a simulated telegram or invitation ;ersoanlized letters are often effective but have drawbacks& overe!posure and e!pense 8ong letters 0about four pages2 are typically more effective than short ones, as long as typographic devices are used to highlight the main points .ne problem with direct mail is finding people who would definitely be interested in hearing about your product$ the solution is to select a mailing list that focuses on likely customers /hree types of mailing lists& o *ouse lists& names of previous customers and people who have in uired about product o Compiled lists& names obtained from accessible sources, such as phone book and auto registration lists o #ail,response lists& names compiled by other companies$ often purchased through list brokers
o

WRITING COLLECTION MESSAGES

#ost people have good intentions about paying their bills /wo objectives in sending collection messages 1. /o maintain goodwill

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3. /o collect debt /hree factors determine the approach used in a collection message& o +mount due, time elapsed, nature of agreement, creditor's attitude o %ebtor's values, self,esteem, sense of responsibility o %ebtor's ability to pay and to withstand pressure "air %ebt Collection ;ractices +ct of 1IJH outlines a number of restrictions + positive approach, an emphasis on the benefits of paying, is most likely to defuse the debtor's defensiveness and hostility ;ostive appeals to use in collection messages& o -ense of pride o <eed to belong o -ense of fair play o <eed to follow rules o 9ecognition of mutual effort o <eed for closure If positive appeals fail, politely point out the conse uences of failure to pay& o 9eporting debtor to credit agency o 9epossessing item o %emanding surrender of collateral o /urning account over to collection agency o /aking matter to court /he collection series& se uence of messages that get tougher the longer the debtor fails to pay /he typical collection series includes five messages, although the number and timing of the messages may vary depending on the company and the situation -teps in the collection series& 1. <otification& form letter or card indicating amount due, due date, penalties for late payment 3. 9eminder& brief form letter or copy of notification sent a few days after due date has passed$ tone reflects assumption that some minor problem has delayed payment =. In uiry& personalized letter asking customer what's wrong and indicating willingnes to work out solution$ avoids suggesting that customer may be dissatisfied with merchandise or service @. 'rgent notice& personalized letter emphasizing desire to collect payment immediately$ often signed by top official$ may use negative appeal A. 'ltimatum& final message, often using direct approach$ negative appeal, but businesslike, impersonal tone

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CHAPTER 12--WRITING SHORT REPORTS WHAT MA,ES A GOOD REPORT

9eport& written, factual account that objectively communicates information about some aspect of a business. -i! general purposes of reports& o #onitoring and controlling operations o Implementing policies and procedures o Complying with legal or regulatory re uirements o .btaining new business or funding o %ocumenting work performed for a client o )uiding management decisions 9eports may be initiated by the writer 0voluntary reports2 or by the reader 0authorized reports2$ a voluntary report re uires more background information and a more complete e!planation of the purpose. /he subject of a report influences its vocabulary and format$ if the reader knows the subject, the discussion can be at a higher level. 9eports prepared on a regular basis 0routine reports2 re uire less introductory and transitional material than nonrecurring reports 0special reports2, which re uire more complete development. 9eports sent to someone within the organization 0internal reports2 may be relatively informal and use the memo or manuscript format$ reports sent to outsiders 0e!ternal reports2 are relatively formal and use the letter or manuscript format. 9eports prepared chiefly to present facts 0informational reports2 are organized around subtopics$ reports prepared to present facts plus analysis, interpretation, conclusions, or recommendations 0analytical reports2 are organized around logical arguments. If the reader is receptive and likely to agree with the report's contents, it may be organized in direct order$ if the reader is likely to have reservations, it should usually be organized in indirect order. If the reader is receptive and likely to agree with the report's contents, it may be organized in direct order$ if the reader is likely to have reservations, it should usually be organized in indirect order. /hree common ualities of good reports& 012 accuracy, 032 good judgment, 0=2 audience, centered format, style, and approach. /o achieve accuracy& o %escribe facts or events in concrete terms o 9eport all relevant facts o ;ut facts in perspective o )ive plenty of evidence for your conclusions o ;resent only valid evidence and supportable conclusions o Beep personal biases in check /o show good judgment& o :e discreet about putting things in writing o )ear report to manager's likes and dislikes 5hat managers like in reports& 43

#ain idea at beginning "acts 5hole story 8anguage they can understand 'seful information /o meet readers' needs with a responsive format, style, and organization decide& o 5hether to use letter, memo or manuscript o 5hether to group ideas one way or another o 5hether to use a formal or an informal style Euestions to consider when deciding on format, style, and organization& o 5ho initiated reportC o 5hat subject does it coverC o 5hen is it preparedC o 5here is it being sentC o 5hy is it being preparedC o *ow receptive is the readerC
o o o o o

PLANNING SHORT REPORTS

o o o

o o

6our audience, purpose, and subject matter influence 012 the format and length of your report and 032 the basic structure of your report. "ormat and length of a report are often predetermined by the recipient$ the reader's needs are the key consideration. 5hen selecting a format for your written report, you have four options& ;reprinted form 8etter #emo #anuscript 8ength depends on the audience's attitude and needs and the nature of the subject. Establishing a basic structure involves three major decisions& 5hat to includeC what order to followC *ow to group ideasC 5hen deciding what to include, the objective is to answer all the audience's uestions in the order that makes the most sense& 8ook for main uestion& 5hy does reader want reportC -ketch general answer based on results of research. Create uestion,and,answer chain by breaking general uestions and answers into more specific uestions and answers. Content should include both broad concepts and supporting detail&
11 11 11

:alance between general and specific depends on nature of report. Every detail must relate to the main uestion.

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/he order to follow when presenting the content depends chiefly on the audience's attitude toward your main idea& "or receptive audiences, use direct approach. "or skeptical or status,conscious audiences, consider indirect approach. #any effective reports are hybrids, gradually revealing conclusions and recommendations throughout the report. %irect approach& .pens with summary of key findings, conclusions, recommendations. Is most efficient, convenient approach because it facilitates skimming. Is most forceful approach and conveys confidence. Indirect +pproach )radually unfolds information and puts conclusions and recommendations last. Conveys impression of objectivity. *as serious drawbacks, especially in long reports& hard to follow and may induce impatient reader to skip to end, thereby missing carefully constructed argument

ORGANIZING SHORT REPORTS

o

o o

o o

/he way ideas are divided depends on the purpose of the report& .rganization of informational reports mirrors topic .rganization of analytical reports reflects problem,solving process ;urpose of informational report& to e!plain something in straightforward terms. Common types of informational reports& monitor?control reports, policies, procedures, compliance reports, personal activity reports, some justification reports, some reports documenting client work, and some proposals. /he audience for informational reports is generally receptive, so direct order is commonly used. /he nature of the subject usually suggests a basis for grouping ideas in informational reports& )eographic units Components of a whole Chronological series of events -e uential steps in process Categories established by client Items in order of importance /he interim progress report used as an e!ample of an information report does the following& %ocuments work performed for a client. Is submitted on a nonrecurring basis. Is in letter format. 'ses direct order. Is organized to present 012 an overview of what has been accomplished during the reporting period, 032 a discussion of tasks performed, 0=2 a

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o o

o o o o o

o o

preview of the plans for the coming period, and 0@2 an analysis of any problems. Bey to success in an interim progress report& :e honest about problems as well as accomplishments. /he personal activity report used as an e!ample of an informational report is + form of monitor?control report that gives an individual's account of a nonrecurring event such as a convention, trip, or business meeting. In memo format. In direct order, using chronological organization ore topical structure based on the reader's interests. Bey to success in a personal activity report& "ocus on important points$ avoid blow,by,blow account. ;urpose of analytical report& to persuade readers to accept conclusions or recommendations. In an analytical report, facts are a means to an end, not an end in themselves. /ypical e!amples of analytical reports& decision,oriented reports, many proposals, many final reports to clients. *ow to organize an analytical report& %irect order for receptive audience$ use conclusions or recommendations as main points of outline. Indirect or hybrid order for skeptical audience$ use logical arguments 0reasons why readers should accept conclusions and recommendations2 as main points of outline. In a justification report& Introduction established need for action, benefits of action, and steps re uired to achieve benefits. 9e uired steps 0recommendations2 serve as main headings. "inal section summarized recommendations and benefits. .rganization based on logical arguments& "or status,conscious or skeptical audience, rationale must be emphasized. #ain points on outline correspond to points in favor of conclusions or recommendations. 8ia Chung's new business proposal is organized very simply& *ere's the problem, here's the solution, here's the price. Bey characteristics of 8ia Chung's new business proposal& +uthorized Internal, move upward -pecial 0nonrecurring2 #emo format "ully developed style +nalytical 9eceptive reader 0direct order2 In a troubleshooting report& #ain points in outline are independent reasons of varying importance that collectively add up to position writer is trying to prove.

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5riter has variety of reasons but no single reason that is particularly overwhelming. Introduction discusses purpose, scope, and background and summarizes reasons why writer's case should be accepted. +pproach is softened by using descriptive rather than informative phrasing to introduce reasons. final section summarizes reasons and develops any recommendations.

MA,ING REPORTS AND PROPOSALS READABLE

o

o o o o o

/he proper degree of formality to use in a report or proposal depends on the relationship between writer and reader& Informal tone is appropriate for letter and memo reports sent to familiar audience. "ormal tone is appropriate for formal reports submitted to unfamiliar or high,ranking audiences. /o achieve informality& 'se personal pronouns, employ relatively collo uial language. /o achieve formality& +void personal pronouns, use businesslike language, present points in an objective manner. If you have uestions about which tone to use, refer to other reports of a similar type and purpose. -tructural clues keep the reader form getting lost, especially in long reports. "our structural clues used in reports& .pening *eadings and lists /ransitions Ending /he opening& Introduces subject, indicates why it is important, and previews main ideas. -hould be phrased to match audience's receptivity. -hould take informative approach with receptive audience and descriptive approach with skeptical audience. *eadings and lists& ;rovide visual clues to relationship among ideas and help readers scan document. -hould be phrased in grammatically parallel terms. -hould follow company format or use attractive, consistent pattern. Emphasize key points or show se uence. /ransitions *elp readers connect one idea to ne!t. +re used in long reports to link major sections$ serve as mini, introductions. +re used in shorter reports to connect paragraphs. -hould emphasize nature of connection.

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#ay demonstrate that link is additional detail, causal relationship, comparison, contrast, illustration, time se uence, intensification, summary, repetition. /he ending& 9ecapitulates main points in order in which they appeared. Emphasizes conclusions and recommendations 0in analytical reports2.

CHAPTER 13--PLANNING LONG REPORTS

FIVE STEPS IN PLANNING REPORTS

/he foundation of any report is formed by five steps& 1. %efine the problem and the purpose 3. .utline the issues for investigation =. ;repare a work plan @. Conduct research A. +nalyze and interpret data, draw conclusions, and develop recommendations

DEFINING THE PROBLEM

/he definition of the problem establishes the scope of the investigation$ the person authorizing the study typically defines the problem. /he problem statement should specify& o 5hat needs to be determinedC o 5hy issue is importantC o 5ho is involved in situationC o where trouble is locatedC o 5hen it startedC o *ow situation originatedC /he statement of purpose clarifies the goal of the investigation. /he statement of purpose can take three forms& o Infinitive& the purpose is to determine which candidate is best ualified for the job. o Euestion& 5hich candidate is best ualifiedC o %eclarative statement& /he best ualified candidate will be identified. +fter a written statement of purpose is prepared, it should be confirmed with the person who authorized the report.

OUTLINE ISSUES FOR INVESTIGATION

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;roblem factoring& breaking a general problem into a series of specific uestions. /he outline of issues for analysis is often different from the outline of the resulting report. .utlining the issues to be addressed during an investigation leads to development of alogical structure for the resulting report. /he overall purpose of the study determines whether an informational or analytical approach is more logical$ however, many assignments re uire both information and analysis. Informational assignments 0with very little analysis or interpretation2 are factored on the basis of subtopics& o In order of importance o -e uentially o Chronologically o -patially o )eographically o Categorically +nalytical assignments 0with analyses, conclusions, or recommendations2 are factored on the basis of problem,solving methodology& o *ypotheses& to discover causes, predict results, identify solutions to a problem. o 9elative merits or bases of comparison& to compare alternatives against criteria. /he rules of division& o %ivide a topic into at least two parts. o Choose a significant, useful basis or guiding principle for division. o 8imit yourself to one basis at a time when subdividing whole into parts. o #ake certain each group is separate and distinct. o :e complete when listing components of whole. + preliminary outline provides a frame of reference for the study$ it is especially important when the assignment involves collaboration or is e!tremely complicated. /he two most common outline formats& alphanumeric and decimal. ;arallel construction in an outline,,using the same grammatical form for all captions at a single level of the outline,,provides clues to the relationships among ideas and is considered the proper approach by most of those who might review the outline. .utlines may be phrased in two ways& o %escriptive 0topical2 outlines identify topics 0for e!ample, (#arket growth(2. o Informative 0talking2 outlines, which suggest something about topics, may take form of uestion or brief phrase 0for e!ample, (*ow rapidly is market growingC( or (#arket growth has slowed(2. Informative outlines, especially in uestion form, are generally more useful than descriptive outlines for guiding research.

