Nota Workplace Oum

7/29/2019 Nota Workplace Oum

1/21

nota workplace oum

CHAPTER 7

Graphics Aids in Business Communication

-The most common types of graphic aids are bar graphs, pictographs, line

graphs, pie graphs,

organization charts, flowcharts, line drawings, cutaway drawings, and

photographs.

Tables

-presenting numerical data.

-presenting lots of data and for giving absolute values when precision is very

important.

Bar Graphs

A bar graph uses bars of equal width in varying lengths to represent a comparison of items at one particular time;

a comparison of items over time;

changes in one item over time; or

a comparison of portions of a single item.

-horizontal and vertical axes-two elements

-useful to understand overall trends and comparisons.

-either a vertical or horizontal direction.

-appear on both sides of the axis to indicate positive and negative quantities.

-cannot represent exact quantities

Pictographs

-a variation of a bar graph that uses symbols to illustrate specific quantities of

items.

-shows the changes in particular items over a period of time.

-cannot adequately represent exact figures or fractions.

Line Graphs

-uses a line between the horizontal and vertical axes to show changes in the

relationship between the elements represented by the two axes.

-useful for illustrating trends.

-Three or four lines appear on the same graph for comparison

-distinguished by colour or design, and a key must identify them.

Pie Charts


2/21

-segments of the circle, or pie, representing portions of the whole used to indicate

distribution trends

-good at providing a quick visual impression of a particular item

-difficult to represent exact quantities.

-Colours and shading are used to highlight segments of special importance, or

separate one segment

GANTT CHARTS

used for scheduling and tracking the key events

steps complete a project. shows the steps involved in a project and their

relationships over time.

CHAPTER 9

A resume is a summary or inventory of your qualifications and experience.

Contains of resume education

training and skills

experience; and

achievements

-should not include personal information-marital status- date of birth

Resumes help employers

become familiar with a potential employee's work and education prior to the

interview

by serving as a reminder, after an interview, of an employee's assets; and

screen out unqualified applicants in a highly competitive marketplace.

Claire Lopes

38 Jalan Hang Lekiu

75200 Melaka, Malaysia

Stanley Tong 11 November 2006

Product Manager

KLTEX

Lot 5, Industrial Estate40200 Shah Alam,

Selangor

Application for the post of Customer Service Representative

Dear Mr. Tong,

A motivated worker with a strong foundation in business administration and


3/21

customer service is the background that I would bring to your organization. I am

goaloriented,

able to focus on the task, and have proven reliability to get the job done.

I believe that I meet all your requirements as listed in the advertisement. In my

present

firm I have had exposure to a wide variety of duties as a customer service

representative. Over the years I have developed excellent interpersonal skills and

gained extensive experience in mediating problems to find acceptable solutions. In

addition, I excel at writing clear understandable reports or letters. I have also

become

proficient in using all major office software as well as internet software. I was also

involved in setting up the on-line customer service Web page.

My present post is satisfying and the environment is pleasant, but I feel that my

career

would benefit now from a change.

I would like to meet with you to discuss the valuable contributions I could make to

your company. I can be reached at 06-7053266.

Your consideration and time is most appreciated.

Sincerely,

Claire Lopes (Miss)

CHAPTER 3

examples of language expressions that can be used at different stages of meeting

or discussion.

(a) Starting a meetingWell, ladies and gentlemen, I think we should begin

If everyone is here, we can start

Shall we start?

(b) Introducing the agenda

Today we need to talk about

Let us look at the first item on the agenda

The first item on the agenda is.

(c) Stating objectives

The purpose of this meeting is, first, to ... and secondly to... .The main objective of our meeting is ...

(d) Keeping the meeting moving

Could you tell us more about

Shall we continue?

(e) Closing the meeting

Does anyone have anything else to add?


4/21

If thats all, we can stop here.

part of meetings -asking and giving opinions. You can

number of ways an opinion can be expressed in:

a forceful way;

a neutral way; or

tentatively (with some hesitation or reservation).

Asking for opinions

Would you mind telling me what you think of

What do you think of/about.

