BUSINESS READING & WRITING

MEANING OF READING

 A particular interpretation of something

 A skill which enables us to get a message
 Recognizing the written words (written symbols)
 Getting (understanding) the meaning
 Grasping information from texts

→ Reading is a complex process that is done by a reader to comprehend the writer’s

purposes. In reading process, the reader uses his brain to think and reason out.
IMPORTANCE OF READING

 “The pen is mightier than the sword”

 It is a vital skill in finding a good job. Many well-paying jobs require reading as a
part of job performance.

 Reading is fundamental in developing a good self image.

 Non-readers or poor leaders often have low opinions of themselves and their
abilities.
 PURPOSES OF READING

Follow a narrative and enjoy the

For pleasure sound or rhyme of literary text
Purpose of reading
Reading for details fact
For information Reading for main ideas
Reading for sequence or organization
Reading to classify
Reading for inference
Reading for comparison or contrast
COMPONENTS OF READING

Phonics

• One of the primary building blocks of reading

• Connection between sounds and letter symbols

Phonemic Awareness

• Aspect of reading that is essential for children to develop before they

can begin learning to read
COMPONENTS OF READING (CONT’D)

Vocabulary

• In order to read words, a reader must first know the words

• Ways of learning new vocabulary words: Explicit instruction and Context
clues

Fluency

• Ability to read with speed, accuracy and expression

• Combine and use multiple skills at the same time
COMPONENTS OF READING (CONT’D)

Reading Comprehension

• Understanding what a text is all about

• When a reader is actively engaged with a text, he or she is asking and
answering questions about the story and summarizing what he or she has
read.
WHAT DO WE READ?

 Bank statements, credit cards, maps, weather forecast, pamphlets

 Product labels, washing instructions, short stories, novels, plays, poems,

handbooks

 Business letters, rules and regulations, electronic mails, fax messages

 Newspapers, application forms, magazines

 Advertisements posters, travel guides, cookbooks, street signs, journals, articles,

diagrams
READING STRATEGIES

Scanning

Reading
Strategies

Detailed
Reading Skimming
READING STRATEGIES (CONT’D)
READING STRATEGIES (CONT’D)
READING STRATEGIES (CONT’D)
BARRIERS TO READING

 Lack of grammatical and linguistic competence

 Lack of motivation

 Lack of concentration

 Proper light and ventilation

 Size of the book

 Articulating the words and sentences loudly

 Narrow eye span

IMPROVING READING SKILLS

Read a different variety of materials

Make reading a more active process

Promote critical thinking evaluation of reading

materials

Enhance registration and recall of text

information in one’s memory
 GENERAL TIPS FOR READING

 Dedicate time to pre-reading : A 10-minute pre-reading session can

significantly improve your retention.

 Monitor your comprehension : If you find yourself getting distracted or reading

mindlessly, consider taking a break, regroup and pick it up again from where you
last remember paying attention.

 Take breaks : Especially for longer texts, break up your reading into smaller,
more manageable time blocks (20 minutes) or sections (by subheadings or some
other method).
GENERAL TIPS FOR READING (CONT’D)

 Be patient : Don’t expect to get everything the first time you read it. Remember
that your first read is always going to be harder, slower, and more taxing than your
subsequent reads.

 Be flexible : Correct your strategy if you find that you are having a hard time
concentrating or comprehending. Find resources to help you understand, picture,
and connect the reading.

 Don’t worry (too much) about retention : If you end up specializing in a particular
field, you will re-read these works.
STRATEGIES AND PROCESSES OF
EFFECTIVE READERS

Pre Reading During Reading After Reading

• Set a purpose for • Ask questions • Reflect on what you

reading • Summarize have read
• Set goals for reading • Identify main ideas • Revise interpretations
• Determine a plan for • Make connections • Summarize main ideas
reading • Make inferences • Draw conclusions
• Activate background • Visualize • Seek additional
knowledge • Understand new information
• Make predictions vocabulary
• Create interpretations
BECOMING AN ACTIVE READER

 Skimming ahead and jumping back

 Marking up the text
 Highlighting or underlining key ideas
 Circling unfamiliar words
 Making marginal notes (Questions; Agreements and disagreements; Connections;
Evaluations)
 Making observations

(Reading Comprehension Success in 20 Minutes a Day, 2005)

READING COMPREHENSION

 Reading comprehension is the ability to read text, process it and understand its
meaning.
 It relies on two, interconnected abilities: word reading (being able to decode the
symbols on the page) and language comprehension (being able to understand the
meaning of the words and sentences).

