LETTERS

Letters are brief messages sent to recipients that are often outside the
organization (Bovee & Thill, 2010).They are often printed on letterhead paper,
and represent the business or organization in one or two pages. Shorter
messages may include e-mails or memos, either hard copy or electronic, while
reports tend to be three or more pages in length.
While e-mail and text messages may be used more frequently today, the
effective business letter remains a common form of written communication. It
can serve to introduce you to a potential employer, announce a product or
service, or even serve to communicate feelings and emotions. We’ll examine
the basic outline of a letter and then focus on specific products or writing
assignments.

All writing assignments have expectations in terms of language and format. The
audience or reader may have their own idea of what constitutes a specific type
of letter, and your organization may have its own format and requirements. This
chapter outlines common elements across letters, and attention should be
directed to the expectations associated with your particular writing assignment.
There are many types of letters, and many adaptations in terms of form and
content, but in this chapter, we discuss the fifteen elements of a traditional
block-style letter.
Letters may serve to introduce your skills and qualifications to prospective
employers, deliver important or specific information, or serve as documentation
of an event or decision. Regardless of the type of letter you need to write, it can
contain up to fifteen elements in five areas.Letters are brief, print messages
often used externally to inform or persuade customers, vendors, or the public .A
letter has fifteen parts, each fulfilling a specific function.

Content Guidelines
This is your address where someone could send
a reply. If your letter includes a letterhead with
this information, either in the header (across the
top of the page) or the footer (along the bottom
of the page), you do not need to include it
1. Return Address before the date.

The date should be placed at the top, right or

2. Date left justified, five lines from the top of the page
Content Guidelines
or letterhead logo.

Like a subject line in an e-mail, this is where

you indicate what the letter is in reference to,
3. Reference (Re:) the subject or purpose of the document.

Sometimes you want to indicate on the letter

itself how it was delivered. This can make it
clear to a third party that the letter was delivered
via a specific method, such as certified mail (a
4. Delivery (Optional) legal requirement for some types of documents).

5. Recipient Note This is where you can indicate if the letter is

(Optional) personal or confidential.

A common salutation may be ―Dear Mr. (full

name).‖ But if you are unsure about titles (i.e.,
Mrs., Ms., Dr.), you may simply write the
recipient’s name (e.g., ―Dear Cameron Rai‖)
followed by a colon. A comma after the
salutation is correct for personal letters, but a
colon should be used in business. The salutation
―To whom it may concern‖ is appropriate for
letters of recommendation or other letters that
are intended to be read by any and all
individuals. If this is not the case with your
letter, but you are unsure of how to address your
recipient, make every effort to find out to whom
the letter should be specifically addressed. For
many, there is no sweeter sound than that of
their name, and to spell it incorrectly runs the
risk of alienating the reader before your letter
has even been read. Avoid the use of impersonal
salutations like ―Dear Prospective Customer,‖
as the lack of personalization can alienate a
6. Salutation future client.

This is your opening paragraph, and may

include an attention statement, a reference to the
purpose of the document, or an introduction of
7. Introduction the person or topic depending on the type of
Content Guidelines
letter. An emphatic opening involves using the
most significant or important element of the
letter in the introduction. Readers tend to pay
attention to openings, and it makes sense to
outline the expectations for the reader up front.
Just as you would preview your topic in a
speech, the clear opening in your introductions
establishes context and facilitates
comprehension.

If you have a list of points, a series of facts, or a

number of questions, they belong in the body of
your letter. You may choose organizational
devices to draw attention, such as a bullet list,
or simply number them. Readers may skip over
information in the body of your letter, so make
sure you emphasize the key points clearly. This
is your core content, where you can outline and
support several key points. Brevity is important,
but so is clear support for main point(s).
Specific, meaningful information needs to be
8. Body clear, concise, and accurate.

An emphatic closing mirrors your introduction

with the added element of tying the main points
together, clearly demonstrating their
relationship. The conclusion can serve to
remind the reader, but should not introduce new
information. A clear summary sentence will
strengthen your writing and enhance your
effectiveness. If your letter requests or implies
action, the conclusion needs to make clear what
you expect to happen. It is usually courteous to
conclude by thanking the recipient for his or her
attention, and to invite them to contact you if
you can be of help or if they have questions.
This paragraph reiterates the main points and
their relationship to each other, reinforcing the
9. Conclusion main point or purpose.

10. Close ―Sincerely‖ or ―Cordially‖ are standard business

 Content Guidelines
closing statements. (―Love,‖ ―Yours Truly,‖ and
―BFF‖ are closing statements suitable for
personal correspondence, but not for business.)
Closing statements are normally placed one or
two lines under the conclusion and include a
hanging comma, as in Sincerely,

Five lines after the close, you should type your

name (required) and, on the line below it, your
11. Signature title (optional).

If the letter was prepared, or word-processed, by

someone other than the signatory (you), then
inclusion of initials is common, as in MJD or
12. Preparation Line abc.

