UNIT-4

TOPIC: Technical writing, Grammar and Editing.

Technical writing: an introduction

Technical writing is a written communication about business and industry. Technical
writing focuses on products and services – how to manufacture them, market them, manage
them, deliver them, and use them.
Technical writing should be reader oriented, descriptive, demographic (study of changes in a
place with a long time), clear, concise, correct, positive, appropriate (according to need and
purpose), acceptable (related to content) impersonal, formal, free of redundancy (avoid
saying the same thing twice) and accurate.

Technical documents
• Memos and electronic mail, Letters, Reports, Proposals, Brochures, Newsletters, Fliers
(Pamphlets), Resumes, Web site, and Online help screens, User manuals, Technical
descriptions

Technical writing process

The Technical writing process includes, Writing, drafts and revising.
The thumb rule of writing is to write to express, not to impress: write to communicate, not to
confuse. The writing process is dynamic, with the three parts- Planning/Pre-write
Drafting/Write and Editing (Rewrite) - often occurring simultaneously, you may revisit any of
these parts of the process at various times as you draft your document. The process approach to
writing requires the following sequence:
1. Planning/Pre-write – Before you can write your technical document, you must have
something to say. Prewriting allows a good span of time prior to writing the
correspondence for generating information. As
• Examine your purposes: – External Motivation, Internal Motivation
• Determine your goals: – to Persuade, to Instruct, to Inform, to Build Trust,
• Consider your audience
• Gather your data: – Answering the reporter’s questions, Mind mapping ( look at
the topic from multiple perspectives) Brainstorming or listing,(give and take
suggestions) Outlining,(break a topic into minor and major components)

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 Storyboarding,(visual plan on screen) Creating organization charts, Flowcharting,
Researching
• Determine how the content will be provided

2. Drafting/Write – Once you have gathered your data and determined your objectives, the
next step is to state them. You need to draft your document. To do so, you should (a)
organize the draft according to some logical sequence that your readers can follow easily
and (b) format the content to allow for ease of access.
Instructions Regarding Drafting:
• Draft should be written or typed on double space with sufficient margin.
• Should bear the relevant file no. and subject.
• Should clearly indicate the enclosures which are to accompany the fair copy and
• The officer under whose signature the communication is to issue should initial the
draft as token of his/her approval.
• Indicating appropriate priority, example, immediate etc.

3. Editing (Rewrite) – The final step, and one that is essential to successful writing, is to
rewrite your draft. This step requires that you revise the rough draft. Revision allows you
to perfect your writing so you can be proud of your final product. It may involve the
followings:
• Add any missing detail for clarity.
• Provide specific details. Avoid abstract adjective and adverbs as recently, some,
several. etc.
• Delete redundant/surplus words and phrases for conciseness.
• Simplify unnecessarily complex words and phrases to allow for easier
understanding.
• Move around information (cut and paste) to ensure that your most important ideas
are emphasized.
• Reformat (using highlighting techniques) to ensure reader-friendly ease of access.
• Enhance the tone and style of the text.
• Correct any errors to ensure accurate grammar and content.

Forms of Technical Discourse,

Introduction: discourse is yet another extensive term used for spoken and written
language. To study discourse is to analyze the use of spoken or written language in a
personal, social and technical context. In another words the writer or speaker uses
different literary devices and compositional techniques. An example of discourse is a
professor meeting with a student to discuss a book.

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 Forms of Discourse

While every act of communication can count as an example of discourse, it can be

divided into four primary types: argumentative, narrative, description, expository
and persuation. Many acts of communicate include more than one of these types in
quick succession.
Discourse can be classified into four main categories, namely:
1. Expository
The main focus of this type of discourse is to explain the audience about the topic,
subject, method or an idea of the discussion. Definitions and comparative analysis of
different ideas and beliefs are examples of discourse exposition.
Expositon technique are often used in;
History books
Biographies
Autobiographies
Some novels
2. Narrative

Narration is a type of discourse that relies on stories, folklore or a drama as a medium

of communication. It narrates an event to the reader by showing the reader what
happened and how.
Stage play, story, and folklore are narrative discourse examples.
Features involved in it are;
Narrative point (first person or third person)
Characters
Setting
Plot
Conflict
Resolution

3. Description
This type involves describing something in relation to the senses. Descriptive
discourse enables the audience to develop a mental picture of what is being discussed.
It includes the 5Ws- who, what, when, where, and why for a lively and precise
description. Descriptive parts of novel, essay, poems and fiction, are descriptive
discourse examples. tries to convince the readers/listeners them to
4. Argumentative
This type of discourse is based on valid logic and, through correct reasoning.
Examples of argumentative discourse include lectures, essays, and prose.

