RED RIVER COLLEGE

LANGUAGE TRAINING CENTER

COMMUNICATION FOR BUSINESS AND FINANCE

PROGRAM

ASSIGNMENT: READING AND WRITING ACADEMIC - ESSENTIALS OF

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

SUBMITTED TO:

DATE:

NAME:
 CRITICAL THINKING - UNIT 2 COMMUNICATION SKILLS

1. You work in an insurance office where you are expected to use a book of boilerplate
paragraphs to respond to customer inquiries. Many of these paragraphs use flabby
expressions, trite business phrases, long lead-ins, and other writing faults you have
studied. What should you do?

The appropriate thing would be to redirect the message in a more clear, direct and
understandable way for the client. To do this, it is necessary to eliminate expressions or words
that do not contribute to the message to be transmitted, since these errors cause the purpose of
the information and the interest of the reader to be lost.

2. You have just submitted a beautifully researched report. But your supervisor focused
on the two or three little errors that you missed and gave none of the praise you expected.
Was this fair of your supervisor?

If it is fair from the point of view of the supervisor, since his function is to control and give
feedback to his team in the assigned tasks. Feedback would probably have a much more positive
effect, if the achievements or successes found were also highlighted.

3. It’s easy to use clichés because they just roll off the tongue. What’s wrong with tried-
and-true expressions such as it is what it is or at the end of the day?

I consider that these expressions are unnecessary filler in an essay, and even can give
inappropriate tone. Personally, I think this convey lack of knowledge of the subject, or non-
existence of arguments. Additionally, the use of these phrases leads the writer to convey
ambiguous messages.

4. Whether editing your own writing or someone else’s, why is it important to use a set of
standard proofreading marks?

It is very important to use a set of established correction marks because when we will write any
text, we will be able to express it clearly and concisely. In this way, our message will have a
sense and comply your purpose.
For this reason, it is essential that we have knowledge about the all process writing and the
important parts of proofread, so that to avoid mistakes about the lack of structure or
organisation, spelling, grammar, inappropriate expressions, and among others. As result, we
will achieve an effective communication and the satisfaction our reader.

5. How can you overcome defensiveness when your writing is criticized constructively?

I would listen carefully to feedback on my mistakes, accept my failures and apologize for them.
Additionally, I would take advantage of the moment to clarify some doubts or perhaps expose
my point of view on the subject, to be able to rectify them properly.