Test Your Knowledge

pg 330
4/1/2010

1.Oral presentations offer important opportunities to put all your communication skills on display, including research, planning, writing, visual design, and interpersonal and nonverbal communication. They also give you the ability to think on your feet.

2. The three goals you should accomplish during the introduction of an oral presentation are to arouse the audience's interest in your topic, to establish your credibility, and to prepare the audience for what will follow.

3. Some techniques to get the audience's attention during your introduction are to unite the audience around a common goal, tell a story, pass around a sample, ask a question, state a startling statistic, and use humor.

4. Three tasks you should accomplish in the close of your presentation are to restate your main points, describe the next steps, and to end on a strong note.

5. Some steps that you can take to ensure success with online presentations are to consider sending preview study materials ahead of time, keep your presentation as simple as possible, ask for feedback directly, consider the viewing experience from the audience members' point of view, make sure your audience can receive the sort of content you intend to use, and allow plenty of time for everyone to get connected and familiar with the screen they're viewing.

Test your Knowledge--Chapter 10

page 250 1-5

1. They provide feedback and other information for decision making (plans, operating reports, and personal activity reports)

2. new research is done specifically for a new project and secondary research is research done previously for a different purpose

3. It is reliable if the results can be repeated identically and valid if it meaures what it's supposed to

4. recommendations are useful when readers want to know what to do in a given situation instead of what they should conclude

5. some organizations prepare for formal invitation to bid on other contracts (RFP) which includes instructions that specify exactly what type of work should be performed or what products should be delivered

Writing Persuasive Messages--3/2/10

Test Your Knowledge Page 216 1-5

1. Who is my audience? What are my audiences' needs? What do I want them to do? How might they resist? Are there alternative positions I need to examine? What does the decision maker consider to be the most important issue? How might the organization's culture influence my strategy?

2. You must take into account their cultural expectations and practices so that you odn't undermine your persuasive message by using an inappropriate appeal or by organizing your message in a way that seems unfamiliar or uncomfortable to your readers.

3. emotional appeal calls on feelings or audience sympathies but a logical appeal uses 3 types of reasoning (analogy, induction, and deduction). Emotion and logic should be used in tandum

4. Analogy, induction, and deduction are 3 types of reasoning for logical appeals

5. The AIDA model organizes your presentation into four phases (attention, interest, desire, and action); it is tailor made for using the indirect approach which allows you to save your main idea for the action phase; it can also work with the direct approach. Some limitations are that AIDA is a unidirectional method that essentially talks AT audiences not WITH them. It is also built around a single event (such as asking an audience for a decision), rahter than on building a mutually beneficial, long term relationship.

chapter 8--test your knowledge

page 188 1-5

1. give the bad news, ensure its acceptance, maintain reader's goodwill, maintain organization's good image, reduce future correspondence on the matter

2.will the bad news come as a shock? does the reader prefer short messages that get right to the point? how important is this news to the reader? do you need to maintain a close working relationship wiht the reader? do you need the reader's attention? what is your organization's preferred style?

3. opening with a buffer, providing reasons and additional information, continuing with a clear statement of the bad news, and closing on a positive note

4. bugger: a neutral, noncontroversial statement that is closely related to the point of the message; it establishes common ground with your reader. Some critics think it may be unethical because they think it is insincere or deceptive

5. by giving reasons effectively, you help maintain focus on the issues at hand and defuse emotions that always accompany significantly bad news; they also convince the audience that the actions are justified

Routine and Positive Messages

Class Activity 2.18.2010
Page 160 #2

I recently saw your ad in Macworld for the "Negotiator Pro" and purchased one for my computer at a local business-supply store. I felt that it would be an effective tool to use for a corporate seminar I plan to present on the topic of negotiation.

Unfortunately, the program did not work when I inserted it into my office computer. When I tried to return it, the store would not exchange the CD for a new one or give me a refund because I had already opened it. I was instructed to contact your in hopes that you would be able to send me a version that is compatible with my computer.

Please send any information you may have to the address located in the letterhead. If you cannot send another disk, please send the refund amounting to $79.95. Thank you in advance for your help.


