PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION FINALS COVERAGE

UNIT III: FINALS

LESSON 9: Communication for Work Purposes
Lesson Objectives:

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. Create clear, coherent and effective communication materials;

2. Present ideas persuasively using appropriate language registers; and
3. Adopt awareness of audience and context in presenting and communicating ideas.

Technical Writing
WHAT IS TECHNICAL WRITING?
 It is a broad term used to cover various types of writing done in science, industries and other
specialized fields (Littell, 1998).

 It refers to precisely written documents to communicate complex information to a wide range of

audiences for many purposes (Finkelstein, 2005).

 It is any writing done in the workplace; its subject is usually technical and it is written carefully for
a specific audience; organization is predictable and apparent; style is concise; tone is objective and
business-like; and special features include visual elements (Mehlich and Worthington, 1997).

 It is communication (in any field) of which the primary aim is to convey a particular piece of
information for a particular purpose to a particular reader or group of readers. Thus, it is an
exposition essentially about scientific subjects and about various technical subjects associated
with the sciences (Alcantara and Espina, 1995).

 Technical writing is presentational. It involves attractive layout for easy reading and technical
vocabulary, its use of graphic aids and conventional report. It is ideally characterized by the
maintenance of an attitude of impartiality and objectivity, by extreme care to convey information
accurately and concisely, and by the absence of any attempt to arouse emotions. Also, it is writing
in which there is relatively high concentration of certain complex and important writing
techniques (Mills and Walter, 1980).

 Its final product is a technical report that may range in size and complexity from a simple
memorandum or letter to voluminous report or stack of books (Vicental, et.al., 2004).

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TECHNICAL AND CREATIVE WRITING

Writing can be grouped into five basic types; technical, creative, expressive, expository, and
persuasive. To help understand technical writing, it may help to compare it to the other types.

 Technical writing conveys specific information about a technical subject to a specific audience for
a specific purpose.

 Creative writing is fiction – poetry, short stories, plays, and novels – and is most different from
technical writing.

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 Expressive writing is a subjective response to a personal experience – journals and diaries –
whereas technical writing might be objective observations of a work-related experience or
research.

 Expository writing “exposes” a topic analytically and objectively, such as news reports. Like
technical writing, the goal of expository writing is to explain or reveal knowledge, but expository
writing does not necessarily expect a response or action from the reader.

 Persuasive writing depends on emotional appeal. Its goal is to change attitudes or motivate to
action.

TECHNICAL WRITING CREATIVE WRITING

CONTENT Factual, straight-forward Imaginative, metaphoric or
symbolic
AUDIENCE Specific General
PURPOSE To inform, instruct, persuade Entertain, provoke, captivate
STYLE Formal, standard, academic Informal, artistic, figurative
TONE Objective Subjective
VOCABULARY Specialized General, evocative
ORGANIZATION Sequential, systematic Arbitrary, artistic
Compare these examples:

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BASIC PRINCIPLES OF GOOD TECHNICAL WRITING
a. Always have in mind a specific reader, real or imaginary, when you are making a report,
and always assume that he is intelligent, but uninformed.

b. Before you start to write, always decide what the exact purpose of your report is and make
sure that every paragraph, every sentence, every word, makes a clear contribution to that
purpose, and makes it at the right time.

c. Use language that is simple, concrete and familiar.

d. At the beginning and end of every section of your report, check your writing according to
this principle: “first you tell your readers what you’re going to tell them, then tell them, then
you tell them what you’ve told them.”

e. Make your report attractive to look at.

TECHNICAL WRITING STYLE

f. Match your content to your readers’ knowledge.

g. Keep information specific rather than general.

h. Write in plain English.

i. Keep the style of writing impersonal.

j. Use a positive, not negative tone and style.

POSITIVE NEGATIVE
Four of thirty students of English subject met the Twenty six of the thirty students of English subject
deadline for the submission of their reports. failed to meet the deadline for the submission of
their reports.

Please allow us to serve you on cash basis If you expect to borrow again, don’t come to us.
meanwhile.

k. Use simple words rather than complex ones.

TECHNICAL WORD LAYMAN’S TERM

Low incidence of adverse reaction Few side effects
Hydrogen dioxide Water
Comestibles Food
Folio Page
Recto Right-hand page
l. Avoid acronyms and abbreviations

m. Avoid non-words

DIFFICULT WORDS WORDY PHRASES

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Instead of: Use: Instead of: Use:
Aggregate Total, whole A greater length of Longer
time
Disengage Free
A large number of Many
Abbreviate Shorten
Afford an opportunity Allow
Parameter Factor
to
Beverage Drink
At this point in time At this time
Subsequent Next
Now in this connection Therefore
Coagulate Thicken
During the course of During
sufficient Enough
On annual basis Yearly
Conjecture Guess
In the vicinity of Near
Currently Now
Give positive Encourage
concept Idea encouragement

At an early age Soon

REDUNDANCIES CONTRACTED WORDS

Instead of: Use: Instead of: Use:

Very unique Unique Can’t Cannot

Repeat again Repeat Won’t Will not

An honor and privilege An honor Shouldn’t Should not

Like for example Like, for example I’d told I had told

Behave properly Behave We’re We are/were

Final outcome Outcome You’ve You have

Honest truth Truth She’d rather sing. She would rather sing.

