HU-212 Technical & Business Writing

Assignment # 01

Submitted To:
Ma’am Sanam Habib

Submitted By:
Hamza Zaib Aleem
42-EE-B
CMS ID: 333940

College of Electrical & Mechanical Engineering,

Nust
7 C's of Communication:

The seven C's of communication are a list of principles which are used for written
and spoken communications to ensure that they are effective. These seven C's are:

1. Clarity
2. Correctness
3. Conciseness
4. Courtesy
5. Concreteness
6. Consideration
7. Completeness

1) Clarity:

The message should be clear and easily understandable to the recipient. The message
should emphasize on a single goal at a time and shall not cover several ideas in a single sentence.

Example:

 Un-Clear: It was decided that company policy be changed to allow employee selection
of personal leave days.

Clear: Company decided to change policy and allow employee to select their own leave
days.

 Un-Clear: Being an excellent lawyer, I am sure you can help me.

Clear: Being an excellent lawyer, you can surely help me.

2) Correctness:

The message should be correct, i.e. a correct language should be used, and the sender must
ensure that there is no grammatical and spelling mistakes. Also, the message should be exact and
well-timed.
Example:

 Faulty: All offers by fax are open for 5 days.

Correct: All offers by fax are open for 5 days inclusive of the day of dispatch.
 Faulty: The goods supplied are exactly equal to the sample.
Correct: The goods supplied are similar in equality to the sample.

3) Conciseness:

 The message should be complete, i.e. it must include all the relevant information as
required by the intended audience. The complete information gives answers to all the questions
of the receivers and helps in better decision-making by the recipient.

Example:

 Wordy: We hereby wish to let you know that our company is pleased with the
confidence you have reposed in us.
Concise: We appreciate your confidence.
 Wordy: At this time I am writing to you to enclose an interview card, which has been
post-paid, for the purpose of arranging a convenient time when we might get together for
a personal interview.
Concise: Please return the enclosed interview card to setup a convenient time for an
interview.

4) Concreteness:

The communication should be concrete, which means the message should be clear and
particularly such that no room for misinterpretation is left. All the facts and figures should be
clearly mentioned in a message so as to substantiate to whatever the sender is saying.

Example:

 Poor: Clearly, you did not read my latest fax

Better: Sometimes my wording is not precious; let me try again.

  Poor: Stupid letter; I can’t understand any of it.
Better: It’s my understanding.

5) Courtesy:

The message should be precise and to the point. The sender should avoid the lengthy
sentences and try to convey the subject matter in the least possible words. The short and brief
message is more comprehensive and helps in retaining the receiver’s attention.

Example:

 Poor: Please send us your catalogues on tools.

Better: Please send us your catalogues on hand tools. We are particularly interested in
hand tools for use in gardening.

 Poor: Students GMAT scores are higher.

Better: In 1996 the GMAT scores average 600; by 1997 they had risen to 610.

6) Consideration:

The sender must take into consideration the receiver’s opinions, knowledge, mindset,
background, etc. in order to have an effective communication. In order to communicate, the
sender must relate to the target recipient and be involved.

Example:

 Poor: We don’t refund if the returned item is soiled or unsalable.

Better: We refund when the returned item is clean and resalable.

 Poor: When you travel on company expense, you will not receive approval for first class
fare.
Better: When you travel on company expense, your approved fare is for tourist class.
 7) Completeness:

It implies that the sender must take into consideration both the feelings and viewpoints of the
receiver such that the message is positive and focused at the audience. The message should not
be biased and must include the terms that show respect for the recipient.

Example:

 Poor: How come my request for an interview letter did not receive a response.
Better: When was letter sent? Who sent it? To whom it was sent.
 Poor: Please sent me in return the departures in Singapore to Hong Kong on 8th.
 Better: Give something extra like day, time etc.