Page 163-164 #9

5493 Beechwood Drive
Trenton, NJ 08608
April 12, 2009

Florida Resort Bureau
1555 Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard
West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Dear Sir:

My wife and I are planning a vacation in late September with our two teenage children. Please send information promptly, preferably within the next two weeks, so I can adjust my work schedule. Personally, I enjoy the beach and playing golf; however, we would also like to be near night entertainment that is suitable for the whole family. I am also particularly interested in resorts that have public transportation available so that the family is able to participate in activities outside of the resort.

In addition to the information listed in your brochures, will you please educate me on which resorts are near large cities, are reached by public transportation, and have attractions for teenagers. In regards to it being off-season, do the rates include all of the amenities and what is the weather typically like in September? Lastly, who can I contact to receive information about concert schedules?

Your advertisement in the April issue of Smithsonian magazine has intrigued me and I would love to know more information about Florida resorts. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Frank C. Atlas

E-Mail Screen Shot

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"Netiquette"

MEMORANDUM
TO: Ms. Walwema
FROM: Melissa Mirchin
CC:English 304 Section 020
DATE: February 11, 2010
SUBJECT: Netiquette rules for technical writing

Proper rules of netiquette should be adhered to when composing e-mails in our technical writing course. With some research, I have found some particularly interesting points.

I first located a page about netiquette on the website of the popular news network, CNN. The website included issues such as consulting with your correspondent about their bandwidth before sending a large file like a picture. This is proper netiquette because some people may not have fast downloading connections and trying to open a large file may take a lot of time or jeopardize access to other files. The time it takes to download large files may not be something your peer is willing to spare. It also may slow down other functions of the computer. For these reasons it is important to send a short e-mail first asking for permission to send a large file and then taking action based on the response given.

A second site discussed the rules of respecting privacy. This important topic discussed on this website addresses respecting the privacy of others in e-mails as well as personal boundaries. If your e-mail is not something you would be willing to share with your boss or a group of peers, it is most likely not appropriate to be sending in an e-mail. The site has a reminder that when communicating via e-mail, you are in cyberspace and you need to be conscious of who has the ability to look at your e-mail accounts. Most companies set up e-mail accounts for you and so many company superiors will be able to see your e-mail activity. Personal use or inappropriate topics should not be discussed for this reason.

Lastly, the second site also discussed forgiving people for minor errors in their e-mails. Spelling errors or improper formatting of e-mails is something that is easy to do, so do not hold your correspondent responsible for minor mistakes. If the mistake is crucial enough to point out, do so in a tactful and polite way. If the error is something that does not need to be addressed immediately, let it slide and give your peer a second chance to correct their mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes and should not be held too seriously accountable for minor flaws.

Thank you for your time and attention with this issue of proper netiquette.

Sincerely,

Melissa Mirchin




REFERENCES:

http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html
http://edition.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/07/21/netiquette.tools/

Editing and Revising an E-mail--Class Activity 2/11/10

TO: sarah@work.net
FROM: bill@work.net
CC: jim@work.net
Subject: Funding for a training trip

Sarah,

I need to figure out who to contact for money for a training trip I would like to attend. Do you know who I should contact regarding this issue? Please let me know.


Thank you,

Bill

Memorandum Revision

Memorandum

TO: Metro power employees
FROM: Susannah Beech, Hr Administrator
SUBJECT: Ways to improve your response to technology failures
DATE: 22 September 2009

Metro Employees:

There is always a chance of racing toward a deadline and suddenly having equipment fail. The following includes suggestions to help you cope with technical equipment and system failures:

• Stay cool. Technical failures are commonplace in business. It is likely that your bosses and co-workers will understand that you’re having a problem and why.
• Practice preventive maintenance. Use cleaning cloths and sprays regularly, liquids and foods should be kept away from keyboards and printers, and you should make sure systems are shut down when you leave at night.
• If you suspect that a problem may be developing, don’t wait until the last moment to call for assistance.
• When a last-minute technical failure threatens to disrupt your composure, consider taking a walk to calm down.
• For faster repair assistance promptly report computer failures to Bart Stone, assistant director of information services ext. 2238, who will get to your problem as soon as possible. Keep in mind that there are many people demanding his focused attention at any given time.

