MODULE 3: WRITTEN

COMMUNICATION

Prof. Rema Gopalan

Asso.Professor
Department of Management Studies,CMRIT
Definition of Written Communication
The Written Communication refers to the
process of conveying a message through the
written symbols.

In other words, any message exchanged

between two or more persons that make use
of written words is called as written
communication.
 Principles of Effective Writing
• Accuracy

• Brevity

• Clarity
 Accuracy
• All facts and figures
• The choice of words
– It is determined by the appropriateness of the
word for the subject, audience and purpose of
writing.
• The language and tone
– Follow the rules of grammar
– Pay attention to punctuation marks
– Check words for spelling and usage
 Brevity
• Saying only what needs to be said and leaving out
unnecessary words or details.
• It is not to be achieved at the cost of clarity
 Brevity
• Changing long clauses into phrases
– Wordy: The vast majority of farmers in India are
poor in a greater or lesser degree.
Concise?
– Wordy: She is so honest that she will not tell a lie.
Concise?
– Wordy: Despite the fact that I studied for the
exam, I basically failed.
Concise?
 Brevity
• Drop “which” and “that” clauses when possible.

Wordy: He received a shirt which was torn

Concise?
Wordy: I need apparels that are of formal type
Concise?
Wordy: I am sure that I shall be able to help you
Concise?
 Brevity
• Do not overuse the passive voice
Wordy: Technology can be used by children also
Concise?

Wordy: The position of President in India is held by

Shri Ram Nath Kovind.
Concise?

Wordy: Many great lands had been seen by Vasco

da Gama
Concise?
 Positive Language

• Avoid using words that underline the negative

aspects of the situation
• Write with a cool frame of mind
• Do not allow anger or harshness to creep into
the writing
• Focus on the positive whenever possible
 Positive Language-Examples
Negative Language
• supplies are limited, so
any delays in
ordering might result
in unfulfilled orders.
• you didn’t leave your phone
number, so I couldn’t call
you back.
Positive Language
• supplies are limited. order
now to reserve copies for
your department.
• please leave your phone
number, and I will call you
right away.
 Positive Language-Examples

Negative: We have received your complaint

Positive?

Negative: Your faulty fan motor will be replaced

Positive?
 Natural Language
• As per your request, we beg to inform you
that we have booked a single room for you at
our lodge for 5 days from 18 July to 22
July,2022.

• Revised Sentence?
 Sexist Language
• Sexist language consists of words/phrases that
show bias against the competence or
importance of women.

• Sexist: An experienced candidate is needed. He

should be
Revised?
• Sexist: The girls in the office will look after the papers
Revised?
• Sexist: Women of this sector were represented by
two doctors and one lady lawyer
3×3 Writing Process
 Types of Written Communication in
Business
• Business Letters, Employee Reviews,
Recommendation Letters, Thank You Letters,
Memos, proposals and Reports, Planning
Documents, Press Releases, Proactive Media
Writing and E-mail.
 “Profits
improve only when our
correspondence is read.
No sale is made when a
business letter ends up in the
wastebasket.”
 Business Letters

• A business letter is a
professional, formal letter that
is sent by one company to
another.
• These letters can be used for
professional correspondence
between business clients,
employees, stakeholders as
well as individuals.
 Forms of Business Letters

• Sales Letters
• Inquiry letters
• Cover letters
• Acknowledgement Letters
• Complaint Letters
• Bad news letters
• Recommendation letters
• Memos
 Components of a Business Letter
• Letterhead (if using)
• Name and Address/Heading
• Date
• Reference (if using)
• Salutation
• Subject matter/body
• Complimentary Close
• Signature
• Enclosures (if using)
 Formatting Your Business Letter

• Use single spacing. NEVER use double spaces

within the business letter.
• Use a simple format with font that is easy to
read.
• For block, and modified block formats use
single spaces.
• Leave a blank line between each paragraph.
This makes it easier to follow the changes of
topics within the letter
Select a Professional Font size and Style
• Pay attention to cleanliness and readability.

