Module 7: Writing
Dr. Soumya Sankar Ghosh
Assistant Professor
VIT Bhopal University
Part-1: Business Letters
Seven C’s of Letter Writing
• Clarity
• Conciseness
• Correctness
• Courtesy
• Cordiality
• Conviction
• Completeness
Seven C
• Clarity and conciseness
• Conciseness means saying what needs to be said in as few words as possible—a
required skill in technical communication. While many writers can get their meanings
across to readers, only skilled ones can do so effectively in a few words.
• The message must be clear and specific. A cluttered sentence might not only make the
message difficult to understand but also be interpreted in more than one way. By
being unambiguous, we can achieve conciseness as well as clarity. Lack of clarity and
conciseness is often because of the following reasons:
• Long, involved sentences
• Sentences revealing over-enthusiasm
• Verbosity or wordiness
• Redundancy or use of low information content (LIC) words
Seven C
• Correctness and Completeness
• The term correctness refers to accuracy or precision, and the term completeness
refers to thoroughness or giving all the required details. To be correct and complete,
one has to understand the purpose of the letter and convey it clearly.
• Use evaluative and factual words/phrases rather than abstract and general expressions.
• Use unambiguous words/phrases.
• Proofread the message for accuracy of spelling and grammar before sending it.
• Check whether all queries have been answered and all details provided.
Seven C
• Courtesy and consideration
• Being polite to the readers helps earn their respect and sustain the relationship with
them. A courteously written correspondence shows not only the writer’s friendly
concern but also consideration for the reader’s needs and feelings. This helps forge a
stronger bond between the two individuals.
Business Letters
Types Objectives
Credit To enquire or request for loan
Collection To collect past due accounts
Enquiry To enquire the status of something; price lists; catalogues
Order placement To place an order for products or services
Claim To lodge a complaint and ask for a remedy
Adjustment To inform how the complaint would be taken care of
Sales To sell a product or service
Fund-raising To request the readers to donate money or time
Job Application To apply for an employment
Covering letter for job application
Thank you/follow-up To express courtesy/get updated information
Acceptance/rejection To take up/refuse an offer or assignment
Resignation To give up a job without creating an unpleasant situation
Persuasive To convince
Part-3: Memo Writing
Memos
• Memos solve problems either by informing the reader about new information,
such as policy changes, price increases, etc., or by persuading the reader to take
an action, such as attend a meeting, use less paper, or change a current
production procedure.
• Inter-office memos enable the flow of information in all the three types of
organizational communication, namely vertical, horizontal, and diagonal.
Types of Memos
• Documentary Memos
• These memos are mainly used for conveying information.
• It is written to a subordinate to remind, to announce, to give instructions, to explain a
policy or procedure, to a peer or superior to make a request or routine
recommendation, or to confirm an agreement.
• Short reports also can be submitted in the form of documentary memos.
Types of Memos
• Congratulatory Memos
• Memos are also used to give credit to employees of an organization for the
outstanding work they have accomplished.
• Similarly, employees can also send their compliments in the form of a memo to their
officers, for the awards or achievements that the latter may have earned.
• Disciplinary memos
• When employees violate the rules or breach the code of conduct in an organization,
they will be served either with a severe warning or any other punishment as decided
by the management.
Structure and Layout
• Heading
• Opening
• Discussion
• Closing
• Signature
• Necessary Attachments (optional)
• Distribution (optional)
Heading
• The heading segment follows this general format:
• Name of the organization and address (Printed Letterhead)
• Date: (Complete and current date)
• To: (Designation of the recipient)
• From: (Designation of the sender)
• Subject: (What the memo is about, highlighted in some way)
Opening
• The purpose of a memo is usually found in the opening paragraphs.
• It is presented in three parts:
• Context and problem
• Specific assignment or task
• Purpose of the memo.
• Example: ‘This memo presents a description of the current situation, some
proposed alternatives, and my recommendations.’
Opening
• Some guidelines for the memo’s opening segment:
• Include only as much information as is needed by the decision makers in the context,
but be convincing in establishing that a real problem exists. Do not ramble on with
insignificant details.
• If one has trouble putting the task into words, consider whether you are clear in the
mind about the situation. More planning might be required before writing the memo.
• Ensure that the forecast statement divides the subject into topics most significant to
the decision maker.
Discussion
• The discussion segment is the part where we develop the arguments that
support our ideas.
