Technical Writing

Technical writing is a type of writing where the author is writing about a particular subject that requires
direction, instruction, or explanation. This style of writing has a very different purpose and different
characteristics than other writing styles such as creative writing, academic writing or business writing.

Likewise, Technical writing is a written communication about a scientific or technical subject to a specific reader
or group of readers for the purpose of giving certain information. It is also called scientific writing because it
deals with a topic in any sciences. These sciences are classified into biological, physical and social.

Writing Paradigm by Dell Hymes

Based on the speaking paradigm devise by Dell Hymes, this writer formulated his paradigm for writing. To
make any speaking engagement successful, the speaker should consider the elements comprising Dell Hymes
writing paradigm:

S - setting (where and when) time and place

P - participants (who) interlocutor

E - end (why) purpose

A - act (how) manner

K - key (how formal) formality

I - instrument (with what instrument or medium) medium /instrument use for communication

N - norm (what) subject

G - genre (which kind) exposition, description, narration or argumentation

The same manner, to make every writing effective, the writer has to consider the components of the writing
paradigm devise by the author (Dell Hymes) they are as follows:

W - width (to what extent) scope

R - register (what language) words used in the field (computerese, medicalese, Legalese, journalese,

commercialese etc)

I - intention (why) purpose

T - tenor (what conditions) the tone and circumstances surrounding the writing

I - information (what) subject

N - needs of reader (who needs / what needs)

G - genre (which kind) exposition, description, narration or argumentation

Remember:
A writer doing any type of writing considers the components of the writing paradigm will produce the effect he
so desires and will satisfy his reader. Moreover, he has to bear in mind that despite the fact that he uses
technical terms or highfalutin words, he should write not to impress, but to express. In doing so, he achieves his
purpose as a writer.

Qualities of an Effective Technical Writer

To be an effective writer, one must possess the traits required to meet the expectations of his readers He must
possess more than those traits of an ordinary or a mediocre writer. He must be aware of a Scientific
phenomena and must own a wealth of technical terminology. Not merely layman’s terms.

The writer enumerates the qualities of an effective technical writer in the form of an acrostic:

T - technology driven – he keeps abreast with technological advances

E - effectual -he produces the desired result

C - curious – he is desirous to learn about different things

H- honest – he tells the truth and does not resort to plagiarism

N-neutral -he is objective, impartial and free from bias

I-intelligent -he uses his wit

C- careful -he takes pain in doing his work

A-active -he displays tireless energy during the course on his writing

L- logical -he applies the principles of logic in his writing.

W- workmanly- he is skillful in technical writing

R- resourceful -he makes use of primary persons, organizations, plants, animals, artifacts

I- interesting - he arouses the interest of his readers

T- thorough -he comes up with a complete work

E- ethical -he conform with the code of professional ethics

R-responsible – he does his work well without any prodding to others

Technical Writing VS Literary Writing

 Technical writing is a type of writing where the author is writing about a particular subject that
require direction instruction or explanation. The style of writing has a very different purpose and different
characteristics than other writing styles such as creative writing, academic and business writing.

Uses for Technical Writing

Technical writing is straightforward, easy to understand explanations and/or instructions dealing with a
particular subject. It is an efficient and clear way of explaining something and how it works.

The subject of technical writing can either be:

• Tangible - Something that can be seen or touched, such as a computer or software program, or information
on how to assemble a piece of furniture.

• Abstract - Something that involved a series of steps that aren't related to a tangible object. One example of
this might be steps required to complete an office process.

Some examples of technical writing include:

• Instruction manuals

• Policy manuals

• Process manuals

• User manuals

• Reports of analysis

• Instructions for assembling a product

• A summarization of a long report that highlights and shortens the most important elements

Tips for Good Technical Writing

• Regardless of the type of document which is written, technical writing requires the writer to follow the
properties of knowing their audience, writing in a clear, non-personal style and doing extensive research on the
topic. By including these properties, the writer can create clear instructions and explanations for the reader.

• Know your audience. An expert in the field will understand certain abbreviations, acronyms, and lingo that
directly applies to such a field. The novice will not understand in the same manner and, therefore, every detail
must be explained and spelled out for them.

• Use an impersonal style. Write from a third person perspective, like a teacher instructing a student. Any
opinions should be omitted.

• The writing should be straightforward, to the point, and as simple as possible to make sure the reader
understands the process or instruction. This at times may appear as simply a list of steps to take to achieve the
desired goal or may be a short or lengthy explanation of a concept or abstract idea.

• Know how to research. Gather information from a number of sources, understand the information gathered
so that it can be analyzed thoroughly, and then put the information into an easy to understand format to
instruct those who read it. The more inexperienced your audience, the more information you will need to
gather and explain.