By means of by Mr. Twain’s saying Mr. Twain is saying…

that…

UNDERSTANDING YOUR AUDIENCE/READER

FACTORS AFFECTING AUDIENCE NEEDS:

1. Format. – Deals with practical matters of design type of document, length, preferred style manual,
and organization. Write letters to readers outside the company and memos to readers inside the

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company. In choosing a report format, consider the subject-matter, audience and the employer
standards. Follow established company format.
2. Personality. – Adjust tone to personality. Tailor your language appropriately. Personality can be
affected by culture, heredity, age, experience, and role.
3. Knowledge. – Include knowledge that the role requires. Ask yourself what your readers know or
do not know about your subject. Experience, age, and role can affect how much someone knows.
4. Role. – consider your reader’s role before writing. Understand that role and accommodate it.
Write different parts for different roles.
5. Culture. – understand how culture affects someone’s beliefs and decisions. A person’s family and
community background can have a deciding effect on what an audience believes. When you learn
about the cultural background of your audience, your writing will have greater depth and appeal.
6. Interest. – Where you find interest, capitalize on it. Where there is none, try to create interest.
Interest can be affected by such factors as age, experience, cultural background, and role.

Learning Task:

Group yourselves into five (5) members and perform the following:

1. Imagine or conceive your own product or business that offers services.

2. Make your own product advertisement flyer for marketing purposes or promotion. In doing so, be
reminded of the technical writing style and your audiences’ needs.
3. Print your flyer in a special paper. The size depends on your designed concept.
4. Present your product or business service to the class.

LESSON 10: Simulating the Philippine Workplace

In this lesson, you will apply the principles you have learned from the previous lesson. You will
review the general principles of technical communication by writing several workplace documents:
memos, business letters, and emails. The exercises will be drawn from your realm of experience but will
be geared toward your future in the workplace. In line with this framing, you will then learn about the job
application process, from the writing of effective cover letters and resumes, to the job interview process.
You will also evaluate samples of these different technical papers.

Lesson Objectives:

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. Construct basic workplace documents based on the principles of technical writing;

2. Write an effective cover letter and resume based on the guidelines for the job application process;
and
3. Effectively introduce oneself and answer questions in a scenario simulating the job interview.

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Professional Correspondence
This section will provide tips, evaluation exercises, and composition exercises for memos and letters.
It will also discuss the principles guiding email communication in the workplace, followed by an email
evaluation and writing exercises.

Memos
A memo which is internal communication, immediately gives the date, the addressee and sender, and
the subject of the memo in a standard format. There is no need for a salutation, complimentary close,
and signature block. Here is a template that shows the format of a standard memo.

Memo Template

(two inches of blank space)

Memorandum or Memo

To: Readers’ names (individual or group name) and designations/job titles

(one blank line)

From: Writer’s name and designation/job title

(one blank line)

Date: Current date

(one blank line)

Subject: What the memo is about

(two blank lines)

First single-spaced paragraph: an opening that grabs attention and introduces the purpose of the memo,
the context and problem, and the specific assignment or task

(one blank line)

Second single-spaced paragraph: a body that explains the purpose and context in greater detail; uses
lists, if necessary, for easy digestion of information

(one blank line)

Third single-spaced paragraph: a closing that includes a request for action, deadline, and reasons; ends
courteously

The memo follows a specific format designed for internal communication. It tends to be brief (one
page is usually enough), and its content is arranged into paragraphs, typically just one to three. The
memo’s subject line is of prime importance. Like a title, it “aids in filing and retrieving the document, tells
the readers why they need to read the document, and provides a framework in which to set what they
are about to say” (Locker and Kienzler, 2013). Good-news memos and letters can highlight the good news
in the subject line, but bad-news letters and memos should have a neutral subject line. A good subject

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line is specific, concise, and appropriate to the kind of message. The examples that follow, based in
similar ones in Arinto (2009), illustrate the differences between ineffective and effective subject lines.

A. Too general: Training Seminar

Better: Dates for 2018 Training Seminar

Or: Schedule of Training Seminar on Conducting Interviews

B. Wordy: Survey of Students’ Preferences Regarding Course Offerings

Better: Students’ Course Offering Preferences
Or: Survey of Students’ Course Preferences

Business Letter
Business letter is a form of external communication, it is formatted to contain, among others, an
inside address and a signature block that specify the recipient and sender respectively, along with their
contact information. A letter also contains standard formulas of openings and closings called the
salutation and complimentary close. The standard salutation format consists of the word “Dear” followed
by the title (Mr., Ms., Dr., Prof., etc.) of the addressee or recipient, his or her last name, and a colon.
Conventional complimentary close for business letters today are: Sincerely, Respectfully, Best regards,
Kind regards, and Yours truly. However, conventions change, so it is still best to keep this closing as
neutral as possible and to find out what is preferred in each particular business or professional context.
Finally, the letter is formatted in a way that makes relevant information easy to see and understand. Here
is a template that shows the formal and content of a business letter.