PREPARING THE WOR, PLAN

/he work plan e!plains how you will solve the problem& steps re uired, their se uence and timing, sources of information. + formal, written work plan for a major investigation should include& o ;roblem statement

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o o o o

-tatement of purpose and scope of investigation %iscussion of tasks, methods, and constraints %escription of end products 9eview of assignments, schedules, resource re uirements

CONDUCTING THE RESEARCH

:usiness research uses a mi! of primary and secondary sources& o -econdary sources& information that has already been collected o ;rimary sources& firsthand information not previously compiled -econdary sources commonly used in business research& general reference works, popular publications, government documents, on,line databases, internal reports, company databases, brochures, newsletters, annual reports. *ow to make the best use of secondary sources& o :e selective$ choose recent, respected material. o -top when you reach the point of diminishing returns. o /ake notes. "our main types of primary sources& documents, observations, surveys, e!periments. %ocuments& company files, such as sales reports, balance sheets, income statements, policy statements, correspondence, contracts, log books$ government documents$ legal documents. /he same document can be both a primary and a secondary source. "or e!ample, if you use financial information from an annual report, the annual report is a secondary source$ if you compare the features of the annual report to those of other annual reports, it is a primary source. observations& information obtained formally or informally by using the five sense. .bservations are useful for studying physical activities, objects, processes, the environment, and human behavior. /he value of an observation depends on the objectivity and reliability of the observer. -urveys& information obtained by asking ualified people for their opinions. + survey may take the form of 012 an interview with an e!pert or 032 a large,scale survey based on a uestionnaire. /hree decisions must be made before conducting a survey& o -hould you use face,to,face interviews, phone calls, or printed uestionnairesC o *ow many people should you contact to get reliable 0reproducible results, and who should they beC o 5hat specific uestions should you ask to get a valid 0true2 pictureC 5hen designing a uestionnaire, use a mi! of uestion types& o .pen,ended o Either,or o #ultiple choice o -cale o Checklist o 9anking o "ill in the blank

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"ollow these tips when constructing a uestionnaire& o #ake instructions clear. o Beep uestionnaire short and easy to answer. o "ormulate uestions that provide easily tabulated or analyzed answers. o +void leading uestions. o 8imit each uestion to one point. o +sk only one thing at a time. o +void vague or abstract uestions. o Include uestions that rephrase earlier uestions as cross,check on validity of earlier responses. o ;retest uestionnaire. E!periments& information obtained through controlled testing$ most useful in scientific fields. the difficulty of controlling all variables limits the value of e!periments in most business situations.

ANALYZING AND INTERPRETING DATA

/he analytical process is a search for relationships among various pieces of evidence and the formulation of conclusions and recommendations based on that evidence. <umerical data can be manipulated to produce statistics, which can be interpreted to reveal the significance of the data. /hree important types of statistics& averages, trends, and correlations. +verage& number representative of a group of numbers. /hree types of averages& mean, median, and mode. #ean& sum of all the items in the group divided by the number of items in the group$ useful when you want to compare one item or individual with the group, but can be misleading if one of the numbers is e!treme. #ode& most fre uently occurring number, the case that occurs most often$ useful when you want to know what case you are most likely to encounter, easier to calculate than the median, and not affected by e!treme numbers. /rend& pattern e!hibited by data over a period of time. Correlation& consistent relationship between variables, but not necessarily indicative of cause and effect. -tatistics provide a foundation for conclusions. Conclusions& interpretations of what the facts mean, which are influenced by assumptions and value judgments. the validity of conclusions depends on the skill and objectivity of the analyst. /eamwork often leads to the best conclusions because each member of the team acts as a balance on other members' reasoning process. 9ecommendations differ from conclusions& o Conclusions& what all facts add up to$ interpretation of what information means. o 9ecommendations& what should be done in light of facts and their meaning. 'seful recommendations o are practical,

51

o o

are acceptable to the audience, and indicate what should happen ne!t and who should do what.

PREPARING THE FINAL OUTLINE

/he preliminary outline that guided research is seldom used as the blueprint for the final report$ it must be reworked to take into account purpose, audience reaction, and the things learned during the study. /he placement of conclusions and recommendations depends on the audience's probable response& o in front if a positive reaction is e!pected, or o at the end if resistance is anticipated. .nce the final outline is in mind, begin identifying which points can and should be illustrated with visual aids 0tables, graphs, schematic drawings, or photographs2 5hen planning the illustrations for your report or presentation, aim to achieve a reasonable balance between the verbal and the visual.

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CHAPTER 14--WRITING LONG REPORTS

REPORT PRODUCTION

9eport ;roduction varies, depending on the size and nature of the organization& o Collaborative effort common in large companies. o -olo approach more common in small companies. Collaborative report writing& o -everal authors write as team. o Editor assembles pieces. o -ecretarial staff and art department handle format and illustrations. Computer simplifies preparation process$ o *andles formatting automatically. o Checks spelling and readability. o Creates artwork. + realistic schedule for putting a draft into final form& o /yping time& H pages per hour. o Editing?proofreading time& 1A minutes per page. o +rtwork time& 1 hour per e!hibit 0hand,drawn2. o 9eview time& as much as possible. +fter submitting a report, solicit feedback so that you can learn from the reader's responses.

REPORT PRODUCTION

9egardless of length, organizational approach, or intended audience, formal reports use manuscript format and a relatively impersonal tone. 8ength determines the number of components in a formal report$ several elements may be combined in shorter reports. + formal report has three categories of elements& 1. ;refatory parts 3. /e!t 53

=. -upplementary parts ;refatory parts, which are usually prepared last, may include o Cover o /itle fly o /itle page o 8etter of authorization o 8etter of acceptance o 8etter of transmittal o /able of contents o 8ist of illustrations o -ynopsis or e!ecutive summary /he cover should be o -turdy, appropriate, and attractive o 8abeled with title, writer's name, and date /he title of a formal report should be succinct but specific 0who, what, when, where, why, and how2 /he title fly, an optional element, is blank e!cept for the title. /he title page, which may serve as a cover, includes o /itle of report o <ame, title, and address of person?organization that authorized report 0reader2 o <ame, title, and address of person?organization that prepared report o -ubmission date. /he letter of authorization and letter of acceptance are optional but may be included (for the record($ they may be in memo or letter format, depending on whether report is internal or e!ternal. o 8etter of authorization follows direct,re uest plan$ gives instructions for assignment. o 8etter of acceptance follows good,news plan$ confirms arrangements for assignment. /he letter 0memo2 of transmittal o (*ands( the document to the reader o ;recedes the table of contents o #ay appear in only selected copies o "ollows routine, good,news plan o -pecifies methods, scope, and limitations o *ighlights important points o ;rovides helpful background information o +cknowledges contributors o #ay take the place of a synopsis /he table of contents o )ives readers an overview of the report's structure. o #ay list all headings or only the top two or three levels of headings. o )ives the page number where each heading appears. o #irrors the wording of the headings precisely. o 8ists all prefatory parts following the table of contents and all supplementary parts.

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o #ay list the visual aids if the number of them is limited. /he list of illustrations o )ives titles and page numbers of illustrations. o #ay be typed on the same page as the table of contents or be presented on the ne!t page. +ll visual aids may be listed together as e!hibits, or tables and figures may be listed separately. /he synopsis o Is a one,page 0ore less2 overview of the main points. o Is common in long technical?academic reports. o #ay be distributed separately from the report. o #ay be informative or descriptive, depending on style of te!t. /he e!ecutive summary o Is more fre uently used in business reports than the synopsis is. o Is longer and more fully developed than the synopsis. o ;rovides a (mini( report for readers who don't want to read the entire te!t. o #ay contain headings, transitions, and visual aids. o Is organized like the te!t, using direct or indirect order depending on the audience's attitude. o Contains enough detail for the reader to decide about the issues covered without reading further. /he length of the report determines the need for a synopsis or e!ecutive summary& o #ost useful in documents over =G pages. o .ften omitted or combined with letter of transmittal in shorter documents. /he te!t of the report includes the following& o Introduction o :ody o -ummary o Conclusions o 9ecommendations o <otes /he format of the report, which helps readers understand the message, may be dictated by company policy. -everal devices help focus attention on major points in the te!t& o *eadings, which facilitate the skimming process, should be emphasized with typography and white space. o >isual aids dramatize key points. o ;reviews and section summaries help orient the reader. /he introduction o ;uts the report in perspective. o Indicates purpose. o ;reviews the contents. o Establishes the tone. /he introduction, which varies in length from a paragraph or two to several pages, may discuss o +uthorization for the report.

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o /he problem studied and the purpose of the report. o -cope. o :ackground. o -ources and methods. o %efinitions. o 8imitations. o 9eport organization. /he introduction should be prepared to supplement the prefatory parts, so that unnecessary duplication of information is avoided. /he body of the report o Contains major sections or chapters. o -hould be long enough to ade uately support your position and respond to the reader's needs. o #ay or may not include conclusions. /he final section (wrapping up( the te!t of the report may include one or more of the following& o -ummary& key findings paraphrased. o Conclusions& writer's analysis of what findings mean. o 9ecommendations& writer's opinion of what should be done. /he length of the final section of the te!t depends on how the rest of the report is structured& o If the report uses direct order, the final section may be a fairly brief recapitulation. o If the reports uses indirect order, the final section tends to be longer and more detailed. /he summary, conclusions, and recommendations may be combined or listed separately for added emphasis. 9ecommendations, which are especially important in reports intended to lead to action, o spell out what should happen ne!t. o e!plain difficulties. o provide a schedule. o assign responsibilities. 9eference notes satisfy your moral and legal obligation to credit sources of information and help establish your credibility. In a business report, e!cessive footnotes hamper communication$ simply mentioning sources in the te!t is often an acceptable alternative. 8et company tradition be your guide when deciding on the number and treatment of reference notes. /ypes of visual aids& /ables 8ine and surface charts :ar charts ;ie charts "low charts and organization charts #aps %rawings, diagrams, and photographs

56

/ables are good for presenting detailed, specific information$ they should be designed for accuracy, consistency, and convenience. ;arts of a table& o >ertical columns, identified with column heads 0include units of measure2. o *orizontal columns, identified with line heads. >ariables in constructing tables& o 8ength and comple!ity 0simplify for slide presentations2 o ;lacement 0on separate page with title or embedded in te!t as te!t table2 o Content 0word table or numerical table2 8ine and surface charts are used to illustrate trends over time or to plot the interaction of two variables. In line and surface charts, the vertical a!is shows amount and the horizontal a!is shows time 0in a trend chart2 or another variable$ both a!es typically begin at zero and are marked in standard increments, but treatment can vary depending on the nature of the data. -everal lines can be plotted on the same chart to compare the behavior of different items. -urface charts are line charts with a cumulative effect$ they show trends in composition of a whole over time. /he scale of the a!es affects the slope of the line and thereby the apparent significance of the results$ choose a scale that gives a realistic picture. :ar charts, which consist of one or more bars representing uantities, are useful for four purposes& o /o compare the size of several items at one time. o /o show changes in one item over time. o /o indicate the composition of several items over time. o /o show the relative size of components of a whole. >ariations in bar charts& >ertical or horizontal alignment #ultiple bars or single bar <egative or positive uantities ;ictograms 0using lines of symbols2 instead of bars ;ie charts are useful for showing the composition of a whole. %esign considerations for pie charts& 8imit number of slices to seven. ;osition largest or most important slice starting at 13 o'clock and arrange the rest clockwise in descending order. 'se shading and color to differentiate slices. 8abel all segments. :e sure segments add up to 1GG percent. "low charts and organization charts are useful for showing physical or conceptual relationships& o "low charts illustrate processes, procedures, and relationships using pictorial symbols or geometric shapes. o .rganization charts illustrate positions, units, or functions of an organization. #aps are useful for showing any geographically based information$ blank maps can be obtained at office supply stores.