• Be thorough in description and provide enough detail to make your points; but, you also have to consider that
you need to use an economy of words so that you do not bore your reader with gratuitous details.

• A good technical writer can make a difficult task easy and can quickly explain a complex piece of information.

Characteristics of Technical Writing

Knowing the characteristics of technical writing is very important if you are a person that is interested in
writing professionally. There are many different types of writing and each type has a purpose. Technical writing
is different from other types of writing in that it is more informative. The purpose of this type of writing is to
explain a variety of topics to other people. Technical writing is commonly seen in how to manuals and other
pieces that provide direction. Learning the characteristics of technical writing is essential if you want to build a
successful writing career.

Purpose of Technical Writing

Every type of writing has a goal. There are some forms of writing that are geared to telling a story and there are
other forms of writing that are geared to expressing opinions.

The main purpose of technical writing is to provide sometimes complex information. This is the type of
writing that will:

• Assist a person with understanding more about a particular item, such as a computer or a new drug or a new
piece of technology.

• Explain how an object works or how to complete a project.

 Technical writing is targeted to readers who are looking for information on a particular topic. The goal in
targeting this group is to make sure that the information provided is clear, concise and easy for understand.

This type of writing is somewhat difficult for some people as it requires that you are able to translate
information that is sometimes hard to comprehend into terms that anyone will be able to read and follow along
with, without an issue. While there are different types of writing that are informative, technical writing is the
type that most clearly focuses on presenting information in a specific way so that people can use the
information for a variety of purposes.

Properties of Technical Writing

• Accuracy – An effective technical paper is accurate. An accurate work is devoid of errors.

• Brevity – An effective paper is brief or short.

• Coherence -An effective paper is coherent. Coherence refers to the sticking together of ideas

• Directness -An effective paper is direct to the point.

• Emphasis – An effective technical paper is emphatic. To emphasize is to highlight main ideas and downplay
subordinate ones.

• Factuality- An effective technical paper is factual. The information that it contains is based on facts.

• Grammaticality – An effective technical paper is grammatical It does not violate grammar rules or standards
of correctness of structures in the language.

• Heaviness – An effective technical paper is heavy. In as much as the subject matter of a technical paper, is
serious that is a scientific subject or a technical topic associated with the sciences, technical writing manifests
heaviness.

• Intelligibility- An effective technical paper is intelligible. Even if a technical paper contains technical or
scientific terms it must still be easily understood.

• Judiciousness- A judicious writer always exercises good judgment.

• Keenness- An effective technical paper is mark by keenness or sharpness. It is a product of a smart writer
how makes use of his intelligence to satisfy his readers.

• Logicality- An effective technical paper is logical it conforms to the principles of logic, It conforms with the
principles of logic, the science of correct thinking and listening.

Mechanical Correctness- An effective technical paper is mechanically correct. It conforms to the various rules of
mechanics.

• Neutrality-An effective technical paper is neutral. It is not biased, it does not favor only one side.

• Order- An effective technical paper is written in an orderly manner. The ideas are sequence in such a way that
they flow smoothly.

• Personality – An effective technical paper manifests the writer’s personality. It is a reflection of the kind of
person the writer is.
• Quality – An effective technical paper is a quality paper. It has substance and does not violate writing
principles or rules.

• Reader Friendliness -It is adapted in the reader’s needs, interests, and knowledge.

• Specificity – Unlike literary writing, technical writing is written by a specific writer to a specific reader for a
specific purpose.

• Thoroughness – It must be thoroughly done; it must not miss out anything that is essential or salient to its
being.

• Unity- Means consistency in purpose, idea subject voice, mood number, person, gender, language, etc.

• Veracity -It contains no lies and presents information coming from reliable sources.

• Worth- It is valuable to its readers or group of readers because it satisfies the readers need for information.

WEEK 2
Basic Techniques of Technical Writing

Successful writers employ a variety of techniques in their writing. However, the kind of writing dictates the
techniques to be employed by the writer. For instance, if one does a brochure, he uses description more than
any other techniques; if he writes a fire incident report, he uses narration more than any other. In description,
classification, partitioning or analysis, causation (causal analysis) comparison, contrast and interpretation.

Definition – Technical writing is replete with technical terms that need to be defined. It is a must to define
scientific terms to allow better comprehension. These difficult words may come in the form of known words
used in a in a differently new sense (as fly- over), new words for already known things and new words for
unknown things. New words does not necessarily mean newly coined words they are new in the sense that they
are encountered by the readers for the first time so they have to be defined.