Whats your opinion of.

What do you feel about.

What are your views on. ?

Any comments..?

Giving an opinionI think that..

I feel/ believe that..

In my opinion / view

My opinion is that..

My point of view is

Ways of Expressing Agreement

Strong

I quite agree.---Yes, definitely.----Im in complete agreement.---Exactly.----Precisely.

Neutral

agree.-----Youre right there----.think you are right.----Thats true.----Thats right.

Disagreement

Strong

I disagree completely.---Thats out of the question.On the contrary.----Of course not!

Thats ridiculous.

Neutral

I dont agree.---Thats not how I see it.----I wouldnt say that.---I think you arewrong.---I disagree.

CHAPTER 4 MAKING A PRESENTATION

sort out your ideas and the relevant information

plan your talk carefully

--Plan Athe structure of content, that is, the arrangement of the


5/21

ideas and facts

--Plan Bthe structure of the presentation, that is, how you are going to present

your

subject matter.

techniques to structure your ideas.

-mind mapping,-- outlining --- using specific organisational patterns.

(a) Mind mapping

Develop your theme by writing the central idea on the centre of the page.

(b) Outlining

This technique encourages you to think in a linear fashion, forming a macro

structure, and then filling in details.

(c) Use of organizational patterns

The content of your talk can also be outlined or presented according to a specific

organisational pattern. Some of the different ways of doing this are described asfollows.

(i) Chronological order

----useful for narratives, sequences, processes or series of events.

(ii) Spatial order

----used for describing buildings, places or locations.

(iii) Topical order

This is useful when you have a number of specific topics or subtopics for your

talk; you may begin with the most important topic and lead to the least

important.

(iv) Comparison-contrast order

For this, you organize the information according to the similarities and/or

differences between the various subjects you wish to talk about, as well as the

positive and negative aspects of subject or topic.

(v) Cause-effect order

This pattern organizes information according to the causes and effects of an

action or initiative.

(vi) Problem-solution order

For this structure, your talk will focus on a sequence of problems and their

respective solutions.

Examine the presentation

4.2.2 Structure of Presentation

(a) Audience awareness

(b) Effective opening lines

(c) Appropriate visual aids


6/21

(d) Non-verbal communication

CHAPTER 5 -----THE LANGUAGE OF BUSINESS WRITING

factors will improve the effectiveness of business communication.

5.1.1 Choice of Words

-choose the familiar words

-be concise ---get to the point ---avoid using cliches ---jargon is unnecessary ----use

non sexist language.

5.1.2 Sentence Structure

Important part --- readability and punctuation.

--short sentences easier to read communicate the message more clearly.--Using a variety of sentence lengths helps to improve the flow of ideas.

--keep sentences within a length of between 15 and 20 words

--the use of proper punctuation helps the reader pause.

5.1.3 Paragraph Structure

---The coherence and cohesion of your writing will depend not only on your choice of

words and sentence structure, but also on how well you construct your paragraphs

---Business writing generally has three functions, namely:

to inform;

to instruct; and

to persuade.

Therefore, it is important to organize your ideas to suit your purpose of

communication.

5.1.4 Tone

---Effective business communication depends on choice of words and order of

information

in paragraphs to convey the right tone

--It is important to be courteous at all times.--have your customers goodwill at all times

--Avoid using imperatives

--Add please to sound more polite

-- sentences in each paragraph must have a logical development---however,

while, therefore

--connectors such as, and as will help to make a text more coherent.


7/21

5. 2.GRAMMAR: SINGULAR AND PLURAL FORMS

5.3.1 Countable Nouns

Countable nouns have the following features:

are individual things, people and places: a diary, a memo, a letter, a photo, a

receptionist, a factory;

are units of measurement such as a metre, a mile, a kilo, a pound, a litre, a gallon;

are used with a / an;

can be used in the plural (diaries, memos); and

follow words such as many, these, several, few, a number of.

5.3.2 Uncountable Nouns

(a) Uncountable nouns include:

substances: gas, glass, gold, iron, oil, plastic, water;

many abstract ideas: health, humour, profitability, progress, relevance, safety;and

verbal nouns: brainstorming, job-sharing, restructuring, shopping, timing.

