Lecture 6 Business Partner. Standards of Business Correspondence.

How Is Writing Learned?

It may seem that some people are born better writers than others, but in fact writing is a reflection of experience
and effort. If you think about your successes as a writer, you may come up with some books, authors, or teachers
that inspired you to express yourself. You may also recall a sense of frustration with your previous writing
experiences. It is normal and natural to experience a sense of frustration at the perceived inability to express
yourself. The emphasis here is on your perception of yourself as a writer as one aspect of how you communicate.
Most people use oral communication for much of their self-expression, from daily interactions to formal business
meetings. You have a lifetime of experience in that arena that you can use to your benefit in your writing. Reading
out loud what you have written is a positive technique to apply.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s statement, “Violence is the language of the unheard” emphasizes the importance of
finding one’s voice, of being able to express one’s ideas. Violence comes in many forms, but is often associated
with frustration born of the lack of opportunity to communicate. You may read King’s words and think of the Civil
Rights movement of the 1960s, or perhaps of the violence of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, or of wars happening in the
world today. Public demonstrations and fighting are expressions of voice, from individual to collective. Finding
your voice, and learning to listen to others, is part of learning to communicate.
You are your own best ally when it comes to your writing. Keeping a positive frame of mind about your journey
as a writer is not a cliché or a simple advice. Your attitude toward writing can and does influence your written
products. Even if writing has been a challenge for you, the fact that you are attending these lectures means you
perceive the importance of this essential skill. These lectures and our discussions will help you improve your
writing, and your positive attitude is part of the success strategy.
You cannot underestimating the power of effort when combined with inspiration and motivation. The point then
is to get inspired and motivated. That’s not enough, but it is a great place to start. You were not born with this
ability, but when you want to share something with friends and text them, the words (or abbreviations) come almost
naturally. This way you recognize you have the skills necessary to begin the process of improving and harnessing
your writing abilities for business success. It will take time and effort, and the work starts with a single step, but
don’t lose sight of the fact that your skillful ability to combine words will make a significant difference in your
career.

Reading
Reading is the first step many writers point to as an integral step in learning to write effectively. You may like
some fictional books, but if you want to write effectively in business, you need to read business- related
documents. These may include letters, reports, business proposals, and business plans. You can find these where
you work or study, in your school’s writing center, business department, or library; there are also many Web sites
that provide sample business documents of all kinds. Your reading should also include publications in the industry
where you work or plan to work. You can also gain an advantage by reading publications in fields other than your
chosen one; often reading outside your sphere can enhance your versatility and help you learn how other people
express similar concepts. Finally, don’t neglect general media like the business section of your local newspaper,
and national publications. Reading is one of the most useful lifelong habits you can practise to boost your business
communication skills.
In the “real world” when you are under a deadline and production is important, you’ll be rushed and may lack
the time to do adequate background reading for a particular assignment. At present, take advantage of your
business communication course by exploring common business documents you may be called on to write,
contribute to, or play a role in drafting. Some documents have a degree of formula to them, and your familiarity
with them will reduce your preparation and writing time while increasing your effectiveness. As you read similar
documents, take notes on what you notice. As you read several sales letters, you may observe several patterns
that can help you well later on when it’s your turn to write These patterns are called conventions, or conventional
language patterns for a specific genre.

Writing
Never lose sight of one key point of the effectiveness of your writing: the degree to which it fulfills readers’
expectations. If you are in a law office, you know the purpose of a court is to convince the judge that certain points
of law apply to the given case. If you are at a newspaper, you know that an editorial opinion article is supposed
to convince readers of the correctness of a certain viewpoint, whereas a news article is supposed to report facts
without bias. If you are writing an advertisement, the goal is to motivate consumers to make a purchase decision.
In each case, you are writing to a specific purpose, and the right place to start when considering what to write is
to answer the following question: what are the readers’ expectations?
When you are a junior member of the team, you may be given clerical tasks like filling in forms, database,
or coordinating appointments. Or you may be asked to do research that involves reading, interviewing, and note
taking. Don’t underestimate these aspects of the writing process; instead, keep in mind the fact that writing
for business often involves tasks that a novelist might not even recognize as “writing.” Your contribution is quite
important and in itself is a job-connected learning opportunity that shouldn’t be taken for granted.
When given a writing assignment, it is important to make sure you understand what you are being asked to
do. You may read the directions and try to put them in your own words to make sense of the assignment. Be
careful, however, not to lose sight of what the directions say instead of what you think they say. Just as an
audience’s expectations should be part of your consideration of how, what, and why to write, the instructions
given by your instructor, or in a work situation by your supervisor, establish expectations. You might ask a mentor
more about a business writing assignment at work, as well as use the resources available to you to maximize your
learning opportunity. Ask the professor to clarify any points you find confusing, or see more than one way to
interpret, in order to better meet the expectations.
Before you write an opening paragraph, or even the first sentence, it is important to consider the overall goal
of the assignment. The word assignment can apply equally to a written task for class or for your employer. You
might make a list of the main points and see how those points may become the topic sentences in a series of
paragraphs. You may also give considerable thought to whether your word choice, your tone, your language, and
what you want to say is in line with your understanding of your audience. Writing should be about exploring your
options. Authors rarely have a finished result in mind when they start, but once you know what your goal is and
how to reach it, your writing process will become easier and more effective.