When one defines he gives the meaning of a certain term. The writer may define a word in any of the three
ways:

a. Informal (word or phrase definition)

b. Formal (sentence definition)

c. Amplified (extended or expanded definition)An informal definition comes in the form of a word or a
phrase oftentimes called a synonym.
 A formal or sentence definition, as its name suggests is in the form of a sentence with these three
elements; species is the term defined; genus is the class or kind to which the term belongs; differentia are the
distinguishing characteristics that make the term different from other terms of the same class.

The amplified (extended or expanded) definition comes in the form of additional sentences that support a
formal definition which becomes the topic sentence of a paragraph with definition as a method of
development.

This is done in any of the following ways:

1. function – use of the thing defined

2. location – placement/ position of the thing defined

3. physical description- physical traits, (color, size, shape, etc.) of the thing defined

4. further definition- definition of words in the formal definition of the thing defined

5. causation- causes or effects of the thing defined

6. comparison- similarities of the thing defined with another thing

7. contrast- differences of the thing defined

8. exemplification- concrete examples of the thing defined

9. etymology/word derivation- words from which the thing defined was derived

10. analysis- parts of the thing defined

11. basic principle-law or principle governing the thing defined; and

12. negation-negative statements about the thing defined.

Mechanism description – description, besides description is a useful technique in technical writing. A writer
may describe a mechanism, a process or even a person.

Process description -is simply describing a series of steps /stages or a series of actions, always uuses
chronological (time) order. Therefore the steps or stages are sequenced base onthe time of occurrence.

Analysis or partitioning -like definition and description, division is a technique commonly used in Technical
writing. It may involve one species or several species.

Classification- is division of several species into classes or groups.

Comparison- species in a given class possess traits common to all.

Contrast – while similarities exist between two items, differences between them do occur.

The two patterns of contrast:

a. Opposing; and

b. Alternating.
Causal/ Analysis – one of the techniques used by technical writers. It analyzes the causes /and or effects of an
event or a phenomenon.

Patterns of cause and effect relationship:

a. Single cause-single effect

b. Single cause -multiple effect

c. Multiple cause- single effect.

d. Domino/ staircase effect; and

e. Multiple cause-multiple effect patter

Interpretation – it is the art of informally establishing a meaningful pattern of relationships among a group
facts.

Characteristics of technical writing

It is necessary to begin by determining the nature and purpose of technical communication. This will help
students to distinguish the distinct characteristics of technical writing to literary writing. The main purpose of
technical writing is to inform and describe, to explain and to give information. Generally technical writing
adheres to the principle of UNITY, COHERENCE, and EMPHASIS.

Characteristics of technical writing:

1. Objectivity

2. Accuracy

3. Clarity

4. Brevity

5. Simplicity / economy

6. Concise

7. Directness

8. Concreteness

9. Formality

Another important consideration in technical writing is the style the format which distinguishnIt from
other writing demands:

Technical style:

1. Simple English

2. Grammaticality

3. Vocabulary
4. Scientific / technical term

5. Appropriate word choice

Technical Format

1. Three- part format: introduction

2. Mechanical neatness

3. Visual illustration

4. Tables and graphs

5. Drawings and diagrams

6. Computer – generated visuals and photos

Methods and patterns of organization of technical prose

The techniques in writing technical reports, business correspondences and research papers are necessary to
produce effective papers. The students should know how to analyze authentic text embedding the methods of
technical prose so that they can apply these methods in actual writing activities.

Methods of Technical prose:

a. Exposition

b. Description:

1. Mechanism

2. Process

Informative

Instructive

c. Definition:

1. Formal

2. Operational

3. Extended definition

d. Narration; and

e. Argumentation.

Kinds of Technical Reports

The students should be able to identify the different kinds of technical report, determine their specific
functions and examine authentic technical reports to be able to write one effectively for a particular audience’s
needs and purpose.
Kinds of technical reports:

1. Information reports:

a. Routine reports

b. Annual reports

2. Special information report:

a. Preliminary

b. Feasibility

c. Progress report

d. Final report

3. Examination report:

a. Engineering

b. Administration

c. Financial

d. Marketing

4. Recommendation report:

a. Operation

b. Construction

c. Proposals

5. Short informal reports:

a. Memorandum

b. Letter

c. Incident

d. Field report

e. Project completion

f. Inspection

g. Laboratory

Kinds of technical manual

Technical manuals serve various purposes. However, communicating contents of manuals should include
simplified technical concepts to convey a particular audience for a particular purpose and to perform the task
accurately and easily.

