WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

Effective English writing

I believe in miracles in every area of life except writing. Experience has shown me that there are no miracles in writing. The only thing that produces good writing is hard work. (Isaac Bashevis Singer)

Presentation OutlineWritingWritten Communication: types, advantages, disadvantages, common etiquettes in written communication.Effective writing: Five keys,Writing processLetter writingReportsWriting Technical ReportsCommon misspelled wordsSample letters and reports

Write any unforgettable event of your life

What is writing?

A mode of expression and communication.

WHAT IS WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

One of the best methods to communicateWriting is one of the oldest known forms of communication In todays age of information and technology, writing has become a lost art

cont.Writing is an extension of human language across time and space. Writing most likely began as a consequence of political expansion in ancient cultures, which needed reliable means for transmitting information, maintaining financial accounts, keeping historical records, and similar activities. Around the 4th millennium BC, the complexity of trade and administration outgrew the power of memory, and writing became a more dependable method of recording and presenting transactions in a permanent form.

cont.Researchers divide the progression of written communication into three revolutionary stages called "Information Communication Revolutions"During the first stage, written communication first emerged through the use of pictograms. The pictograms were made in stone, hence written communication was not yet mobile.During the second stage, writing began to appear on paper, papyrus, clay, wax, etc. Common alphabets were introduced and allowed for the uniformity of language across large distances. A leap in technology occurred when the Gutenberg printing-press was invented in the 15th centuryThe third stage is characterized by the transfer of information through controlled waves and electronic signals.

OBJECTIVES OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONFuture referenceRecord of evidenceMeasurement of progressPrecedentsAvoiding mistakesEffective decision-makingOrganizational efficiencyLegal requirements

Essentials of effective written communicationCompletenessClarityConciseness CourtesyUnityCoherenceEmphasis

SequenceAvoid jargonBrevityAccuracyStrengthReadability

DirectivesFormsNews bulletinProposalsAgreementsHandbookPamphletsBrochures Media of written communication

Job application

Pay envelope inserts

Letters

Booklets: Prof. K. R. Balan -Indoctrination booklets -Reference guides -Institutional booklets

Memoranda

Office orders

Instructions ManualOffice notesExplanationMagazinesCircularsNewspapersPostersLeafletsForms

BulletinsCataloguesUnion publicationsComplaints & suggestionsHouse journalsHandbooksHand files

ADVANTAGES OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONCreates a permanent recordAllows you to store information for future referenceEasily distributedAll recipients receive the same informationWritten communication helps in laying down apparent principles, policies and rules for running of an organization.It is a permanent means of communication. Thus, it is useful where record maintenance is required.

cont.Written communication is more precise and explicit.Effective written communication develops and enhances an organizations image.It provides ready records and references.It assists in proper delegation of responsibilities. While in case of oral communication, it is impossible to fix and delegate responsibilities on the grounds of speech as it can be taken back by the speaker or he may refuse to acknowledge.Necessary for legal and binding documentation

Writing skills are an important part of communication.Good writing skills allow you to communicate your message with clarity and ease.

The communication takes place to a far larger audience than through face-to-face or telephone conversations.

DISADVANTAGES OF WRITTEN COMUNICATIONWritten communication does not save upon the costs. It costs huge in terms of stationery and the manpower employed in writing/typing and delivering letters.Also, if the receivers of the written message are separated by distance and if they need to clear their doubts, the response is not spontaneous.Written communication is time-consuming as the feedback is not immediate. The encoding and sending of message takes time.

cont.Effective written communication requires great skills and competencies in language and vocabulary use. Poor writing skills and quality have a negative impact on organizations reputation.Too much paper work and e-mails burden is involved

AUDIENCE AND FORMATThe first step to writing is choosing the appropriate format. The format, as well as the audience, defines the writing voice i.e., how formal or relaxed the tone should be.With everything one writes, the readers/ recipients, should be able to define the tone as well as aspects of the content

COMPOSITION AND STYLEStart with your audience- The reader should be introduced with the subject.Create an outline- Outlines help in identifying which steps to take in which order.Use AIDA- Follow the Attention-Interest-Desire-Action (AIDA) formula. These steps can help in the writing process.