Just like an e-mail with an attachment, the letter

sometimes has additional documents that are
delivered with it. This line indicates what the
reader can look for in terms of documents
13. included with the letter, such as brochures,
Enclosures/Attachments reports, or related business documents.

The abbreviation ―CC‖ once stood for carbon

copies but now refers to courtesy copies. Just
like a ―CC‖ option in an e-mail, it indicates the
14. Courtesy Copies or relevant parties that will also receive a copy of
“CC” the document.

A formal business letter normally includes a

logo or contact information for the organization
15. Logo/Contact in the header (top of page) or footer (bottom of
Information page).

STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE LETTERS

Remember that a letter has five main areas:

1. The heading, which establishes the sender, often including address and date
2. The introduction, which establishes the purpose
3. The body, which articulates the message
4. The conclusion, which restates the main point and may include a call to action
5. The signature line, which sometimes includes the contact information
(1 inch margins on all sides of the letter)

1. Return Address: (if not in letterhead logo)

2. Date: 01/01/201X
3. Reference—Re: How to write a letter
4. Delivery (optional): USPS Certified Mail #123456789
5. Recipient Note (optional): Confidential
6. Salutation: Dear Student X:
7. Introduction: This letter is to inform you that the myth of a paperless office,
where you will not be required to produce hard copy letters on letterhead, is a
myth.
8. Body: While email has largely replaced letter writing for many applications,
there remain several reasons for producing a hard-copy letter. The first reason is
that you are required to write it for this class, as many employers still produce
letters as a normal part of business communication, including documentation.
Next, we must consider that paper sales in business have increased across the
last decade, showing no signs of the decrease we would associate with the
transition to the paperless office. Finally, business letters serve many functions,
and your proficiency in their efficient and effective production will contribute to
your personal and professional success.
9. Conclusion: Letter writing is a skill that will continue to be required in the
business environment of today and tomorrow.
10. Close: Sincerely,
11. Signature Line: Scott McLean
12. Preparation Line: GSM/ep
13. Enclosures: (optional, if needed)
14. Courtesy Copies: cc: Jenn Yee
15. Logo/Contact Information:
13 N. Mill Street
Nyack, NY 10960
Always remember that letters represent you and your company in your absence.
In order to communicate effectively and project a positive image,
…………………………………

 be clear, concise, specific, and respectful;

 each word should contribute to your purpose;
 each paragraph should focus on one idea;
 the parts of the letter should form a complete message;
 the letter should be free of errors.
 Report
A report is a nonfiction account that presents and/or summarizes the facts about
a particular event, topic, or issue. The idea is that people who are unfamiliar
with the subject can find everything they need to know from a good report. In
technical terms, the definition of a report is pretty vague: any account, spoken
or written, of the matters concerning a particular topic known as report.

Really, when people talk about ―reports,‖ they’re usually referring to official
documents outlining the facts of a topic, typically written by an expert on the
subject or someone assigned to investigate it.

 Details of an event or situation

 The consequences or on-going effect of an event
 Evaluation of statistical data or analytics
 Interpretations from the information in the report
 Predictions or recommendations based on the information in the report
 How the information relates to other events or reports
Types of reports
There are a few different types of reports, depending on the purpose and to
whom you present your report. Here’s a quick list of the common types of
reports:

 Academic report: Tests a student’s comprehension of the subject matter, such

as book reports, reports on historical events, and biographies.

 Business reports: Identifies information useful in business strategy, such as

marketing reports, internal memos, SWOT analysis, and feasibility reports

 Scientific reports: Shares research findings, such as research papers and case
studies, typically in science journals
 Reports can be further divided into categories based on how they are written.
For example, a report could be formal or informal, short or long, and internal or
external. In business, a vertical report shares information with people on
different levels of the hierarchy (i.e., people who work above you and below
you), while a lateral report is for people on the author’s same level, but in
different departments.

Structure

The structure of a report depends on the type of report and the requirements of
the assignment. While reports can use their own unique structure, most follow
this basic template:

 Executive summary: Just like an abstract in an academic paper, an executive

summary is a stand-alone section that summarizes the findings in your report so
readers know what to expect. These are mostly for official reports and less so
for school reports.

 Introduction: Setting up the body of the report, your introduction explains the
overall topic that you’re about to discuss, with your thesis statement and any
need-to-know background information before you get into your own findings.

 Body: The body of the report explains all your major discoveries, broken up
into headings and subheadings. The body makes up the majority of the entire
report; whereas the introduction and conclusion are just a few paragraphs each,
the body can go on for pages.

 Conclusion: The conclusion is where you bring together all the information in
your report and come to a definitive interpretation or judgment. This is usually
where the author inputs their own personal opinions or inferences.
 Format

Title page: Official reports often use a title page to keep things organized; if a
person has to read multiple reports, title pages make them easier to keep track
of.

 Table of contents: Just like in books, the table of contents helps readers go
directly to the section they’re interested in, allowing for faster browsing.

 Page numbering: A common courtesy if you’re writing a longer report, page

numbering makes sure the pages are in order in the case of mix-ups or
misprints.