1. Instruction manual

2. Guides

a. Preparation guide

b. Installation

c. Troubleshooting

d. Business guide

e. User guides and

f. Specification

3. Journals

4. Magazines

5. Brochures

6. Pamphlets

WEEK 3
Business Correspondence
Business correspondence means the exchange of information in a written format for the process of business
activities. Business Correspondence can take place between organizations, within organizations or between the
customers and the organization. The correspondence refers to the written communication between persons.

The 5 most common types of business correspondence includes:

1. Internal Correspondence

2. External Correspondence

3. Sales Correspondence

4. Personalized Correspondence

5. Circulars

1. Internal correspondence is a written communication between the employees, units, departments, and
branches of the same organization. Internal correspondence can either be formal or less formal. Routine
internal correspondence are usually less formal, such as quick instructions between a supervisor and a staff,
and these are normally in the form of email.

2. External correspondence takes place between different organizations, or between an organization and
their individual clients. This is a form of written communication made by a company to those who do not
belong to their organization.

3. Sales correspondence refers to sales related communications. It is not limited to just selling a product or
service, but it also includes other activities relating to sales. Sales correspondence include marketing letters,
offer and discount letters, sales proposals, invoices, statement of accounts, sales reports, order confirmation,
purchase orders, letters of authorization, collection letters, and such.

4. Personalized correspondence involved personal and emotional factors. Despite being labeled as
“personalized”, this type of correspondence can also be used for business purposes. Examples of personalized
correspondence include letters of gratitude, letters of favors or requests, appreciation notes, letters of
congratulations of commendation, and such.

5. Circulars are notices that are communicated to a large number of people within the organization. It is also
referred to as office instructions or announcements. Often, general announcements (such as changes in
contact information, details about meetings with shareholders, instructions about certain protocols, etc) are
being communicated via circulars.

Parts of Business Letter

A business letter will be more impressive if proper attention is given to each and every part of the business
letter.

There are 12 Parts of Business Letter

1. The Heading or Letterhead

2. Date

3. Reference

4. The Inside Address

5. Subject

6. Greeting

7. Body Paragraphs

8. Complimentary Close

9. Signature and Writer’s Identification

10. Enclosures

11. Copy Circulation

12. PostScript

1. The Heading or Letterhead

It usually contains the name and the address of the business or an organization. It can also have an email
address, contact number, fax number, trademark or logo of the business.

2. Date

We write the date on the right-hand side corner of the letter below the heading.

3. Reference

It shows the department of the organization sending the letter. The letter-number can also be used as a
reference

4. The Inside Address

It includes the name, address, postal code, and job title of the recipient. It must be mentioned after the
reference. One must write inside address on the left-hand side of the sheet.

5. Subject

It is a brief statement mentioning the reason for writing the letter. It should be clear, eye catchy, short, simple,
and easily understandable.

6. The Greeting

It contains the words to greet the recipient. It is also known as the salutation. The type of salutation depends
upon the relationship with the recipient. It generally includes words like Dear, Respected, or just Sir/Madam. A
comma (,) usually follow the salutation.

7. The Body Paragraphs

This is the main part of the letter. It contains the actual message of the sender. The main body of the mail must
be clear and simple to understand. The body of the letter is basically divided into three main categories.

• Opening Part: The first paragraph of the mail writing must state the introduction of the writer. It also contains
the previous correspondence if any.

• Main Part: This paragraph states the main idea or the reason for writing. It must be clear, concise, complete,
and to the point.

• Concluding Part: It is the conclusion of the business letter. It shows the suggestions or the need of the action.
The closing of the letter shows the expectation of the sender from the recipient. Always end your mail by
courteous words like thanking you, warm regards, look forward to hearing from your side etc.

8. The Complimentary Close

It is a humble way of ending a letter. It is written in accordance with the salutation. The most generally used
complimentary close are Yours faithfully, Yours sincerely, and Thanks & Regards.

9. Signature and Writer’s Identification

It includes the signature, name, and designation of the sender. It can also include other details like contact
number, address, etc. The signature is handwritten just above the name of the sender.

10. Enclosures

Enclosures show the documents attached to the letter. The documents can be anything like cheque, draft, bills,
receipts, invoices, etc. It is listed one by one.

11. Copy Circulation

It is needed when the copies of the letter are sent to other persons. It is denoted as C.C.

12. PostScript

The sender can mention it when he wants to add something other than the message in the body of the letter. It
is written as P.S.

How to Write Business Letter

All Business letters follow a fixed format. The answer to the question of how to write a business letter is broadly
classified into four categories.
Beginning the Letter

• Know the format: There are some business standards that need to be followed. One must use a common
font to type a business letter. One must use indentation, paragraphs, margins, etc. The text must be typed in
black color only.