Try some empathy- One should remember the audience's needs at all times.Use the rhetorical triangle- One should make sure that one communicates why people should listen , the message should engage the audience.

STRUCTUREThe document should be as reader friendly as possibleUse headings, subheadings, bullet points, and numbering whenever possible to break up the text.Adding graphs and charts is also a smart way to break up your text.Using questions is a good idea, questions help keep the reader engaged and curious.

GRAMMATICAL ERRORSIt's essential to learn grammar properly, and to avoid common mistakes that the spell checker won't find. Using words like affect instead of effect or missing out the apostrophe should be avoided.Everything that one writes should be of a quality that every reader will find acceptable.

PROOFINGProof your headers and sub headers People often skip these and focus on the text alone. Just because headers are big and bold doesn't mean they're error free! Read the document out loud This way one is more likely to catch mistakes.

Use your finger to follow text as you read This is another trick that helps slow down. Start at the end of your document Proofread from the end to the beginning. This helps focusing on errors, not on content

It's important to know how to communicate a point quickly and professionally.Many people spend a lot of time writing and reading, so the better you one is at this form of communication, the more successful one is likely to be.

Identify the audience before even starting to create the document.

Utilize full potential of written communicationWhat you write will ultimately define you as a professional to your colleagues and superiorsMatch the appropriate communication method to the recipientEliminating excessive or unnecessary communication will improve your workflowMastering these skills will improve your ability and enhance your career.

If one feels that there's too much information to include, an outline should be created to outline the thoughts.Learning grammatical and stylistic techniques will also help in writing more clearly.Lastly, one should be sure to proof read the document before sending it.

Effective Writing BasicsTips that can improve your writing in any medium

Five Keys To Effective WritingPut the reader firstUse simple words and short sentencesUse jargon only when necessaryWrite with verbs and nounsFormat to improve readability

Five Keys To Effective WritingKey #1: Put the reader firstCommunication = understandingWrite to EXpress not ImpressUse words readers can pictureTie in to the readers experienceWIIFM Whats in it for meKey #2: Use simple words and short sentences.

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Five Keys To Effective WritingKey #3: Use jargon only when necessaryWhat is jargon?Key #4: Write with verbs and nounsUse the active voiceWhen it is okay to use passive voiceKey #5: Format document to improve readabilityUse lists, bullets, charts, tables, indents, italics, bolds, headings and subheadings.

Tip Avoid wordy prepositional phrasesIn the amount of (for)In order to (to)Due to the fact that (because)In the event that (if)During the time that (when, while)

Plan, organize, writeBefore you beginWho is the audience (My audience is _________.)Purpose of the message (My purpose is________.How will the reader use the information (So that the reader will________.)

Plan, organize, writeAs you beginAssemble all useful informationDetermine whats importantChoose what to leave outGroup information logically

Plan, organize, writeFour ways to organizeDivisionCompare/contrastCause/effectProblem-analysis solution

DivisionStart with main idea, then discuss the parts.

Compare/ContrastUse familiar to explain unfamiliarPut the conclusion up front.

Problem-Analysis-SolutionFind a straightforward way to offer recommendations.

Cause/EffectPresents a clear-way analysisA-B; A-B-C-D; ABCD-E

Plan, organize, writeDevelop an outlineWriteWrite the easiest part firstDevelop major sections one at a timeIntroduction for main ideasMain point in first paragraphTurn off your internal editor

Plan, organize, write90% of writing is re-writing and editingLet the document coolAim to cut first draft by at least 10%

COMMON ETIQUETTES IN WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONContinuing with the series of etiquettes in communication, language experts tell us about what we need to keep in mind while communicating in writing.While written communication affords greater flexibility, since it can be edited and both composed and read at leisure or at one's pace, a great deal of care needs to be taken, in order to ensure its effectiveness; as it can serve as a point of reference, which one can turn to time and again, thus creating a more lasting impact.

