Here's How: Write First-Class Business Correspondence

by Baugh, L. Sue; Fryar, Maridell; Thomas, David Allen

• ISBN13: 9780844220741
• ISBN10: 0844220744
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-01-11
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill

Summary

Many competent, articulate business people experience a moment of panic when they are faced with writing a business report, memo, or letter. Like any business task, writing is manageable once it's broken down into simple steps.

Table of Contents

How to Use This Handbook	p. vii
Business Writing Today	p. 1
Three Steps to Effective Writing	p. 2
Prewriting	p. 3
Writing	p. 5
Revising	p. 6
Summary	p. 8
Choosing the Right Word	p. 9
Business Vocabulary	p. 9
Words Frequently Confused	p. 11
Gender-Inclusive Language	p. 14
Effective Business Letters	p. 17
Business Letter Format	p. 18
Functions of Business Letters	p. 18
Parts of a Business Letter	p. 19
Format for Business Letters	p. 25
Style in Business Letters	p. 30
Watch Your Language	p. 30
Clarity	p. 32
Brevity	p. 38
Use Adverbs and Adjectives Sparingly	p. 40
Accuracy	p. 40
Tone	p. 41
Sentences	p. 44
Paragraphs	p. 46
Organizing and Writing Business Letters	p. 49
Prewriting	p. 49
Writing	p. 52
Revising	p. 59
Producing the Business Letter	p. 66
Stationery	p. 66
Inside Address	p. 67
Complimentary Close	p. 72
Signature Block	p. 73
Reference Lines	p. 75
Stenographic Reference Line	p. 76
Enclosure Line	p. 77
Copies Line	p. 79
Postscripts	p. 80
Addressing the Envelope	p. 80
Sample Business Letters	p. 84
Adjustment Letters	p. 85
Claim Letters	p. 86
Collection Letters	p. 88
Credit Letters	p. 94
Goodwill or Public Relations Letters	p. 97
Letters to Government Agencies and the Press	p. 99
Inquiry Letters	p. 102
Request Letters	p. 105
Refusal Letters	p. 107
Sales Letters	p. 109
Social Business Letters	p. 110
Transmittal or Cover Letters	p. 114
Dictation, Memos, Form Messages	p. 119
Mastering Dictation	p. 120
Preparation	p. 120
Dictating Techniques	p. 121
Revising	p. 123
Memos and Form Messages	p. 125
Memos	p. 125
Prewriting	p. 127
Writing	p. 128
Revising and Proofreading	p. 134
Other Form Messages	p. 136
Special Writing and Research Projects	p. 141
Business Report Writing	p. 142
Prewriting	p. 143
Writing	p. 145
Revising	p. 158
Proposals and Press Releases	p. 160
Proposals	p. 160
Prewriting	p. 161
Writing	p. 162
Revising	p. 163
Press Releases	p. 167
Prewriting	p. 167
Writing	p. 168
Revising	p. 171
Finding Business Information	p. 174
Libraries	p. 174
Computer-Assisted Research	p. 176
Sources of Business Information	p. 178
Resources for Business Problems	p. 179
Business Writing and the Job Search	p. 181
Resumes, Applications, Employment Letters	p. 182
Identifying Your Abilities, Interests, and Skills	p. 183
Background Research--Job Sources	p. 183
Preparing Your Resume	p. 185
Completing Employment Applications	p. 189
Employment Letters	p. 190
Automation and the Information Age	p. 207
Communication in the Electronic Office	p. 208
Computers and the Human Element	p. 208
Computer Components	p. 209
Word Processing and Desktop Publishing	p. 213
Information Processing	p. 214
Telecommunications and Computer Networks	p. 215
Review of Business Grammar and Style	p. 219
Parts of Speech	p. 220
Nouns	p. 220
Pronouns	p. 223
Verbs	p. 228
Adjectives	p. 236
Adverbs	p. 238
Prepositions	p. 240
Conjunctions	p. 241
Interjections	p. 245
Sentences and Sentence Patterns	p. 246
Sentences, Fragments, and Run-Ons	p. 246
Sentence Structure	p. 248
Sentence Variety	p. 249
Punctuation and Punctuation Style	p. 253
End Punctuation Marks	p. 253
Comma	p. 255
Semicolon	p. 258
Colon	p. 259
Quotation Marks	p. 261
Apostrophe	p. 263
Hyphens	p. 265
Dashes	p. 266
Parentheses	p. 267
Brackets	p. 267
Ellipses	p. 267
Underscore	p. 268
Capitalization, Abbreviations, Numbers	p. 270
Capitalization	p. 270
Abbreviations	p. 274
Numbers	p. 277
Spelling	p. 283
Spelling Guidelines	p. 283
Frequently Misspelled Words	p. 287
Word Division	p. 289
Index	p. 293
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