How to Write a Business Letter

Please have out the following materials:

1. Business Letter handouts

2. Research Resource handouts

3. Mental Health Project: Letter Writing Assignment handout

Parts of a Business LetterThis resource is organized in the order in which you should write a business letter, starting with the sender’s address if the letter is not written on letterhead.

Sender’s AddressThe sender’s address usually is included in letterhead. If you are not using letterhead, include the sender’s address at the top of the letter one line above the date. Do not write the sender’s name or title, as it is included in the letter’s closing. Include only the street address, city, and zip code.

DateThe date line is used to indicate the date the letter was written. However, if your letter is completed over a number of days, use the date it was finished in the date line. When writing to companies within the United States, use the American date format. (The United States-based convention for formatting a date places the month before the day. For example: June 11, 2001.) Write out the month, day and year two inches from the top of the page. Depending which format you are using for your letter, either left justify the date or tab to the center point and type the date.

WRITING THE BASIC BUSINESS LETTER

Inside AddressThe inside address is the recipient’s address. It is always best to write to a specific individual at the establishment/company to which you are writing. If you do not have the person’s name, do some research by calling the company or speaking with employees from the company. Include a personal title such as Ms., Mrs., Mr., or Dr. Follow a woman’s preference in being addressed as Miss, Mrs., or Ms. If you are unsure of a woman’s preference in being addressed, use Ms. If there is a possibility that the person to whom you are writing is a Dr. or has some other title, use that title. Usually, people will not mind being addressed by a higher title than they actually possess. To write the address, use the U.S. Post Office Format. For international addresses, type the name of the country in all-capital letters on the last line. The inside address begins one line below the sender’s address or one inch below the date. It should be left justified, no matter which format you are using.

WRITING THE BASIC BUSINESS LETTER ~ CONT’D

SalutationUse the same name as the inside address, including the personal title. If you know the person and typically address them by their first name, it is acceptable to use only the first name in the salutation (for example: Dear Lucy). In all other cases, however, use the personal title and last/family name followed by a colon. Leave one line blank after the salutation.If you don’t know a reader’s gender, use a non-sexist salutation, such as their job title followed by the receiver’s name. It is also acceptable to use the full name in a salutation if you cannot determine gender. For example, you might write Dear Chris Harmon: if you were unsure of Chris’s gender.

BodyFor block and modified block formats, single space and left justify each paragraph within the body of the letter. Leave a blank line between each paragraph. When writing a business letter, be careful to remember that conciseness is very important. In the first paragraph, consider a friendly opening and then a statement of the main point. The next paragraph should begin justifying the importance of the main point. In the next few paragraphs, continue justification with background information and supporting details. The closing paragraph should restate the purpose of the letter and, in some cases, request some type of action.

WRITING THE BASIC BUSINESS LETTER ~ CONT’D

ClosingThe closing begins at the same vertical point as your date and one line after the last body paragraph. Capitalize the first word only (for example: Thank you) and leave four lines between the closing and the sender’s name for a signature. If a colon follows the salutation, a comma should follow the closing; otherwise, there is no punctuation after the closing.

EnclosuresIf you have enclosed any documents along with the letter, such as a resume, you indicate this simply by typing Enclosures one line below the closing. As an option, you may list the name of each document you are including in the envelope. For instance, if you have included many documents and need to ensure that the recipient is aware of each document, it may be a good idea to list the names.

WRITING THE BASIC BUSINESS LETTER ~ CONT’D

Ask yourself, “Who am I writing to?”A friendly letter to:

• Family

• Friends

A professional letter to:

• Colleague(s)

• Boss

• Other

AUDIENCE

Consider Pig’s letter to his girlfriend, Pigita:

Remember, you are writing a formal letter to an organization.

How do we create a FORMAL tone?

What is TONE?

Tone is the overall attitude a writer projects toward the reader and the subject matter.

Sentence structure, formality and specificity of vocabulary, and neatness all contribute to a letter's tone.

Formal versus Informal:

Compare the following conversations:

Sarah, your BFF since 6th grade, wants to know all about your date with Tommy last

night.Sarah: TELL me all about it!!

Me: Okay, like, OMG, he showed up with a dozen roses and took me to this ballin’ restaurant, and we totally chilled at the pier. It was greazy. For real.