1.FOCUS ON FORMATThe various formal writing forms have a pre-determined, universally accepted format that accompanies them. This format, which is largely based on universal writing conventions, serves to facilitate communication, by eliminating miscommunication that may result through random writing styles.Moreover, these formats are likely to change with time, due to the evolving nature of communication and/or technology. For example, the semi block format that was earlier the most relied upon format for letter writing has now given way to the full block format, after the wide spread use of computers.

2.STUCTURING OF THE CONTENTIntroduction, Body and Conclusion: While writing one should ensure that the content is well organized, with the overview/basic details comprising the introduction; all major points with their explanation and exemplification constituting the body (preferably divided into a separate paragraph each for every new point, with titles and subtitles, if necessary).

3.ENSURING CONNECTIVITYThe content that comprises a piece of writing should reflect fluency and should be connected through a logical flow of thought, in order to prevent misinterpretation and catch the attention of the reader.Moreover, care should be taken to ensure that the flow is not brought about through a forced/deliberate use of connectives , as this make the piece extremely uninteresting and artificial.

4.TEMPERING THE CONTENT AS PER THE LEVEL OF FORMALITYThe level of formality that is shared between the sender and receiver should define the use of salutations, the vocabulary, the content, the format and even the medium.Though not integral to the matter communicated, this courtesy helps in creating a balanced impression about the communicator.

5.STEERING CLEAR OF SHORT FORMPeople may not be aware of the meaning of various short forms and may thus find it difficult to interpret them. Moreover, short forms can at time be culture specific or even organization specific and may thus unnecessarily complicate the communication.

6.IMPORTANCE OF GRAMMER, SPELLING AND PUNCTUATIONImproper grammar can at worst cause miscommunication and at least result in unwanted humour and should be thus avoided. So too, spellings can create the same effect or can even reflect a careless attitude on part of the sender.Finally, effective use of punctuations facilitates reading and interpretation and can in rare cases even prevent a completely different meaning, which can result in miscommunication.

cont.

Pic:1Pic:2

7.SENSITIVITY TO THE AUDIENCEOne needs to be aware of and sensitive to the emotions, need and nature of the audience in choosing the vocabulary, content, illustrations, formats and medium of communication, as a discomfort in the audience would hamper rather than facilitate communication.

8.IMPORTANCE OF CREATIVITYIn order to hold the readers' attention one needs to be creative to break the tedium of writing and prevent monotony from creeping in.This is especially true in the case of all detailed writing that seeks to hold the readers' attention. Make sure your communication doesn't end up in a pile of garbage.

9.AVOIDING EXCESSIVE USE OF JARGONExcessive use of jargon can put off a reader, who may not read further, as, unlike a captive audience, the choice of whether to participate in the communication rests considerably with the reader.

10.AWARNESS OF THE AUDIENCE/MEDIUMThe medium needs to be chosen, as per its suitability to the audience/content; while the content would need tempering as per the medium/audience. For example, while an elaborate message can be sent via a letter or an email, an sms, the same content may have to be heavily edited. Like all effective communication, good writing could be said to occur when the gap between 'what one desires to say and what one is constrained to mean' is negligible or almost non-existent.

Have you hit your target?

In written communication most confusion & frustration are caused by failing to be specific.

Make it clear, brief and concise

GOOD WRITING: FeaturesCompleteness: all information needed is providedCorrectness: relevant and precise informationCredibility: support your argumentClarity: should not be vague, confusing, ambiguousConciseness: to the pointConsideration: anticipate the readers reactionVitality: use the active voice rather than the passive voice

Summary

DIFFERENT WRITING STYLESThere are three types of writing styles:ColloquialCasualFormal

COLLOQUIALColloquial languageis an informal, conversational style of writing. It differs from standard English in that it often makes use of colourful expressions, slang, and regional phrases. As a result, it can be difficult to understand for an a person from a different region or country.

CASUALCasual languageinvolves everyday words and expressions in a familiar group context, such as conversations with family or close friends. The emphasis is on the communication interaction itself, and less about the hierarchy, power, control, or social rank of the individuals communicating.