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 5. Persuasion: the purpose of this technique is to convince the readers/listeners to
change their mode of thinking or persuade them to take a specific action.
Persuasive techniques are often used in
• Advertisement
• Argumentative writing
• Political campaigns
A suitable discourse type consider
• The writer’s purpose
• The main idea of the speech/passage
• The type of language used
• The way the information is organized.

Introduction to advanced technical communication

Different Forms of Technical writing are;

Memos and electronic mail, Letters, Reports, Proposals, Brochures, Newsletters, Fliers
(Pamphlets), Resumes, Web site, and Online help screens, User manuals, Technical
descriptions
We will consider chiefly on, Memos and electronic mail, Letters, Resumes, Reports,
Proposals, Brochures.

1. Simple format for all formal letters.

14 DADU MARG
HARYANA COLONY
TONK PHATAK
JAIPUR 302015
July 27, 2012

Cambridge Camera Exchange, Inc.

Seventh Avenue and 13th Street
New York, NY 10011

INCOMPLETE SHIPMENT

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

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___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Marilyn S. Conway

2. Sample Application for Job

Resume writing

A resume is a document used by individuals to present their background and skill sets. Resumes is most
often used to secure new employment. A typical resume contains a summary of relevant job experience
and education. The resume is usually one of the first items, along with a cover letter that a potential
employer encounters regarding the job seeker and is typically used to screen applicants, often followed by
an interview. The resume is comparable to curriculum vitae (CV) in many countries; a resume is
substantially shorter than CV.
In many contexts, a resume is short (usually one to three pages), and directs a reader's attention to the
aspects of a person's background that are directly relevant to a particular position.

Types of Resumes:
There are several basic types of resumes used to apply for job openings. Depending on your personal
circumstances, choose a chronological, a functional, combination, or a targeted resume.
Chronological Resume:
A chronological resume starts by listing your work history, with the most recent position listed first.
Your jobs are listed in reverse chronological order with your current, or most recent job, first. Employers
typically prefer this type of resume because it's easy to see what jobs you have held and when you have
worked at them.
Functional Resume:
A functional resume focuses on your skills and experience, rather than on your chronological work
history. It is used most often by people who are changing careers or who have gaps in their employment
history.
Combination Resume:
A combination resume lists your skills and experience first. Your employment history is listed next.
With this type of resume you can highlight the skills you have that are relevant to the job you are applying
for, and also provide the chronological work history that employers prefer.

Sample CV for fresher

Name:……………………..
Mobile: 09XXXXXXXXXXX
Email: [email protected]

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Address: XXXXXXXXXXXXX

CAREER OBJECTIVE
Looking for a challenging career which demands the best of my professional ability in terms of, technical
and analytical skills, and helps me in broadening and enhancing my current skill and knowledge.

SYNOPSIS
A fresher with B.Tech Degree in Computer Science and Engineering from ABC Institute of Technology,
XYZ.

PROFILE
• Good knowledge of C, Oracle.
• Analytical, good at problem solving and excellent in maintaining interpersonal relationship.
• Good verbal and written skills.

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION

• B. Tech (Computer Science and Engineering) with aggregate 74.76% from ________.
• 12th with aggregate 70.08% from XXXXX (________ Board) in 2008.
• 10th with aggregate 73.33% from XXXXX (________ Board) in 2006.

SOFTWARE SKILLS
Languages & Skills C, Oracle 10g (SQL & PL/SQL)
Operating Systems Windows all, linux
Softwares Microsoft Office
HARDWARE SKILLS
• Assembling of PC
• Networking & Troubleshooting PC

PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN
• College Database in Oracle.
• Library Management System (Java/Oracle).