• For example, if a memo is being written to a superior who has asked for an
analysis of the feasibility of offering some new services to employees the details
of the analysis can be explained in this section.
• Such as,
• I personally went to the reprography section of our institute and found out that the
photocopier is not effective because of the poor quality of stationery used. The paper
used is very thin and hence the impressions of one side fall on the other.
Discussion
• Example 2
• Our committee examined the case and the details are given below:
• 1. Adequate quotations were not received for the purchase of the two machines.
We found out that there are five dealers for the sale of these machines in our
locality.
• 2. The machines were not properly checked as soon as they were received. They
were sent to the production division directly.
• 3. The Purchase Manager does not have adequate explanations for this casual
action.
Closing
• After the reader has absorbed all of the information, close with a courteous
ending that states the actions expected from the reader.
• Always consider how the reader will benefit from the desired actions and how
those actions can be made easier.
• A memo can end with some complimentary remarks or directive statements.
• Complimentary Close
• If our results continue to improve at this rate, we will attract more students during the
coming years. Congratulations!
• Please accept my compliments for introducing this new computing system in your
Division.
Few Tips
1. Use the standard format or the one prescribed by the organization.
2. Include all the necessary segments.
3. State clearly the context and purpose in the opening segment.
4. Keep in mind your relationship with the recipient to choose the degree of
formality.
5. Maintain a positive tone.
6. State in the closing segment what action is expected from the recipient.
7. Use features like highlighting, bold face, etc. to draw attention.
8. Keep the memo short.
Example
Part-4: Email Writing
Email Etiquette
• Answer swiftly
• Do not overuse reply all
• Use templates for frequently used responses
• Use proper structure and layout
• Identify yourself and the topic
• Answer all questions, and pre-empt further questions
• Be concise and to the point
• Use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation
Email Etiquette
• Do not write in CAPITALS
• Avoid long sentences
• Use active instead of passive voice
• Keep your language gender-neutral
• Maintain coherence
• Do not overuse the high priority option
• Do not attach unnecessary files
• Re-read the email before you send it
Email Etiquette
• Take care with abbreviations and emoticons
• Be careful with formatting
• Use the Bcc: field or do a mail merge
• Using the cc field
• Do not reply to spam
Part 5 – Minutes of Meeting
Meeting Minutes
• Meeting minutes, or mom (for minutes of meeting) can be defined as the written
record of everything that's happened during a meeting.
• They're used to inform people who didn't attend the meeting about what
happened, or to keep track of what was decided during the meeting so that you
can revisit it and use it to inform future decisions.
Purpose of Meeting Minutes
• After all, your committee or Board doesn’t want or need a record of its meeting
proceedings minute by minute! But it is important to capture the essence of the
meeting, including details such as:
• decisions made (motions made, votes, etc.)
• next steps planned
• identification and tracking of action items
• In some cases, meeting minutes can act as a reference point, for example:
• when a meeting’s outcomes impact other collaborative activities or projects within the
organization
• minutes can serve to notify (or remind) individuals of tasks assigned to them and/or
timelines
What’s Involved With Meeting Minutes?
• Pre-Planning
• Record taking - at the meeting
• Minutes writing or transcribing
• Distributing or sharing of meeting minutes
• Filing or storage of minutes for future reference
Pre-Planning
• Meeting Agenda:
• At the very least, it’s important to get a copy of the meeting agenda and use it as a
guide or outline for taking notes, setting up your mom format, and preparing the
minutes – with the order and numbering of items on the minutes of meeting matching
those of the agenda.
• Clarifying Expectations:
• When you take on a new role as minutes-taker or Secretary, be sure to ask the Chair of
the committee or Board what their expectations are of your role during the meeting,
as well as the type of detail he/she expects in the minutes.
Format and Layout
• Date and time of the meeting
• Names of the meeting participants and those unable to attend (e.g., “regrets”)
• Acceptance or corrections/amendments to previous meeting minutes
• Decisions made about each agenda item, for example:
• Actions taken or agreed to be taken
• Next steps
• Voting outcomes – e.g., (if necessary, details regarding who made motions; who seconded
and approved or via show of hands, etc.)
• Motions taken or rejected
• Items to be held over
• New business
• Next meeting date and time
Tips
• Create an outline
• Check-off attendees as they enter the room
• Record decisions or notes on action items
• Ask for clarification if necessary
• Don’t try to capture it all
• Record it
Templates
THANK YOU