FORMALIn business writing, the appropriate style will have a degree of formality.Formal languageis communication that focuses on professional expression with attention to rules, protocol, and appearance. It is characterized by its vocabulary andthe grammatical arrangement of words in a sentence. That is, writers using a formal style tend to use a more sophisticated vocabulary.

SOME DOs AND DO NOTsBe Specific: Just like a reporter, communicate the who, what, where, why, when and how of what needs to done. Stay objective and specific. Avoid the Passive Voice: Instead of writing The program was planned by Dane, write, Dane planned the program. Be Concise :Theres no need to be long-winded. Get to the point. Youll lose readers if you spout off too long!

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cont.Get Things Right :Take great care when spelling peoples names,, and other specifics. And also make sure that you do a careful proof of your work.Know When Formal Language is Required: If youre writing an informal note to group members, its fine to use contractions (dont instead of do not).However, if youre writing for a formal audience, like a proposal to the board of directors, be more formal with your language. Read It Out Loud :One very effective way to self-proof your work is to read it out loud. This will help you determine if youve used incorrect words, if your sentences run on too long, if your tenses dont match, and more.

First Impression No matter what you are writing a few things can create a negative first impression about your intelligence and your level of care: misspellings, grammatical mistakes, missed words, messy delivery and incomplete work.

Three-Step Writing ProcessStep 1Step 3Step 2

PlanningWritingQuality controll

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WRITING PROCESSPlanning

Keep objectives in mind and research the topicThink about the audienceOutlining helps organize thoughts

cont...Follow your outline, use your handbookInspiration is acceptable but must be carefully reviewedUse the interview approach to supplement the outline (who, what, where, when, how)

Writing

Reread your workBe critical of your own work

Quality Control

TYPES OF FORMAL WRITINGE-mailsLetters and MemosAgendasReportsPromotional MaterialAcademic DocumentsResearch (scientific) manuscriptsNoticeCircular

Letter Writing

Letter WritingIn order to achieve the definite purpose and the intended results, the business letters written to express facts and opinions clearly, concisely, completely and correctly.

Types of LettersPersonal (to a friend or within the family)Social ( invitations, death notices, etc.)Official ( from government or its corporations, etc.)Business (within business environment)Miscellaneous (letters to the editor, etc)

PurposesGiving or seeking informationMaking or answering an enquiryPlacing an orderDemanding or refusing creditMollifying the injured feeling of a customerSelling goods and servicesMaking, accepting or refusing a requestMaking or responding to complaints Creating goodwill etc.,

Importance / AdvantagesDrafting at convenienceReaches far and wideA record for purpose of lawA record for referenceSaves money in communicationConvenient for giving unpleasant news

Essentials of a good letterCorrectness CompletenessClarityConcisenessCourtesyConsiderationConcretenessConvincing power

Reference No.Ref:T/23/19Date31st December,2010Senders AddressGMR BuildersInside AddressMr. G.Reddy, Ramco Tiles, New Delhi.SalutationDear Sir,

Body TextWe are pleased..Closing call to ActionYours SincerelySignature BlockSd/-Enclosures Carbon CopyEncl: cc to: bcc:

Letter BodyOpening or Introduction Main Body (Central section)Future Action (or response)Special markingsContinuation of pagesClosing SectionEnclosuresSignatureCopies to be circulatedContinuation of PagesAddress on the Envelopes

Planning a LetterSelect the Suitable ToneState the purposeAssemble Relevant InformationArrange the materialOpening the LetterAvoid Obvious Opening StatementsAvoid participial OpeningAvoid Trite ExpressionAvoid Personal Pronoun

LayoutNeatly typed on the best stationery with proper punctuation and carefully laid out letter creates a good impression.