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

• Won 1st Prize in school Drama in 5th class.
• Won prizes in quiz competition.

STRENGTHS
• Determined to learn with practical approach.
• Hardworking and Punctual.
• Positive attitude towards every aspect and being open minded.

PERSONAL DETAILS
Date of Birth - 30/09/1990
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Sex - Male
Marital Status- Single
Languages known - English, Hindi.

Covering Letter/ Letter for Job to be attached with the Resume.

Example Que: Applications for the post of Junior Engineer are invited by the director
(Recruitment Division) of R.S.E.B., Rajbhawan Road, Vidhyut Bhawan, Jaipur (Raj.)
Candidates with B.E./B.Tech. in Electrical, Mechanical and Electronics Engineering can apply.
Send an application with a brief bio-data.
721, Keshavpura,
Sector 7, Kota

17 July, 2019

The Director (Recruitment Division),

Rajasthan State Electricity Board,
Vidhyut Bhawan,
Rajbhwan Road,
Jaipur (Raj.)

Reference: Your Advertisement in ‘Rajasthan Patrika’ of 10th July 2019.

Subject: Request application for the post of Junior Engineer
Sir
With all due respect I wish to say that I am Nakual Soni. I have done my B.Tech. (Mechanical
Engineering) from University college of Engineering, Kota, which is a constituent College of Rajasthan
Technical University, Kota.
I believe I posses all the required qualification for the post of Junior Engineer. I have finished my
B.Tech. In Electrical Engineering with a First Division and now I am in search of a challenging job where
may qualifications can be properly utilized.
Besides my branch, I have a sound knowledge of web technology, which will be of great additional
use. I like working with different people with cooperation and harmony. I am confident I will be able to
discharge my duties as a Junior Engineer quite efficiently.
I hope you will give me a chance for interview where I will be able to tell much in detail about my
qualifications and exposures I am enclosing my brief bio-data for your quick perusal.
Regards
Your faithfully
(Nakul Soni)
Enclosures:
1. My Boi-data
2. Attensted Certificates --

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 MEMORANDUM (Memo)

Introduction: Employees can communicate face-to-face, over telephone, through email, or through an
inter-office memorandum, which, in short, is called a memo. Memos (or memoranda) are written by
everyone from junior executives and engineers to Chief Executive Officers. They not only facilitate
communication about various operations, but also play an important role in arriving at some quick
decisions or by persuading the reader to take an action, such as attend a meeting, use less paper, or
change a current production procedure. Memos enable the flow of information in all the three types
of organizational communication, namely vertical, horizontal, and diagonal.

Definition: a memo is a small piece of written form of communications circulated within the
departments of an organization.

While these memos are informative or persuasive, and may serve their simple purposes, more
complex memos are often needed in an office setting. Memos help solve problems either by informing
the reader about new information, such as policy changes, price increases, etc.,
In short, memos help in bridging the communication gap among the various sections of any organization
and also serve as permanent record of information.

Classification
Depending on their purpose, memos can be classified into three major categories:
• Documentary • Congratulatory • Disciplinary

• Documentary memos
As the name suggests, these memos are mainly used for conveying information, to remind, to
announce, to give instructions, to explain a policy or procedure, to a peer or superior to make a
request or routine recommendation, or to confirm an agreement. For instance, a memo explaining the
new method of maintaining medical records of employees in an organization, requesting the head of
another division to provide additional manpower for shifting some huge machines,—all fall under this
category. Short reports also can be submitted in the form of documentary memos. Such reports are called
memo reports.
• Congratulatory memos
Memos are also used to give credit to employees of an organization for the outstanding work they
have accomplished. It is appropriate for the Vice Chancellor of a university to send a professor a
congratulatory memo for his exceptional success of the new research effort.
• Disciplinary memos
When employees violate the rules or breach the code of conduct in an organization, they will be
served either with a severe warning or any other punishment as decided by the management. The memo
conveying this action is known as a disciplinary memo. For instance, a memo may be issued to an
officer who has accepted a bribe from one of the customers.
Example memo:

Date: 10th May, 2019

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To: Production Manager
From: Personnel Manager

Subject: CHANGE IN WORKING HOURS

Please refer to your memo pd/21 dated: 6 May, 2014 requesting for a change in working hours of your
division because of the extremely hot weather conditions. As desired by you, the Vice President,
Personnel, has agreed to change the Main body working hours. The new timings will be 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
(Monday through Saturday) with effect from 17th May 2014to 16th July 2014.