Business Letter Template

Company Letterhead

(two or more blank lines)

Date of letter

(two or more blank lines)

Name of recipient
Position/Designation of recipient
Address of recipient
(one blank line)

Dear + Courtesy title + Reader’s last name:

(one blank line)

First single-spaced paragraph

(one blank line)

Second single-spaced paragraph

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(one blank line)

Third single-spaced paragraph

(one blank line)

Complimentary close, such as “Respectfully yours,”

(three blank lines for the sender’s signature)

Name of sender
Title/Designation of sender

The business letter, like the memo, should be clear, concise, and organized. Typically, it
contains a brief introductory paragraph establishing the context and purpose of the letter, a
middle section conveying details of the message in a logical sequence, and a brief concluding
paragraph politely requesting action, thanking the reader, or providing any additional pertinent
information.
While the main message should be the focus of the letter, it is important to write effective
openings and closings. Openings should be clear and direct, that is, they should immediately tell
the reader the purpose of the letter. The following two examples show the difference between
an indirect and direct opening.

Indirect: Thank you for your email of May 11 in which you inquired about the availability
of sprinkler part H640B.
Direct: You will be glad to know that we have an ample supply of H640B parts.

The closing or concluding paragraph wraps up the main points while building goodwill via
what is called a positive forward-looking final message. For example, writers can say, “I am glad
to have been of help,” “Feel free to call me again,” or “I look forward to… [working with you,
receiving your application in the next call for proposals, etc.].”

Work Email
Many companies today use emails as an alternative to memos. As Mary Ellen Guffey
(2000) notes in Essentials of Business Communication, email messages and memos are “standard
forms of communication within organizations” and “will probably become [the] most common
business communication channel.” Email messages have several advantages over print
communication: they allow professionals to send, forward, and receive many messages quickly
and efficiently, and they are designed for simultaneous circulation. Messages may also be
organized easily in electronic “folders” for later reference and replies. Emails are eco-friendly, as
large documents may be sent economically and without using paper resources.
The use of emails comes with challenges, however. Because of the ease of sending, one
click of the “send” button for a message that contains factual, grammatical, or typographical

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errors, may result in the writer’s loss of credibility. Emails produce a permanent record, so
writers should be aware of the dangers of messages travelling to unintended recipients.
According to Guffey (2000), even when deleted, emails “can remain on multiple servers that are
backed up by companies or Internet service providers.” Moreover, in sensitive situations, emails
are not as effective, as they are only partially able to convey the writer’s attitude or emotions.
Like memos and business letters, email messages should be warm and friendly, but not
too conversational, emotional, or intimate. The goal is a professional tone – neither too formal
nor too conversational. There are guidelines specific to email correspondence. The term
“netiquette” refers to etiquette on the Internet or the acceptable ways of communicating on
Internet platforms. Various netiquette guides are available online. Here are some links to a few
of these:

Netiquette links:
 http://email.about.com/od/emailnetiquette/tp/core_neti-quette.htm
 http://www.businessinsider.com/email-etiquette-rules-every-professional-needs-to-know-
2016-1

Workplace emails still follow the standard format, minus the automatic components: email
systems automatically insert the date of incoming messages and the name and email address of
the sender. The writer inputs the name and email address of the recipient, as well as the subject
which, as in memos, should summarize the central idea of the message. Work emails have
salutations that use the colon at the end, but in certain contexts when sender and recipient have
a close working relationship, titles are dropped and first names are used. Paragraph
organization is the same as for memos and letters, and the information given should be only
what is necessary. Opening fillers (there is, it is), long lead-ins (I am writing this memo to inform
you that), and wordy phrases (because of the fact that) should be avoided. Lastly, it is best to
compose emails offline or to least proofread the message before sending it.

Cover Letter and Résumé

A cover letter is a “letter you write to a prospective employer to persuade him/her to give you a
job” (Arinto, 2009). It literally covers or goes on top of the applicant’s résumé. It is typically just one-page
long, with a message conveyed in about three to five paragraphs. Different companies may specify
different formatting requirements for this, but most will be printed on short, 8.5 x 11 -inch bond paper,
ivory or white in color, about 70 to 80 gsm.

The cover letter is formatted like a business letter, but it has its own specific challenges. It is very
important that the cover letter does not contain mistakes when it comes to the information about the
company and prospective employer. The applicant should find out the full name, position, and preferred
title of the addressee – sometimes the employer, sometimes the head of a Human Resources
department. The message should provide adequate information about the position being applied for, the
top qualifications of the applicant (highlights of the résumé), how the applicant stands out from other
applicants, and contact information of the applicant. In a cover letter template constructed by Richard J.
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Wallace (2006), he provides a summary of the kind of information that should be included in each section
of a cover letter.

First, the date and inside address should be provided, the latter including the contact person’s
name and position, as well as the company name and its address. Like in other business letters, the
salutation should begin with the word “Dear,” followed by the appropriate courtesy title (e.g., Mr., Ms.,
Dr., Prof., Atty., Engr., Hon., etc.) and a colon. In the first paragraph, the applicant should immediately
state an interest in the specified position as well as give reasons, for example, background, as to his/her
suitability as a candidate. The first paragraph should be kept short – no longer than a page or half a page.

In second paragraph, qualifications should be supported with concrete and specific details, such
as highlights from the applicant’s résumé. The applicant’s interest in the company should be emphasized
further with details that call attention to the fact that he/she knows the firm, field, or industry well. In the
closing paragraph, there should be a request for an interview or some form of follow-up action. It helps
to provide contact information or mention the option of calling or sending an email to arrange an
interview at a convenient time for both parties. The complimentary should be formal (e.g., “Sincerely,”
“Respectfully,” or “Very Truly Yours”).