• Choose the Right Kind of Paper: One must print a letter in a letter-sized paper. The standard size of the
paper is A4.

• Include information about the Company: One must clearly state the name and the address of the
company. Try to use a letterhead of the company for any business use.

• Include the date: Writing the date helps the person to have a record of the on-going business.

• Add the Recipient’s Information: In a business letter, one must clearly type the name, address, and job title
of the recipient to remove any ambiguity.

• Choose a Salutation: It is a way of showing respect towards the recipient. One can also use ‘To Whom It May
Concern’ if he doesn’t know the person addressed.

Composing the Body

• Strike the Right Tone: The tone of the letter must be formal, clear and polite. Do not use fancy, lengthy, and
big words. One must be persuasive in the letter.

• Use of Personal Pronoun: One can use personal pronouns in a business letter. If writing on behalf of the
organization one must use ‘we’ instead of ‘I’.

• Write Precisely and Clearly: The content of the letter must be precise, clear, brief, and easily
understandable.

• Use the Active Voice: Always write your letter in an active voice.

• Be Courteous: Always write a letter in a polite and respectful way. Always use courteous words.

• Use Additional Pages: If the matter is not fitting in one page of the letterhead, use the second page. One
must keep in mind to include the page number on the second and subsequent pages.

Closing the Letter

• Choose a Closing: One must use a proper closing in a business letter. Use a comma (,) after it.

• Sign the Letter: Always sign the letter in ink. If sending a printed copy, always affix the scanned signature.

• Make Note of Enclosure: One must properly enclose a list of attached documents with the letter. One can
use the abbreviation of the enclosure, i.e., Encl. or Enc.

• Use of C.C.: For persons other than the recipient, include their name on the letter by typing C.C.
Finalizing the Letter

• Edit and Review: Once you are finished writing the letter, try to look for errors. Check for spellings,
punctuations, grammatical errors.

• Don’t Staple the Letter: Use a paperclip on the top of the left corner if there are many pages. The use of
staple doesn’t look nice for a business letter.

• Posting of the Letter: Always use clear and correct spelling for mentioning the name and address of the
recipient.

Characteristics of an Effective Business Letter

1. Simplicity: A business letter should be simple. It should be written in a lucid (easy) language so that it is clear
to the receiver. The language can be similar to that of social letters as long as formality is maintained. The letter
should make an instant appeal to the reader.

2. Conversational style: An effective letter is one that gives an impression of face to face communication.
Letters are the written media by which sender of the message speaks to the receiver. Hence a letter should be
written in a conversational style. Conversational style is interactive in nature and is more or less informal.

3. Clarity of goal: The writer should be clear about what he wishes to convey. He should keep all the facts and
figures of the information handy. The letter should be written in such a way that it reflects the goal clearly and
easily. There must not be any ambiguity.

4. Public relation: Business letters reflect the image of the organization. All business letters should therefore
be drafted keeping in mind the objective of enhancing the organizations goodwill, image and public relations.

5. The ‘You’ attitude: The business letters should be written keeping in mind the reader’s point of view. It
should be able to convey the sender’s interest in the reader. For this the ‘You’ attitude should be adopted. The
T’s and ‘We’s’ should be avoided and more of ‘You’s’ should be included. This will show the sender’s interest in
the reader.

6. Courteous: The business letter should be courteous. Courtesy implies that the letter seeks favor politely and
expresses gratitude profusely for the favors done. Thus the language of the letter should be polite and
appealing.

The C’s of Business Letter Writing

Letters must be written effectively for business transaction to take place. Hence it is imperative on the part of
the business correspondent to know what it takes to produce the desired effects. A thorough understanding of
the of the C’S of letter writing or the properties of effective business letter is what it needs:

1. Coherence-sticking together of ideas

2. Clearness / clarity – no ambiguity – use simple and familiar words

3. Consistency – unity – use English words consistently

4. Conciseness – brevity- use short words and construct

5. Completeness thoroughness -use full words and avoid omission of necessary words and ideas

6. Concreteness – specificity – use specific words

7. Correctness -accuracy- use precise words and edit your letter before sending it.

8. Courteousness /courtesy – politeness -use polite words

9. Consideration -kindness- use kind not rude words

10. Character -personality / individuality – use your own words

11. Cheerfulness -friendliness- use “smiling” and encouraging words

12. Conversational quality – letter talk – use words in conversational manner

The Four Stages of Effective Business Writing

1. Planning

2. Writing

3. Revising

4. Editing

STAGE 1: Planning

Planning your writing is the key to effective business writing. It will help you organize your thoughts, shape your
ideas, and develop the purpose of your material. Because planning enables you to write more efficiently, it will
save you time and frustration. It is important to clearly define the purpose for writing the communication and
to write it from the audience’s perspective

STAGE 2: Writing

Before you begin writing, creating a mental image of your target audience and writing the information as if you
were having a conversation with them.