Kindly inform all the employees working under you.

K.S. Shah

Signature
Amber Towers, A. C. Road, Jaipur - 302001
Phone 0141-5112413

E-mail messages
Email (electronic mail) is a method of electronic document transmission from an author to one or
more recipients across computer networks. To send and receive email you need an access to
the internet. Email servers accept, forward, deliver and store messages.

Techniques for writing Email.

Email is with its dominant features of ease and pace, has been accepted as a very common
medium of correspondence, both formally and informally, yet the vagueness in the style and
technique persists due to multiculturalism. The ambiguity can be escaped by following a few
tips or say email etiquette, as follows:
Firstly, email messages follow the forms and the texts common to the letters and
faxes, for example, the words of salutations and complimentary words of closure. But if you are
making a series of communication with a person, you may dispense with the salutations and
other complimentary words.
Secondly, there must be followed a clear and distinctive style between a personal
message and business message. The texts of the messages must be clear and courteous.
One must consider- the audience, purpose, clarity, consistency, conciseness, and tone.
One must not use capital letters in an email message.

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 Thirdly, it one must rely on correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation in its
writing. Always keep your message simple, shot and to the point because the reader of your
message may be getting a lots of messages daily, and he may not put so much time to a single of
yours.
In the end check the entire message before finally sending.

Message format

The Internet email format messages consist of two major sections:

• Header – Structured into fields such as From, To, CC, Subject, Date, and other
information about the email.
• Body – The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at
the end. This is exactly the same as the body of a regular letter.

Note- The header is separated from the body by a blank line.

Following examples suggest the format of email.

Example 1.

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Example 2.

Advantages
1. Email has a great deal of advantages for it has proven itself to be a valuable mode of
communication.
2. To begin with, it is user friendly and easy to use.
3. Another prominent benefit of email is that it is a time saving machine; one can send
innumerous emails around the world in fraction of seconds.
4. It is now used in the offices and all where, as an ideal means of communication cutting
the heavy expanses of the stationery like, papers and printers etc. it is the single cost-
free, mode of communication which does not require any charges like the postage
stamp.
5. Allows one to maintain mailing lists on the computer, It results in avoiding repetition
or reproduction of text.
6. Thousands of email messages can be saved and stored, and one can search message
files electronically.
7. Drawings, sounds, video clips, and other computer files can be attached to an email.
Letters, notes, files, data, or reports can all be sent using emails.

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 8. As in the case of postal mail, emails can be marked with high, medium, or low
priority. The email can also be marked for receiver’s action.

Disadvantages
1. Despite of various benefits of email there are many unexpected challenges that one needs
to be aware of depending on emails as this kind of communication may not be always
foolproof. A major disadvantage is that it greatly lacks privacy and security; hence it
cannot be used to share the confidential information.
2. Since, all the hardware and software are not universally compatible, the receiver may
receive a differently interpreted data (underling, italics, or colour) than that the sender has
originally used.
3. Another shortcoming of email is that it uses many acronyms, expressions and
abbreviations etc, which may result in misunderstanding and erroneous of
communication through email.
4. Email cannot be retracted. Once the ‘Send’ button is pressed, there is no bringing it
back.
5. We can receive too much or unwanted email, just like other types of junk mail. Junk
email is called spam. One may have to take active steps to delete the junk mail received
and try to stop it from being sent in the first place.

Some Tips for Email Effectiveness

1. Write a meaningful subject line.
2. Keep the message focussed and readable.
3. Use attachments sparingly.
4. Identify yourself clearly.
5. Be kind. Do not flame.
6. Proofread.
7. Do not assume privacy.
8. Distinguish between formal and informal situations.
9. Respond promptly.
10. Show respect and restraint.