Next, Locker and Kaczmarek (2009) define résumé as a document attached to a cover letter to
serve as “a persuasive summary of your qualification for employment”. Ideally, unless is one applying for
a top-level position, one page is adequate, especially for fresh graduates. Less important content should
be trimmed or omitted to fit the more important achievements into a single page. When there is more
than one page, each page should have the applicant’s name and a page number for easy reference. The
type of paper used is the same as for cover letter.

Three main types of résumé

1. The chronological résumé is the traditional and most accepted résumé format. Items are listed in
reverse chronological order, with the most recent work or schooling first. Names, dates, and
places of employment are listed, and education and work experience are grouped separately. This
is used when there are no large gaps in the applicant’s work history and if his/her education and
previous work experience relate to the current job objective.
2. The functional résumé focuses on the skills and talents developed by the applicant and does not
emphasize job titles, employer names, and dates. This is used when there are gaps in the writer’s
work or study history, when such experience is not that relevant to the position for which he/she
is applying, and when the writer wishes to combine experiences from paid jobs, activities,
volunteer work, and courses to show the extent of his/her experience in an area.
3. The chrono – functional résumé, as the name suggests, is a combination of the two types: it
chronologically lists job history and education but also allows the applicant to highlight certain
marketable qualifications. This is used by fresh graduates who have same job experience and by
those who are returning to work or are changing careers.

For recent college graduates, education should appear first and be outlined in detail. For example,
degrees, honors, special awards, relevant courses or projects should be listed. Experience should only be
listed first when the applicant has had at least two years of full-time career experience. For chronological
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résumés, the dates of employment and education are on the left of the page, while the companies
worked for and schools attended are a few spaces to the right of the dates. Job experience should be
listed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent job emphasized the most. An applicant may
also slant past accomplishments toward the type of positive he/she hopes to obtain.

Some companies like to see personal data of the applicants, such as their interests, hobbies, and
sports. A concise reference to commonly practiced activities such as sports can prove to be an interesting
conversation piece during an interview. The key word is “concise” – such data should be kept very brief,
two lines at the most. Details like the applicant’s weight, height, or marital status are irrelevant and
should not be included.

When including reference, there should be at least three listed. These are people who can speak well
of your abilities – usually former teachers or employers. Ask for permission to cite them as references
and list complete and accurate information about their job titles and contact details.

Lastly, an effective résumé should also look good, with effective use of white space, and other
typeface features (e.g., font size, bold). Information should be neatly divided into clearly labeled sections
for education, experience, and other major categories of professional qualifications. There should be no
typographic or mechanical errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar.

Job Interview
If the employer or hiring personnel like the overall picture presented by a cover letter and résumé,
they will want a closer picture. They will then ask the applicant to come in for a job interview. Job
interviews can vary from structured or formal with a set of specific questions to unstructured with more
freewheeling conversation. Among several other types of interviews, the following are the most common:

 The traditional one-on-one interview – the candidate is interviewed by one person.

 The panel interview – the candidate is interviewed by a group or panel.
 The group interview – the candidate is interviewed along with fellow candidates.
 The stress interview – the candidate is asked a series of difficult and intimidating questions to see
how he/she handles stress.

Before the interview

Have the right mindset. Remember that the primary goal of the interviewer is to learn whether
you have the skills, training, experience, and interest necessary to fulfill the requirements of the position.
Answer their questions honestly so that you may both find out if you can meet the company’s needs.

Research. Gather information about the company you are applying to so you can adjust your responses
to fit that company. Find out specifically about the company’s leaders, its mission and vision or business
philosophy, its products, services or costumers, and its competition. Based in this, think about your goals,
strengths, and weaknesses. Think about why the company would be interested in you. Finally, think
about what the job involves in terms of duties, hours, wages, and opportunities for advancement.

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Know the typical questions asked. Below is a table of questions collated from various sources but
mainly based on those from The Professional Development Seminar Junior and Senior Workbook (Nicholls,
2007) you should practice by preparing responses for these general types of questions.

Getting-to-know-you questions Tell me about yourself. What was your course and
major in college, and why did you choose it? If you
could do it over again, would you stay in the same
field? Why? What are your greatest strengths?
What are some things you enjoy doing in your
spare time? What are your hobbies, sports, or
interests?
Questions about your qualifications What specific qualifications do you have for this
job? Can you talk about your previous work
experience, whether part-time jobs or internship?
What were your biggest achievements in college?
Why should we hire you when there are other
applicants with better credentials or more
experience?
Forward-looking questions Where do you see yourself five years from now? If
you were hired for this position, what would do to
ensure that you fit in? Do you plan to continue
your education?
Tough questions What are your greatest weaknesses? Is there
anything you would like to change about your
personality? What is this, and why? How did you
prepare for this interview? Do you feel you
achieved the best grade-point average of which
you were capable in college? Have you ever faced
an ethical dilemma? What did you do and how did
you feel about it? If a superior give you a specific
instruction to do something in a particular way,
and you knew that way was wrong, what actions
would you take?
Questions about money What kind of salary do you expect? How much did
you previously earn? How much are you presently
earning? By age _____, how much money do you
expect to earn? Can you take a pay cut from your
current (or previous) job?