You might want to ask yourself the following questions:

• What information do they need to make an informed decision?

• How much knowledge do they already have about the topic?

• What action would I like them to take after reading the information?

STAGE 3: Revising
The revising stage requires critical analysis of your work. It is the time to change things if necessary. For
instance, you may need to reorder paragraphs, delete sentences, add more details, or replace some words with
others.

To help with the revising process, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do the major pieces of the text belong? (Conciseness)

• Is the text in the most effective order? (Clarity)

• Do my sentences and paragraphs add anything of value to my message? (Conciseness)

• Are there any words and phrases that can be removed? (Clarity)

• Am I using long words when shorter ones will express the same thought just as well? (Credibility)

• Does what I’ve written make sense? (Clarity/Credibility)

• If I was a member of the target audience, would I read this? (Credibility)

It may also be helpful to ask someone else to read your material as others can sometimes see flaws that we
cannot see.

STAGE 4: Editing

It can be difficult for us to edit our own material for consistency, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. After all,
we wrote it and have probably read it at least a few times. So how can we catch those little mistakes? You know,
the ones that are glaring at us, but we still can’t see them. If possible, ask someone else to edit your material. If
you can’t recruit an editor, one trick is to set the material aside for at least a day (more if possible). Then you
can re-read it with a fresh eye and clear mind.

Developing business writing skills takes time and practice.

If you do not write frequently or if writing is not your best skill, it will take practice to become an effective
business writer. But in the end you will be able to communicate in writing with style, grace, and expertise.

WEEK 4
BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE

          The term ”business letter” makes people nervous Many people with English as a second language worry
that their writing is not sophisticated enough for business writing. This is not the case. An effective Letter in
business uses short, simple sentences and straightforward vocabulary. The easier is the letter to read, the
better.

          Letter writing can be made easier if the writer can identify beforehand the type of message he/she needs
to communicate. Messages can be grouped according to purpose:

1. To inform

2. To express

3. To request

4. To instruct

5. To persuade
Standard Parts of a Business Letter

Unlike a social or friendly letter whose parts are limited to heading; salutation, body of the letter,
complimentary close and signature. A business letter is composed of a basic and miscellaneous parts.

The Basic Parts:

1. Heading- This consist of the sender’s address and the date line (month, year and day).

2. Inside address- This consist of the name of the addressee (recipient) his designation, his

company and its business address.

3. Salutation – This serves as the welcome part of the letter.

4. Body of the letter – This gives the details of the communication and consist of the:

a. Introduction (purpose),

b. Body (discussion / elaboration), and

c. Conclusion (token of appreciation / call for action / building of goodwill).

5. Complimentary close – This serves as the farewell part of the letter.

6. Signature – This consist of the name of the signatory (sender and his designation).

The Miscellaneous parts:

Opposed to the basic elements which are essential and therefore should be always be present. The
miscellaneous parts are considered optional and therefore maybe absent.

1. Reference line – It indicates the sequential number of the letter which is used for reference and filing
purposes.

2. Attention line – It bears the name of the addressee intended to read the letter if such name does not
appear on the inside address.

3. Subject line- It contains the topic of the letter or the title of the message elaborated in the body of the letter.

4. Identification notation or reference initials –It consist of the initials of the sender in all caps and the
initials of his secretary / typist in small letters.

5. Enclosure notation – It refers to the item/items placed inside the envelope, other than the letter.

6. Carbon copy notation or distribution indicator – It refers to the person going to receive the letter other
than the addressee.

7. Postscript – It contains some items that are omitted from the body of the letter and should be included

The basic and miscellaneous parts are positioned below in a letter having a semi-block format.
Styles and Forms of a Business Letter

The elements of the business letter are not consistently positioned in one way. The formatting or lay outing of
Business letters depends upon the sender or his typist/ secretary. The sender can choose from among the six
letter presented below and go for which suits his needs.
Summary of the Elements of a Business Letter Format
WEEK 5
Letterhead

             One of the essential part of a business letter is the letterhead. It attracts the attention of the reader. Its
primary purpose is to convey information. The printed heading should identify the organization or the
individual whom it represents and at the same time supply the reader with the address and any other
information pertaining to that organization or individual.

