5. Some samples of business documents

WRITING THE STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

STEP ONE: KNOW YOURSELF!

With the statement of purpose you can persuade the selection committee to accept you. In order to convince them, you must be convinced yourself. You must be sure of what you want, why you want it, and why that particular program can help you. Also, know your strengths and weaknesses. Before beginning to write, think! Review your intellectual and personal development over your academic career. When you can clearly articulate the history that led you to decide to apply to a particular program, you are ready to begin writing.

STEP TWO: AN OUTLINE

Make an outline. It may look like this:

1. Introduction

1. Your goals

1. Body of the paper

1. Why that specific program helps you further your goals

1. Strong program in your specialization

2. Future potential in your field

3. What brought you to this point, major influences

4. Future plans after receiving degree

1. Conclusion

1. What can contribute to the program

The points you want to discuss can be in a different order, as long as you have an introduction, body and conclusion. You need to decide what order of ideas is the best for your essay. You want the strongest and most logical essay you can write.

STEP THREE: WRITING THE STATEMENT

If you have done a good job with steps one and two, the writing should come easily. Keep the following points in mind:

• The first sentence is the most important one. You want the reader’s attention. A thesis sentence is not a statement of accepted fact: it is the position that needs the proof you will provide in your argument. The well-organized thesis statement is that of a single sentence which declares the position you are taking in your paper; sets up the way you will organize your discussion; points to the conclusion you will draw.

• Cut out any sentences that are not absolutely necessary. Every sentence should be important and clearly stated. Most points can be made without a lot of necessary background.

• Be self-confident. Frame everything positively. Even if your English is horrible, do NOT tell them. Do not write any negative statements.

• They are looking to see if your background and expectations match what they offer. The more specific you can be, the more convincing you will be. The emphasis in your statement of purpose depends on where you are applying.

FINAL COMMENTS

1. Be honest. Be confident and positive without being pushy or demanding.

2. There is a saying, “Nothing good is ever written, it is re-written.” No one ever writes a perfect first draft.

3. Please keep in mind that there is no sure way of writing a statement of purpose. This is merely an example of how such a statement may be written.

WRITING A MEMO REPORT

Reports are usually written to present information in a formal situation. They are often divided into sections. Each section is written as a paragraph, in the sale way as other types of writing. However, the sections are given headings. Because reports are written in business situations (where the writer adopts a given role), it is important that the language be appropriate for the target reader.

A report should contain:

• An introduction in which the reason for writing is clearly stated. This first section should outline the purpose of the report.

• A main body which is divided into sections, each of which is given a heading. It is important to choose appropriate headings for sections or there is a risk of not answering the question properly.

• A conclusion in which the main points from the body of the report are summarized. The conclusion may sometimes include a recommendation for future action.

To write a memo report in your given role, you need to brainstorm for ideas on such things as:

• The present situation, e.g. There are presently only two hospitals in the Waterford area and they are struggling to serve the needs of this rapidly expanding community.

• Numbers and statistics, e.g. Over a third of those who were interviewed said that they were totally dissatisfied with the level of health care in the area.

• An event (such as a meeting) that has taken place, e.g. Opinions raised at the recent meeting to discuss the new sports complex varied from indifferent to strongly opposed to the idea.

Reports usually begin with the following information in the top left-hand corner:

To: …………………………………

From: ………………………………

Subject: ……………………………

Date: ………………………………

(The exact information you include depends on the rubric).

The first paragraph is usually a short section entitled Purpose or Introduction.

It is important that you mention the reason for writing the report and prepare the reader for the information that you will include in the main body.

The end of the report should be a final section, often entitled Conclusion, in which you:

• summarize the points in the main body;

• make a recommendation for future action, or

• offer a personal opinion.

The most commonly used verb tenses in reports are as follows:

The Present Simple – to describe the present situation, e.g. It is estimated that at least half of the students at the college regularly take part in some kind of sporting activity.

The Present Continuous – to describe things that are happening now, e.g. While the main hall is being repaired, classes are being held in the lecture theatre.

The Present Perfect – to emphasize past actions that are relevant now, e.g. Over three thousand people have visited the centre and there have been very few complaints.

The Past Simple – to report on past actions, events, etc., e.g. Most people who were interviewed expressed an interest in the project.

In some reports, you will need to assess the suitability of a person or a place for a particular job or use. To do this, you will need to think of different aspects of the person or place. The following may be useful:

People – personality, people skills, track record, background, projects presently working on, level of competence, skills, qualifications, special qualities, etc.

