BC MODULE 3

8/3/2019 BC MODULE 3

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Introduction It reveals ones ability to think clearly and to

use language effectively

Communication reaches out across vastgeographical areas and targets.

Businesses mainly rely on records and

written documents.


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Importance of skills in written

communication It requires set skills to write simply, clearly,

accurately and brief ly.

Should check the grammar, punctuationand spelling

Should have clarity, simplicity and

directness of style.


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Written communication in business covers:

Downward communication: Memos, circularsetc..

Upward communication: Complaints,suggestions etc..

Outward communication: Deeds, legal

contracts etc..;Written communication needs a lot of imagination

and effort to arrive at finished product.


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Nature of written communication: Most formal type of communication.

Used for documentation of records.

Used for circulation of formal information. Follow rules of grammar.

Presence of sender and receiver not necessary.

A creative activity. Time consuming.


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Advantages:

Permanent record.

Easy to understand. Less prone to errors.

Wide access


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Disadvantages:

Involve time.

Not suitable for illiterates. Involves more formalities.

Immediate feedback not possible.


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Purpose of WritingThe purpose of communication is to

Inform

Persuade


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Writing to inform

Informative writingWriter seeks to give information or explains it

Expository writing

Focus subject

Ideas, facts and information and not opinions

Objectivity

Checklist

Does it focus on the subject under discussion Does it primarily inform rather than persuade

Does it offer complete and exact information

Can the information be ascertained


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Writing to persuade Persuasive writingAims at convincing the reader

Debatable

Expresses opinions rather than facts

Argumentative writing

Focus- reader

Check list

Does it focus on the reader? Does it basically seek to convince?

Does it support its view point by giving information or validreasons?

Does it finally evoke the intended response from the reader?


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COMMUNICATION

CLARITY IN WRITING FOR BUSINESS


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Pre-requisites for clarity in writing

Knowledge of language

Cultivating clear,concise style of writing

Clear with the message


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Use of common words

Never send the reader to the dictionary.

No abstract & technical terms.

Use concrete words with definite

meaning. No jargon. Ex:

Profit instead of Bottomline,

Try instead of Endeavor.


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Short & simple sentences

Long sentences are confussing

Avoid unnecessary phrases

Each bit of information/idea must be given seperatesentence


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Proper punctuation

Use pauses and stops for better clarity.

Breaks up words into sensible units.

Semi colon and comma help break up

sentences into readable units.


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Logical sequence & brevity

Properly planned message ensure that the ideas are

in logical order.

Logical connection of ideas makes any compositioneasy to read.

Avoid unnecessary details instead be direct inapproach.

Power of the message to motivate necessary action.


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PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVEWRITING

Accuracy.

Brevity.

Clarity.

Language, tone and level of formality.

Youattitude

Natural language Active voice


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Accuracy

Correctness of words

Technical accuracy of Language

- Concord- Dangling modifier

- Unnecessary shift in tenses

- Prepositions


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Concord

Rule of concordIn a sentence the verbmust agree in number and person with its

subject.

The subject of a sentence is either singularor plural, and this determines the verbs

ending.

Ex: She comes from Jaipur.They comes from Jaipur.


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Dangling modifier

The modifier does not logically and sensibly refer to

the subject of the main clause.

Ex: Mary having completed the homework,

switched on the radio. Having completed the homework, switched on the

radio.

Ex: Expecting a large crowd, extra chairs were

ordered.

Expecting a large crowd, the management

provided extra chairs


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Unnecessary shift in tenses

Ex: He usually makes sensible movesalthough he often changed his mind.

Tense should be consistent within the

sentence and from sentence to sentencewithin the paragraph.


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Prepositions Wrong prepositions change the meaning of the

statement.

Ex: She has a strong feeling towards us

She has a strong feeling against us

Expression of time

Ex: She will come back after an hour

She came back after an hour

Ex: I go to temple on everyday I go to temple everyday

(prepositions are not needed if the point of time isqualified by an adjective)


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Prepositions

Expression of place

In- used before the names of large places

such as capital cities, countries and states.

Ex: I live in Bangalore

At- used before villages and smaller town.

Ex: My friend lives at Hassan.


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Brevity Brevity lies in saying only what needs to be said and

leaving out unnecessary words or details.

Brevity is not to be achieved at the cost of clarity.

Avoid wordiness

Ex: The vast majority of farmers in India are poorin a greater or lesser degreeMost Indian farmers are quite poor.

Develop logical paragraphs. One idea per paragraph

Control paragraph length.Adopt sub paragraphs if too long

Appropriate opening and close. To get desired results


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Language and tone

Standard English : The most commonly usedand accepted words and the language of the

educated people

It should follow rules of grammar,punctuation, spelling, paragraph forming

Tone : Refers to feelings created by words

used to communicate a message.


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Levels of formality

Informal: Used for social or personalcommunications. It may use colloquialism,slang and regional words.

Semi-formal : It is leveled somewhere betweeninformal and too academic. Avoid using words that underline the negative aspects

Write with cool frame of mind

Focus on positive, project the neutral rather than the negative view point .

Strictly formal : It is scholarly and it useswords which are more academic and literacy innature.


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You -attitude

It refers to the readers point of view

You should try to convey your understanding of

the readers position.