For Extraordinary Students only

E-Mail Advantages and Limitations: (Learn as many from these)

Advantages
• It is possible to communicate quickly with anyone through the Internet. Email usually reaches its
destination in a span of minutes or seconds.

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• It is easy to send messages to more than one recipient simultaneously by just typing in several email
addresses. It also allows one to maintain mailing lists on the computer, which allows quick distribution to
many people. It results in avoiding repetition or reproduction of text.
• Email can be used to access vast pools of information stored on the Internet.
• Thousands of email messages can be saved and stored, and one can search message files electronically.
• All or part of an email can be pasted into other computer documents.
• Some email services allow access to a printer-friendly version of email messages.
• Most email systems have a reply button that enables one to include all or part of the original message
when replying. This feature speeds up replying to messages, as people spend a lot of time establishing a
context for their reply in a phone call or a letter.
• Drawings, sounds, video clips, and other computer files can be attached to an email.
• Letters, notes, files, data, or reports can all be sent using emails.
• One need not worry about interrupting someone when sending an email. The email is sent and delivered
by a computer system communicating with the Internet. Although it is put into someone’s mailbox, the
recipient is not interrupted by the arrival of email.
• The received emails can be dealt with at a convenient time in leisure. Also, it does not have to be written
or sent only at a time when the recipient will be available. This is known as asynchronous
communication.
• Emails are not anonymous—each message carries the return address of the sender—but it is possible to
write to anyone with an email address. All the messages appear the same to the person who gets the
email. The messages are generally judged on the basis of their content, not their source.
• As in the case of postal mail, emails can be marked with high, medium, or low priority. The email can
also be marked for receiver’s action.
• The cost to of sending an email is independent of the distance, and in many cases, the cost does not even
depend on the size of the message. Most Internet access charges are based on the number of hours one
uses the Internet per month, or a flat monthly fee.

Limitations
• Email is editable. Email communication is subject to security issues. It is therefore insecure.
'What a wonderful thing is mail, capable of conveying across continents a warm human hand-clasp.'
-Author Unknown
• Email is anonymous. The identity of a message’s author can be completely masked or lost in just two
generations of the message. It might be impossible to be certain as to where an email originated. Without
an identifiable source, any claim based on it cannot be validated.
• Email cannot be retracted. Once the ‘Send’ button is pressed, there is no bringing it back.
• Email is not necessarily private. Since messages are passed from one system to another, and sometimes
through several systems or networks, there are many opportunities for someone to intercept or read email.
Many types of computer systems have built-in protections to stop users from reading others’ email, but it
is still possible for a system administrator to read the email on a system or for someone to bypass the
security of a computer system.
• Some email systems can send or receive text files only. Although we can send and receive images,
programs, files produced by word processing programs, or multimedia messages, some recipients may not
be able to properly view the message.

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• It is possible to forge email. This is not common, but it is possible to forge the address of the sender. We
may want to take steps to confirm the source of some emails that we receive.
• We can receive too much or unwanted email, just like other types of junk mail. Junk email is called
spam. One may have to take active steps to delete the junk mail received and try to stop it from being sent
in the first place.
• We may not know about the person with whom we are communicating. The communication is often all
in text and it is possible for us to get an incorrect impression of the person sending us email. Also, some
people misrepresent themselves. One must be aware of phishing, which can be used for identity threat.
Phishing is the process of attempting to access sensitive information such as usernames and credit card
details by pretending to be trustworthy entity.