(b) Uncountable nouns:

do not take the when used in the general sense (e.g. NOT the travel broadens the

mind);

take the singular form of the verb; and

are placed after words like much, a little, a great deal of.

5.3.3 Plural Nouns

Here are some rules on how to change a noun to the plural form.

(a) We add s to form the plural of most nouns. If the noun ends in s, x, or ch or

sh,

we add es e.g.

letters, minutes, classes, boxes, bunches, crashes

(b) If the final consonant of a noun is followed by y, it is changed into ies e.g.

industries, deliveries

(c) There are nouns which only occur in the plural -- Earnings --- headquarters.

goods-- premises--thanks ---works--outskirts

(d) Singular nouns ending in s s but are not plural: news--- Politics--- Economics

5.4. LAYOUT

The layout helps to create a good impression of the company you are

representing. The three main types of layout are:

(a) Full block layout.

(b) Modified block layout.


8/21

(c) Modified block layout with indented paragraphs.

5.5 PUNCTUATION STYLES

There are two styles of punctuating a business letter, namely:

(a) the open style; and

(b) the mixed style.

The open style does not use punctuation except in the body of the letter (see

Exercise 6.2).

The mixed style places a comma after the greeting and after the complimentary

close, e.g.

Dear Mr. Devadas and Yours sincerely, (

Chapter 6---

1.THE FORMAT OF BUSINESS LETTERS

---more formal than other types of correspondence.---The style of the letter can be varied to reduce formality depending on familiarity

with the receiver.

--- The layout of the letter provides the frame for the body of your letter.

2.PARTS OF A LETTER

1 Letterhead

2 Date

3 Inside address

4 Attention line

5 Greeting

6 Subject line

7 Body

8 Complimentary close

9 Signature block

A good business letter should be well planned

An effective letter expresses its purpose clearly, is well organized and meets the

needs ofthe receiver.

a. DECIDE ON PURPOSE OF LETTER

Ask yourself why you are writing this letter and stay

focused on this purpose

b. DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY


9/21

Only include information relevant to the purpose

c. NOTE DOWN ALL IDEAS IN POINT FORM

This is to ensure you have included all relevant

points and are not relying on memory alone

d. ORDER ALL IDEAS IN POINT FORM

Arrange according to the order of information

appropriate for the purpose

e. WRITE THE FIRST DRAFT, USING PLAIN ENGLISH

Avoid jargon, clichs, unfamiliar words and long structures

f. READ THE LETTER TO ENSURE THAT YOU WILL ACHIEVE THE PURPOSE

The receiver should be able to respond in the manner intended

g. REWRITE IF NECESSARY

Check against the appropriate order of information,details, including grammar and

spelling

TYPES OF LETTERS

Letters generally fall into three categories. They are:

(a) Good news letters

(b) Neutral letters

(c) Bad news letters

The purposes of good news letters and neutral letters

inquiry;

request;

reply to an inquiry/request;

acknowledgement of receipt of letter;

introduction of self and organization;

information about organizations services and activities;

granting a loan or extending credit;

confirming success at an interview; and

special offer for valued customers.

the direct order of information of good news and neutral letter

Identify the letters purpose in the subject line or opening paragraph.

Place the good news in the opening paragraph. State the details that support the good news in the middle paragraphs.

Close with a statement of goodwill.


10/21

(a) Letter of Inquiry

A letter of inquiry is written when we need to ask for more information concerning a

product or service that interests us.

Jackson Beare

2520 Visit Avenue Technology Park45320 Bukit Jalil,

Selangor 12

September 2006

Yong Brothers

34 Jalan 22/14B,

41200 Petaling Jaya,

Selangor

To Whom It May Concern:

With reference to your advertisement in yesterdays New Johor Times, could you

please send me a copy of your latest catalogue? I would also like to know if it is

possible to make purchases online.

Yours faithfully

Jackson Beare

(b) Letter for Placing OrdersA letter of order is written when you are certain about the items or service you

require.