Present the information by visualizing how itwill affect the feelings of the reader.

Authors emphasis:I congratulate you on successfully accomplishing the task

Readers emphasis: Congratulations on successfully accomplishing the task.

Authors emphasis: To reduce office work and save our time, we are

introducing a new system of registration for you

Readers emphasis: To facilitate your registration, we are changing the system


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Natural language

We should keep the message brief

Do not use old fashioned words

Letters and memos should be written in the

language of everyday speech.


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Choose active voice

In a sentence subject is the main thing. It is thedoer of an action

There are two part of the sentence subject and

predicate Subject is that about which something is said; the

predicate is whatever is said about the subject.

Active : Style describes the products look and feel

to the buyer

Passive : The products look and feel are described

to the buyer by style.


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Clarity

Use formal English & avoid slang.

Prefer positive, natural Language.

Use concise, specific, concrete Language.

Use short sentences and avoid meandering long

sentences.


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Conciseness & Correctness

Must be correct in terms of spellings,grammer,punctuation and use of Language.

Use correct prepositions i.e in,on,to,at etc and

avoid unnecessary shift in tenses. Length is discouraged conciseness is encouraged

Shorter words are generally more familiar and

hence understood easily .


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3x3 WRITING PROCESS FOR

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION


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The basics of business writing

To prepare business messages and oralpresentation, you may have to consider thefollowing:

Business messages serve the following 3goals:

i. Purposeful.

ii. Economical / Concise.

iii. Reader Oriented. (Audience)


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Purposeful:Business writing aims at EXPRESSING and notat IMPRESSING. Here you will be trying to putforth your ideas in a simple but effective way andnot exhibit your powerful vocabulary or

extensive knowledge. Hence every message youprepare will have a static purpose.

Business Messages serve the following Purpose:

Provide information.

Solve a problem.

Persuade / Change Behavior.

Requests resources necessary to accomplish

a goal.


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Economical/Concise

Business messages present perfectinformation and there is nodeviation from the subject.

Messages are short, clear andefficient hence respects everyones

time.

Length is discouraged, concisenessis encouraged.


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Audience/ReaderOriented:

Business messages,Helps understand an issue.

Ask them to collaborate on

accomplishing a goal.Persuade them to take some action.

Hence every message prepared,

Must consider the audiencesbackground.

Take audiences point of view into

account.


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The 3 x 3 writing process basically made of 3phases:

PHASE1 PHASE2 PHASE31. Analyze 1. Research 1. Revise

2. Anticipate 2. Organize 2. Proofread

3. Adapt 3. Compose 3. Evaluate


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Analyze

Identify your purpose

Selecting the best channel


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Anticipating the audience

Visualize your audience

Discover what kind of language isappropriate

Analyze whether your tone should beformal or informal

Identify whether the receiver is neutral,positive or negative to determine how toorganize the message.

Adapting to the task and


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Adapting to the task andaudience

Creating your message that suits your audience

Tone reflects how a receiver feels upon reading themessage

For ex:You must return the form by 5pm

Would you please return the form by 5pm

Cultivate a you attitude and avoid gender, racial,age bias

Be courteous by using familiar and precise words


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The writing process may be viewed as comprising ofthree distinct phases.

1. Pre-writing / planning .

2. Writing.3. Completing.

Each phase is further divided into THREE majoractivities.

The 3 x 3 process provides the writer with a systematicplan for developing all business communication fromsimple memos and informational reports to corporateproposals and oral presentations.


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Pre writing

This prepares you to write involves :

Analyzing, Anticipating and Adapting

Analyzing:

Study / Clarify the purpose of your communication.

Ex: Letter to a department store as a manufacturer ofJeans

Analyze the audience / customer so that the

message can be written to meet their needs, andexpectations.

Analyze what medium is best needed in terms ofurgency and cost.

Ex. E-mail, memo, letter, report, phone.,


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Anticipate:Empathize and gather the information

that will inform, persuade or motivate theaudience.

Adapt:

The message by selecting the channeland medium to suit both audience /customer and your needs.

Finally, establish a good relationship withyour audience / customer.


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2. Writing

This involves researching, organizing andthen composing the messages.

Researching:Through research / study or survey satisfy your

audiences.

Organizing:

Organize your information / ideas into a loose

outline. Decide on a strategy for revealing your

information most effectively.

Begin composing your first draft.


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Composing: In composing thoughts are committed to words to

write first draft.

Control your style through appropriate degree offormality depending on target audience.

Blend it with suitable conversational tone based onsituation.

Choose your words carefully & create effectivesentences and paragraphs.

Select illustration, details, annexure / catalogs,price list etc., to support your main idea.


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Phase 3

Completing:This involves revising, proofread andevaluating.

Revise and rewrite until the message comes across

clarity concisely and effectively. Proof-read carefully to ensure correct spelling,

grammar, punctuation, and format / layout.


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Phase 1 requires 25% time: Worrying &Planning .

Phase 2 requires 25% time: Writing

Phase 3 requires 50% time: Revising 45% &Proof reading 5%.

Good writers spend most of their time inrevising.

The 3 x 3 writing process is not a rigidstructure.

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BC MODULE 3