• Font Size: consider the smallest size in which your

document will still be easily readable. You should stay
between 10 and 12 points for your font.

Few examples of popular fonts used in professional

documents:
• Arial
• Avenir
• Calibri
• Corbel
• Garamond
• Georgia
 Business Letter Style
• Full Block Style: every component of the letter (heading,
address, salutation, body, salutation, signature,
identification, enclosures) is aligned to the left.

• The Modified Block Style: the date, closing, and

signature lines begin at the centre point of the page line.
The beginning of each paragraph is indented five spaces,
along with the subject line, if used.

• The Semi-block format: has a more informal appearance.

All elements are left-aligned, except for the beginning of
each paragraph, which is indented five spaces.
Paragraphs are separated by a double line space.
 Checklist for a Business Letter
• Tell what your letter is about in the first paragraph.
• If you’re answering a letter, refer to the date it was written.
• Read your letter aloud when you are done to see if it sounds
natural.
• Be specific.
• Use the active voice instead of the passive.
• Keep the letter short.
• For emphasis, underline important words.
• Make the final copy perfect.
• Don’t exaggerate or try to pass off opinions as facts.
• Be clear and honest.
• Read the first draft of your letter and edit ruthlessly.
• In the final paragraph, tell the reader exactly what you want him or
her to do, or what you are going to do. Don’t omit this important
“action step.”
• Close with something simple like, “Sincerely.”
Exercise 1&2
 What is a Memo or Memorandum?

• A memo (also known as a memorandum, or

"reminder") is used for internal
communications regarding procedures or
official business within an organization.
• Memos are usually meant as a
mass communication to all members of an
organization rather than a one-on-one personal
message.
 How is a Memo Different from a
Business Letter
• They are almost always meant for circulation
within the organization.
• They are direct in style, and specific to the point.
• They do not have salutations.
• They do not have a complimentary closing.
• They are used to convey communication that is
not sensitive.
• They have a format distinct from a letter.
 Writing a Business Memo
Business memos usually begin with a header section that
lists recipients and other details in the following format:

• To: Include each recipient’s name and job title (for e.g.,
Miranda Lawson, Director of Marketing). If you're
addressing a designated group, simply state the name of
the group (for example, Accounting Department).
• From: Include your name and title.
• Date: Write out the complete date (for example, June 30,
2017).
• Subject: Make the subject brief and descriptive.
 Writing a Business Memo

• Most business memos skip the greeting (such

as “Greetings, Ms. Lawson”) and immediately
go into the body text.
• Whenever you start a paragraph in a memo,
always put the main point of that paragraph
first, as this makes your writing direct and
easy to follow.
• Memos don’t include a farewell (such as
“Sincerely, Tanya”).
Examples of Business Memos
 Some Important points
• A good trick is to highlight important points by
putting them in separate paragraphs or by using
numbers, letters, or bullets to set them off. Like
this:
• Keep memos to one page maximum. No
exceptions.
• Keep sentences short. Under fifteen words is a
good rule of thumb.
• Proofread the memo when you finish. Correct
inconsistencies in format, spelling errors, words
that need capitalization.
 Business Reports
• A business report is a document that offers
information and analysis to help decision-
makers form plans and objectives for the
company.

• Writing a business report is to make essential

information related to the company easily
accessible to everyone in the company.
 Types of Formal Business Reports
• Justification/recommendation report
• Investigative report
• Compliance report
• Feasibility report
• Research studies report
• A periodic report
• A situational report
• A yardstick report
 How to write a Business Report
• Plan before you write
• Check for an in-house format
• Add a title
• Write a table of contents
• Add a summary or abstract
• Write an introduction
• Outline your methodology
• Present your findings
• Finish with a conclusion and recommendations
• Add a bibliography and appendices
• Proofread
 Elements of a Long Report
• Cover
• Title Page
• Acknowledgements
• Table of Contents
• Executive Summary
• Introduction
• Description
• Conclusions
• Recommendations
• Appendix
• List of references/Bibliography
• Glossary
• Index