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%rawings, diagrams, and photographs are useful for showing how something looks, especially in technical reports& o %rawings and diagrams range from hand,drawn sketches to computer,generated images. o ;hotographs are becoming more common with improvements in photocopying machines. /he style of a visual aid should be appropriate for the occasion$ save elaborate graphics for major messages. *ow to introduce visual aids in the te!t& o 9efer to visual aids by number before they appear. o E!plain importance of e!hibit, emphasizing main point. o %o not repeat details of e!hibit in the te!t. *ow to number visual aids& o <umber tables and figures separately 0/able 4, "igure 42, or call all visual aids e!hibits and number consecutively. o <umber visual aids by chapter or consecutively throughout the document. ;lace a visual aid as close as possible to the paragraph it illustrates& o .n the same page if practical. o .n a separate page immediately after the reference. o Clustered with other e!hibits at the end of the report. 'se titles and captions that convey a complete message independently of the te!t$ some readers will skim the te!t and rely primarily on the visual aids& o /horough titles and captions are especially important if e!hibits are widely separated from related te!t. o Captions, which are generally phrased as complete sentences, are optional$ they are most useful when te!t e!planations are thin. o /ogether, title, labels, and caption should cover who, what, why, where, when, and how. o /ype of title 0descriptive or informative2 should match style of headings used in te!t. o "ormat of titles and captions should be consistent throughout the document. -upplementary parts follow the te!t and include +ppendi!es :ibliography Inde! +ppendi!es contain relevant material that is too detailed to present in the te!t, such as sample uestionnaires, forms, computer printouts, statistical formulas, glossary of terms 0may be a separate section2, and visual aids 0if not included in the te!t2. Each type of material re uires a separate appendi!. Each appendi! should be referenced in the te!t and listed in the table of contents. :ibliography& list of sources used in preparing the report. Inde!& alphabetical listing of names, places, and subjects mentioned in the report 0rarely included in unpublished reports2.

COMPONENTS OF A FORMAL PROPOSAL

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/he format of formal proposals is similar in most respects to that of other formal reports. /hree prefatory parts in a proposal are handled somewhat differently& o Copy of 9"; 0or a portion of it2 replaces letter of authorization. o 8etter of transmittal in a solicited proposal uses good,news pattern$ letter of transmittal in an unsolicited proposal uses persuasive pattern. o -ynopsis or e!ecutive summary is generally omitted$ introduction or letter of transmittal takes its place. /he te!t of the proposal persuades the client to grant the contract and e!plains the terms of the contract. /he organization of a solicited proposal is governed by the 9"; because having all proposals organized alike facilitates comparison of competing bids, especially when evaluation is handled by a team. /ypical subheads in the introduction to a proposal include the following& o :ackground or statement of problem& review of client's situation. o .verview of the approach& the key selling points. o -cope 0or limitations2& what you will or will not do. o 9eport organization. /he body of the proposal should cover four areas& o ;roposed approach. o 5ork plan. o Eualifications to perform work. o Costs. /he section describing the proposed approach 0also called technical proposal, research design, issues for analysis, or work statement2 should provide the following& o %escription of what you have to offer. o :enefits and advantages of your approach /he work plan, which tells how you will accomplish the work, should cover the following& o -teps to be taken and their timing. o #ethods and resources to be used. o Individuals who will be responsible. + work plan is contractually binding, so it must be realistic. /he statement of ualifications covers e!perience with similar contracts, personnel, and facilities. /he cost section o is a detailed breakdown of such factors as labor, materials, and overhead. o often determines whether you win or lose the job. o is neither too high nor too low. o is well documented. /he summary is a brief recapitulation of your approach, emphasizing benefits to the reader.

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CHAPTER 15--WRITING RESUMES AND APPLICATION LETTERS THIN,ING ABOUT YOUR CAREER

/hree steps in career planning& 1. +nalyze what you have to offer employer. 3. %etermine what you want out of a job. =. -eek employment opportunities that match your interests, capabilities, and goals. 6ou offer an employer -kills& general abilities that cut across functional lines, such as speaking ability. Employment ualifications& educational preparation, work e!perience, activities, achievements. o ;ersonal characteristics& personality traits 0such as curiosity, aggressiveness, persistence, friendliness2 and personal values 0such as helping others or having freedom to create things2. -ome ways to analyze what you have to offer& o 8ist ten achievements$ look for skills common to those achievements. o +sk your friends and family to list your abilities$ compare lists. o 8ist jobs that your work e!perience, education, and other e!periences have prepared you to do. o 8ist four or five most important personal characteristics$ ask friends and family to make similar list. o 'ndergo vocational testing in school counseling office to determine interests and abilities. o Identify values satisfied in previous job or volunteer project. o o

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o 8ist things you enjoy doing. Bnow what you want to do by considering o what you like doing every day 0for e!ample& (I would like a job in which I can use my artistic talents(2. o 5hat you hope to accomplish 0how much you hope to make financially, how far you hope to advance, and how rapidly you hope to progress2. o 5hat environment you prefer 0what kind of organization appeals to you,,size, location, product orientation, working hours, facilities2. -ources of information on various industries, regions, and occupational fields& o :usiness pages of newspapers. o :usiness,oriented /> programs and news reports. o :usiness magazines. o )overnment publications. o ;rofessional and trade journals. -ources of information on specific companies, organizations, and job openings& o %irectories of employers. o Company brochures, annual reports. o >isits to company, interviews with employees. o <ewspaper advertisements. o /rade and professional journals. o College placement office. o )overnment placement offices.

WRITING A RESUME

9esume& a form of advertising that emphasizes a job applicant's strong points and downplays disadvantages$ its purpose is to create desire for an interview. "ormat and style of the resume are important because they determine the recruiter's initial impression& o 'se letter,size white bond paper, black ink, wide margins. o Beep to one page if possible. o 'se layout and graphic design to emphasize strong points. o Check mechanics. o 'se simple, direct writing style that makes use of short, crisp phrases and action verbs. Essential elements in a resume& o <ame and address. o +cademic credentials. o Employment history. 5ithout e!aggerating or lying, present your strongest, most impressive ualifications and skirt areas that might raise uestions. <ame and address& who you are, how you can be reached. Career objective 0optional2& o ;rovide frame of reference for evaluating resume. o /ell what you want to do, why you are ualified. o :e specific but not too narrow. 61

-ummary of ualifications and ate of availability 0optional,,may be used in place of career objective2& a brief overview of ualifications$ is useful for long resumes. Education& o Emphasize if you are still in school. o 8ist each postsecondary school attended, with most recent school first. o 8ist off,campus training programs related to career goals. o Include grades if impressive and relevant to job. o ;lace education before e!perience if you are a new graduate$ place e!perience first if you have been out of school a few years. 5ork e!perience& o 8ist places where you have worked, positions you have held. o Emphasize jobs related to career goals. o 8ist in reverse chronological order, with most recent job first. o Include name, location, brief description of employer. o 8ist your title and dates of employment. o %escribe accomplishments related to career goals. /he relevant skills section includes such skills as foreign languages and computer e!pertise, as well as information such as the date you are available to start work. +ctivities and achievements 0optional2& paid or unpaid activities that demonstrate your abilities. ;ersonal data 0optional2& o .mit references to race, age, gender, marital status, religion, national origin. o Include hobbies, military service if relevant to career goals. /hree organizational plans for resumes$ choice depends on the applicant's background and goals& o Chronological resume. o "unctional resume. o /argeted resume. Chronological resume& o Is traditional approach preferred by many employers. o Emphasizes directly related e!perience 0or education for new graduates2. o 8ists positions 0schools2 in reverse chronological order. o Is best choice for person with strong work history looking for position similar to current job. "unctional resume& o Is organized around list of accomplishments. o %iscusses employment history and education in subordinate sections. o Is good for new graduates and people trying to redirect their career or minimize breaks in employment. /argeted resume& o Emphasizes what you can do for a particular employer in a particular position. o 8ists capabilities first and then achievements. o ;laces employment history and education in subordinate sections. o Is good for people who have a clear idea of what they want to do and can demonstrate ability in the targeted area.

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/o write the (perfect( resume& o Consider employer's needs. o +void such common mistakes as submitting resume that is too long, too short or sketchy, wordy, too slick, amateurish, poorly reproduced, misspelled and ungrammatical throughout, lacking e!plicit or implicit career objective, boastful, dishonest, gimmicky.

WRITING AN APPLICATION LETTER

/ailor the application letter for specific employers. +n application letter is a form of (sales( letter$ use the persuasive plan 0indirect approach2. 'se a confident, businesslike tone. /he content should indicate knowledge of the employer. -olicited application letter& sent in response to an announced opening. 'nsolicited application letter& sent (blind( to an organization that has not announced an opening. In the opening paragraph of a solicited application letter, o #ention where you learned of job. o /ell in general terms what you have to offer. In the opening paragraph of an unsolicited application letter, o -tate what position you are applying for. o )et the reader's attention. 5ays to get attention in an unsolicited application letter& o -how how your strongest skills can benefit organization. o %escribe job re uirements, show how well you fit. o #ention name of someone reader respects. o 9efer to publicized accounts of organization's activities. o +sk uestion that shows understanding of organization's needs. o 'se catchy phrase. .pening should state what position you are applying for. In the middle of the application letter, summarize your key selling points 0your key ualifications2 and e!plain how they can benefit the employer& o #ention ualifications related to job$ don't repeat resume. o E!plain how you meet all re uirements mentioned in ad 0for solicited application letters2. o ;resent evidence to back up key ualifications. o -how evidence of such job,related ualities as diligence, intelligence, tact. o Include salary re uirements only if asked to do so. o #ention your resume. In the closing paragraph& o +sk for specific action,,an interview. o #ake action easy by providing a phone number and suggesting a time to call. o 9emind reader of your key selling point. /he (perfect( application letter achieves one goal& It gets you an interview.

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WRITING OTHER TYPES OF EMPLOYMENT MESSAGES

In job,in uiry letters, which are direct re uests for an application form, o 'se direct plan. o ;rovide some evidence of ualifications. o Consider applying in person instead of writing letter. +pplication forms are standardized data sheets that simplify comparison of applicants' ualifications& o :e complete, accurate, neat. o If form asks for salary re uirements, say (open to negotiation( or consult government survey to determine standard pay for particular job in given area. o ;urpose of writing application follow,ups& to remind company of your interest and to update your application.

CHAPTER 1'--INTERVIEWING FOR EMPLOYMENT AND FOLLOWING UP INTERVIEWING WITH POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS

/hree steps in the interview process& 1. ;reliminary screening 0to eliminate un ualified applicants2. 3. Initial evaluation 0to narrow the field2. =. "inal evaluation 0to make hiring decision2. /he preliminary screening is conducted by the personnel department$ takes a structured, standardized approach$ is often conducted on campus. /he initial evaluation is held at the organization's facilities. /he final evaluation is conducted by the supervisor or department manager to whom the employee will report. /he best strategy for a screening interview is to follow the interviewer's lead and to keep answers brief and pointed$ the best strategy for a selection interview is to show interest, answer fully, and listen attentively. /hree basic forms of interviews& 1. %irected interview. 3. .pen,ended interview. =. -tress interview. 64

%irected interview. o Is completely planned and controlled by interviewer. o Is good for gathering facts. o Is used when screening large number of preliminary applicants. .pen,ended interview. o *as open, rela!ed format. o Encourages applicant to talk. o Is used in evaluation interviews. -tress interview. o 9eveals applicant's reaction to tough situations. o Consists of pointed uestions, critical comments, hostile reactions. ;reemployment tests attempt to provide an objective, uantitative measure of an applicant's ualifications. ;reemployment tests try to measure either skills or psychological characteristics. /wo things employers look for in an applicant& o -uitability for job. o )ood fit with organization. Eualifications for the job consist of 012 the right functional and technical skills, and 032 the right personality type. + good fit with the organization consists of 1. 3. =. @. physical style 0clothes, grooming, mannerisms2 age and maturity personal interests and hobbies attitudes and values.