“Real reading has to do with thinking, learning, and expanding a reader’s

knowledge and horizons. It has to do with building on past knowledge, mastering
new information, and connecting with the minds of those you’ve never met.”
Zimmerman, S. & Hutchins, C. (2003) Seven keys to comprehension. New York.
Three Rivers Press
GENERAL STRATEGIES FOR READING
COMPREHENSION
Using Prior Knowledge/Previewing
 When students preview text, they tap into what they already know that will help them
to understand the text they are about to read. This provides a framework for any new
information they read.
Predicting
 When students make predictions about the text they are about to read, it sets up
expectations based on their prior knowledge about similar topics. As they read, they
may mentally revise their prediction as they gain more information.
Identifying the Main Idea and Summarization
 Identifying the main idea and summarizing requires that students determine what is
important and then put it in their own words. Implicit in this process is trying to
understand the author’s purpose in writing the text.
GENERAL STRATEGIES FOR READING
COMPREHENSION (CONT’D)
Questioning
 Asking and answering questions about text is another strategy that helps students
focus on the meaning of text. Teachers can help by modeling both the process of
asking good questions and strategies for finding the answers in the text.
Making Inferences
 In order to make inferences about something that is not explicitly stated in the text,
students must learn to draw on prior knowledge and recognize clues in the text
itself.
Visualizing
 Studies have shown that students who visualize while reading have better recall
than those who do not (Pressley, 1977). Readers can take advantage of illustrations
that are embedded in the text or create their own mental images or drawings when
reading text without illustrations.
STRATEGIES FOR READING
COMPREHENSION: NARRATIVE TEXT
Narrative text tells a story, either a true
story or a fictional story.

• Story Maps – Setting, Characters, Plot,

Theme

• Retelling

• Prediction

• Answering Comprehension Questions

STRATEGIES FOR READING
COMPREHENSION: EXPOSITORY TEXT

Expository text explains facts and concepts

in order to inform, persuade, or explain.

• Main Idea/ Summarization

• K-W-L Process

• Graphic Organizers
BUSINESS WRITING

▪ Business writing is a communication channel companies use to communicate with

their internal and external audience.

▪ It includes emails, memos, letters, reports, and marketing materials.

▪ The primary purpose of business writing is to inform or persuade the reader to take
action.

▪ It offers comprehensive information to customers, clients, suppliers, and other

business partners professionally.

▪ Business writing needs to be clear, compelling, and free of errors.

THE BASICS OF BUSINESS WRITING

▪ Before writing, ask yourself these two questions:

→ What do I need to say?

→Who is my audience?

▪ Your answers will influence what and how you write, so take a moment to
understand exactly why you’re writing.

▪ If you can’t clearly answer these questions, you’ll probably have trouble
communicating effectively.
THE BASICS OF BUSINESS WRITING (CONT’D)

▪ Most business writing needs a call to action, which is information that

instructs and encourages a response. Essentially, make sure everyone knows
what their next move should be.
THE BASICS OF BUSINESS WRITING (CONT’D)

▪ Get to the point quickly.

▪ Make every sentence as short and clear
as possible.
▪ if you’re sharing unpleasant news, and
remember that saying please and thank
you goes a long way.
▪ The example is an efficient read, thanks
to short paragraphs, clear sentences, and
a polite, professional tone.
THE BASICS OF BUSINESS WRITING (CONT’D)

▪ Good writing comes out of revision, so read over your first draft and figure out
what works and what doesn’t.
▪ You can also get someone you trust to provide feedback on your work.
▪ Proofreading is another key part of revision.
TYPES OF BUSINESS WRITING

Instructional Informational
Writing Writing

Transactional Persuasive
Writing Writing
TYPES OF BUSINESS WRITING (CONT’D)

Instructional Writing
▪ This type of business writing offers step-by-step information or instructions on
how to do something.
▪ Instructional business writing aims to ensure the reader knows how to do
something correctly and efficiently.
▪ The instructional document should be well-organized and easy to follow. Use
simple language and short sentences.
▪ Instructional business writing includes manuals, memos, standard operating
procedures, knowledge-based libraries, training material, onboarding
instructions, and online help documentation.
TYPES OF BUSINESS WRITING (CONT’D)

Informational Writing
 Informational writing is about conveying facts and information to the reader.
 Informational business writing aims to educate the reader on a particular topic or
subject.
 It is pretty similar to instructional writing, but there is no step-by-step
information.
 It enables organizations to communicate complex information to employees,
shareholders, or customers.
 It also makes your business credible by sharing accurate information about your
products, services, or industry.
TYPES OF BUSINESS WRITING (CONT’D)

▪ The document must be well-researched and accurate.