Constructive Criticism and Targeted Practice

Mentors can also be important in your growth as a writer. Your instructor can serve as a mentor, offering
constructive criticism, insights on what he or she has written, and life lessons about writing for a purpose. Never
underestimate the mentors that surround you in the workplace, even if you are currently working in a position
unrelated to your desired career. They can read your rough draft and spot errors, as well as provide useful insights.
Friends and family can also be helpful mentors—if your document’s meaning is clear to someone not working in
your business, it will likely also be clear to your audience.
The key is to be open to criticism, keeping in mind that no one ever improved by repeating mistakes over
and over. Only when you know what your errors are—errors of grammar or sentence structure, logic, format, and
so on—can you correct your document and do a better job next time. Writing can be a solitary activity, but more
often in business settings it is a collective, group, or team effort. Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities
to seek outside assistance before you finish your document.
Learning to be a successful business writer comes with practice. Targeted practice, which involves identifying
your weak areas and specifically working to improve them, is especially valuable. In addition to reading, make it
a habit to write, even if it is not a specific assignment. The more you practice writing the kinds of materials that
are used in your work, the more writing will come naturally and become an easier task—even on occasions when
you need to work under pressure.
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking means becoming aware of your thinking process. It’s a human trait that allows us to step
outside what we read or write and ask ourselves, “Does this really make sense?” “Are there other, perhaps better,
ways to explain this idea?” Sometimes our thinking is very abstract and becomes clear only through the process
of getting thoughts down in words. As a character in E. M. Forster’s Aspects of the Novel said, “How can I tell
what I think till I see what I say?” Did you really write what you meant to, and will it be easily understood by the
reader? Successful writing forms a relationship with the audience, reaching the reader on a deep level that can be
dynamic and motivating. In contrast, when writing fails to meet the audience’s expectations, the consequences is
that you will move on.
Learning to write effectively involves reading, writing, critical thinking, and hard work. The power to write
successfully rests in your hands. Excellent business writing can be inspiring, and it is important not to lose that
sense of inspiration as we deconstruct the process of writing to its elemental components.
Those who demonstrate excellence often make it look easy, but nothing could be further from the truth.
Effort, targeted practice, and persistence will win the day every time. When it comes to writing, you need to
learn to recognize clear and concise writing while looking behind the curtain at how it is created. This is not to
say we are going to lose the magic associated with the best writers in the field. Instead, we’ll appreciate what we
are reading as we examine how it was written and how the writer achieved success.