Sample Letter Placing an Order

(Letterhead)

23 September 2006


11/21

Mr. Jack Chia,

Director

Bookmark Online

New Jersey, WA 98795

Dear Mr. Chia

Would you please send me the following books via COD? According to your web

site,orders are to include the title, author and publisher.

Title Author Publisher

Driving Home Peter Lawford Jaber and Co.

Christmas Myth Margaret Smith New York Press

Landscaping for Fun Janet Patterson Skylight Ltd.

Please contact me if you have any questions. We look forward to doing business

with you.

Yours sincerely

(signature here)

Fred Lingam,

Head, English Department

FL/es

(c) Letter of Reply to an inquiry

A Letter Replying to an Inquiry

Thank you for taking an interest in our bank. As one of the leaders in this

industry,we can assure you that our products and our services will not disappoint

you.

I would like to take this opportunity to briefly set forth our terms and conditions formaintaining an open account with our firm. Invoices are payable within 30 days of

receipt, with a 2% discount available if your payment is remitted within ten (10)

days of receipt. We consider this incentive an excellent opportunity for our

customers to increase their profit margin, and therefore encourage the use of this

discount privilege whenever possible. We do, however, require that our invoices be

paid within the specified time for our customers to take advantage of this 2%

discount.


12/21

At various times throughout the year we may offer our customers additional

discounts on our products. In determining your cost in this case, you must apply

your special discount first, and then calculate your 2% discount for early payment.

As the credit manager, I will be happy to answer any questions you may have

regarding your new account. I can be reached at the above number. Welcome to

our family of customers.

6.4.2 Bad News Letter convey bad news to the reader

written for the following reasons:

refuse credit;

refuse a request;

decline to speak at a function;

notify an unsuccessful job applicant; and

explain inability to fulfil an order.

You may use the following order of information:

Open with a courteous opening.

Explain the situation fully. State the bad news.

Close with a positive paragraph.

6 .4.3 Persuasive Letters

--written to influence the reader in some way. It aims to persuade the reader to buy

a product, pay an overdue account, or to consider an application for work.

AttentionInterestDesireAction

Writers strategy Readers response

1. Use attention-getting devices Pays attention to the topic

2. Appeal to the readers self-interest Expresses interest in the topic

3. Raise awareness of the need to Has the desire to take action

take the action


13/21

4. Show how to take action Takes the desired action

CHAPTER 8. ----Memos, E-Mails and Faxes

-A memo or memorandum is a form of written business communication.

-Memos are passed internally, within a company.-They rarely go out to clients.

-A government department may use them to communicate with other government

departments or authorities.

-It is less formal than a letter but is still regarded as a serious document,

And is almost always carefully filed.

8.1.1 Advantages of a Memo

There are several advantages of a memo as detailed by the following.

The same message is communicated accurately to many people at the same time.

It takes little time to construct because it is informal yet provides a written record

for

filing and reference.

It allows the writer to convey detailed or difficult information logically and

accurately.

It can indicate, by a company letterhead, that it is an internal piece of

communication

and part of company procedures.

8.1.2 Overview of Parts of a Memo Headings (To, From, Date, Subject).

Body (written in short paragraphs, blocked to the left margin).

Reference initials (Optional).

Attachment notation.

8.1.3 Distribution List


14/21

Included when memo is sent to a group rather than an individual.

Names listed at the bottom of memo.

(i) Alphabetical order or rank order.

(ii) Indented to the first tab.

Memorandum

TO: Lorraine Chin, Office Manager

FROM: Oliver Smith, OA/CIS Consultant

DATE: March 16, 2006

SUBJECT: Memorandums for Internal Correspondence

A memorandum is an internal form of communication that is

sent within the organization. It is a means by which managers

correspond with employees and vice versa. Memos are filed

as records of announcements, requests for action, policiesand procedures.

Templates, or preformatted forms, are often used for

keying memos. Templates give a uniform look for company

correspondence and save the employee the time to construct

and format each memo. Word processing software also has a

customized memo template.

xx REFERENCE INITIALS

Attachment - ATTACHMENT NOTATION

(Items clipped or attached to a memo.)