Sarah: Shut up!!

Me: Serious!

Now at dinner with your grandparents, they somehow

found out about Tommy and want to know all about your date:Grandma: How was your date last night, dear?

Me: It was delightful, Grandma. Tommy was such a gentleman.

Grandpa: Of course he would be – only the best for my granddaughter.

Me: Tommy took me to Milestone’s and then we went for a walk on the pier.

Grandma: Well, isn’t that sweet!

Purpose ~ Why are you writing this letter?

Example: your purpose is to ask your organization for information

about your career.

Business Letter in Block Style

(Notice that you don’t indent at all in a block style business letter)

1. Margins: the space around your letter.

1. Go to “File.”

2. Scroll down to “Page Set-Up”

3. On the “Margins” Tab, Put “1-Inch” for the top, bottom, left, and right margins.

2. You need your own address.

This part goes in the “heading” section.

Underneath your address, put the date.

Skip four lines.

3. Put your organization’s address in the “inside address” section.

Double space.

4. Salutation/Greeting

Dear Ms. Smith (or whoever is the head of your organization)

When name is unknown, do your research or use Ladies and Gentleman.

Double space.

5. Body: State your purpose

for writing this letter. Be

formal and polite; the

organization is doing YOU a

favor by sending you the information.

You may or may not have more than one paragraph. If you do, between each paragraph, be sure to double space.

6. Closing: Respectfully

Four spaces after the closing

Then your name. In between the closing and your name, that is where you would sign your name.

Assessing Library ResourcesGo to www.pickeringhs.caClick the Academics tab and click on LibraryScroll down to access databases and resourcesDatabases can be assessed from home

• Username: durham

• Password: research 12

PHS databases include the DDSB Learning Commons, Canadian Encyclopedia, SIRS, Big Chalk, Ebsco Host, Universalis, Life Sciences & EStat.

RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS

Purdue Online Writing Lab (MLA/APA/essay writing)Owl.english.purdue.edu

Library and Archives Canada – The Learning Centrewww.collectionscanada.gc.ca/education/

Finding Dulcinea – online directory/guides for students

•www.findingdulcinea.com

Teen Reads – student-based book review websitewww.teenreads.com

Statistics Canadawww.statcan.gc.ca/

The World Factbookwww.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/

WEBSITES TO EXPLORE

Ask yourself these important questions:Is my information relevant?Is my information accurate?Is my information fair or biased?Does my information come from quality sources?What is the point-of-view of my information?

PROCESSING RESEARCH

Author / Publisher•name, email, credentials, biasPurpose•inform, persuade, sell, satireSources & Links•documented, references, linked to other sitesDomain•edu, net, com, gov

EVALUATING RESOURCES

•Using an essay from another course/source•Using a friend’s homework or project•Using another person’s ideas as your own•Copying and pasting from an electronic encyclopedia, online database, or the Internet or using a graphic/picture/image from the Internet without citing the source•Faking a citation•Buying a paper online•Direct quoting of a source without using a citation•Paraphrasing without citing•Using an essay (or part of one) bought off the internet

WHAT COUNTS AS PLAGIARISM

•Books•Databases and Encyclopedias•Government websites•Educational institutions’ websites/blogs•Journals – online or print•Newspapers/Magazines•Interviews/podcasts/webcasts•Radio/Television Programs/DVDs•Statistics, censuses, maps & other data

GOOD SOURCES FOR RESEARCH

Basic GuidelinesMust appear on a separate page at the end of your finished productCentre the title, Works Cited, at the top of the pageAlphabetize all entries by the author’s last name, or by the title if the author is unknownIf the entry goes onto a second line, indent five spacesDouble-space the entire documentMedium of publication (print, web, etc.) is now a component of the MLA entryURLs for Web publications are provided only as supplementary informationDo not number entries or categorize entries under subheadingsFollow the format precisely, including italics, punctuation and capitalization

MLA CITATION GUIDE

Book by a single authorAuthor’s last name, Author’s first name. Title. Place: Publisher, Year. Print.

Book by two or more authorsAuthor’s last name, Author’s first name, and Author’s first name Author’s last name.

Title. Place: Publisher, Year. Print.

Book with an editorAuthor’s last name, Author’s first name. Title. Ed. Editor’s first name Editor’s last name. Place: Publisher, Year. Print.