Good Writing
One common concern is to simply address the question, what is good writing? As we progress through our
study of written business communication we’ll try to answer it. But recognize that while the question may be
simple, the answer is complex. There are several key points to remember.
Good business writing
• follows the rules,
• is easy to read, and
• attracts the reader.
Let’s examine these qualities in more depth.
The first point is one that generates a fair amount of debate. What are the rules? Do “the rules” depend on
audience expectations or industry standards, what your English teacher taught you, or are they reflected in the
amazing writing of authors you might point to as positive examples? The answer is “all of the above,” with a
point of clarification. You may find it necessary to balance audience expectations with industry standards for a
document, and may need to find a balance or compromise. Common sense is one basic criterion of good writing,
but common sense is a product of experience. When searching for balance, reader understanding is the deciding
factor. The correct use of a semicolon may not be what is needed to make a sentence work. Your reading audience
should carry extra attention in everything you write because, without them, you won’t have many more writing
assignments.
When we say that good writing follows the rules, we don’t mean that a writer cannot be creative. Just as an art
student needs to know how to draw a scene in correct perspective before he can “break the rules” by “bending”
perspective, so a writer needs to know the rules of language. Being well versed in how to use words correctly,
form sentences with proper grammar, and build logical paragraphs are skills the writer can use no matter what the
assignment. Even though some business settings may call for conservative writing, there are other areas where
creativity is not only allowed but necessary. Imagine working for an advertising agency or a software development
firm; in such situations success comes from expressing new, untried ideas. By following the rules of language
and correct writing, a writer can express those creative ideas in a form that is clear and promotes understanding.
Similarly, writing that is easy to read is not the same as simplistic writing. What is easy to read? For a young
audience, you may need to use straightforward, simple terms, but to ignore their use of the language is to create
an artificial and unnecessary barrier. Some examples may work with one reading audience and fall flat with
another. Profession-specific terms can serve a valuable purpose as we write about precise concepts. Not everyone
will understand all the terms in a profession, but if your audience is largely literate in the terms of the field, using
industry terms will help you establish a relationship with your readers.
The truly excellent writer is one who can explain complex ideas in a way that the reader can understand.
Sometimes ease of reading can come from the writer’s choice of a brilliant illustrative example to get a point
across. In other situations, it can be the writer’s incorporation of definitions into the text so that the meaning of
unfamiliar words is clear. It may also be a matter of choosing dynamic, specific verbs that make it clear what is
happening and who is carrying out the action.
The third point concerns the interest of the reader. Will they want to read it? This question should guide much
of what you write. We increasingly gain information from our environment through visual, auditory, and
multimedia channels, from YouTube to streaming audio, and to watching the news online. Some argue that this
has led to a decreased attention span for reading, meaning that writers need to appeal to readers with short, exact
sentences and catchy phrases. However, there are still plenty of people who love reading an interesting article,
proposal, or marketing piece.
Perhaps the most universally useful strategy in capturing your reader’s attention is to state how your writing can
meet the reader’s needs. If your document provides information to answer a question, solve a problem, or explain
how to increase profits or cut costs, you may want to state this in the beginning. By opening with a “what’s in it
for me” strategy, you give your audience a reason to be interested in what you’ve written.

More Qualities of Good Writing

To the above list, let’s add some additional qualities that define good writing. Good writing

• meets the reader’s expectations,

• is clear and concise,
• is efficient and effective.

To meet the reader’s expectations, the writer needs to understand who the intended reader is. In some business
situations, you are writing just to one person: your boss, a coworker in another department, or an individual
customer or vendor. If you know the person well, it may be as easy for you to write to him or her as it is to
write a note to your parent or roommate. If you don’t know the person, you can at least make some reasonable
assumptions about his or her expectations, based on the position he or she holds and its relation to your job.
In other situations, you may be writing a document to be read by a group or team, an entire department, or even
a large number of total strangers. How can you anticipate their expectations and tailor your writing accordingly?
Naturally you want to learn as much as you can about your likely audience. How much you can learn and what
kinds of information will vary with the situation. If you are writing Web site content, for example, you may
never meet the people who will visit the site, but you can predict why they would be attracted to the site and what
they would expect to read there. Besides learning about your audience, your clear understanding of the writing
assignment and its purpose will help you to meet reader expectations.
The addition of the fifth point concerning clear and concise writing reflects the increasing tendency in business
writing to eliminate error. Errors can include those associated with production, from writing to editing, and reader
response. Your twin goals of clear and concise writing point to a central goal across communication: fidelity. This
concept involves our goal of accurately communicating all the intended information with a minimum of signal
or message breakdown or misinterpretation. Designing your documents, including writing and presentation, to
reduce message breakdown is an important part of effective business communication.
This leads our discussion to efficiency. There are only twenty-four hours in a day and we are increasingly asked
to do more with less, with shorter deadlines almost guaranteed. As a writer, how do you meet ever-increasing
expectations? Each writing assignment requires a clear understanding of the goals and desired results, and when
either of these two aspects is unclear, the efficiency of your writing can be compromised. Rewrites require time
 that you may not have, but will have to make if the assignment was not done correctly the first time.
As we have discussed previously, making a habit of reading similar documents prior to beginning your process
of writing can help establish an example of your desired product. If you can see in your mind what you want to
write, and have the perspective of similar documents combined with audience’s needs, you can write more
efficiently. Your written documents are products and will be required on a schedule that influence your coworkers
and business. Your ability to produce effective documents efficiently is a skill set that will contribute to your
success.
The sixth point reinforces this idea with an emphasis on effectiveness. What is effective writing? It is writing
that succeeds in accomplishing its purpose. Understanding the purpose, goals, and desired results of your writing
assignment will help you achieve this success. Your employer may want an introductory sales letter to result
in an increase in sales, or potential contacts for follow-up leading to sales. Your audience may not see the
document from that perspective, but will instead read with the mindset of, “How does this help me solve a
problem?” If you meet both goals, your writing is approaching effectiveness. Here, effectiveness is qualified with
the word “approaching” to point out that writing is both a process and a product, and your writing will continually
require effort and attention to revision and improvement.

