4.0 Introduction to Communicating in Writing
Linda Macdonald and Kayler Mutyabule
Part 4 focuses on the written forms most common in business communication. While every organization has a set of preferred tools and communication strategies, some elements are common throughout. As an effective business communicator, it will be important to understand both the internal standards used within your organization and the external practices that remain constant in your field. A business letter format will be fairly standard across industries. Margin widths, recipient address block, and signature block will be similar, but companies can vary the format with letterhead design, font styles, and borders. Reports vary greatly in format, design, and structure depending on their purpose and audience, but all require attention to readability, conciseness, and clarity.
Part 4 addresses the strategies of developing and maintaining internal and external business relationships through email, memos, letters, and reports.
Learning Objectives
By the end of Part 4, you should be able to
- Identify the qualities of good business writing,
- Distinguish between formal and informal writing styles,
- Create routine and informational email messages,
- Format memos and letters appropriately, and
- Organize and format a formal recommendation report.