Forms of LayoutBlock FormSemi Block FormIndented Form

The central PartReferring to the readers problemTelling the reader what he wants to knowCreating the Hypothetical SituationUsing a subject LineOpen with a Thank YouBegin with a courteous Request or CommandOpen with a pertinent name

Closing the LetterUse a provocative toneUse suggestionUse CommandOffer an incentiveRepeat the main pointUse the Readers Name Avoid Participial closings and indefinite closings

Complimentary CloseDear SirDear SirsDear MadamDear Sir/MadamYours faithfully Or Yours trulyDear Mr. KhurramDear Mrs. KiranDear KathrineYours sincerelyDear CustomerDear ReaderDear SubscriberDear ShareholderDear MemberYours sincerely

DontsAvoid Trite ExpressionsAvoid Long PhrasesAvoid AdjectivesAvoid Cliches (indicates the natural way of presenting ideas)Avoid redundancyAvoid Gobbledygook (refers to the kind of grandiose writing)Avoid verbosityAvoid curtnessAvoid demanding toneAvoid bragging toneAvoid angry tone

To give a letter the right look, we should pay attention to its structure, layout and to its form and punctuation. It reflects the image of your organization. Since letters serve a permanent records and are a valuable repository of information, we have to use suitable and impressive layout. We should use suitable and widely accepted structure at work place.Note:

Letters and MemosLetters and memos are the basic vehicles of official communicationThey should be brief and make a single point (no more than 2 pages)Letters are for external communicationsMemos are for internal communications

Letters and MemosHeading or LetterheadDateInside addressSalutationSubject lineBodyClosing and SignatureEnclosures or CC

All official letters should include:

Letters and MemosTO: (To whom is the memo directed?)FROM: (Who wrote the memo?)DATE:SUBJECT: or RE:

All official memos should include:

Types of Letters and Memos Letters of request Sales letters Response letters Cover letters, recommendations Letters of collection Letters to vendors and suppliers Memos that deal with employee issues Memos that make announcements Memos for policies and procedures

The greatest problem in communication is the illusion that it has been accomplished.- George Bernard Shaw

REPORTS

ReportsDefine the main pointDefine the goals and objectivesCollect the evidence needed to support the main pointOrganize the reportState the conclusions and recommendations

Organization of Reports Title Executive summary Introduction Materials and methods Results and discussions Conclusions Recommendations

Common Errors & TipsCompany name usageShortened words (thru, condn, mgmt, ref, lib)Repetition of words Example: file the file in the file folder.Use of ampersand (&)Use of bold UPPER CASE

Common Errors & TipsPunctuation Use commas to separate elements in a series, and to separate ideas or clauses. Use correct punctuation in abbreviations; e.g., for example i.e., that is etc., et cetera Do not use multiple punctuation marks, for example: !!! ... ???, etc. Punctuation of lists and tables

Writing Technical Reports

How Engineers Spend Their Time: Early Career ______% Engineering: Designing, measuring, calculating, problem-solving ______% Communicating: Writing reports, letters, memos, proposals; giving presentations, talking to colleagues and bosses and customers and clients

25-50 50-75Performance evaluation and job advancement usually depend more on communication skills than on technical skills.

Tips on Technical Report WritingDont waste words. Dont say obvious things. (Pollution is a serious problem.) Dont say things your audience doesnt need to know (long irrelevant explanations, detailed math). Use spell-check and grammar-check!Its (contraction of it is) versus its (possessive pronoun). Its a nice day. Put the CD back in its case. Affect (verb) versus effect (noun). Stress affects everyone differently. The effect of stress can be negative.Include proper citations of others work.

Tips on Technical Report WritingUse the full term, then put the acronym in parenthesesEliminate fluff (e.g. Back in the year of 1973, A man by the name of John Smith, Basically (this is the written equivalent of like)Avoid vague generalizations. (e.g. very expensive, very difficult, very high temperature)

Tips on Technical Report WritingProofread carefully. Look for missing words, extra words, and wrong (but correctly spelled) words like:due/doform/fromtheir/therean/andwhere/were

Avoid sentence fragments. Every sentence must have a subject and verb. Also to measure things about the tube. doesnt. Avoid choppy sentences, especially if they repeat words and phrases. Example:This report is about permeation tubes. Permeation tubes are devices that...

This report is about permeation tubes, devices that...

Watch out for misplaced modifiers. Example:Being poisonous, you have to be very careful about leaks.

Since the gases are very toxic, care should be taken to avoid leaks.