E-mail etiquette guides

There are many etiquette guides and many different etiquette rules. Some rules will differ according to
the nature of the business and the corporate culture. Here, we list what we consider as the 24 most
important email etiquette rules that apply to nearly all formal communication situations.
Answer swiftly
People send an email because they wish to receive a quick response. If they did not want a quick
response, they would send a letter or a fax. Therefore, each email should be replied to within
at least 24 hours, and preferably within the same working day. If the email is complicated, just
reply saying that the email has been received and that you will get back to them. This will put
the reader’s mind at rest and usually they will then be very patient.
Do not overuse, reply all
Use Reply All only if you really need your message to be seen by each person who received the original
message.
Use templates for frequently used responses
If you often tend to receive the same queries, such as directions to your office or how to subscribe to your
newsletter, save your replies as response templates and paste these into your message when you need
them. You can save your templates in a Word document, or use pre-formatted emails. Even better is a tool
such as ReplyMate for Outlook (allows you to use 10 templates for free).
Use proper structure and layout
Since reading from a screen is more difficult than reading from paper, the structure and layout are very
important for email messages. Use short paragraphs and blank lines between each paragraph. When
making points, number them or mark each point as separate to keep the overview.

Identify yourself and the topic

Where possible, identify yourself on the From: line using your full name rather than just email address.
Recipients are more likely to respond if they can easily identify the sender. In addition, knowing whom a
message is from helps the recipient put the message in context. At the end of the message, include an
alternative way to be contacted (i.e. phone number, FAX, postal address) along with the name. Providing
contact information is especially important when asking for an answer that is likely to be quite
complex. Often, less time is required to explain something complex over the phone or in person than to
type out the message. The information in the subject line should be meaningful to the recipient as well as
the sender. For instance, when sending an email to a company requesting information about a product, it
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is better to mention the actual name of the product, e.g., ‘Product A information’, than to just say ‘Product
information’ or the company’s name in the subject.
Answer all questions, and pre-empt further questions
An email reply must answer all questions, and pre-empt further questions. If all the questions in the
original email are not answered, it will likely bring further emails regarding the unanswered questions,
which will not only waste the time of the sender and the recipient but also cause considerable frustration.
Moreover, if one is able to pre-empt relevant questions, the reader will be grateful and impressed with the
sender’s efficiency and thoughtfulness. Imagine for instance that an off campus student sends you
(assume that you are a professor of Electronics Engineering) an email asking some doubts on a lesson.
Instead of just explaining the answer to the student’s problem, if you mention some other sources that
he/she can refer to for further understanding, the student will definitely appreciate this extra information.
Be concise and to the point
Do not make an email longer than it needs to be. Remember that reading an email is harder than reading
printed communications and a long email can be very discouraging to read.
Use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation
As in all forms of written communication, this is not only important—because improper spelling,
grammar, and punctuation give a bad impression of the individual or the company— but also essential for
conveying the message properly. For example, using u, r, and your for you, are, and your respectively is
inappropriate for formal messages. Mails with no full stops or commas are difficult to read and can
sometimes even change the meaning of the text. If your program has a spell checking option, why not use
it?
Do not write in CAPITALS
IF YOU WRITE IN CAPITALS IT SEEMS AS IF YOU ARE SHOUTING. This can be highly annoying
and might trigger an unwanted response in the form of a flame mail. Therefore, try not to send any email
text in capitals.
Avoid long sentences
Try to keep the sentences to a maximum of 15-20 words. Email is meant to be a quick medium and
requires a kind of writing different from letters.
Use active instead of passive voice
Try to use the active voice of a verb wherever possible. For instance, ‘We will process your order today’
sounds better than ‘Your order will be processed today’. The first sounds more personal, whereas the
latter, especially when used frequently, sounds unnecessarily formal.
Keep your language gender-neutral
It is important to be gender-sensitive. Avoid using discriminatory language such as: ‘The user should add
a signature by configuring his email program’. Apart from using he/she, you can also use the neutral
gender: ‘The user should add a signature by configuring the email program’.
Maintain coherence
When replying to an email, include the original mail in the reply, Click ‘Reply’, instead of ‘New Mail’.
Some people opine that the previous message must be removed since this has already been sent and is
therefore unnecessary. However, if a person receives several emails, it is difficult to remember each
individual email. This means that a ‘threadless email’ will not provide enough information and the
recipient may have to spend a frustratingly long time to find out the context of the email in order to deal
with it. Leaving the thread might take a fraction longer in download time, but it will save the recipient
much more time and frustration in looking for the related emails in their inbox.
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Do not overuse the high priority option
We all know the story of the boy who cried wolf. Overuse of the high-priority option will make it lose its
function when really needed. Moreover, even if a message has high priority, it will come across as
slightly aggressive if it is flagged as ‘high priority’.
Do not attach unnecessary files
Large attachments can annoy readers and even bring down their email system. Wherever possible, try to
compress attachments and only send attachments when they are productive. Moreover, one should have a
good virus scanner in place to prevent the readers from receiving documents containing viruses.
Re-read the email before you send it
A lot of people do not bother to re-read an email before they send it out, as can be seen from the many
spelling and grammatical mistakes contained in emails. Besides, reading the email from the recipients’
perspective will help frame a more effective message and avoid misunderstandings and inappropriate
comments.
Take care with abbreviations and emoticons
In business emails, try not to use abbreviations such as BTW and LOL. The recipient might not be aware
of the meanings of the abbreviations, and in business emails these are generally not appropriate. The same
goes for emoticons. It is advisable to avoid using any entities that the recipient might not be familiar with.
Be careful with formatting
Remember that when an email is formatted, the sender might not be able to view the formatting, or might
see fonts that are different from the ones intended. When using colours, use a colour that is easy to read
on the background. One also needs to be aware of the fact that there are some accessibility norms that do
not allow the use of certain colours, keeping in mind colour¬ blind people.
Take care with rich text and HTML messages
When sending an email in rich text or HTML format, be aware that the sender might be able to receive
only plain text emails. If this is the case, the recipient will receive the message as a .txt attachment. Most
email clients, however, including Microsoft Outlook, are able to receive HTML and rich text messages.
Do not use email to discuss confidential matters
Sending an email is like sending a postcard. Do not send confidential information by email. Moreover,
never make any vilifying or discriminating comments in formal emails, even if they are meant to be jokes.
Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT
Even more so than the high-priority option, try to avoid the use of words such as ‘Urgent’ and ‘Important’
in an email or subject line. Use this only if it is a really, really urgent or important message.
Use the Bcc: field or do a mail merge
When sending an email, some people place all the email addresses in the To: field. There are two
drawbacks to this practice: (1) the recipient knows that the same message has been sent to a large number
of recipients, and (2) someone else’s email address is being publicized without their permission. One way
to get round this is to place all addresses in the Bcc: field. However, if the To: field appears blank, it
might look like spamming to all the recipients. Instead, the list containing the email addresses of all
recipients could be included in the To: field, or even better, with Microsoft Outlook and Word, it is
possible to mail merge and create one message for each recipient. A mail merge also allows the use of
fields in the message so that each recipient can be addressed personally. For more information on how to
do a Word mail merge, consult the Help feature in MS Outlook.
Using the cc field