Work in Anthology (such as a chapter, essay, short story)Author (of work) last name, Author’s first name. “Title of work.” Title of Anthology.

Ed. Editor’s first name and last name. Place: Publisher, Year. Pages of work. Print.

EXAMPLES FROM BOOKS IN PRINT FORM

Work in a Reference Book (such as an encyclopedia or dictionary)Author’s last name, Author’s first name. “Article Title.” Title. Edition. Year. Print.

Newspaper ArticleAuthor’s last name, Author’s first name. “Article Title.” Name of Newspaper. Year or

date of publication: page numbers. Print.Scholarly Journal in an Online DatabaseAuthor’s last name, Author’s first name. “Title of the Article.” Original Source of

Article. Date of original source: page numbers. Name of Database Used. Web. Date of access.

WebsiteAuthor’s last name, Author’s first name. “Title of work.” Title of site. Publisher (if

none, use n.p.). Date of publication (if none, use n.d.). Web. Date of access.

EXAMPLES FROM BOOKS IN PRINT FORM ~ CONT’D

Images

Last name, First name. Title of work. Date. Type. Original source. Web. Date of

access.

For extra helps or additional examples, visit the following sites:

www.mla.org/

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

EXAMPLES FROM BOOKS IN PRINT FORM ~ CONT’D

•In-text citations are used whenever you incorporate another’s words, facts, statistics or ideas•It enables the reader to quickly locate the full bibliographic entry on the Works Cited Page•The parenthetical citation appears immediately before the final punctuation of the sentence that contains the cited material•If you provide a signal phrase (usually the author’s surname) in the sentence, you do not need to include it in the parenthetical citation

MLA STYLE: IN-TEXT CITATIONS

•Book. Single Author•Book. Two or more books by the same author.•Book. Two authors•Book. Three authors•Book. No author•Book. Author’s work in an anthology.•Web. On-line library database.•Web. On-line scholarly site.•DVD, film or video.

(Author’s surname page #)(Author’s surname, Title page #)(Author’s surname and author’s surname page #)(Author’s surname, author’s surname and author’s surname page #)(Title page #)(Author’s surname page #)(Author’s surname page #)(Name of site)(Title of film)

Type of Entry In-text citation form

MLA STYLE: IN-TEXT CITATIONS

“Blueprint Lays Out Clear Path for Climate Action.” Environmental Defense Fund.

Environmental Defense Fund, 8 May 2007. Web. 24 May 2009.

Clinton, Bill. Interview by Andrew C. Revkin. “Clinton on Climate Change.” New

York Times. New York Times, May 2007. Web. 25 May 2009.

Dean, Cornelia. “Executive on a Mission: Saving the Planet.” New York Times. New York Times, 22 May 2007. Web. 25 May 2009.

Ebert, Roger. “An Inconvenient Truth.” Rev. of An Inconvenient Truth, dir. Davis Guggenheim. Rogerebert.com. Sun-Times News Group, 2 June 2006. Web.

24 May 2009.

GlobalWarming.org. Cooler Heads Coalition, 2007. Web. 24 May 2009.

Gowdy, John. “Avoiding Self-organized Extinction: Toward a Co-evolutionary Economics of Sustainability.” International Journal of Sustainable

Development and World Ecology 14.1 (2007): 27-36. Print.

WORKS CITED EXEMPLAR

An Inconvenient Truth. Dir. Davis Guggenheim. Perf. Al Gore, Billy West. Paramount, 2006. DVD.

Leroux, Marcel. Global Warming: Myth or Reality?: The Erring Ways of Climatology.

New York: Springer, 2005. Print.

Milken, Michael, Gary Becker, Myron Scholes, and Daniel Kahneman.

“On Global Warming and Financial Imbalances.” New Perspectives Quarterly 23.4 (2006): 63. Print.