DISTRIBUTION LIST

The names of the recipients are

listed in alphabetical order or

according to rank.

Eddie Lazarus

Merican bin Mohd. Noor

Dinah binti Abdul SamadAmy Chan

FIVE TYPES OF MEMO

The five types of routine memos are:

(a) Instruction memo

(b) Request memo


15/21

(c) Announcement memo

(d) Transmittal memo

(e) Authorization memo

E-MAILS

Electronic communication is one of the fastest growing communication trends in the

world today. The electronic mail is a facility which enables an individual to create a

message within a mail application on a computer, and then, with the push of a

button,

send it to the electronic mail box of another individual. It is sent via intranet (LAN)

and

via the World Wide Web (www).

8.4.1 Netiquette

Netiquette refers to etiquette on the net. It maintains and promotes goodwillbetween the

writer and the receiver. A professional e-mail message should be courteous and

confident.

8.4.2 Net Addresses

Each part of a net address has a specific purpose appropriate to the writer and the

reader.

Net addresses must be accurately written.

8.4.3 Addressing E-mails

By pointing and clicking the mouse, or by using arrow keys and then pressing the

enter

key, one or more names can be selected and automatically entered into the to

field.

NOTE: E-mails generally take the format of a standard memo.

8.4.4 Layout

The layout of an e-mail message is the frame from your message. The acceptable

minimum parts for an e-mail message are as follows:

Receivers name

Senders name

Subject

Date

Body

E-mail address


16/21

At least one other way, apart from the e-mail address, of contacting the sender

8.4.5 E-mail Abbreviations

These abbreviations are sometimes used in e-mails. AFAIK stands for As far as I

know

and HTH stands for Hope this helps. Other common abbreviations include: btw (by

the

way), fwiw (for what its worth) and imo (in my opinion).

FAXES

--well-established ---- widely used because of their speed, convenience and

flexibility.

---as fast as a telephone---- speed ---relatively cheap--- more convenient than e-mail

---paper can be put through a fax machine ----

--- can be used by companies with no computers or Internet connections.Fax Layout

1. cover sheet: the

first page of a fax

showing who it is

from

2. confidential

information:

things that others

should know

3. intended

recipient: the

person who

should receive the fax

4. advise the sender:

tell the person who

sent it

CHAPTER 9 --Cover Letters and Rsums9.1- Cover letter

---The letter of application is the covering letter for your job application.

---Should be 12 pages in length and be accompanied by a resume or curriculum

vitae (CV).

The cover letter serves to:

draw attention to relevant qualifications and experiences listed in the resume;


17/21

make a match between what you have to offer and the potential employers

needs;

persuade your potential employer to consider the application carefully; and

introduce yourself and ask for an interview.

9.1.1 Guidelines for Writing a Cover Letter

When writing a cover letter, the following should be taken into consideration.

(a) Opening paragraph

Use one of the following to draw the readers attention to what you want to offer

and

the job you are applying for.

Summarize the opening.

Name the opening.

Request an opening.

Question the availability of an opening.

(b) Middle paragraph(s)Use one of the following in each of your middle paragraphs to persuade the reader

to

invite you to an interview.

Education

Work experience

Ability to work with others and/or alone

Interest in your field

Interest in the company

Responsibilities in previous positions

(c) Closing paragraph

In the last paragraph, you can request for an interview stating that you will be

happy

to come to the employers office when convenient. Make it easy for the reader to

follow up by providing your telephone number and e-mail address.

NOTE: There are two types of letters of application: Solicited and Unsolicited. A

solicited letter is one where you are responding to a position advertised. An

unsolicited letter is one where you express interest in a position at yourown initiative and take a chance on being hired.

9.2.RESUME

-The rsum is a document that contains

-all your qualifications,

-experience


18/21

- achievements.

-It is the summary of your personal data,

-include your education,

-skills, qualifications, work experience, references, hobbies and interests.

-It is also sometimes referred to as a curriculum vitae or CV.