In a job interview, applicants need to look for answers to seven uestions& o +re these my kind of peopleC o Can I do this workC o 5ill I enjoy the workC o Is the job what I wantC o %oes the job pay what I'm worthC o 5hat kind of person would I be working forC o 5hat sort of future can I e!pect with this organizationC *ow to prepare for a job interview& o %o some basic research on company and industry. o /hink ahead about uestions. o :olster your confidence. o ;olish your interview style. o ;lan to look good. o :e ready when you arrive. In an interview, e!pect to be asked about your strengths, weaknesses, education, e!perience, values, career goals, and e!pectations. /hink about responses to likely uestions.

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;repare a list of uestions to ask interviewer& o 5arm,up uestion to break the ice. o #i! of various types of uestions 0open, direct, indirect2. o Euestions that are easy to answer. /o bolster your confidence. o /hink about your strengths, not your weaknesses. o #inimize or offset your shortcomings. o 9emember that the interviewer is only human. o %efuse nervousness by analyzing its source. o 9ehearse. o ;repare props to take to interview 0copy of resume, information about employer, samples of work2. o +void nervous mannerisms. ;ractice mock interviews to polish your style. +void these flaws& o -hrinking in presence of authority. o -eeming too (laid back.( o /alking too much or too little. o :eing overwhelming. <onverbal behavior and vocal characteristics can be improved through analysis and practice as well. +ppearance is an important element in an interview& o %ress conservatively. o Check out organization's dress style in advance. o :e well groomed. o -tand up straight. o -mile. 9eadiness is a matter of o Carrying copies of your resume and job,related papers. o Checking route to interview site and arriving on time. o :eing patient and pleasant if you have to wait. /he correct approach to an interview depends on the stage in the process& 1. -creening interview& differentiate yourself form other candidates$ telegraph (headline(. 3. Initial selection interview& broaden sales pitch$ emphasize your three or four best ualifications$ gather information on employer. =. "inal interview& determine psychological fit$ clinch deal on favorable terms.

/hree stages in every interview& 012 warm,up, 032 uestion,and,answer stage, 0=2 close. /he warm,up is important because AG percent of the interviewer's decision is made within the first =G to KG seconds$ focus on using body language effectively. In the uestion,and,answer stage, o o /hink before you answer. +sk uestions to show interest and obtain information.

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o 8isten attentively. o ;ay attention to interviewer's body language. In the close, o Evaluate your performance and correct any misconceptions. o 5atch for signs that time is up. o If you get a job offer, ask for time to make decision. o 8et the interviewer mention salary. o <egotiate, if you are in strong position and the organization is fle!ible. -ome tips on negotiating& o /est employer's fle!ibility on salary and benefits. o Evaluate strength of your bargaining position. o Consider noncash benefits. /ake notes immediately after each job interview& o 5rite down names and titles of interviewers. o -ummarize answers to your uestions. o Evaluate your own performance.

FOLLOWING UP AFTER THE INTERVIEW

+ thank,you message o -hould be sent within two days after interview. o Can be letter or telephone call. o %emonstrates interest and sets you apart from other candidates. o -hould be brief and organized using direct approach. o -hould e!hibit (you( attitude. +n in uiry following a job interview o Can be letter or phone call. o -hould be sent after decision date promised by interviewer or two weeks after interview. o Is especially appropriate if you have another offer. o -hould be organized to follow direct approach. + re uest for a time e!tension o Is appropriate when you receive offer but need time to complete other interviews. o -hould be organized like direct re uest. o -hould begin with friendly opening. o -hould ask for e!tension but emphasize your interest in position. o -hould close with re uest for response and indicate willingness to compromise. + letter of acceptance o -hould be sent within five days of job offer. o -hould open with good news, cover necessary details in middle, and conclude with look toward future. + letter declining a job offer should use the bad,news plan, opening with a buffer and closing with an e!pression of gratitude. + letter of resignation should also use the bad,news plan, opening with a favorable, appreciative buffer$ mentioning the date that the resignation is effective$ and closing on a cordial note. 67

CHAPTER 1 EXERCISES T /#3F04$# 1. /he formal communication network is an unofficial but important part of any organization. 3. /he more links in the formal communication chain, the greater the opportunity for distortion of messages. =. 8arge companies, by necessity, must establish a hierarchy with many levels.

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@. #ost of the information that flows downward in an organization is geared toward helping employees do their jobs. A. 'pward communication in an organization is just as important as downward communication. K. /he (grapevine( is another name for formal horizontal communication within an organization. J. Instead of trying to eliminate the grapevine, sophisticated companies minimize its importance by making certain that the official word gets out. H. -uccessful managers avoid the temptation to tap into the grapevine. I. ;ublic relations messages are not openly sponsored and paid for by the company$ instead, they are carried by the media when they are considered noteworthy. 1G. .ne high,profile function of the ;9 department is to help management plan for and respond to crises. M/4%154# C6!1"# 11. /he best way to improve your own and your company's effectiveness is to 0+2 listen carefully to your superiors$ 0:2 agree with your boss as much as possible$ 0C2 get to know the (power( employees$ 0%2 make sure that you receive, use, and pass on all messages re uired to help your group function well. 13. + manager's basic role is to 0+2 make and carry out decisions$ 0:2 attend meetings and make speeches$ 0C2 pass little gems of information along to junior employees$ 0%2 coordinate e!ternal communication sources. 1=. "lat communication structures 0+2 increase the number of levels in the organization$ 0:2 re uire fewer people to report to the same supervisor$ 0C2 reduce the number of levels in the organization$ 0%2 restrict the communication between employees of different departments. 1@. #anagers' over,dependence on formal communication channels can result in 0+2 increased employee fle!ibility$ 0:2 condensed lines of authority$ 0C2 information overload$ 0%2 distorted information. 1A. + sales manager giving instructions to a salesperson is an e!ample of 0+2 upward communication flow$ 0:2 downward communication flow$ 0C2 horizontal communication flow$ 0%2 informal communication flow. 1K. "ormal methods for channeling information upward include 0+2 group meetings$ 0:2 interviews with employees who are leaving the company$ 0C2 formal procedures for resolving grievances$ 0%2 all of the above. 1J. /he sales manager writing a memo to the vice president of finance is an e!ample of 0+2 upward communication flow. 0:2 downward communication flow$ 0C2 horizontal communication flow$ 0%2 informal communication flow. 1H. *orizontal communication flow is 0+2 only implemented through advanced technology$ 0:2 only important if the company is very large$ 0C2 crucial$ 0%2 less important today than it was in the past. 1I. + casual conversation between co,workers is an e!ample of 0+2 upward communication flow$ 0:2 downward communication flow$ 0C2 interdepartmental communication flow$ 0%2 informal communication flow.

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3G. *ow much of the information that travels along the grapevine actually pertains to businessC 0+2 almost none of it$ 0:2 half of it$ 0C2 more than three, uarters of it$ 0%2 none of the above. 31. Cultural diversity in the domestic workplace 0+2 is one result of firms hiring more and more employees whose cultural backgrounds differ$ 0:2 is less important than cultural diversity in foreign countries because the cultural differences within a county are less significant. 0C2 will be none!istent by the turn of the century. 0%2 has nothing in common with cultural diversity across national borders. 33. .ne result of ever,changing technology in the workplace is 0+2 a decrease in the speed of communication. 0:2 a decrease in the amount of information to be processed. 0C2 a decrease in wages for white,collar workers. 0%2 an increase in the speed of communication. 3=. 5hen you use an audience,centered approach to communication, you 0+2 ignore ethical uestions completed. 0:2 keep your audience in mind at all times while communicating. 0C2 get your own way, even if it isn't beneficial to your audience. 0%2 tell jokes and stories. 3@. 5hich of the following contributes to effective organizational communicationC 0+2 a small organization 0:2 state,of,the,art e uipment 0C2 efficient flow of messages 0%2 all of the above 3A. /he term corporate culture refers to 0+2 the number of organizational levels within a corporation. 0:2 the e!tent to which corporations dominate a particular culture 0C2 the mi!ture of values, traditions, and habits that give a company its atmosphere or personality 0%2 a company's sponsorship of cultural events. S6! % A2$7# 1. 3. =. @. A. K. J. H. I. *ow does communication affect your business futureC *ow do organizations use internal communicationC 5hat are the differences between formal and informal communication channelsC %escribe the two departments responsible for e!ternal communication in most organizations. *ow can companies communicate successfully in a crisisC 5hat is meant by (fostering an open communication climate(C *ow can you determine communication is ethicalC 5hat are some of the difficulties involved in intercultural communicationC 5hat is meant by (use an audience,centered approach to communication(C

CHAPTER 2 EXERCISES T /#3F04$# 1. /he most basic form of communication is nonverbal. 3. +lthough nonverbal cues had significance in primitive times, they have little value in today's sophisticated world of communication. =. +ll gestures mean the same thing in every culture.

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@. >erbal communication has more impact than nonverbal communication. A. If a person were to say one thing but transmit a conflicting nonverbal signal, we would probably believe the verbal message. K. ;eople spend more time receiving information than transmitting it. J. /he formality of a situation is one important factor in choosing a transmission channel. H. :usiness messages contain only a content meaning. I. 5hen formulating business messages, you should bear in mind that you're communicating both as an individual and as a representative of your organization. 1G. do not give your audience a preview of the topics you intend to cover if some of your ideas are controversial. 11. Especially in business environments, it is important to keep messages brief and to the point. 13. 9eceivers are more likely to understand and accept your message if you show how new ideas relate to familiar ones. 1=. "eedback is easy to get regardless of the transmission method you choose. M/4%154# C6!1"# 1. Compared to nonverbal communication, verbal communication 0+2 is more structured$ 0:2 is more spontaneous$ 0C2 has more impact$ 0%2 is more reliable. 3. /he aspect of communication that is relatively easy to control is your 0+2 facial e!pression$ 0:2 vocal characteristics$ 0C2 choice of words$ 0%2 body language. =. In the first step of the communication process, 0+2 the sender decides what to say$ 0:2 the sender has an idea$ 0C2 the sender chooses a medium of transmission$ 0%2 the sender transmits the message. @. 6ou must take into account the message you want to convey, the location of your audience, the need for speed, and the formality of the situation when choosing 0+2 a communication channel$ 0:2 a communication purpose$ 0C2 what to wear 0%2gestures and facial e!pressions. A. /he final link in the communication chain is 0+2 sending the message$ 0:2 receiving the message$ 0C2 giving feedback to the sender$ 0%2 interpreting the message. K. Communication is effective only when 0+2 the sender has a meaningful idea$ 0:2 the idea becomes a message$ 0C2 the message gets transmitted$ 0%2 each step of the communication process is successful. J. Indecision about message content, lack of familiarity with the situation or receiver, and difficulty in e!pressing ideas are problems you might encounter when 0+2 formulating a message$ 0:2 sending a message$ 0C2 receiving a message$ 0%2 interpreting a message. H. -omeone who has trouble putting thoughts into words 0+2 can forget about a career in business$ 0:2 can avoid jobs that re uire a great deal of communication$ 0C2 can make an effort to take courses or undertake a self,study program to overcome this problem$ 0%2 will have little trouble succeeding in today's business world. I. /he most e!treme e!ample of how backgrounds can impede communication occurs when the communicators 0+2 are different ages$ 0:2 are of different social status$ 0C2 come from different countries or cultures$ 0%2 have opposing political views.

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1G. Composing a business message is made more comple! by 0+2 conflicts between the writer's personal views and the demands of the organization$ 0:2 dry or difficult subject matter$ 0C2 difficult working conditions$ 0%2 all of the above. 11. 5hich of the following is not a principal uality of successful communicatorsC 0+2 credibility$ 0:2 aggression$ 0C2 congeniality$ 0%2 control. 13. /he best way to create messages carefully is to focus on 0+2 your delivery$ 0:2 your style and tone$ 0C2 your audience$ 0%2 your appearance. 1=. If feedback is important to you, 0+2 stick with a written message$ 0:2 plan how and when to accept it$ 0C2 avoid people who might have negative comments$ 0%2 do all of the above. S6! % A2$7# 1. 3. =. @. E!plain the four channels of verbal communication. Identify the steps in the communication process. %iscuss at least two communication barriers and how you can overcome them. 8ist three things you can do to improve communication.

CHAPTER 3 EXERCISES T /#3F04$# 1. /he globalization of business has come to a halt with the rise in international political tensions.