Know what questions are illegal. Employers cannot ask about your relationship status, disabilities, how
much alcohol you drink, whether you have ever been arrested, your religious preference, whether you
have children, birth control practices, living arrangements, whether you own or rent your home, your
weight and height. None of these are relevant to the job you are applying for (Giang, 2013).

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You may choose to answer the question if you feel it is harmless, and deflect the question tactfully
(e.g., by asking what it has to do with the responsibilities of the position).

Prepare your own questions. Interviewers typically ask the applicant if he/she has any questions. Take
the opportunity to ask about your duties, what it is like to work in the company, what training programs
are available, and if there are possibilities for promotion from this position, etc.

Practice, practice, practice.

During Interview

Arrive early and present yourself well. Be on time, even 5 minutes early, so that you have time to
compose yourself before you step into the interview room. Introduce yourself to the office staff and say
why you are there. Complete forms neatly and quietly. Greet the interviewer confidently with a
handshake, look him or her in the eye, and try your best to seem at ease (via small talk, if necessary).
Listen carefully to what he or she says.

Smile, make frequent eye contact, and control your body movements. Sit erect, leaning forward
slightly. Keep your feet on the floor. Sound enthusiastic and interested – but sincere.

Be clear. Answer questions clearly and briefly. Restate questions in your own words if you are unsure
about what interviewer means. State your strengths and how you use them.

Wait for the interviewer to officially signal the end of the interview. You may ask at this point, what
action will follow or when you will be contacted. Then, thank the interviewer for considering you for the
position.

Worksheet 1: Memo
The exercises in this worksheet ask the students to evaluate several subject lines, to read and
evaluate a sample/model memo and to write their own memo. These activities may be done individually
or by group.

For each group of subject lines provided, encircle the letter of the best subject line. Explain the
reason for your choice by comparing it with others that you did not choose.

A. Subject: We will have an important meeting about the Proposed GE Reform on Monday at 10 a.m.
B. Subject: Proposed GE Reform Meeting on Monday at 10
C. Subject: Meeting
A. Subject: How to Enter Bibliographic Information on Zotero
B. Subject: Bibliographic Entry, Instructions for Zotero
C. Subject: Entering Bibliographic Information
A. Subject: New Employee Benefit
B. Subject: Tuition Reimbursement Will Noe Be Offered to Employees Who Take Work-Related
Classes and Earn at Least a 3.0
C. Subject: New Tuition Reimbursement Policy
A. Subject: When You Can Deduct the Cost of a Conference Meal

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B. Subject: Attendance at Conferences
C. Subject: Reimbursement Procedures for Conference Meals
A. Subject: Your Report of August 14
B. Subject: Progress on Joint Venture Projects in Singapore
C. Subject: Problems with Joint Venture Projects in Singapore

Worksheet 2: Business Letter

The exercise in this worksheet ask the students to evaluate and revise openings and closings in
business letters, and to write their own business letters.

For numbers 1 and 2, indicate which of the following entries represents an effective direct
opening. For number 3, revise the opening to make it more direct. Add information if necessary.

(1)

A. Yes, the Enterprise Cruise Club is planning a 15-day Caribbean cruise beginning September 20.

B. This will acknowledge receipt of your letter pf December 2 in which you ask about our
Caribbean cruise schedule.

(2)

A. We sincerely appreciate your recent order for plywood wallboard panels.

B. The plywood wallboard panels that you requested were shipped today by Jolly-Bee Cargo
Express and should reach you by November 28.

(3)

A. Pursuant to your letter of February 10, I am writing in regard to your inquiry about whether we
offer our Star Wars umbrella in other colors besides green and blue. This unique umbrella is a
very popular item and receives a number of inquiries. The light saber umbrella is the ultimate
geek chic, cool accessory! It is 45” long and has a built-in LED light-up feature that allows the user
to choose between green or blue!

B. At this time, the Star Wars umbrella we are offering is available in the colors green and blue.

Worksheet 3: Email
These exercises focus on the specific challenges of workplace emails.

 What email address do you most frequently use?

 Do you think it is an effective one for professional email correspondence? A professional
email is neutral and should typically consist of your name or initials. Avoid email

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addresses that are too playful and “cute.” If your present email address is not
professional-sounding, provide an alternative one here:
 Do an Internet research of the meaning “cc” and “bcc” fields in emails. Why should you be
particularly wary about these email features?
 Write an email to a workplace supervisor regarding a report on the use of Zotero, a
bibliographic manager app. You have been assigned to learn how to use this app to input
the company’s library files. You have also been asked to prepare a report outlining the use
of this app and your progress so far. In this email, you should:
1. Provide an update on the information you have gathered: You have created a Zotero
Standalone account, have learned how to input entries, and have managed to inpur
25%of the company’s files.
2. Ask for the deadline of submission to be extended by one week.
3. Explain why you need more time.

Worksheet 4: Cover Letter and Résumé

These exercises offer additional tips, guidelines, and practice in cover-letter and résumé
writing.

Employers use résumés to decide whom to interview. The search committee skims
résumés, and each one may get a quick glance of 30 to 60 seconds at the most. So, be sure to
present information in a concise manner.