             The secondary purpose is ornamental. The printed heading should contribute to the general
effectiveness of the letter lay out as a whole. The most essential details of the letterhead are the name,and
address of the sender. In most cases the address should contain not only the name of the city, town and
provinces but also the address or its equivalent. The letterhead should include the telephone number, the
nature of the business, commercial slogan, trademark, picture of the product.

What Are Letterheads?

A letterhead is the heading – usually at the top, of the letter paper (or stationary). It typically includes the
company logo, company name, address, and contact information. A well-designed letterhead acts like a
company pad that makes letter papers look much more formal and professional.

Usages of letterheads:

Letterheads are however not limited to only businesses there are a variety of methods to make use of letter
heads whether you are a individual or a much smaller company. Letterheads can be used for minutes of
meeting, tenders or notices, approval or legal notices and inter-departmental communication.

Where Can Letterheads Be Used?

People often assume that only big corporations employ letterheads to communicate between two parties.
However, the truth is that businesses of all sizes, either an individual, a small company or a large corporation,
should use letterheads in their letters.
Additionally, letterheads can be utilized for various purposes, such as:

• Writing invoices

• Minuting notices or meeting

• Tendering legal announcements and inter-departmental statements

• Providing business-related information for other parties

The workplaces aren’t the only places where letterheads are used anymore. In fact, even at home, more and
more people can now employ letterheads for their personal purposes – with the help of some online letterhead
makers or editing programs.

Corporate Identity

Letterhead stationery plays a huge part in a company’s brand identity. Everything sent from a company to its
clients (letters, publicity folders, envelopes, invoices) must create a cohesive, recognizable corporate identity.
The company’s logo and address must be repeated on all business marketing material. The goal is for the public
to be able to instantly know who the correspondence is from by spotting the logo on the company letterhead.
The letterhead is another way to ingrain the company’s logo, or image, in the public’s mind.

Visual Interest

A letterhead’s main purpose is to convey a message to the recipient. The design of a letterhead should not be
so busy, and the graphics should not be so large, that there is little room left to type a letter. Most companies
choose to add designs behind the text on their letterheads. This adds visual interest to the page, but designers
should make sure that the background image is light enough and doesn’t compete with the legibility of the text.
A letterhead should visually continue to carry out the company’s brand identity with the use of a logo and
particular choice of color.

Contact Information

A letterhead must include the company’s contact information. The business name, address, phone number, fax
number, e-mail and Web site address should be large enough on the stationery for the customer to read easily
but not take up so much space that there is little room for a message.

Authenticity

Businesses create their letterheads as a means to show recipients of their letters that the business is a serious
and reliable company. The creation of a letterhead shows commitment to brand identity. The better the quality
of paper used and more professionally designed a letterhead, the more seriously a potential client may look at
the business and be willing to give it a try.

Rules for Designing Letterheads

Whether sent electronically or in an envelope via snail mail, a well-designed letterhead is an important
marketing piece for any business. While the field of graphic design is always open to creativity, there are a few
basic rules to keep in mind for a successful letterhead layout.

Appear Professional

A letterhead’s design should reflect a serious, business-like manner to give the business more clout

and integrity. It should appear to the receiver that some thought was put into the overall design. A methodically
designed letterhead says the business cares about its image and wants customers to take it seriously.

Keep It Simple
Remember, the main objective of a letterhead is to communicate with a client or customer. Keep the design
simple. A layout that is too busy distracts and annoys customers trying to read the message on the page.

Focus on the Logo

A letterhead is also used to further distribute a company logo to increase brand awareness and identity. A big
part of marketing for a business is its logo. Make it a main element on the page. Some designs place the logo at
the top and repeat it (or a part of it) enlarged and faded in the background for added emphasis.

Leave Writing Space

Don’t take up too much room with graphics or very large text. Leave enough space to type or write a good
amount of information with a comfortable margin around it.

Fade All Backgrounds

If placing an image or shape in the background of the writing field of the letterhead, make sure its shade is light
enough that any text placed on top is easily read. A background image that is too dark becomes distracting—for
both reading and design purposes.

Include Basic Information

Certain elements must be included for the letterhead to be an effective marketing piece. In addition to its name
(and logo), the business’s contact information must be included: the mailing address, phone number(s), fax
number, company website and main e-mail contact. Additional text, such as the names of board members or a
company slogan, can be added, but the important information should be easy to spot.

Maintain Balance

Leave at least a ¼-inch margin around the outer edges of the letterhead, unless using a bleed as part of the
design. Type placed too close to the edges looks less professional and makes the overall design look
unbalanced. When typing a letter on the computer, make sure the message is centered on the letterhead with
even margins around it.