 Headings and subheadings: Reports are typically broken up into sections,

divided by headings and subheadings, to facilitate browsing and scanning.

 Citations: If you’re citing information from another source, the citations

guidelines tell you the recommended format.

 Works cited page: A bibliography at the end of the report lists credits and the
legal information for the other sources you got information from.

As always, refer to the assignment for the specific guidelines on each of these.
The people who read the report should tell you which style guides or formatting
they require.
Seven steps of report writing
1.Choose a topic based on the assignment
Before you start writing, you need to pick the topic of your report. Often, the
topic is assigned for you, as with most business reports, or predetermined by the
nature of your work, as with scientific reports. If that’s the case, you can ignore
this step and move on.
2.Conduct research

With business and scientific reports, the research is usually your own or
provided by the company—although there’s still plenty of digging for external
sources in both.

For academic papers, you’re largely on your own for research, unless you’re
required to use class materials. That’s one of the reasons why choosing the right
topic is so crucial; you won’t go far if the topic you picked doesn’t have enough
available research. The key is to search only for reputable sources: official
documents, other reports, research papers, case studies, books from respected
authors, etc. Feel free to use research cited in other similar reports. You can
often find a lot of information online through search engines, but a quick trip to
the library can also help in a pinch.

3.Thesis statement

Before you go any further, write a thesis statement to help you conceptualize the
main theme of your report. Just like the topic sentence of a paragraph, the thesis
statement summarizes the main point of your writing, in this case, the report.

Once you’ve collected enough research, you should notice some trends and
patterns in the information. If these patterns all infer or lead up to a bigger,
overarching point, that’s your thesis statement.

For example, if you were writing a report on the wages of fast-food employees,
your thesis might be something like, ―Although wages used to be commensurate
with living expenses, after years of stagnation they are no longer adequate.‖
From there, the rest of your report will elaborate on that thesis, with ample
evidence and supporting arguments.
It’s good to include your thesis statement in both the executive summary and
introduction of your report, but you still want to figure it out early so you know
which direction to go when you work on your outline next.
4.Prepare an outline
Writing an outline is recommended for all kinds of writing, but it’s especially
useful for reports given their emphasis on organization. Because reports are
often separated by headings and subheadings, a solid outline makes sure you
stay on track while writing without missing anything.

5.Write a rough draft

Actually writing the rough draft, or first draft, is usually the most time-
consuming step. Here’s where you take all the information from your research
and put it into words. To avoid getting overwhelmed, simply follow your
outline step by step to make sure you don’t accidentally leave out anything.

6.Revise and edit your report

Once your rough draft is finished, it’s time to go back and start fixing the
mistakes you ignored the first time around. (Before you dive right back in,
though, it helps to sleep on it to start editing fresh, or at least take a small break
to unwind from writing the rough draft.)

7.Proofread and check for mistakes

Last, it pays to go over your report one final time, just to optimize your wording
and check for grammatical or spelling mistakes. In the previous step you
checked for ―big picture‖ mistakes, but here you’re looking for specific, even
nitpicky problems. A writing assistant like Grammarly flags those issues for
you. Grammarly’s free version points out any spelling and grammatical
mistakes while you write, with suggestions to improve your writing that you can
apply with just one click. The Premium version offers even more advanced
features, such as tone adjustments and word choice recommendations for taking
your writing to the next level.

Email Writing

Email writing is an art and doing it well takes know-how and practice. But you
don’t have to make all the mistakes for yourself in order to write professional
emails. We assembled for you the essential tips for creating highly effective
formal emails with a deep dive into formal email formats, structure, and best
practices.

Email body

The body of your email is where you get into your main message. Whether
you’re composing an email to establish a new business connecting or just
following up on a meeting, the body of your email should be detailed enough
that the reader isn’t confused, but also brief and to-the-point. No one wants to
sit and read a long-winded email when they have dozens of other unattended
messages in their inbox.

 Be concise – detail only what’s needed to get your point across.

 Use words that convey (authentic) positive personal emotional –

words like ―glad‖, ―excited‖, ―intrigued‖, ―confident‖.

 Use the word “because‖ when asking for something – it’s been
scientifically shown that people are more easily convinced to do
something if told why, and more so if the reason is important for them.

 Show don’t tell – if you can’t explain something in few words, see if you
can add a screenshot, a video or a link that explain it better.

 Use headings to split long content into sub-topics – if you can’t avoid
writing a long email, make sure to break it up into subsections with
 headings. This will help your time-scarce readers to scan and find their
points of interest.

 Add your concrete request or question in bold text – to ensure your

readers do not miss the most important piece of content (your request or
question) – set it in a separate line and put it in bold. You can also use
some color. If you do avoid light shades (you want high contrast between
the text and the white background. Once you pick a color – stick with it.

Email ending

After you’ve addressed all your main points in the body of your email, you’ll
want to end it with a respectful and brief salutation. You can either invite your
recipient to reach out for more questions, wish them success, or ask a question.
It all depends on the motive for your email. If it was a long email it could also
be a good idea to gently reiterate your main request, question, or motivation.