1. Provide the tight version for the items given here.

Wordy: Member, University Debate Team, 2013-14

Member, University Debate Team, 2014-15

Member, University Debate Team, 2015-16

Captain, University Debate Team, 2015-16

Tight: _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Wordy:

Over a period of time, the course of the months of December 2014 and January 2015, I
completely revamped the inventory system at my workplace, which ended up resulting in a total
final savings of a large amount of money, roughly around $15,000. This also made it

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considerably easier for people, not only myself, but also my co-workers at the store, to perform
tasks around the office efficiently under the new arrangements.

Tight:

Dec-Jan 2014: ________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

2. Provide specific and relevant details rather than vague and trivial ones. Talk about how
many people you trained or supervised, how much money you budgeted or raised,
and what aspects of a project you handled. For the exercise that follows, state why
concrete details are more effective.

Vague details:

Sales Manager, The Naga Chronicle, Naga City, 2014-15. Supervised staff: promoted sales.

Concrete details:

Sales Manager, The Naga Chronicle, Naga City, 2014-15. Supervised 25-member sales staff;
recruited, interviewed, and selected staff members; assigned tasks and configured work
schedules; recommended top performers for promotion. Motivated staff to increase sales by 5%
over the previous year.

3. To create a dynamic image, choose verbs or gerunds (the -ing form of verbs) over
nouns.

Noun:

Chair, Income Tax Assistance Committee, Tayabas, Quezon, 2014-15. Responsibilities:

recruitment of volunteers; flyer design, drafting, and distribution for marketing of programs;
speeches to various local community groups and homes for the aged to advertise the service.

Verbs:

Chair, Income Tax Assistance Committee, Tayabas, Quezon, 2014-15. Responsibilities:

_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________

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4. Read carefully the advertisement below from a newspaper publication. Respond to any
of them by sending your application letter together with your resume.

NEW JOB OPENING!

Open to all courses.

A 5-year Leading and Expanding Company is looking for:

* 4-year university graduate

* At least 21 years but not more than 35-years old

* Computer literate

* Excellent in communication skills

* With pleasing personality

Interested applicants may personally submit or send their comprehensive resume with latest
2x2 photo to:

Mr. Lawrence F. Rosario, Hiring Officer

Human Resource Development Office

TROYVENTURES

1st Floor Althea Building

Perez St., Marawi City

LESSON 11: The Process of Academic Writing

Many students think of writing as a matter of placing words upon paper. But in 1992, an educator
and journalist named Donald M. Murray proposed that teachers should “Teach Writing as a Process, not
a Product.” This means that writing consists of more than just drafting a paper but rather as three stages
that Murray calls pre-writing, writing and rewriting (1972). This conception of writing as a process has
very important implications: “that writing is first and foremost a social activity; that the act of writing can
be a means of learning and discovery” (Olson, 1999). What this means is that when students learn writing
as a process, they are more involved in the process of learning about the subject, other people’s ideas,
and their and own writing. While working on the latter, they become aware that they are actually
collaborating on the construction of new ideas and knowledge that is part of an ongoing scholarly
conversation.

This lesson introduces and explain the three stages of the writing process as well as components
of these stages.

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Lesson Objectives:

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. Conceptualize an original argument or thesis on a relevant social or cultural issue;

2. Organize supporting ideas into a working plan or outline; and
3. Write a paragraph that integrates original ideas with properly documented quotations,
paraphrases and/or summaries from a variety of supporting sources.

The Process of Academic Writing

Academic writing, as the name implies, is the kind of writing that you are required to do in college
or university. It differs from other kinds of writing, such as personal, literary, journalistic, or business
writing. Its differences can be explained in part by its audience, tone, and purpose.

Whenever you write, consider your specific audience, that is, the people who will read what you
have written. In academic writing, your audience is primarily your professors or instructors. Second,
consider the tone of your writing, your style or manner of expression. It is revealed by your choice of
words and grammatical structures and even the length of your sentences. The tone of a piece of writing
can be, for example, serious, amusing, personal, or impersonal. Academic writing is formal and serious in
tone. Finally, the purpose of a piece of writing determines its organizational pattern. A persuasive essay
will be organized in one way and a comparison contrast essay in another way.

Writing is a process of creating, organizing, writing, and polishing. In the first step of the process,
you create ideas. In the second step, you organize the ideas. In the third step, you write a rough draft. In
the final step, you polish your rough draft by editing it and making revisions.

The Pre-Writing Stage

A. Choosing a Topic and Limiting it

The pre-writing stage is defined as “everything that takes place before the first draft” (Murray,
1972).

 It begins with brainstorming exercises and preliminary research to select topic.

 Once a topic has been chosen, this should be limited based on the type of written output
required.
 A quick survey of related sources on the general topic is helpful in limiting the topic to a more
specific area of study.

Here is an example of notes leading to the selection of a narrow and focused topic for a documented
essay on the topic of plagiarism in the Philippines.

Brainstorming:

Philippine culture expressions, terms, behavior, and practices unique to the Philippines expressions like
“Ano bay an!” “ukay-ukay” “Philippine hospitality,” bringing home pasalubong, the so-called tingi-tingi
system

General Topic Selected:

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The tingi-tingi system (the practice of buying and selling by piece or small amounts, e.g., one stick of
cigarette versus a pack, a sachet of shampoo versus a bottle)

Specific Topic:

The cultural significance of the tingi-tingi system in the twenty-first century

B. Asking Research Questions and Establishing the Significance of One’s Research

The next helpful step is to barrage the specific topic with questions to come up with the essay’s
main Research Question. Although it is helpful to begin with questions that ask who, what, when, or
where, these should be used as background research questions.