Rhetorical Elements and Cognate Strategies

Another approach to defining good writing is to look at how it fulfills the goals of two well-known systems in
communication. One of these systems comprises the three classical elements of rhetoric, or the art of presenting
an argument. These elements are logos (logic), ethos (ethics and credibility), and pathos (emotional appeal),
first proposed by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. Although rhetoric is often applied to oral
communication, especially public speaking, it is also fundamental to good writing.
A second set of goals involves what are called cognate strategies, or ways of promoting understanding. Like
rhetorical elements, cognate strategies can be applied to public speaking, but they are also useful in developing
good writing. Table “RhetoricalElementsandCognate Strategies” describes these goals, their purposes, and
examples of how they may be carried out in business writing.
Table Rhetorical Elements and Cognate Strategies:

Aristotel`s Cognate Focus Examples in Business Writing

Rhetorical Strategies
Elements
An announcement will be made to the company later in the week, but I
wanted to tell you personally that as of the first of next month, I will be
Clear leaving my position to accept a three-year assignment in our Singapore
Clarity
understanding office. As soon as further details about the management of your account are
available, I will share them with you.

In tomorrow’s conference call Sean wants to introduce the new team

Conciseness Key points members, outline the schedule and budget for the project, and clarify each
Logos
person’s responsibilities in meeting our goals.

Our department has matrix structure. We have three product development

groups, one for each category of product. We also have a manufacturing
Order,
group, a finance group, and a sales group; different group members are
Arrangement hierarchy,
assigned to each of the three product categories. Within the matrix, our
placement
structure is flat, meaning that we have no group leaders. Everyone reports to
the department manager.
 Having known and worked with Jesse for more than five years, I can highly
Character, recommend him to take my place as your advisor. In addition to having
Credibility superb qualifications, Jesse is known for his dedication, honesty, and caring
trust
attitude. He will always go the extra mile for his clients.

Norms and As is typical in our industry, we ship all merchandise FOB our warehouse.
Ethos
Expectation anticipated Prices are exclusive of any federal, state, or local taxes. Payment terms are
outcomes net 30 days from date of invoice.

Sources and
According to an article in Business Week dated October 15, 2009, Doosan is
Reference frames of
one of the largest business conglomerates in South Korea.
reference

I really don’t have words to express how grateful I am for all the support
Tone Expression you’ve extended to me and my family in this hour of need. You guys are the
best.

Pathos It was unconscionable for a member of our organization to shout an

Emphasis Relevance interruption while the president was speaking. What needs to happen
now—and let me be clear about this—is an immediate apology.

Engagement Relationship Faithful soldiers pledge never to

leave a fallen comrade on the battlefield.
Style in Written Communication
One way to examine written communication is from a structural perspective. Words are a series of symbols
that communicate meaning, joined together in specific patterns that are combined to communicate complex and
compound meanings. Nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, and articles are the building blocks you
will use when composing written documents. Misspellings of individual words or grammatical errors involving
misplacement or incorrect word choices in a sentence, can create confusion, lose meaning, and have a negative
impact on the reception of your document. Errors themselves are not inherently bad, but failure to recognize and
fix them will reflect on you, your company, and limit your success. Self-correction is part of the writing process.
Another way to examine written communication is from a goals perspective, where specific documents address
stated (or unstated) goals and have rules, customs, and formats that are anticipated and expected. Violations of
these rules, customs, or formats—whether intentional or unintentional—can also have a negative impact on the
way your document is received.
Colloquial, casual, and formal writing are three common styles that carry their own particular sets of
expectations. Which style you use will depend on your audience, and often whether your communication is going
to be read only by those in your company (internal communications) or by those outside the organization, such
as vendors, customers or clients (external communications). As a general rule, external communications tend
to be more formal, just as corporate letterhead and business cards—designed for presentation to the “outside
world”—are more formal than the e-mail and text messages that are used for everyday writing within the
organization.
Style also depends on the purpose of the document and its audience. If your writing assignment is for Web
page content, clear and concise use of the written word is essential. If your writing assignment is a feature interest
article for an online magazine, you may have the luxury of additional space and word count combined with
graphics, pictures, embedded video or audio clips, and links to related topics. If your writing assignment involves
an introductory letter represented on a printed page delivered in an envelope to a potential customer, you won’t
have the interactivity to enhance your writing, placing an additional burden on your writing and how you represent
it.