Report ComponentsTitleAbstractIntroductionExperimental and/or Theoretical MethodsResults and DiscussionSummary and ConclusionsReferencesAppendices

Structure of Report

Start with broad knowledge baseNarrow to focusof reportBroaden again, relate back to beginningAbstractIntroResults

DiscussionConclusions

TitleTitle should be concise, complete, comprehensible, correct, descriptive (and not the title of the lab procedures)Title should have the following: title, authors, affiliation, date.

A good report:addresses intended audienceprovides introductions and conclusions for internal sections as well as the whole paperprovides transitions between sectionsavoids stream of consciousness (rambling) writinglooks professional in style and appearancerecognizes that the document should be persuasive

A Well Written ReportShould be:ConciseClear and well organizedMechanically correctWritten in standard EnglishLegibleCompleted on timeWritten in ink

119This is your best protection against legal problems that could arise

How to Write AnythingFree-write a rough draft. Just writedont proofread, edit, revise, correct, look back at all. ThenRevise. Organize, check for introduction and conclusion for all sections, build in transitions, get rid of excess verbiage, spell-check and grammar-check.Revise again.Read it out loud. This can help you detect awkward phrases, missing commas, etc.

Common Errors & TipsHyphen and dash usage Confusion between its and it's Use of apostrophe Abbreviations and acronymsUse active voice Do not switch tenses very oftenProofread for accuracy

Summary

Common Mispelled Misspelled words

Some spelling errors are introduced because people's typing is not perfect, such asletters are doubled, or more frequently double letters tripled, such as "betwween" and "betweeen"letters are singled, such as "betwen"keys are transposed, so "because" becomes "becuase". Some of the errors listed may be due to mistyping rather than ignorance, for example "solider" for "soldier". These misspellings rarely happen in handwritten text.

Summary

SAMPLE LETTERS AND REPORTS

Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop Characteristics of Laminar Flow in Rectangular and Square Plain Ducts and Ducts With Twisted-Tape Inserts

S.K. Saha and N. MallickThe present paper reports the results of an experimental investigation of the heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of laminar flow of viscous oil through horizontal rectangular and square plain ducts and ducts inserted with full-length twisted tapes, short-length twisted tapes, and regularly spaced twisted-tape elements. Isothermal pressure drop measurements were taken in acrylic ducts. Heat transfer measurements were taken in electrically heated stainless-steel ducts imposing uniform wall heat flux boundary conditions. The duct aspect ratios AR were 1, 0.5, and 0.333. The twist ratios of the twisted tapes were y=2.692, 5.385, 2.597, 5.193, 2.308, and 4.615. Short-length tapes were 0.9, 0.7, and 0.5 times the duct length. The space ratios were s=2.692, 5.385, 2.597, 5.193, 2.308, and 4.615. Both friction factor and Nusselt number increase by 30% (+ 5%) with decreasing y and AR for AR1 and increasing Re, Sw, and Pr. As the tape-length decreases by a factor of 2, both friction factor and Nusselt number decrease by a factor of 3. Friction factor increases by 80% (+ 12%) as s decreases by 50%, and Nusselt number increases by 75% (+ 30%) as s increases by 100%. Isothermal friction factor correlation and comprehensive Nusselt number correlation have been developed to predict data reasonably well in the entire range of parameters. Performance evaluation says that short-length twisted tapes are worse and regularly spaced twisted-tape elements are better than the full-length twisted tapes.This is about 200 wordsWhatHowResultsSignificance

Name on the letter headRef: no. : Reg/01/002

21st October,2010

Mr. Ramesh DebrajGeneral Manager FinanceThe School Book DepotNavi Mumbai 400 707

Sub: Request for the rates

Dear Mr.Debraj,

We shall be really pleased to establish business contacts with you for the purchase of somePublications of Maharashtra. Kindly send the price list available with you and the terms and conditions of the business at he earliest, so that we can immediately place the order.

We look forward for your immediate positive action.

Thanking you,Yours sincerely,

Subhash ChandraG M Marketing

Informal letter-The format

Put it before them briefly so they will read it,Clearly so they will appreciate it,Picturesquely so they will remember it,And, Above all, accurately so they will be guidedby its light. -- Joseph Pultizer