For example, the answer to the questions listed here can be really looked up:

 What does the “tingi-tingi system” mean? What is the nature of tingi?
 Who exactly practices this?
 When did this practice begin?
 Where is this practiced? In what context/s?

Questions that ask how and why are more likely to invite a deeper research and lead to more
interesting answers.

 Why is tingi-tingi system a prevalent practice in the Philippines?

 How did it develop? How was it practiced in the past? How is it practiced today?

Finally, the student should pose a tougher question, the “so what?” question: Now that I know all of
this, so what? What make my research socially or culturally significant?

 Brainstorming Research Questions: what cultural and social values, as well as realities, led to the
practice of buying and selling by tingi? What impact does it have on buyers and sellers? What
larger implications does this have about life in Philippines and its socio-economic system,
especially today?
 Main Research Question: Why is the continued use of the tingi-tingi system in twenty-first-century
Philippines significant?

The “so what?” question is the main research question. Another way to arrive at this question is to
begin by naming the topic, adding a reason for studying the topic, and adding significance to the reason
for studying the topic, as in the examples here.

 State your topic: I am studying tingi culture in the Philippines.

 Add a reason for studying: I am studying tingi culture in the Philippines because I want to find out
what it reflects about the values of Filipinos.
 Add significance to this study: I am studying tingi culture in the Philippines because I want to find
out what it reflects about the values of Filipinos to help my reader understand why there are
larger implications of the practice in the twenty-first century.

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 RESEARCH QUESTION: Why is the continued use of the tingi-tingi system in twenty-first-century
Philippines significant?

C. Composing a Thesis Statement

Coming up with a research question is vital for the next step, composing a thesis statement. This is
the explicit statement of what will be the paper’s central idea, point, or argument, that is – the main
assertion that will be supported by the entire essay. It is also, essentially, the tentative answer to the
research question.

 Research Question: why is the continued use of the tingi-tingi system in twenty-first-century
Philippines significant?
 Thesis Statement: The continued use of tingi-tingi system in twenty-first-century Philippines
reflects a lack of change in the economic situation of the Philippines, as those from the many
poorer sectors of society are forced, due to lack of available funds, to both buy small and think in
the short term.

Kim and Michael Flachmann (2011), authors of The Prose Reader say that thesis is “a contract
between [the writer] and [his/her] readers.” This means that a writer must deliver on the “promise” made
by the thesis statement: that the essay will assert one central point and that this will be focused on and
supported by every paragraph in the essay. Moreover, the contract that is the thesis statement should be
provided early in the essay, in the introductory paragraphs, so that the reader will know at the outset
what to expect.

D. Preparing a Writing Outline

It is very helpful for students to prepare a writing outline for any type of essay, and particularly for
an academic, documented one. An outline consists of three main sections, the introduction, the
development, and the conclusion.

In an academic paper, the introduction typically consists of an interesting opening to draw the
reader into the subject, background information on the topic, and a statement of the paper’s thesis.
Optional components are the paper’s objectives and its plan of development, which is an explanation of
how the main idea will be developed. Because this will make up the body or largest part of the essay, the
next section, called the development, should be more detailed and specific. The subheadings in this
section should consist of three or more subtopics that act as supporting points for the essay’s central
idea. Each of these supporting points may have supporting details listed under them. The final section of
the paper and outline is the conclusion. This typically contains a wrap-up or summary of the essay’s main
points and a final point: a prediction or recommendation, a reiteration of the main idea, and/or a final
insight.

It is also important to follow formatting mechanics to make the outline logical and easy to
understand. The student should come up with headings that are clear and specific. General headings like
“introduction,” “Development,” and “Conclusion” may be used, but only when there is specific information
found in the subheadings below them. All other headings should be phrased as specifically as possible so

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that the student writer will remember what she or he intends to do in that section. A teacher or evaluator
reading the outline should be able to grasp, based on the heading or label, what each section will contain.
Thus, general or vague headings such as “Background,” “History,” or “Final Insight” should be avoided.

While a list consists of just one level or set of items, an outline always has two levels or more. This
means that subtopics or supporting ideas are subsumes or placed under main topics or main ideas. The
main headings on the first level use Roman numerals (I, II, III, and so on), the second-level headings use
capital letters (A, B, C, and so on), the third-level headings use numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.), the fourth-level use
lower-case letters (a, b, c, and so on). An outline for an academic essay typically has two four levels.

A student may opt to write a topic outline, in which the headings are phrases, or a sentence outline,
in which the headings are complete sentences. Whichever is chosen, it is important to maintain
consistency and parallelism: headings on the same level should be parallel in construction (all sentences
or all phrases). Finally, the first letter of the first word of each heading should be capitalized.

Here is an example of a writing outline for a documented essay based on the thesis statement
given previously. It is a two-level topic outline.

Title: Tingi Culture in the Twenty-First-Century: Still Thinking Small in the Philippines

Thesis Statement: The continued use of the tingi-tingi system in twenty-first century Philippines
reflects a lack of change in the economic situation of the Philippines, as those from the many poorer
sectors of society are forced, due to lack of available funds, to both buy small and think in the short-term.