The last suggestion is perhaps the most important. Ask your supervisor for a list of all support numbers so that the next time you experience a technology glitch in your equipment or systems, there are a few numbers handy for you to call for help.

Sincerely,

Susannah Beech
Human Resources Administrator

Weekly Blog -- Refelction on Analyzing the Message

PAGE 89

1) Strengths and weaknesses of each sentence:
The first sentence is very strong. It clearly states what the goal of the company is an addressing all interested audiences.

The second sentence is too long and has too much repetition of the word "enough". Instead, the sentence should say, "We constantly scour the world looking for products that are good, well-built, and classy enough to fit the high standards of our established website, www.bestbabygear.com". One strong point of this sentence though is that it states their website which is good information for the reader and potential client to have.

The third sentence is also too long and contains too much slang. It's attempt to emphasis that this company guarantees only the best for their customers is important, however. It is important for the potential supplier to know their standards.

Finally, the last line brings the message to a close. The line is clear with its final statement which is a plus, however, it could be less wordy to make it more concise.

2) Our e-tailing company, Best Baby Gear, specializes in the best products for parents of newborns, infants, and toddlers. We constantly search all over the world for products that fit the high standards for our website, www.bestbabygear.com. Every product is carefully selected to ensure that they will all be top-sellers and optimize our profits. After much consideration, we feel that your Inglesina lines would further advance our company.

Reflection:

After reading the written version of the message in the book, I felt like it was so wordy and complicated that no business with communication like that should be taken seriously. The purpose of the message was apparent: to sell the concept of the e-company to a manufacturer. Although it did so, I was able to decipher the main points in much fewer words and feel like it would be more acceptable to present to a potential client. My reflection of this activity is that in the business world, it is not fancy, complicated wording that impresses people. Simplicity and clarity are the ways to effectively communicate.

BioPowerPoint_Melissa Mirchin

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Weekly Blog 1-21-10

Page 63 Number 9

My audience in question number 9 is most likely parents, especially mothers, who need to go grocery shopping. Another potential audience would be directed towards children because they are the ones who most likely eat the peanut butter. The general attitude of the audience is most likely an indifferent one. Parents may be slightly irritated at the reminder of going shopping and children could potentially be excited because they do not have to buy or shop for the product, they only have to enjoy it. The audience needs to know where to find the peanut butter, any benefits that particular brand has over other brands (example: extra nutrients), and the cost of the peanut butter/if there is a special deal.

Page 63 Number 11

My audience in question number 11 is the potential employer. The potential employer's general attitude towards the cover letter sent with the resume is probably positive and excited because people are interested in the job opening. The potential employer needs to know from the cover letter information about the interested, potential employee. Some information on the cover letter may include name, phone number, and email address. The resume itself needs to have lists of the potential employee's skills, qualifications, and achievements. The audience (potential employer) needs to receive the message that the employee is interested and qualified for the job opening.

Weekly Blog--Week 2

Today in class, we did an exercise that I found to be especially interesting. We revised an e-mail that a business owner sent out to new employees from Hong Kong. The original e-mail included American slang and other improper phrases that could be confusing to people of another culture. I enjoyed revising the e-mail so that the new foreign employees could comprehend the message better. I found this interesting because I enjoy studying the cultural differences in communication. In fact, I am doing a research experiment in another one of my classes about physical and verbal communication and how different ethnic and cultural backgrounds influence it. I look forward to study these differences further in business communication class this semester.

Business E-Mail Revision

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My Expectations for the Course

After having my first real job this summer in a professional office, I realized that when trying to write emails or memos to my co-workers I was not using the proper business format. It looked very unprofessional and is definitely something that I look forward to improving through this course. I will also be graduating in another year and applying for jobs. It is important that I not only fill out my resume correctly but also that I utilize the format of it to enlighten future employers of all of my abilities. Through this business communication class, I expect to make the transition from an inexperienced student to a well-rounded future employee.