Note-taking Sheets (Pickering HS Library)

WORKS CITED EXEMPLAR ~ CONT’D

Alzheimer’s Disease

Anxiety DisorderAnorexia NervosaAsperger SyndromeAutismBipolar DisorderBulimia NervosaDepressionDyslexia

Huntington’s DiseaseInsomniaKleptomaniaObsessive Compulsive DisorderParanoid Personality DisorderParkinson’s DiseasePost-traumatic Stress DisorderSchizophreniaSocial Phobias/Agoraphobia

YOUR ASSIGNMENT…MENTAL HEALTH PROJECT:

LETTER WRITING ASSIGNMENT

Choose from the following list of mental illnesses/disorders:

1. Library research note-taking sheets must be submitted with assignmentClear paraphrasing of important informationEffectively organized details (use headings, colour, even pictures/arrows!)Notes must be neat, effectively organized, and completely legible2. A minimum of two different sources are required3. Works Cited4. All quotes or facts must be cited within your letter (using in-text citations)

ADDITIONAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

1. Choose your topic from the list supplied2. Using databases or authoritative websites, find

at least two useful sources of information on this topic. Websites of reputable organizations that deal with this health issue can be considered reliable. Randomly googled websites cannot be trusted.

3. As soon as you find each suitable source of information, copy and paste the source in MLA format into a Word document headed “Works Cited.”

4. Make point-form notes in your own words on each source. Use one correctly chosen note-taking sheet for each source.

PART 1: RESEARCH

Useful Headings for Your NotesSymptomsCausesImpact of this condition on the sufferer, their family, and the communityTreatmentExtent of this mental health issue. (How many people are affected by it.)

5. Hand in your point-form notes for marking.6. Hand in your Works Cited page (in MLA format) for marking.

PART 1: RESEARCH ~ CONT’D

/4 marks ~ Student has found at least two authoritative sources (e.g. articles on a database, books, or the website of a reputable organization concerned with this mental issue). Randomly googled websites do not count as reliable sources./2 marks ~ Student has recorded all bibliographic information for each source./10 marks ~ Student has recorded sufficient relevant information on their chosen topic./5 marks ~ Notes are organized under relevant headings (e.g. those suggested on the assignment sheet), with indentation and underlining used to highlight key points.Suggested headings:•Symptoms•Causes•Impact of this condition on the sufferer, their family, and the community•Treatment•Extent of this mental health issue/4 marks ~ Student has completed a Works Cited page in MLA format.Total: /25 marks

MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH: RUBRIC

Write a formal letter to the provincial Minister of Health (Ms Penny Pincher) arguing that an extra one million dollars should be added to the health budget each y ear specifically to help people affiliated by this mental health issue. Use your research to help you write a persuasive letter.Overleaf you will find a suggested outline for your letter to the minister. You should use a combination of research evidence and acedote so that you appeal both the minster’s intellect and to her emotions.

PART 2: WRITING A FORMAL LETTER ON THIS TOPIC

Your letter should cover the following areas:Capacity in which you are writing (e.g. someone who suffers from or knows or works with people who suffer from this condition)Request for additional fundsImpact of this condition on sufferers, their families, and the community. You could mention how widespread this problem is.The importance of providing additional funds to help people with this condition and how these extra funds could be best used (e.g. for treatment)Anecdotal evidence to help persuade the reader. (You might draw your example from one of the texts read in class, if it is relevant. Or you could write about someone you know or about whom you have read.)

CONTENT OF THE LETTER (20 MARKS)

You must use the correct format for a formal or business letter. There is an exemplar in this package of materials.

FORMAT OF THE LETTER(10 MARKS)

Write a formal letter to the provincial Minister of Health (Ms. Penny Pincher) arguing that an extra one million dollars should be added to the health budget each year specifically to help people afflicted by this mental health issue. Use your research to help you write a persuasive letter./10 marks ~ FormatStudent uses the correct format for a formal or business letter, as shown in the exemplar. The letter must be typed./20 marks ~ ContentThe letter has at least one relevant sentence on each of the following topics. The letter makes an effective appeal for more funding, using a combination of research evidence and anecdote, appealing both to the reader’s intellect and to their emotions.a)Capacity in which you are writing (e.g. someone who suffers from or knows or works with people who suffer from this condition)b)Request for additional fundsc)Impact of this condition on sufferers, their families, and the community. You could mention how widespread this problem isd)The importance of providing additional funds to help people with this condition and how these extra funds could be best used (e.g. for treatment)e)Anecdotal evidence to help persuade the reader. (You might draw your example from one of the texts read in class, if it is relevant. Or you could write about someone you know or about whom you have read.)

RUBRIC: WRITING A FORMAL LETTER ON THIS

TOPIC