I. Introduction: The tingi-tingi system

A. Interesting examples of buying by piece
B. Definition and origin of tingi and the tingi-tingi system
C. Main idea: continued practice of tingi culture as a reflection of prevailing poverty and
thinking in the short-term
II. Development: The social and cultural implications of the tingi-tingi system
A. Why it was practiced in the past
B. Why it continues to be practiced today
C. Buying small as equivalent to thinking small
III. Conclusion: Looking back and looking ahead
A. Recap of why the system has significant cultural implications
B. Final insight about the need to think in larger and longer-terms

E. Doing Research and Finding Credible Sources

Writing is not only a social activity but a collaborative one, writing an academic essay means
adding one’s voice to the conversation of other writers and scholars. To do this, a writer needs to
familiarize himself or herself with this conversation; in other words, a writer must first do research and
gather information from a wide variety of sources available.

This step – doing research – may happen at any point in the pre-writing stage as well as during the
writing and rewriting stages of the writing process. Before or while selecting a topic, a student may wish

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to survey the literature or other studies on topics s/he is interested in. reading such related literature will
help a student know which topics are worth pursuing and which may be more challenging – because
there is a dearth of material on them – and which topics should be abandoned – because there is no
need to cover what has already been covered. While planning the essay, that is, asking a research
question, constructing a thesis statement, preparing an outline, the student may also wish to read
materials that may be cited as support for the essay’s main points. Supplementary research may be
needed during the drafting stage when there are gaps in the statement’s note, or during the rewriting
stage when more support needs to be added.

So, while doing research is not necessary a separate and isolated step, it is sometimes helpful to
spend an amount of time focused on evaluating sources, gathering useful information from these
credible sources, and taking notes on what can be used for and cited in a planned essay.

In the twenty-first century, doing research is not as difficult as it used to be. Before the digital age
or the age of the internet, information from secondary sources could be gathered solely by going to a
library, searching through a card catalogue, finding the correct bookshelf, and leafing through a book.
Now, while libraries continue to host student researchers, there are many other options available to
them: sources that are just a mouse-click away.

However, with the advantage of quick and easy access to Internet sources comes the challenge of
sorting through the many online sources of information available to determine which are credible and
which are not. As pointed out by Nicholas C. Burbules (2001), “the Web is not an ordinary reference
system; it poses some unique and, in many respects, unprecedented conditions that complicate the task
of sorting out dependable from undependable information – and even complicates the notion that we
have a clear sense of that distinction.” His article on “Paradoxes of the Web: The Ethical Dimensions of
Credibility” may be read for free here: http://faculty.education.illinois.edu/burbules/papers/paradox.html.

It is important to remember that the Internet, while a very helpful resource, is a public venue or
forum where any person may make a claim or assertion. Anyone may represent opinion and falsehoods
as news, facts, or truth. A good academic should use only trustworthy sources. Students who find articles
or pages on the Web that provides relevant information on the topics they have chosen to write about,
must make the extra effort of verifying that the source is valid, credible, and reliable. There are several
ways to do this:

1. Check the universal resource locator or URL

2. Read the “About Us” section of the website
3. Review the content for relevance, depth and breadth, accuracy, and currency.
4. Look at the sources cited
5. Search engines that lead researchers directly to scholarly and reliable sources (e.g., Google
Scholar)

The Writing Stage

When there is a solid plan and there are adequate notes from sources for the essay, the student
may move on to the second stage of the writing process. This is writing, or “the act of producing a first
draft,” which Donald Murray (1972) says is the “fastest” part of the writing process, taking up as little as
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1% of the writer’s time. That is because if the essay is well – planned, drafting will not be difficult.
Moreover, the product of drafting is only an initial draft.

The Rewriting Stage

This third stage involves “researching, rethinking, redesigning, rewriting – and finally, line-by-line
editing, the demanding, satisfying process of making every word right” (Murray, 1972). In this stage, the
writer reviews the paper to see how it may be improved, asking such questions as:

 Is the title appropriate and effective?

 Is the first paragraph interesting and compelling? Is it related to the topic?
 Does the introduction include a clearly stated main idea?
 Does each paragraph support essay’s main idea?
 Are transitions and connections between ideas smooth and signaled clearly?
 What needs to be added, omitted, or reorganized?
 Does the conclusion flow naturally from the body of the essay?
 Is there anything confusing or unclear in the content of the essay?
 What should be edited in terms of grammar and mechanics?
 Have all sources been properly acknowledge via in-text citations and a bibliographic list?

WORKSHEET 5: Pre-Writing, Writing, and Rewriting a Documented Paragraph

Instructions:

Go through the various steps of the writing process by planning, drafting, and then revising a
documented paragraph of five to ten sentences on a topic limited from the general ones listed here. This
paragraph must make an argument about the specific limited topic and support it with at least three
main points backed up by evidence from sources. At least three sources must be cited to give support to
the points in the paragraph. After drafting the paragraph, ask at least two classmates to read the
paragraph and give you feedback. Then, review and edit the paragraph to come up with a final draft.

General topics (underline the chosen one): International beauty pageants, trends in how Filipinos name
their children, Philippine superheroes, piracy, historical revisionism, blogging, “Twitterature.”

Specific topic:

Research questions:

Main research question:

Central idea/thesis:

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Three (or more) supporting points:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Bibliographic information of three or more supporting sources:

1.

2.

3.

4.

First draft of the paragraph:

Second/final draft of the paragraph:

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