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3. Cultural diversity is the degree to which a population is made up of people from various national, ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds. =. %istinct groups that e!ist within a major culture are referred to as subcultures. @. + '.-. e!ecutive visiting the #iddle East is correct to assume that a cramped and modest office indicates a lack of status. A. %ifferences in body language are a major source of misunderstanding during intercultural communication. K. In many parts of 8atin +merica and +sia, keeping your eyes lowered is a sign of respect. J. "rom culture to culture, what is considered legal and ethical varies widely. H. Even when dealing with a business person who speaks your language, it's a mistake to assume that person understands everything you say. I. #any multinational companies offer language,training programs for employees. 1G. :y reacting ethnocentrically, you emphasize the distinctions between your own culture and another person's culture. 11. Cultures differ in their tolerance for open disagreement. 13. If you don't have the time or the opportunity to learn a new language, your learning just a few words is considered insulting in most cultures. 1=. In general, when writing to someone in another country, '.-. business people should be somewhat more formal than they would be when writing to people in their own country. M/4%154# C6!1"# 1. #ore and more companies are moving into the global marketplace, searching for new sources of 0+2 money$ 0:2 customers 0C2 materials 0%2 all of the above. 3. to overcome cultural barriers to effective communication, you must first learn the true meaning of 0+2 comple!ity. 0:2 composition. 0C2 culture. 0%2 all of the above. =. /he greater the difference between the sender's culture and the receiver's culture, the greater the chance for 0+2 humor. 0:2 misunderstanding. 0C2 delay. 0%2 apathy. @. :y and large, people in the 'nited -tates 0+2 value creating jobs more than working efficiently. 0:2 believe that people who work hard are no better than those who don't work hard. 0C2 dislike poverty and value hard work. 0%2 condemn materialism and prize a carefree lifestyle. A. 5hen it comes to decision,making customs, '.-. e!ecutives 0+2 try to reach decisions as uickly and as efficiently as possible. 0:2 prefer to make their deals slowly, after much discussion. 0C2 spend a lot of time on each little point to display their good faith. 0%2 arrive at decisions through consensus, after an elaborate and time,consuming process. K. %uring a business conversation, people in the 'nited -tates and Canada usually stand 0+2 less than twelve inches apart. 0:2 about five feet apart. 0C2 about eight feet apart. 0%2 more than twelve feet apart. J. 5hen you violate informal rules of social behavior, members of a culture 0+2 can usually e!plain why they feel upset. 0:2 may not be able to e!plain why they feel upset. 0C2 are unlikely to notice such an unimportant mistake. 0%2 will cheerfully correct your oversight and uickly forget the incident. H. ;eople who use English as a second language can still have problems with 0+2 vocabulary. 0:2 pronunciation. 0C2 usage. 0%2 all of the above.

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I. which of the following sentences contains an idiomatic e!pressionC 0+2.ur product does not operate properly. 0:2 .ur product doesn't cut the mustard. 0C2 .ur product hasn't done as well as e!pected. 0%2 .ur product could end up costing us dearly. 1G. 5hen speaking in English to people who speak English as a second language, 0+2 forget about feedback, just make sure you get your message across. 0:2 repeat your sentences often, a little louder each time. 0C2 try to eliminate noise by pronouncing words clearly. 0%2 use plenty of adjectives such asfantastic and fabulous. 11. 5hen you react ethnocentrically, you 0+2 assume that others will act the same way you do. 0:2 recognize the differences that e!ist between your culture and that of another. 0C2 focus on the possibility that your words and actions will be misunderstood. 0%2 do all of the above. 13. /aking responsibility for communication means 0+2 not assuming it's the other person's job to communicate with you. 0:2 taking the initiative to greet new people in new situations. 0C2 admitting the mistakes you make when communicating across cultures. 0%2 having the ability to blame step right person when communication breaks down. S6! % A2$7# 1. 3. =. @. %efine culture. %iscuss three of nine ways people can differ culturally. :riefly tell how one would learn about a different culture. %iscuss three or four general skills to help communicate in 028 culture.

CHAPTER 4 EXERCISES T /#3F04$#

74

1. +lthough technology gives business communicators more options, it also re uires more decisions and more skills. 3. 5hen you need to convey emotion and e!citement, delivering your message in person might be best. =. -ometimes the way you need to present your document will dictate which tools you use. @. 5hen using databases to find information, you can use statistical analysis software to sort through numerical data. A. 5ith the right e uipment, you can use your computer to add full,color pictures and sound recordings to your documents. K. :ecause computers have become so powerful, grammar checkers can easily determine whether your document states your message correctly and communicates it clearly. J. E,mail is created, transmitted, and read entirely on computers. H. Companies could easily live without telephones now that computers provide e,mail and word processing. I. 'nlike most other aspects of communication, technology has not really changed the way business people use their phones. 1G. businesses and individuals who don't have e,mail, fa! machines, and other technological tools tend to be left out of the communication flow. M/4%154# C6!1"# 1. :ecause technology gives you so many more options 0such as word processors, laser printers, fa! machines, teleconferenceing, e,mail, etc.2, 0+2 you no longer have to think about what you are going to say and how you are going to say it. 0:2 you no longer have to decide which technological tools to use for communicating your ideas. 0C2 the choices you have to make as a communicator are more complicated. 0%2 all of the above are true. 3. the predominant tools for creating printed documents are 0+2 databases. 0:2 word, processing software. 0C2 C%,9.#s. 0%2 pen,based computers. =. 5hether the information you need can be found inside or outside your company, you may need to consult collections of facts, known as 0+2 scanners. 0:2 local area networks. 0C2 databases. 0%2 dictation systems. @. .ne way e,mail has changed the style of business communication is 0+2 to decrease the flow of information within the organization. 0:2 to increase the formality of business communication with special attention to format and document design. 0C2 to increase internal communication by opening new channels of communication inside the organization. 0%2 to decrease the amount of contact between lower,level employees and upper,level management. A. Communication technology can directly boost profits because 0+2 it costs less to purchase the e uipment necessary for effective communication. 0:2 it allows people with no technical e!perience to apply for jobs. 0C2 it increases the pressure on business people to perform. 0%2 it costs less for people to produce and distribute messages and documents. K. /echnology has at least two drawbacks& 0+2 speed and accessibility. 0:2 competition and information flow. 0C2 comple!ity and e!pense. 0%2 efficiency and dependability. S6! % A2$7#

75

1. 5hat are the benefits and the limitations of spell checkers and grammar checkersC 3. %iscuss four ways technology is changing business communication.

CHAPTER 5 EXERCISES FILL-INS

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1. %uring the LLLLLLLLLL stage of the composition process, you define your purpose, analyze your audience, and select the channel and medium for the message. 3. /he composition process is affected by collaboration and LLLLLLLLLL. =. /he three general purposes of business messages are to LLLLLLLLLL, to LLLLLLLLLL, or to LLLLLLLLLL with the audience. @. :esides a general purpose, each business message has a specific LLLLLLLLLL. A. %eveloping an LLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLL involves asking yourself such key uestions as who the potential audience members will be and how they are likely to react to your message. K. If your audience is unfamiliar with you, you need to devote part of your message to establishing your LLLLLLLLLL. J. /he key to effective communication is determining your audience's LLLLLLLLLL and then responding to them. H. #essages that are intended to persuade audience members to change their beliefs or actions must satisfy the audience's LLLLLLLLLL needs. I. /he central point or theme of a message is its LLLLLLLLLL. 1G. /he broad subject of a message is its LLLLLLLLLL. 11. /he storyteller's tour, "C9 worksheet, and uestion,and,answer chain are all methods of LLLLLLLLL. 13. 6ou can now select not only from the traditional channels of oral and written communication but also from the newer channel of LLLLLLLLLL communication. 1=. /elephone calls, interviews, seminars, and speeches are all types of LLLLLLLLLL communication. 1@. /he most common forms of written business communication are LLLLLLLLLL. TRUE3FALSE 19 T6# %6 ## "0%#:! 1#$ !; $%#5$ 12<!4<#= 12 5 #50 12: 0 >/$12#$$ &#$$0:# 0 # 5402212:, "!&5!$12:, 02= #<1$12:9 29 T6# "!&5!$1%1!2 5 !"#$$ 1$ ;4#?1>4#, 2!% 0 ;1?#= 5 #$" 15%1!2 !; $#@/#2"#= $%#5$9 39 D/ 12: %6# 5402212: $%0:# !; 5 #50 12: 0 >/$12#$$ &#$$0:#, 8!/ "!&&1% 8!/ %6!/:6%$ %! 7! =$9 49 W6#2 5402212: 0 >/$12#$$ &#$$0:#, 02048A# %6# 0/=1#2"#9 59 T6# /$# !; "!&5/%# $ 12 %6# 7! B540"# 4#$$#2$ %6# ;#0$1>141%8 !; "!440>! 0%1<# 7 1%12:9 '9 B#"0/$# >/$12#$$ &#$$0:#$ 0 # !;%#2 "!&5!$#= /2=# 5 #$$/ #, $"6#=/412: 60$ 2! &#0212: 02= 2! #;;#"% !2 %6# "!&5!$1%1!2 5 !"#$$9 (9 W6#2 =#<1$12: 0 #041$%1" $"6#=/4# ;! 5 !=/"12: 0 >/$12#$$ &#$$0:#, 8!/ $6!/4= 044!% %7!-%61 =$ !; %6# %1&# ;! #<1$12:9

77

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CHAPTER ' EXERCISES FILL-INS 1. #essages that suffer from problems with content, grouping, or se uence lack good LLLLLLLLLL. 82

3. In a well,organized message, the subject and LLLLLLLLLL are clear, and all information is related to them. =. +n LLLLLLLLLL or a schematic diagram will help you visualize the relationship among parts of a message. @. /he LLLLLLLLLL between ideas help audiences understand how your thoughts are related. A. .ne schematic approach to planning a message is the LLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLL. K. In the LLLLLLLLLL approach to organizing a message, the main idea comes first, followed by the evidence. J. In the LLLLLLLLLL approach to organizing a message, the evidence comes first, and the main idea comes later. H. /he LLLLLLLLLL approach is effective for messages that will either please the reader or cause no particular reaction. I. /he LLLLLLLLLL approach is best for bad,news and persuasive messages. 1G. LLLLLLLLLL reports or presentations are messages designed to impart nothing more than facts. 11. 6ou can vary your LLLLLLLLLL 0sentence structure and vocabulary2 to achieve a suitable LLLLLLLLLL 0overall impression2. 13. 'sing a LLLLLLLLLL attitude allows you to establish empathy with your audience. 1=. Instead of using harsh, unpleasant terms, use mild words, or LLLLLLLLLL. 1@. 5hen you communicate with people outside your organization, you need to be sure to project the right LLLLLLLLLL for your company. MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. 5hich of the following is not one of the common faults responsible for most of the organizational problems in business messagesC o /he writer includes irrelevant material. o /he writer gets to the point too soon. o /he writer presents ideas in illogical order. o /he writer leaves out necessary information. 3. .ne of the basic rules of good organization is that o all of the information is related to the subject and purpose of the document. o the main points are in chronological order. o the document has a (you( attitude. o the document follows the direct plan. =. .ne purpose of good organization in business messages is to o impress the audience. o keep employers happy. o improve the likelihood that the audience will understand the information. o give the sender satisfaction for a good job well done. @. 5hich of the following is not one of the benefits of a well,organized messageC o It makes the message more acceptable to the audience. o It saves the audience's time. o It ensures that the audience will agree with the message. o It helps the audience understand the message. 83

A. Eliminating superfluous information from your message will o result in a dry, boring message. o save the audience's time. o make the message seem incomplete. o do all of the above. K. +chieving good organization is a two,step process& defining and grouping ideas and then o establishing the se uence of ideas. o writing the first draft. o defining the purpose. o choosing the channel and medium. J. +n outline o is the only valid method for organizing the information in a business communication. o is unnecessary for most kinds of business messages. o is the best techni ue for helping you establish both your purpose and your main idea. o can be as simple as jotting down three or four points on the back of an envelope. H. 5hen preparing an (organization chart( to help organize a message, you begin with o the main idea. o the major points. o supporting evidence. o whatever you want to begin with. I. Everything in a well,written business message o is included in the outline. o either supports the main idea or e!plains its implications. o is entertaining. o does all of the above. 1G. /he specific evidence included in a business message o is as abstract as possible. o is minimal if your subject is comple! or unfamiliar. o is enough to be convincing but not so much that it is boring. o is all of the same type, such as e!amples or statistics. 11. 5hich of the following is not a type of detail used to support a major point in a messageC o facts and figures o visual aids o case e!amples o the (you( attitude 13. It is better to use the indirect approach if your audience will o have a positive reaction. o be neutral about what you have to say. o be displeased by what you have to say. o be above you in the hierarchy. 1=. 5hen writing a direct re uest to an interested and willing audience, you o start with an attention,getter to capture the audience's interest.