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Try not to use the Cc field unless the recipient in the Cc field knows why they are receiving a copy of the
message. This will depend on the situation. Only the recipients in the To field are supposed to act on the
message. The Cc field is used to keep others informed about the project, e.g. the manager or a co-
worker. The Bcc is used when a copy of the mail is to be sent to other recipients without the
knowledge of the main recipient. For example, it is used in official correspondence such as appraisals
being done by first-level managers. The first-level manager provides some feedback to his/her
subordinate over email, but includes the second-level manager in Bcc, just for his/ her information. The
subordinate doesn’t get to see that the email is also copied to the second- level manager.
Do not reply to spam
Replying to spam or unsubscribing confirms that the email address is ‘live’. Confirming this will only
generate even more spam. Therefore, just hit the delete button or use email software to remove spam
automatically.
Effectiveness and Security
Email is, of course, a form of written communication, but it is different from traditional written
communication. Email is not bound by the physical limitations of a page of paper, it can be transmitted
and received very quickly, and a single message can be sent to a group of thousands supposed to be
private.

Minutes of meeting

Introduction: Meeting minutes are official written notes of the motions and resolutions that
are recorded during a meeting. They highlight the key issues that are discussed, motions
proposed or voted on, and activities to be undertaken. The minutes of the meeting are usually
taken by a designated member of the group, and they provide an accurate record of what
transpired during the meeting.
Definition: Minutes of meeting are “the official records of the proceedings of a meeting”,
needed by the participating members of the business meeting to approve the strategies of
working.