There are three types of rsum:

(a) Basic rsum

Includes all normal parts of a rsum, but is simpler and shorter; suitable for school

leavers

or those who have little work experience.

(b) Functional rsum

Uses a different order of presentation to highlight a wide range of skills and work

experience. Starts with the most recent work experience that matches potential

employers needs, followed by subheadings to highlight job functions; usesadvertisement as guide for specific functions; e.g. supervisory, marketing, training.

(c) Specific rsum

Prepared for a specific job, with emphasis on qualifications, skills and experience

particularly relevant to the job; presents experiences in terms of criteria advertised.

Highlight strengths with action words (verbs) such as achieve, adapt, initiate, install,

prepare, report, research, supervise, inspect or make.

CHAPTER 10 Business Reports

PLANNING AND WRITING REPORTS

several types of reports. --- long--, short---, formal ---or informal.

Reports can serve various purposes. There are reports which inform, reports which

A formal report contains the following:

A title page which includes the title of the report, recipients name, position and/or

organization, writers name and position (and organization if appropriate), and the

date

An introduction

Sections with headings in the body

Conclusions Recommendations (when required)

Attachments are included if their information is useful

A short report should contain:

a clear indication of your purpose;

accurate and objective information;


19/21

a suitable order of information which highlights the main points and leads logically

to

your conclusions; and

appropriate formal short report, letter or memo formatting.

There are three widely used short reports that usually follow the memo format, but

may

also follow the formats for a letter or formal report.

(a) Justification report

(b) Progress report (and completion report)

(c) Periodic report

Formal reports are major documents written to provide comprehensive information

and

expert opinion. They are written for specific purposes for example, to investigatethe

suitability of a particular site or to analyse achievements over a set period. They are

therefore usually long, and require careful organizing.

10.5.1 Sequence to Follow When Writing a Long Report

(a) Develop an outline with main headings and sub-headings.

(b) Begin with purpose statement and introduction.

(c) Write the main body of the report.

(d) Draw conclusions from the information you have presented in the body of the

report

and relate it to the purpose.(e) Write the conclusions, then your recommendations.

(f) Optional Prepare the preface, abstract, synopsis or executive summary after

presenting facts and findings.

(g) Include a list of references (bibliography) if you include researched material in

your

report.

(h) Include a table of contents and a table of graphics (diagrams, charts, graphs).

Each

item is to be placed in the order it appears.

(i) Write the letter of transmittal.

(j) Prepare the title page to complete the report.

Presentation

Presentation is the arrangement of information on the page. It creates an initial


20/21

impression of your organization and it is therefore important that layout is given

attention to project a professional image.

ways you can use for the presentation of your document.

Headings

Underlining

Indentation

Shading

Numbered lists or sections, as in reports

Space between paragraphs, left and right margins

Headers and footers

(a) The front matter

Title page

Letter of transmittal

Table of contents(b) The body (main text)

Introduction

Discussion and analysis of findings

Development of ideas

Conclusions

Recommendations

(c) The end matter

References

Appendices

There must be at least three main parts:

Introductory Section

It begins with the purpose statement that defines the reports main task or topic.

This

section presents the terms of reference which are the instructions for writing the

report.

Finally state the reports scope (limits).

NOTE: When writing to an expert reader who is familiar with the content, you can

start with the conclusions and recommendations first. Central Section: Body of Text

This section usually investigates and analyses the findings, and proposes solutions

for

any problem involved.

Present both the advantages and disadvantages.

Use headings to highlight main ideas.


21/21

A numbering system helps if the body of the report contains many ideas.

Final Section

This section contains the conclusions and recommendations. Set these out as

separate

sections.

The conclusion summarizes and evaluates the reports main facts. It is short. Do not

present new information in the conclusion.

Recommendations are the writers attempt to provide at least some answers to

questions and issues raised by the report. Clearly state the action required.

Recommendations are not need if the long report is intended as a database for

others

who will be responsible for planning and recommendations.

THE LANGUAGE in a report should present facts and information

Documents

Nota Workplace Oum