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use a buffer in the first paragraph, and take the time to introduce your re uest gradually. o e!plain the details of your re uest immediately, then lead up to your main point. o start with the main point, and then follow up with specific details of the re uest. 1@. It is preferable to use the direct approach with o routine, good,news, and goodwill messages. o bad,news messages. o persuasive messages. o all of the above. 1A. 5hen you have bad news to convey, it is a good idea to o put the bad news at the beginning of your message, thus getting it out of the way immediately. o begin with a neutral statement that leads to the bad news gradually. o put the bad news at the very end of your message. o put off communicating the bad news in hopes the person will get the bad news from someone else.
o

TRUE3FALSE 1. 3. =. @. A. K. J. H. I. 1G. 11. 13. 1=. 1@. 1A. 1K. 1J. 1H. 9outine messages call for the direct approach. /he most persuasive messages are those that take the direct approach. In general, the direct approach is used for informational reports and presentations. +nalytical reports and presentations are designed to lead the audience to a specific conclusion. +nalytical reports can be arranged se uentially, chronologically, spatially, geographically, or categorically. .nce you prepare your outline, you do not deviate from it when writing the draft. 5hen preparing your first draft, you are not concerned about style or tone. 5hen addressing a message to someone of higher rank, it is best to keep a respectful tone. Enlivening business messages with humor will always please your readers, especially if they don't know you very well. 5hen writing memos to higher,level employees, flattery is recommended. :ragging about your company's accomplishments can be offensive to readers. /he (you( attitude refers to your always keeping in mind how business communication will ultimately affect your career. 6ou cannot overdo the (you( attitude. +ny use of the word (you( in a business communication is an indication of the (you( attitude. /he (you( attitude is avoided when you are assigning blame for a problem. Emphasizing the positive side of your message shows sensitivity to your audience. 5hen someone makes a mistake, you avoid dwelling on his or her failure and instead focus on how the person can improve. +void using euphemisms because they are inherently dishonest.

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1I. 6our audience's belief in your competence and integrity is not important$ it is the content of your message that counts. 3G. /o build credibility, promise only what you can do and then do what you promise. 31. )iving your readers general compliments such as (6ou are doing a great job( will enhance your credibility with them. 33. :eing too modest can reduce your credibility with your audience. 3=. Even when dealing with someone who has made you angry and frustrated, you maintain a polite, courteous tone. 3@. 5ritten communication generally re uires more tact than oral communication. 3A. #ost managers accept the first draft of letters and memos written for them by subordinates, and rarely do such messages need more than one revision.

CHAPTER ( EXERCISES

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T /#3F04$# 1. 5hen revising business messages, try to go through your document three times& once for content and organization, one for style and readability, and once for mechanics and format. 3. /he middle section of a message has the greatest impact on the audience. =. Conjunctions, prepositions, articles, and pronouns are all types of content words. @. 5ell,written business messages contain very few compound or compiles sentences. A. #ost business writing has an average sentence length of 3G words or fewer. K. (Consensus of opinion,( (at the present time,( and (until such time as( are all e!amples of e!pressions that could be replaced with single words. J. /he phrase (attached herewith( is considered standard modern usage in business letters. H. /he subject and predicate of a sentence are kept as close together as possible. M/4%154# C6!1"# I. 5hen revising business messages, you 0+2 edit long reports only$ it is a waste of time to edit short messages that will be read uickly and discard. 0:2 edit for content and organization as well for style, readability, mechanics, and format. 0C2 have someone else do your editing. 0%2 edit your material as soon after writing it as possible. 1G. 5hen editing for content and organization, pay special attention to 0+2 grammar and usage. 0:2 punctuation and spelling. 0C2 the beginning and ending of the message. 0%2 style and tone. 11. 5hich of the following are functional wordsC 0+2 into, and, the 0:2 bath, baby, rattle 0C2 give, shake, wash 0%2 nice, wet, uickly 13. /he connotative meaning of a word is 0+2 its dictionary meaning. 0:2 its literal meaning. 0C2 all the associations and feelings the word evokes. 0%2 its object meaning. 1=. 5hich of the following words are the most abstractC 0+2 kiss, rose, house 0:2 red, sharp, piercing 0C2 kick, sniff, tickle 0%2 love, beauty, innocence 1@. 5hich of the following sentences contains the strongest and most effective wordingC 0+2 ()iven the parameters of the situation, the most propitious choice would be to make adjustments in certain budget areas.( 0:2 (5e need to cut the operating budget by 13 percent or profits will plummet.( 0C2 (-omeone's going to need to do some budget cutting around here or heads will roll.( 0%2 (;erusal of budgetary figures reveals that a 13 percent reduction in operations is called for it we are to stave off a negative impact on profits.( 1A. 5hich of the following sentences contains a camouflaged verbC 0+2 (-ome do$ others don't.( 0:2 (-he is a marketing but also serves as ad manager.( 0C2 (It is Dohn's recommendation that she be hired.( 0%2 (*e slowly, deliberately added the numbers.( 1K. 5hich of the following sentences contains biased languageC 0+2 (/he school lunch program was set up for disadvantaged +sian children.( 0:2(%isabled workers face many barriers on the job.( 0C2 (%iscrimination has been with us since the dawn of the human race.( 0%2 (Colleen %ewhurst, an actor on both stage and screen, will be spokesperson for the campaign.( 1J. 5hich of the following is a compound sentenceC 0+2 (%avid is a good worker, and he deserves a raise.( 0:2 (:ecause %avid is a good worker, he deserves a raise.( 0C2 (%avid,

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a good worker, deserves a raise.( 0%2 (*aving been a good worker, %avid will no doubt receive a raise.( + comple! sentence is one characterized by 0+2 two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction. 0:2 a single subject and a single predicate plus a modifying phrases. 0C2 two or more independent clauses along with all modifying phrases. 0%2 an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses related to it. -hort sentences are best for 0+2 emphasizing important information. 0:2 grouping or combining ideas. 0C2 showing relationships among ideas. 0%2 summarizing or previewing information. 'sing the passive voice makes sense when 0+2 you want to be diplomatic in pointing out a problem or error. 0:2 you want your sentence to be easier to understand. 0C2 you need to make your sentences shorter. 0%2 you want to emphasize the subject. ()overnment task force report recommendations( is an e!ample of 0+2 redundancy. 0:2 a dangling modifier. 0C2 a dependant clause. 0%2 stringing together a series of nouns. + paragraph developed by cause and effect 0+2 points out similarities or differences between ideas. 0:2 gives the reasons for something. 0C2 gives e!amples that illustrate the general idea. 0%2 shows how a general idea is broken into specific categories. *ow is the following paragraph developedC (Improving our performance will be difficult this year, given the slowdown in the economy. *owever, even though scales are relatively flat, profits can be improved if we trim costs. /he two most promising targets for improvement are direct labor costs and overhead, because analysis of industry data suggests we are above the average in both these categories.( 0+2 by comparison 0:2 by classification 0C2 by illustration 0%2 by discussion of problem and solution 5hen designing you document, avoid 0+2 cluttering your message with too many design elements. 0:2 including too many decorative touches. 0C2 using too much highlighting. 0%2 doing all of the above. )rammar and spell checkers 0+2 help identify mistakes you may overlook on your own. 0:2 do all your revision work. 0C2 catch the mistakes that computers leave behind. 0%2 do all of the above.

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CHAPTER - EXERCISES T /#3F04$# 1. Even when you know how to organize routine, good,news, and goodwill messages, they are usually time consuming to compose. 3. /he main idea in a routine, good,news, or goodwill message is usually placed in the middle paragraph. =. /he opening of a positive message is clear and concise. @. (I am pleased to inform you that . . .( is a good standard opening for a positive message. A. /he middle part is typically the longest section of a routine, good,news, or goodwill letter. K. /he tone of a routine, good,news, or goodwill letter is straightforward and blunt. J. + routine positive message never contains negative information. H. If you are not sure that your audience will respond favorably to your message, use the indirect approach. I. 9outine, good,news, and goodwill letters leave readers with the feeling that the writer has their personal welfare in mind. 1G. (I am overjoyed to have been able to bring you this great news( is a good standard closing for a positive message. 11. "ew memos or letters are written in response to in uiries or re uests for information. 13. Even if the answer to a re uest for information is straightforward, it is best to use the indirect plan. 1=. *ow uickly and thoroughly you answer a letter of in uiry will affect the way the letter's author views your company and its products. 1@. Complying with a re uest may be difficult, especially when the information re uested is not immediately at hand. 1A. + letter written on letterhead stationery constitutes a legal document and binds the company to any promises the writer makes. 1K. + computerized form letter prepared with care may be more personal and sincere than a uickly dictated (personal( reply to a re uest for information. 1J. 5hen answering re uests that involve a potential sale, use the indirect approach. M/4%154# C6!1"# 1. 5hich of the following openings is the best way to respond to a re uest for information about your company's productC o (Enclosed herewith please find a catalog of the full product line available from /echno -olutions.( o (5e have received your re uest for information about /echno -olutions products and in response are enclosing a copy of our catalog.(

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(*ere is the catalog of catalogs, the complete and total solution to each and every one of the tiresome software applications problems that make your work days long, frustrating, and unproductive.( o (*ere's the copy of our catalog you re uested& '1G1 )reat -olutions to -oftware -lip,'ps.' 6ou'll find it's full of interesting and useful products designed to help you ma!imize the benefits of your e!isting applications.( 5hen answering re uests for which no potential sale is involved, your goals are to answer all uestions honestly and completely, and to o leave a favorable impression that prepares the way for future business or smooths working relationships. o create an opportunity to sell your company's product. o be persuasive. o use the indirect plan effectively. 5hen responding to a re uest from a fellow employee, you o don't need to worry about making a good impression. o can use a less formal tone. o use the same tone you would use to respond to someone outside the company. o do all of the above. 5hen responding to a customer complaint about one of your company's services, you o soften the situation with e!cuses such as (<obody's perfect( or (#istakes will happen.( o use a generous, grudging tone. o use a standard form letter, with blanks left for filling in uni ue information in neat handwriting. o avoid blaming a specific individual or department for the problem. /he opening of a letter responding to a re uest for adjustment o starts with flattery to soften the customer up. o is (you( oriented. o apologizes for the problem. o promises that the problem will never happen again. /he closing section of a letter approving a credit application o states the upper limit of the account. o indicates due dates for payments and interest charges for unpaid balances. o provides resale information and sales promotion. o states credit terms in an authoritarian tone. 9ecommendation letters o follow the direct approach when the recommendation is generally positive. o are written only for truly outstanding candidates with no serious shortcomings. o are kept completely positive. o do all of the above. 5hen writing a letter of recommendation, you o include information that is directly related to the job being sought. o show it to the job candidate before sending it to the person who re uested it. o overstate the candidate's abilities if he or she is a good friend and really wants the job.
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make sure to include any negative stories you've heard about the candidate. It may be unethical to omit negative information from a recommendation if o the information is well,known in the workplace. o the information is true and relevant. o the applicant asks you to do so. o the position is a high,ranking one. If you have negative comments to e!press regarding the ualifications of a job candidate, it's best to o keep them to yourself. o include others' criticisms to support your statements. o place your criticism in the conte!t of a generally favorable recommendation. o state your opinion strongly, since it is protected by the "irst +mendment. %irectives and instructions are considered routine messages because o readers are assumed to be willing to comply. o they are so fre uently written. o they do not re uire specific action. o they contain good news. %irectives and instructions o are considered persuasive messages and follow the format for such messages. o cover the basics of who, what, when, where, why, and how. o assume that the reader already knows something about he process being described. o do all of the above. <ews releases are o typed on regular company letterhead. o single spaced. o written to match the style of the medium they are intended for. o all of the above. /he purpose of goodwill messages is to o make a sales pitch. o convey good news about products and operations. o enhance relationships with customers and other businesspeople. o offer help to those in need. + letter of appreciation can be sent to o an employee who has made an important contribution to the company. o a supplier who has done the company a special favor. o a guest speaker for a meeting. o all of the above.
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CHAPTER 1. EXERCISES T /#3F04$# 1. 5hen presenting bad news you need to help the reader understand that your unfavorable decision is based on a business judgment, not a personal one. 3. 6ou can help establish the right tone in a bad,news message by making liberal use of the (you( attitude. =. 5hen using the indirect plan for a bad,news message, you present the reasons for your decision before revealing the bad news itself. @. 6ou use a buffer to make the reader think that good news will follow. A. 6ou can start off the buffer to a bad,news message with the bad news itself as long as you state it reasonably. K. It's best to avoid using a know,it,all tone in a bad,news message. J. + good buffer begins with an apology. H. /he buffer for a bad,news message is long and drawn out so that the bad news can be put off as possible. I. 5hen presenting bad news, it is important to say why you have reached the decision before you say what the decision is. 1G. Even when you are presenting bad news, you try to e!plain how your decision will ultimately benefit the reader. 11. It is a good idea to use (company policy( as a cushion when presenting reasons for bad news. 13. 5ords that should not appear in a bad,news letter include unfortunately, regret, and inconvenience, because they're negative and counterproductive. 1=. -ometimes the (you( attitude is best observed by avoiding the word you. 1@. 5hen turning down someone for a job, it is best to come right out and say, (6ou do not meet our re uirements.( 1A. 6ou do not go into the specific reasons for bad news if those reasons are confidential, e!cessively complicated, or purely negative. M/4%154# C6!1"#