Colloquial
Colloquial language is an informal, conversational style of writing. It differs from standard business English
in that it often makes use of colorful expressions, slang, and regional phrases. As a result, it can be difficult to
understand for an English learner or a person from a different region of the country. Sometimes colloquialism takes
the form of a word difference; for example, the difference between a “Coke,” a “tonic,” a “pop, and a “soda pop”
primarily depends on where you live. Colloquial sayings like “He could mess up a rainstorm” or “He couldn’t hit
the ground if he fell” communicate the person is inept or awkward in a colorful, but not universal way. In the Pacific
Northwest someone might “mosey,” or walk slowly, over to the “café,” or bakery, to pick up a “maple bar”—a
confection known as a “Long John doughnut” to people in other parts of the United States.
Colloquial language can be reflected in texting:
“ok fwiw i did my part n put it in where you asked but my ? is if the group does not participate do i still get credit for my part
of what i did n also how much do we all have to do i mean i put in my opinion of the items in order do i also have to reply to
the other team members or what? Thxs”
We may be able to grasp the meaning of the message, and understand some of the abbreviations and codes,
but when it comes to business, this style of colloquial text writing is generally suitable only for one-on-one internal
communications between coworkers who know each other well (and those who do not judge each other on spelling
or grammar). For external communications, and even for group communications within the organization, it is not
normally suitable, as some of the codes are not standard, and may even be unfamiliar to the larger audience.
Colloquial writing may be permissible, and even preferable, in some business contexts. For example, a marketing
letter describing a folksy product such as a wood stove or an old-fashioned popcorn popper might use a
colloquial style to create a feeling of relaxing at home with loved ones. Still, it is important to consider how
colloquial language will appear to the audience. Will the meaning of your chosen words be clear to a reader
who is from a different part of the country? Will a folksy tone sound like you are “talking down” to your audience,
assuming that they are not intelligent or educated enough to appreciate standard English? A final point to remember
is that colloquial style is not an excuse for using expressions that are sexist, racist, profane, or otherwise offensive.

Casual
Casual language involves 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. When you are at home, at times you probably
dress in casual clothing that you wouldn’t wear in public—pajamas or underwear, for example. Casual
communication is the written equivalent of this kind of casual attire. Have you ever had a family member say
something to you that a stranger or coworker would never say? Or have you said something to a family member
that you would never say in front of your boss? In both cases, casual language is being used. When you write for
business, a casual style is usually out of place. Instead, a respectful, professional tone represents you well in your
absence.
Formal
In business writing, the appropriate style will have a degree of formality. Formal language is communication
that focuses on professional expression with attention to roles, protocol, and appearance. It is characterized by its
vocabulary and syntax, or the grammatical arrangement of words in a sentence. That is, writers using a formal
style tend to use a more sophisticated vocabulary—a greater variety of words, and more words with multiple
syllables—not for the purpose of throwing big words around, but to enhance the formal mood of the document.
They also tend to use more complex syntax, resulting in sentences that are longer and contain more subordinate
clauses.
The appropriate style for a particular business document may be very formal, or less so. If your supervisor writes
you an e-mail and you reply, the exchange may be informal in that it is fluid and relaxed, without much forethought,
but it will still reflect the formality of the business environment. Chances are you will be careful to use an
informative subject line, a salutation (“Hi [supervisor’s name]” is typical in e-mails), a word of thanks for whatever
information or suggestion she provided you, and an indication that you stand ready to help further if need be. You
will probably also check your grammar and spelling before you click “send.”
A formal document such as a proposal or an annual report will involve a great deal of planning and preparation,
and its style may not be fluid or relaxed. Instead, it may use distinct language to emphasize the prestige and
professionalism of your company. Let’s say you are going to write a marketing letter that will be printed on
company letterhead and mailed to a hundred sales prospects. Naturally you want to represent your company in a
positive light. In a letter of this nature you might write a sentence like “The Widget 300 is our premium offering
in the line; we have designed it for ease of movement and efficiency of use, with your success foremost in our
mind.” But in an e-mail or a tweet, you might use an informal sentence instead, reading “W300—good stapler.”
Writing for business often involves choosing the appropriate level of formality for the company and industry,
the particular document and situation, and the audience.