▪ The writer adds facts and figures to such documents. Avoid sharing opinion in
informational writing.
▪ While creating this type of document, keep in mind the needs and expertise of
your audience.
▪ The writer also need to manage all the information to avoid overwhelming the
reader.
▪ Information writing examples includes annual reports, financial reports, research
papers, conference paper, informational guides regarding products or services,
quarterly review
TYPES OF BUSINESS WRITING (CONT’D)

Transactional Writing
▪ Transactional business writing involves everyday communication within an
organization.
▪ This type of documentation is used to run business operations, make decisions, or
ask for approvals.
▪ It is used for communication among employees, team members, and
stakeholders.
▪ It is also called conversational business writing. Transactional business writing
examples include job acceptance or dismissal letters, business letters, emails,
contract documentation, handouts, receipts.
Example: Transactional Writing
TYPES OF BUSINESS WRITING (CONT’D)

Persuasive Writing
 Persuasive writing is used to convince the reader to take some kind of action.
 Persuasive writing aims to sell products or services, request funding, or get
people to accept new ideas.
 It includes elements of both informational and instructional writing.
 A writer needs to present accurate information along with a strong argument to
persuade the reader.
 Persuasive documentation is often used in marketing.
TYPES OF BUSINESS WRITING (CONT’D)

 Companies utilize persuasive business writing to communicate the benefits of

their products or services to the customers.
 They also use it to influence the buying decisions of the customers.
 It is also used to convince investors to fund a project.
 While creating a persuasive document, make sure to write creatively to make a
positive impression on reader.
 Avoid unnecessary details and keep tone engaging throughout the document.
 Persuasive business writing examples include sale letters, press releases, grant
proposals, fundraising letters, marketing content, banners and flyers, product
brochures.
Example: Persuasive Writing
THE 3-X-3 WRITING PROCESS

Prewriting
It is generating ideas, deciding upon audience and focus, deciding what to include
or leave out. It involves analyzing the audience and purpose for writing. Prewriting
also involves anticipating how your audience will react to your message.
Drafting
It is putting ideas into sentences and paragraphs.
Revising
It is evaluating earlier drafts, rearranging to improve organization. It also involves
editing and proofreading the message. After writing the first draft, you will spend
considerable time editing the message for clarity, conciseness, tone, and
readability.
Scheduling the Writing Process
PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE BUSINESS WRITING

• Focus on The Clarity of Purpose • Share Correct and Relevant

• Have Clear Thoughts
• Identify Your Target Audience
• Use appropriate tone
• Avoid Using Passive Voice
Information
• Avoid Adding Jargons
• Practice with Passion
• Avoid Grammatical Mistakes and
Incorrect Structure
• Pay Attention to Proofreading
USING EXPERT WRITING TECHNIQUES TO
ADAPT TO AUDIENCE
USING EXPERT WRITING TECHNIQUES TO
ADAPT TO AUDIENCE (CONT’D)
Spotlighting Audience Benefits
Adapting message to the receiver’s needs means putting yourself in that person’s
shoes. It’s called empathy. Empathic senders think about how a receiver will
decode a message. They try to give something to the receiver, solve the receiver’s
problems, save the receiver’s money, or just understand the feelings and position
of that person.
USING EXPERT WRITING TECHNIQUES TO
ADAPT TO AUDIENCE (CONT’D)
Developing the “You” View
Skilled communicators emphasize second-person pronouns (you, your) instead of
first-person pronouns (I/we, us, our).
USING EXPERT WRITING TECHNIQUES TO
ADAPT TO AUDIENCE (CONT’D)
Sounding Conversational but Professional
REPORT WRITING

▪ Report writing is a formal style of writing elaborately on a topic.

▪ All your facts and information presented in the report not only have to be bias-
free, but they also have to be a 100% correct.
▪ Proof-reading and fact-checking is always what you do as a thumb rule before
submitting a report.
▪ The purpose of report writing is essential to inform the reader about a topic,
minus one’s opinion on the topic.
▪ Reports are always written for a specific purpose and audience.
▪ They can present findings of a research; development of a project; analysis of a
situation; proposals or solutions for a problem.
REPORT STRUCTURE
Title Page

Executive
Appendix
Summary

Table of
Reference
Contents

Conclusion Introduction

Body
WHAT MAKES A GOOD REPORT?

▪ Following the instructions - The report brief may outline the purpose, audience
and problem or issue that report must address, together with any specific
requirements for format or structure.

▪ Focus - An effective report presents and analyses evidence that is relevant to the
specific problem or issue a writer has been instructed to address.

▪ Sources – A writer can accompany your writing with necessary diagrams, graphs
or tables of gathered data.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD REPORT? (CONT’D)

▪ Analysis - The data and information presented should be analysed. The type of
analysis will depend on your subject. For example, business reports may use
SWOT or PESTLE analytical frameworks.

▪ Structure - A good report has a clear and accurately organised structure, divided
in headings and sub-headings. The paragraphs are the fundamental unit of
reports.