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1. + good way to make bad news less painful is to o ma!imize the space devoted to it. o say, (I trust our decision is satisfactory.( o avoid stating it and hope that the reader understands what you mean. o de,emphasize it by burying it in the middle of a sentence or paragraph. 3. 5hen rejecting a job applicant,you can soften the blow by o focusing on the positive and only implying the bad news. o mentioning the ualifications of the person who was hired. o telling the applicant how many others he or she was competing against. o apologizing for wasting the person's time. =. 5hen delivering bad news, wording such as (5e must turn down,( (#uch as I would like to,( and (5e cannot afford to( o softens the blow by drawing attention away form reader and onto the sender. o will impress the reader as being straightforward and forceful. o Is likely to cause pain and anger in the reader. o is unavoidable. @. In the closing of a bad,news message, you o encourage the person to write or call to discuss the situation further. o build goodwill by ending on a positive note. o ask for feedback on whether the decision is acceptable to the reader. o e!press concern over possibly losing the reader's business. A. 'se the direct plan with a bad,news message if o the message will have a great deal of personal impact on your audience. o you want to make your point emphatically. o an order is unfillable or portions of it must be back,ordered. o you are refusing to make an adjustment on a claim. K. 5hen you use the direct plan for a bad,news message, you o still need to include a buffer. o have more room to discuss pertinent details. o can get right to the point. o can e!pect your audience to be offended. J. 'se the direct plan for a bad,news message to present and image of o firmness and strength. o caring and concern. o fle!ibility. o obse uiousness. H. 5hen notifying a customer that you can send only part of and order, the buffer o gives the reason for the delay on the balance of the order. o states the appro!imate period the customer will have to wait for a decision. o contains the good news that part of the order is on it's way. o does all of the above. I. If your reader is unlikely to be deeply disappointed by your negative message, you could use o a lengthy buffer. o a brief buffer.

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a humorous tone. a direct approach that omits the buffer. In general, when you must decline a re uest, you should o always use the direct plan. o take the time to make your wording, tone, and format acceptable to readers. o cite company policy as an e!planation of your refusal. o not offer future assistance, unless there is a potential sale involved. 5hen you are refusing and invitation or a re uest, you o always use the indirect approach. o always us the direct approach. o consider your relationship with the reader. o use the direct approach when your denial is likely to disappoint the reader. + woman returns a formal dress to your store. It is soilded and has a rip at the hem line, but she says she is returning it unworn because it doesn't fit. *ow do you inform her of your refusal to give her a refundC o -tate that company policy prevents you form accepting the return but that if you had anything to say about it you'd take it back, no uestion asked. o 9estate her complaint to let her know you understand it, e!plain as positively as possible that you are unable to accept the return of damaged merchandise,and recommend a seamstress who can fi! the tear and alter the dress for her. o Challenge the woman to try on the dress and prove that it doesn't fit. o 'se humor to soften the blow of your refusal. /o avoid being accused of defamation when you refuse an adjustment, o make all refusals by phone instead of in writing. o e!plain why you are making the refusal. o consult your company's legal department or an attorney if you think a message might have legal conse uences. o all of the above. 5hen you must deny an application for credits, you should o offer hope for a more favorable outcome in the future, if the applicant's record warrants it. o never imply the possibility of a more favorable outcome in the future. o never state e!plicit reasons for your decision. o also be wary of the applicant's cash business. 5hen giving your reasons for denying business credit, you point out o that your company can't afford to take on bad risks. o the benefits of continued dealings on a cash basis untill the firm reestablishes its creditworthiness. o that it's not your fault that the credit was denied.
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CHAPTER 11 EXERCISES T /#3F04$# 1. ;ersuasion can be defined as asking somebody to do something. 3. Even though people may have different needs, they will respond to a given message in much the same way. =. /o devise an effective persuasive message, you need to analyze audience members and then appeal to their needs. @. /o assess individual needs, specific information such as demographics and psychographics can be helpful. A. :ecause persuasion is the same across all cultures, you don't need to pay special attention to an audience's cultural e!pectations and practices when formulating your message. K. .ne of the best ways to gain credibility for your message is to support it with objective evidence. J. +bstract concepts such as freedom, prestige, or success can be used to enhance the emotional content of persuasive messages. H. /he term +I%+ refers to a computer program used to compose persuasive messages. I. In the attention phase of a persuasive letter, you tell the audience what is in the message for them. 1G. /he interest section of a persuasive letter provides details on how the message is related to the audience. 11. /he purpose of the desire section of a persuasive letter is to convince readers that they really need to take the action that the message urges. 13. +ll persuasive messages end with a section that urges specific action. 1=. 5hen making a persuasive re uest, you can offer no benefits to the reader and thus must appeal to his or her altruistic tendencies. 1@. 5hen soliciting funds or help from someone, it is acceptable to use flattery, especially if it is sincere. 1A. 5hen re uesting help from someone, make the appeal as general as possible, such as (;lease do everything you can to help.( M/4%154# C6!1"#

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1. 6ou run the risk of serious legal problems if, in a sales letter, you o make a false statement. o use a testimonial from an (e!pert( who isn't really one. o use a person's name or photo without obtaining permission from him or her. o do any of the above. 3. 5hich of the following would be considered a selling point of a car phoneC o status o safety o portability o none of the above =. +s you consider the benefits of your product, in your sales letter you will ultimately want to o pick out three or four to call attention to. o single out one benefit that will become the hallmark of your campaign. o mention as many benefits as possible. o choose one direct benefit and one indirect benefit. @. 5hich of the following is not one of the tried,and,true attention,getting devices used in sales lettersC o offering a free sample of the product o insulting the reader o posing a provocative uestion o suggesting a solution to a problem A. +sking (5hat does the competition offerC( (5hat is special about my productC( and (5hat are potential buyers really looking forC( helps you determine o which tried,and,true attention,getter to use. o your product's central selling point. o the price for your product. o which type of mailing list to use. K. If the audience for your sales letter promoting a new security system is made up of affluent suburbanites, the consumer benefit you would most want to emphasize in your letter is o the reliability of the system when protecting the consumer's property. o the low cost. o the utilitarian appearance of the device. o easy, do,it,yourself installation. J. 5hich of the following would be the best wording in a sales letterC o (/he <u"orm desk chair is so comfortable that you won't want to go home from work.( o (/he <u"orm desk chair is designed to give your lower back the ultimate in support and to relieve pressure on your legs as well.( o (/he <u"orm desk chair supports your lower back and relieves pressure on your legs.( o (/he incredibly handsome <u"orm desk chair is functional as well as impressive$ it provides a great deal of lower back support.( H. If price is one of your strong selling points, you o mention special offers, such as volume discounts, before actually stating the price.

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compare the price to the cost of some other product or activity 0(this e!ercise e uipment costs less than a health club membership(2. o break the total price into smaller units 0(just si! easy payments of M1I.IA each will bring you this lovely collector's item(2. o emphasize it in the opening of the sales letter. In a sales letter, product claims are o supported primarily by testimonials from satisfied customers. o supported primarily by statistics from scientific studies of the product. o supported primarily by background information on the company selling the product. o supported by as much information as possible, of many different types. + deadly mistake in writing fundraising letters is to assume that o the goals of your organization are more important than your readers' concerns. o these kinds of letters depend heavily on emotional appeals. o people will respond well to slice,of,life stories. o none of the above. /he best fundraising letters accomplish several things, including o spelling out e!actly what kind of help is being re uested. o avoiding simple or warm language. o de,emphasizing the urgency of the re uest so that readers do not feel harassed. o stressing the benefits the organization hopes to realize, thanks to the reader's help. Conscientious customers who have not paid their bills are likely to be o away on vacation. o embarrassed bout past,due accounts. o very responsive to a one,time aggressive re uest for prompt payment. o none of the above. 5hen preparing collection letters, you emphasize
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an ultimatum. 1K. In an ultimatum to a debtor, o you can drop the kid gloves and become abusive. o you threaten a lawsuit, even if you don't intend to sue. o you encourage the debtor to e!plain why it is taking him or her so long to respond to your collection letters. o you state the e!act conse uences of nonpayment.
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1I. 5hen you e!pect your audience to be receptive, use the indirect approach to organize your business report. 3G. 'sing the indirect approach makes for a more forceful report that is particularly convenient to readers. 31. /he longer the report, the less effective the indirect approach is likely to be. 33. +n indirect argument is harder to follow than a direct argument. 3=. /he direct and indirect approaches should never be combined in a business report. 3@. + primary concern when preparing informational reports is the readers' emotional reaction to the content. 3A. In an analytical report, facts are a means to an end rather than an end in themselves. 3K. :ecause readers often respond emotionally to informational reports,you should present your material in the most indirect fashion possible. 3J. + memo summarizing an employee's trip to a trade show would be an e!ample of a personal activity report. 3H. +nalytical reports are primarily intended to educate readers. 3I. /he indirect approach should always be used for analytical reports. =G. + justification report is an internal report designed to persuade top management to approve a proposed investment or project. =1. + good organization for a justification report would be one built around recommendations. =3. +ll analytical reports are best organized around recommendations or conclusions. ==. + business plan documents an organization's overall goals and the operational methods it will use to reach those goals. =@. .ne good way to organize a troubleshooting report is around a list of reasons that gradually build toward your conclusions and recommendations. =A. 'sing I and you gives a report a more informal tone. =K. /o guarantee the objectivity of your report, use a formal style of writing. =J. #ost organizations e!pect business reports to be written in an unobtrusive, impersonal style. =H. /he opening should provide readers with clues to the structure of a report. =I. If one main heading in a report is a noun phrase, all such headings should be noun phrases. @G. /ransitional words and phrases can make a poorly organized report seem logically and clearly written.