Places – accessibility, local history, population, local economy, cost of accommodation, availability of housing, places of interest, local climate, etc.

Descriptive adjectives play an important part in this type of report because it is necessary to portray as accurate a picture of the person/place as possible.

When writing, remember that there are many transition words that connect the ideas between the sentences and within the sentences. For example, to indicate differences or contrast between one thing and another we use however, nevertheless, on the other hand, on the contrary, after all, in any case, in contrast, etc. To indicate similarity between one thing and another that was already mentioned we use similarly, likewise, in the same manner, along the same lines, etc. Within sentences we use although, though, even though, whereas, while, yet, both, both … and, neither … nor, etc.

WRITING A RESEARCH PAPER ABSTRACT

Scientists and researchers contribute to their fields of study by publishing articles in different journals. Usually before a research article a research paper abstract is placed. It is a short version of the paper, providing the most important and concise information about the undertaken scientific research or results of the research. To write a research paper abstract seasoned scholars suggest the following guidelines which in many respects coincide with the basic rules of business writing style.

First of all, make the abstract easy to read. With this purpose use familiar words and define unfamiliar ones if they cannot be omitted. Use active verbs rather than passive ones. Use short sentences, but vary sentence structure so that the abstract doesn’t sound choppy. Use complete sentences without omitting articles or other little words in an effort to save space.

Secondly, be concise. This rule requires the writer should rephrase ideas from the original article to condense the meaning into fewer words, use standard abbreviations only, and give information only once. Besides, be exact and unambiguous and do not cite quotes from the article by number.

Finally, organize the information in the way that will be most useful to the reader. Start with the thesis statement, conclusion, or findings, and then go to the supporting data or details. Do not comment on or evaluate the article. An abstract should not be confused with a review.

USEFUL LANGUAGE FOR WRITING ABSTRACTS

This article deals with (pays considerable attention to) …

Particular importance to … has been attached in the article.

The author has attempted to analyze … in the article.

The emphasis has been placed on …

The article develops the earlier view on the problem of …

Some solutions … have been suggested by the author.

… have/has been examined in the article.

It should be mentioned that …

It may be important to conclude …

It must be stressed that …

The article gives good grounds for …

REMEMBER SOME LATIN PHRASES AND ABBREVIATIONS

cf (confer) – в порівнянні з

e.g. (exempli gratia) – наприклад

et al. – та інші (вказуючи авторів)

etc. (etcetera) – і так дальше

N.B. (nota bene) – зверніть увагу

op.cit. (opera citato) – в згаданій роботі

p.a. (per annum) – за рік

per capita – на душу населення

ceteris paribus – коли всі інші умови рівні

ad hoc – до сих пір

ib., ibid. (ibidem) – там же

vs (versus) – проти

SAMPLE OF AN ABSTRACT

The paper focuses on the results of developing interactive assessment techniques and their impact on teaching students academic writing. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of the computer technologies usage for elaborating feedback strategies of interactive teaching. The role of the teacher’s assessment of the students’ writing skills is also considered in the paper. The emphasis is put on the elaborated assessment forms and interactive activities for developing the students’ writing skills. It has been concluded that the interactive feedback received from students is significant and should be constantly applied in the teaching process.

FINAL NOTES HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING SKILLS

Writing is one of the most valuable skills you’ll need no matter what career you decide on. Here are five tips to help you express yourself clearly and become a seasoned writer.

• Learn the rules. Mastering the rules of grammar, spelling, and punctuation are worth the pains. The more you learn about the basic foundations of good writing, the easier, smoother, and more fun the writing process will be.

• Stick to the main idea. Before you start writing, write down a sentence or two that identifies exactly what you are trying to say. This writing is called a thesis statement which sums up the major point of the whole work or its particular sections and should be further supported in your paper.

• Keep your writing simple. Use plain, clear language whenever possible. It is more important to make sure readers understand your meaning rather than you impress them with your vocabulary. Remove vague words and ideas.

• Review and revise. Read your finished draft with a critical eye. If possible, ask a friend to read it and make comments too. This feedback will help you avoid embarrassing mistakes and will also help improve your writing. Correct mistakes in word choice, punctuation, and sentence structure.

• Use reference tools. Keep dictionaries handy – whether hard-cover books or electronic versions –to look up words and check spelling.

Topic 3. Basics of Business Correspondence

PLAN

1. Structure and style of business letters.

2. Types of business letters.

   1. Writing routine messages.

   2. Writing persuasive messages.

   3. Writing bad-news messages.

3. Handling negative and sensitive information.