▪ Language - The language of reports is formal, clear, succinct, and to the point.
LANGUAGE OF REPORTS

Formal Direct Precise Concise

• Avoid • Avoid jargon • Avoid vague • Avoid
contractions and language repetition
and complicated • Avoid and
colloquial sentences generalizatio redundant
expressions • Explain any ns phrases
technical
terms
PROJECT PROPOSAL WRITING

▪ A project proposal is a written document outlining everything stakeholders

should know about a project, including the timeline, budget, objectives, and
goals.
▪ The project proposal should summarize the project details and sell idea so
stakeholders feel inclined to get involved in the initiative.
▪ The goal of project proposal is to:
→ Secure external funding
→ Allocate company resources to project
→ Gain stakeholder buy-in
→ Build momentum and excitement
HOW TO WRITE A PROJECT PROPOSAL
TIPS FOR WRITING AN EFFECTIVE PROJECT
PROPOSAL

Know Be Keep It
Audience Persuasive Simple

Use Project
Do
Management
Research
Tools
EMAIL WRITING

▪ It is not easy to get people to respond to your emails if they do not feel interested
in your message or proposal.
▪ Emails can be casual or professional, just like informal and formal letters.
▪ The format of the email changes according to the kind of email you are writing.
▪ Accurate grammar and spelling are aspects that are to be taken seriously.
▪ When you start writing an email,

→ Make sure you type in the right email ID. Always check with the receiver for the
exact email address because even a full stop that is not part of the email address
can land your email with the wrong person, or the mail would simply bounce.
EMAIL WRITING (CONT’D)

→The Subject line is the next most important factor you should carefully consider
because that is the first thing anyone receiving the email would see. It also
determines if the receiver would want to open the mail. The subject line is what
motivates people to actually open the email.

→ See to it that your Salutation or Greeting is appropriate to the receiver/s. The

greeting builds a rapport.
EMAIL WRITING (CONT’D)

→The Body of the email states what the email is about. Be clear with what you
want your receiver to know. Make sure you have everything you want to convey
drafted in simple terms. Make your message positive, even if you’re turning down
an offer. If you have to follow, do it before they remind you to. Keep it short. Use
standard font style and size. Do a final spelling/grammar check/proofread.

→ Finally, Sign off the email on a polite note and proofread it before hitting send.
The closing should feel genuine; only then will the receiver want to respond.
HOW TO WRITE A FORMAL EMAIL

▪ Begin with a greeting

If your relationship with the reader is formal, use their family name (eg. “Dear Mrs. Price”). If the
relationship is more casual, you can simply say, “Hi Kelly”. If you don’t know the name of the person you
are writing to, use: “To whom it may concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam”.

▪ Thank the recipient

If you are replying to a client’s inquiry, you should begin with a line of thanks. For example, if someone
has a question about your company, you can say, “Thank you for contacting ABC Company”. If someone
has replied to one of your emails, be sure to say, “Thank you for your prompt reply” or “Thanks for getting
back to me”. Thanking the reader puts him or her at ease, and it will make you appear more polite.
HOW TO WRITE A FORMAL EMAIL (CONT’D)

▪ State your purpose

If you are starting the email communication, it may be impossible to include a line of thanks. Instead, begin
by stating your purpose. For example, “I am writing to enquire about …” or “I am writing in reference to …”.
Make your purpose clear early on in the email, and then move into the main text of your email.

▪ Add your closing remarks

It is polite to thank your reader one more time and add some polite closing remarks. You might start
with “Thank you for your patience and cooperation” or “Thank you for your consideration” and then follow
up with, “If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to let me know” and “I look forward to
hearing from you”.
HOW TO WRITE A FORMAL EMAIL (CONT’D)

▪ End with a closing

The last step is to include an appropriate closing with your name. “Best regards”, “Sincerely”,
and “Thank you” are all professional. Avoid closings such as “Best wishes” or “Cheers” unless you are
good friends with the reader. Finally, before you hit the send button, review and spell check your
email one more time to make sure it’s truly perfect.
HOW TO WRITE A FORMAL EMAIL (CONT’D)

▪ To - Recipient's email id
▪ CC - Other people receiving the email with visible email IDs
▪ BCC - Other people receiving the email with hidden email IDs
▪ Subject - The title of the Email with a phrase/one line regarding the main purpose.
▪ Greeting - Words like Hello. Hi, Respected before the recipient’s name.
▪ Main body - Introduction
▪ Main Body
▪ Conclusion
▪ Ending - End with a concluding line
▪ Attachments - Attach your documents and let the recipient know
▪ Signature - Phrases like Thanks, Regards, and your name under it. You can add a
designation if necessary.
EMAIL WRITING FORMAT SAMPLES

▪ Email on Introducing a New Employee to Your Team

EMAIL WRITING FORMAT SAMPLES (CONT’D)

 Email for Resignation

EMAIL WRITING FORMAT SAMPLES (CONT’D)

 Email Informing Your Employees about the Change in Work Timings