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CHAPTER 13 EXERCISES M/4%154# C6!1"# 1. /he first step in the report,writing process is to o develop an outline. o prepare a work plan. o define the problem. o conduct research. 3. 5hich of the following is the least clear statement of purposeC o (/he purpose of this report is to determine which of four alternative investments will have the highest return.( o (/he purpose of this report is to analyze various investments.( o (/his report answers the uestion, '5hich of four investments will provide the highest returnC'( o (/his report answers the uestion, '5hich of four investments will provide the highest returnC'( o (/his report will evaluate the return on four investments.( =. 5hen you factor a problem, you o develop a schedule for you research. o limit the scope of your investigation. o develop alternative hypotheses. o break the problem into a series of uestions. @. + study of a process would best be structured o in order of importance. o se uentially. 106

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spatially. categorically. +n analytical study would most likely be organized o according to the problem,solving method used. o chronologically. o se uentially. o spatially. 6ou may not need a detailed preliminary outline if o several other people are working on the assignment. o the investigation will be e!tensive. o the assignment might be revised during the investigation. o the report will be short and informal. /he headings in an outline should always be o in descriptive form. o in parallel form. o in topical form. o complete statements. 5hich of the following is an e!ample of a descriptive outline captionC o 5hat is the <ature of the IndustryC o "lour #illing Is a #ature Industry o the "lour #illing Industry o -ales )rowth in the Industry is -low which of the following is not one of the basic rules for dividing an idea into component partsC o choose a significant basis for the division. o #ake certain your subdivisions are mutually e!clusive. o %eal with only one basis of subdivision at a time. o :e sure to list no more than three or four components of a whole. .nce you've defined the problem and prepared an outline, you can o establish a work plan. o conduct secondary research. o conduct primary research. o determine preliminary conclusions and recommendations. /he value of your report depends most strongly on o the number of sources you have consulted. o the depth to which you have covered the topic. o the uality of the information on which the report is based. o the importance of the research. +n e!ample of a secondary research source for a report about whether to publish a company newsletter would be o interviews with editors of newsletters at other companies. o an estimate from a printer on what it would cost to print a newsletter. o a magazine article on the pros and cons of company newsletters. o a survey of employees to determine their interest in a newsletter. 5hich of the following would not be a good secondary research sourceC
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#he Wall 0treet 'ournal the '.-. government's 0tatistical *bstracts a rival company's annual report #he ational 1n,uirer 5hich of these documents would not usually ualify as primary researchC o a sales report from a company rep o the most recent issue of a trade magazine in your industry o correspondence with a particular customer o your company's latest balance sheet 'sing formal observation to obtain data is o too subjective to be useful in business research. o useful primarily for studies in which variables can be manipulated. o usually more reliable than other research methods. o useful for studying physical activities, the environment, or human behavior. -urvey results are considered reliable when o similar results would be obtained if the survey were repeated. o a representative group of people has been surveyed. o the research measures what it was intended to measure. o the phrasing of the uestions is unbiased. -urvey results are considered valid when o similar results would be obtained if the survey were repeated. o a representative group of people has been surveyed. o the research measures what it was intended to measure. o the phrasing of the uestions is unbiased. ;eople are more likely to respond to a uestionnaire if o they can complete it within 1G or 1A minutes. o you allow them plenty of time to research their answers. o the uestions are open ended. o all of the above criteria are met. /o help obtain valid results from a uestionnaire, you o ask mostly compound uestions. o use abstract terminology. o include uestions that lead to the particular answers you are seeking. o formulate uestions for which answers can be easily tabulated or analyzed. If you wanted to find out how a particular change in working conditions would affect worker production, the most objective approach to follow would be to o ask workers to complete a survey. o conduct an e!periment. o analyze e!isting production documents. o interview representative workers. /he most commonly used average is the o mean. o median. o mode. o correlation.
o o o o

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33. 5hat would be the median for the following set of monthly salaries& M1,3GG$ M1,3GG$ M1,=GG$ M1,AGG$ M1,JGG$ M3,GGG$ M3,HGGC o M1,3GG o M1,AGG o M1,KJ1.@= o M1,JGG 3=. In a particular set of figures or data, the number that occurs most often is called the o mean. o median. o mode. o correlation. 3@. /he range of a set of numbers is o the change in the numbers over time. o the spread from lowest to highest. o the e!tent to which they are related. o another term for the average. 3A. /rend analysis involves o e!amining data over time to detect patterns and relationships. o e!amining the statistical relationship that e!ists between two or more variables. o calculating the mean, median, mode, and range for a set of data. o all of the above. 3K. .nce you have identified a trend, you o need to draw conclusions and make recommendations. o need to make a positive correlation between variables. o need to prove a cause,and,effect relationship. o need to establish cause. 3J. If you find that )ary *arper consistently sells the most electronic keyboards in your music store, you can conclude that o he is your best salesperson. o he knows more about electronic keyboards than any other salesperson. o he is more aggressive than the other salespeople. o none of the above is necessarily true. 3H. 5hen drawing conclusions for a report, you o never allow subjective judgments to have an influence. o avoid reaching a compromise with other members of your team. o suggest actions for the company to take 0on the basis of the facts you have collected2. o interpret the meaning of the facts you have gathered. 3I. Conclusions differ from recommendations in that conclusions o are opinions or interpretations. o are objective. o are acceptable to readers. o suggest what ought to be done about the facts. =G. /he recommendations made in a report should be o the same as the conclusions.

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opinions or interpretations. what the audience wants to hear. practical and acceptable to the readers.

CHAPTER 14 EXERCISES T /#3F04$# 1. /raditionally, the approach to producing the final version of a formal report involved a team effort. 3. .rganizations that produce many reports and proposals usually favor single authorship as opposed to collaborative writing. =. If you draft your report on a personal computer, you may find it more difficult to handle the mechanical aspects of report preparation. @. <o matter how well you write a report, you won't always get the response you want and in fact may get no response at all. A. /he more formal a report, the greater number of components it usually contains. K. 5hat distinguishes formal from informal reports is the more personal tone of formal reports. J. :ecause they fall at the beginning of a report, the prefatory parts are usually written first. H. + report title always starts with (+ -tudy of( or (+ 9eport on.( I. It is acceptable for the title page to serve as the report cover. 1G. /he letter of acceptance is the reply to the letter of authorization. 11. /he letter of transmittal says what you would say if you were handing the report directly to someone.

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13. /he letter of transmittal should use the indirect approach, especially if the report is an analytical one. 1=. If a report does not have a synopsis, the letter of transmittal can be used to summarize the major findings, conclusions, and recommendations. 1@. /he table of contents includes all levels of headings for the report. 1A. + synopsis of a 1A,page report is at least two pages long. 1K. "or a skeptical or hostile audience, you use an informative synopsis instead of a descriptive one. 1J. + synopsis is generally more comprehensive than an e!ecutive summary. 1H. 'nlike a synopsis, an e!ecutive summary may contain headings and visual aids. 1I. #any reports, especially short ones, do not re uire a synopsis or an e!ecutive summary. 3G. *eadings should be used sparingly in formal reports because they break up the flow of the narrative. 31. +n introduction is never longer than a paragraph or two.

#'8/I;8E C*.ICE 1. .ne way to reinforce the message in the body of a report is to o use heavier weight paper. o use supplementary parts. o use preview and review statements. o use factoring. 3. 5hich of the following is not a topic that would be covered in the introduction to a reportC o the scope of the report. o definitions of terms used in the report. o sources and methods used in preparing the report. o the (proof( supporting the report's conclusions and recommendations. =. /he introduction to a formal report o falls between the title page and the table of contents. o is the same thing as the synopsis. o includes information that will help readers understand and accept the report. o does all of the above. @. /he detailed information necessary to support your conclusions and recommendations should be placed in o the prefatory parts of a report. o the body of a report. o the appendi! of a report. o the supplementary parts of a report. A. /he key findings of a report are stated in the o summary. o conclusions. o recommendations. o notes. K. 5hich of the following statements is a conclusionC

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H.

I.

1G.

11.

13.

1=.

(:ecause the market for airplane parts is declining, +llied Industries should sell off its /urbo,;rop Inc. holdings by +ugust 1III. o (/he number of commercial airliners manufactured has declined JA percent since 1IH3$ the production of private planes has decreased HK percent during the same period.( o (/he significant decline in production of both commercial and private aircraft during the 1IHGs and 1IIGs does not bode well for investment in general aviation and its allied services.( o (+fter reviewing all the data on current trends in general aviation, I believe that +llied Industries should 012 hire a consultant more versed in the intricacies of this comple! business, and 032 have the consultant make recommendations concerning the consolidation of our various general aviation holdings.( /he recommendations in a report o consist of the report's key findings. o are the writer's analysis of what the findings mean. o spell out e!actly what should happen ne!t. o are the answers to the uestions that led to the report. 5hen you have consulted various sources to gather information for your report, you o need not give credit unless you uote directly from them. o should handle references as conveniently and inconspicuously as possible. o should include the note (9eferences available upon re uest.( o should write for permission to use all these sources as references. If you have a great deal of statistical information to summarize, it would be best to o use a table. o use a pie chart. o use a diagram. o put it all in the main body of the report. 5hen preparing a table, keep in mind o that a table with many columns can be turned sideways to fit on one page. o that some tabular material can be presented within the te!t without having to be set apart as a formal table. o that all items in a column are e!pressed in the same units. o all of the above. /he best type of visual aid for showing trends over time is o a table. o a pie chart. o a line chart. o an organization chart. + surface chart is o a type of three,dimensional pie chart. o a form of line chart in which all the lines add up to the top line. o a type of map showing various terrains. o used to show interrelationships within an organization. + bar chart would be particularly useful for o summarizing the salaries of presidents at 3G corporations from 1IIA to 1IIH.
o

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1A.

1K.

1J.

1H.

1I.

comparing market shares of three breakfast cereals from 1IIA to 1IIH. showing the stages in production of a jet engine. depicting the proportion of advertising dollars spent on various major media. /he best way to illustrate the composition of a whole is with a o pie chart. o line chart. o bar chart. o flow chart. 5hen preparing a pie chart, you o limit the number of slices to no more than seven. o place the largest segment at the 13 o'clock position. o make sure the segments add up to 1GG percent. o do all of the above. "low charts are used to o summarize large amounts of statistical data. o show the relative sizes of the parts of a whole. o show how something looks or operates. o illustrate processes and procedures. If you want both to control the amount of detail and to focus the reader's attention on particular parts or places in an illustration, you should use o a pie chart. o a photograph. o a drawing. o te!t only. /he prefatory material for a proposal is different from that for a formal report in that o it includes a copy of the 9";. o no letter of transmittal is included. o no title page is needed. o both a synopsis and an e!ecutive summary are included. /he body of a proposal is different from the body of a formal report in that o there is no need to include visual aids. o it includes less detail. o there is no need for an introduction. o it contains a work plan and a statement of ualifications.
o o o

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CHAPTER 15 EXERCISES T /#3F04$# 1. 3. =. @. A. K. + resume is a form of advertising designed to help you get an interview. If you need to make corrections on your resume, write them in neatly by hand. +s a rule, you should try to limit your resume to one page. /he purpose of a resume is to list all your skills and abilities. 6our resume probably has less than 1G seconds to make an impression. 5hen given your background and ualifications on a resume, you should always use complete sentences. J. If you plan to include a career objective in your resume, you should make it as vague as possible to keep from limiting your prospects. H. /he education section of your resume, you should include any relevant seminars or workshops you have attended.

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I. In the work e!perience section of your resume, you should leave out any jobs that do not relate directly to your career objective. 1G. It is inappropriate to mention community activities or volunteer work on a resume. 11. If you have any kind of physical disability, you are re uired by law to include it on your resume. 13. 5hen choosing people to use as references, list relatives and friends first, since they know you best. 1=. +n application letter should follow the format for a persuasive message. 1@. 'nsolicited application letters are those sent in response to want ads for job openings. 1A. In the middle part of an application letter, you should spell out your key ualifications for the specific job you are applying for. 1K. +n application letter is simply a recap of your resume. 1J. /o ensure that an employer will respond to your application letter, you should always enclose a preaddressed stamped envelope. 1H. If your application letter and resume fail to bring a response within a month or so, you can assume that the company is not interested and cross it off your list. M/4%154# C6!1"# 1I. /he purpose of a resume is to 0+2 induce the reader to hire you. 0:2 list all your skills and abilities. 0C2 get you an interview. 0%2 take the place of an application letter. 3G. /he only thing that should accompany your resume is 0+2 letters of recommendation. 0:2 samples of your work. 0C2 the letter of application. 0%2your academic transcripts. 31. 5hether solicited or unsolicited, a letter of application should 0+2 be general enough to apply to any employer. 0:2 have an opening that stresses the (you( attitude and indicates how the applicant can serve the employer. 0C2 be open,ended and vague about the specific job being applied for in case there are other kinds of openings at the company. 0%2 all of the above. 33. In the middle section of a job application letter you should 0+2 summarize your ualifications that are directly related to the job and provide specific evidence of job,related ualities. 0:2 give your complete work history, just in case the employer doesn't read your resume. 0C2 mention any ways in which you do not meet the job ualifications but point out that you are willing to learn. 0%2 do all of the above. 3=. In the closing paragraph of your application letter, you should 0+2 thank the reader for taking the time to read your resume. 0:2 apologize for your lack of e!perience. 0C2 ask for an interview and make the interview easy to arrange. 0%2 introduce the subject of salary.

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CHAPTER 1' EXERCISES 5rite a five page report, presenting your comprehension regarding NInterviewing for Employment and "ollowing upO

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