Since the letterhead is a major communication tool for a business, make sure the fonts used in its design are
clean and legible. Be careful designing the important contact information in frilly, cursive type that is difficult to
read. A customer should not have to wonder if part of a phone number is a “0” or a “9.”

RESUME

          Resume is a summary of your personal data, your educational background and training, your business or
professional experience and qualifications, and your achievement highlights. Successful job seekers invest great
deal of time and talent in developing their resume to capture the essence of who they are and to communicate
their unique qualifications. Your resume should touch on all things which influence your qualifications for a
particular position or type of employment.

         Essentially, your resume is an advertisement to prospective employers. It should be prepared with as

much care as a promotional campaign for a major new product. It should set you apart from other candidates
in the job market and sell the employer on your strongest qualifications.

The Purpose of a Resume

The purpose of a resume is to introduce yourself to employers, present your qualifications, and secure an
interview. The goal of writing a resume is to showcase your experience, education, and skills in a standardized
format which is easy for recruiters to read.
The three main types of resumes are:

• Functional

• Chronological

• Combination

Functional

These documents eschew the classic timeline-oriented layout in favor of skill and experience grouping.
Functional resumes split a professional’s experience into domains of knowledge and ability.

Chronological Resumes

A chronological resume will actually be written in reverse-chronological order (with the most recent position
appearing at the top of the page). This is, and has been, the gold standard for resume writing. Chronological
resumes paint a very clear picture of the career trajectory, letting recruiters understand your path of
promotions and job movement over the course of time. They often include the first career-oriented job after
college, and describe every position held since then.

Combination Resumes

As the name implies, these resumes offer a combination of functional “grouping” of skills, but still make use of
an easy-to-understand timeline. Some combination resumes can be very effective for the right career. Another
popular combination resume style is to simply list chronological job entries but break the experience bullets
into section.

What to Include in your Resume

Contact information: your name, phone number, email address, and optionally relevant social media handles,
such as your LinkedIn profile. In most cases, leave your address off your resume.

• Resume profile: a short summary of your skills and proudest accomplishments. It tops your resume and
serves as your job bio.

• Work experience: the meat and potatoes of your job application. It’s where you tell your career history. Your
job titles, company names, duties, and years worked—these go into this section.

• Education: on a resume: your school names, degrees, major/minors, and optionally—GPA plus relevant
coursework.

• Resume skills: job-related skills that may be of value to your prospective employer. According to statistics, a
well-crafted key skills section can boost your chances of getting a new job by 59%. Include soft skills and hard
skills.

These resume sections are more than necessary. But you can also list other resume sections depending on the
job you’re targeting.

Consider adding one of these to your resume

• Certifications and licenses

• Resume languages

• Awards and honors

• Volunteer work

• Hobbies and interests

• Conferences

• Publications

• Projects

• Freelance work experience

How long should my resume be?

Keep your resume short and to the point, so you can make a good impression when an employer takes a quick
glance at it. Consider making your resume one or two pages if you have less than 10 years of professional
experience. Senior executives or academics may like to have resumes that are three or more pages long.

What should it look like?

It’s important to make sure the design and layout of your resume is neat and makes it easy to read.

Use one or two clear fonts and use headings, bullet points and paragraphs to split up the text. While you’re at it,
make sure your spelling and grammar are correct.

What to leave out

Your resume is meant to give a summary of your skills and experience – so there’s no need to include every
detail. Some information isn’t necessary in a resume:

COVER LETTER

          A cover letter is a document sent with your resume to provide additional information on your skills and
experience. The letter provides detailed information on why you are qualified for the job you are applying for.

          A cover letter typically accompanies each resume you send out. Employers use cover letters as a way to
screen applicants for available jobs and to determine which candidates they would like to interview. If an
employer requires a cover letter, it will be listed in the job posting.

Types of Cover Letters

There are three general types of cover letters. Choose a type of letter that matches your reason for writing.

• The application letter which responds to a known job opening

• The prospecting letter which inquires about possible positions

• The networking letter which requests information and assistance in your job search

When you are applying for a job that has been posted by a company that’s hiring, you will be using the
“application letter” style.

What to Include in your cover letter

A cover letter should complement, not duplicate, your resume. Its purpose is to interpret the data-oriented,
factual resume and add a personal touch to your application for employment

Each cover letter you write should be customized to include:

• Which job you’re applying for (include the job title in your opening paragraph)

• How you learned about the job (and a referral if you have one)
• Why you are qualified for the job (be specific)

• What you have to offer the employer, and why you want to work at this specific company (match your skills to
the job description, and read up on the organization’s mission, values and goals to mention in your letter)

• Thank you for being considered for the job