Types of Minutes

Considering the methods of writing, minutes can be of the following three types:

1. Minutes of resolutions and

2. Minutes of narrations
3. Verbatim minutes

The above three types of minutes are discussed below-

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Minutes of resolutions: In this type of minute only the resolutions passed in the meeting are
recorded without any reference to the discussion, preceding the resolutions. Minutes of
resolution means on a paper declaring the decisions that have been taken and approved by the
participating members of the meeting. Here no record even the names of movers and seconders
of the motions or proposals are done. Examples of this type of minutes are as follows:

▪ “Resolved that Mr. Md. Abul Hasnat is hereby appointed as the Chairman of the Board of
Director and of the Company.”

Minutes of narrations: In this type of minutes resolutions are recorded including a brief
reference of discussions on the motions and the voting pattern on the motions. These minutes
will be a concise abstract of all discussions which took place, reports received, actions to be
taken and decisions made. It includes:

▪ Names of the participating members.

▪ Name of the proposer and supporter.
▪ Discussion summary.
▪ Resolutions voting pattern etc.

This type of minute is somewhat similar to a report.

3. Verbatim minutes – These minutes are a word for word transcription of the events. Whilst
they may be completely accurate, they are often harder to understand. Verbatim minutes are not
a requirement for most organizations.
Need of Meeting Minutes
Minutes act as a formal summary of the discussions and decisions which occurred at a
meeting. They tell the reader the official version of what happened at the meeting. The
minutes from the last meeting are often circulated at the beginning of the MEETING . These
minutes must be held on file indefinitely by certain companies and government bodies.

Writing minutes can take time, and may seem like an unimportant task compared with getting on
with “real work”, but in fact not taking meeting minutes can be costly in terms of both time
and resources. If you don’t take minutes, you will find that your colleagues have different
recollections from the meeting than you. They also may have different ideas about what was
agreed. If there are no minutes, then important tasks will be forgotten or not achieved by the
due date.

Creating meeting minutes provides a written record of what was agreed at a meeting. Good
meeting minutes tell people what was decided and what they need to achieve and by what date.
When meeting minutes are received it jogs memories about tasks that people need to do. If a
task is not performed then you can refer back to the meeting minutes and follow up on it. In
some instances, meeting minutes may be required for legal reasons. An example of this is
where local bylaws require it for certain types of organizations. Also, they may be required for

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disciplinary meetings with employees. Getting into the habit of taking meeting minutes is good
practice.

How to Take Meeting Notes

1. Distribute an attendance sheet. As soon as everyone is in attendance, distribute a
single piece of paper (more for very large meetings) with space for each person to write
their name and contact information. You can use this after the meeting to fill out the
attendees section of your template, or attach the sign in sheet itself to the completed
minutes.
2. Fill out as much of your template as possible. While waiting for the meeting to
begin, record the name of the organization, the date and place of the meeting, and the
type of meeting (e.g. weekly board meeting, a special committee meeting, etc.). When the
meeting begins, note the start time.
3. Note the result of the first motion. Most formal meetings will begin with a motion to
adopt an agenda, so this step will use that as an example. If the meeting begins with a
different motion, just make sure to record all the same relevant information:
4. Record other motions throughout the meeting. Listen attentively to all discussions,
if required record them. When a new motion is made, record the relevant information.
5. Listen to reports and obtain copies. Whenever a report, news bulletin, or similar item
is read aloud, record the name of the report and the person reading it (or the name of the
subcommittee that drafted it). If there is a motion attached, record it like you would any
other motion.
6. Record actions taken or assigned. This includes "check ins" on the last meeting's
assignments as well as new actions. Has someone been assigned to write a letter? Note
their name and instructions.
7. Record all points of order and rulings. Whenever an objection is made to a
procedure, record the full objection and its basis, as well as the full ruling given out by
the Chairman.
8. Wrap up at the end of meeting. Record the time the meeting adjourned. Remember to
pick up any copies of reports or remind someone to send them to you.

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