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English 3130 Handouts

Here, you will find various handouts I use in this class as well as sample projects. Each handout will have a brief description to let you know what it’s about.

Memo Sample
Review these memos to see how the memo evolved through the three different drafts to reflect the author’s growing awareness of the intended audiences and purposes.

Cover Letter Design
First Paragraph
Purpose of the letter
Position title advertised
Source of advertisement
Why you are applying (a brief overviewing statement of your qualifications)

Second Paragraph
Demonstrate your knowledge of the organization/business
Show how the position and your qualifications match

Next Paragraphs
No more than one major qualification each paragraph
Good supporting details for your claim of qualification (could use several details to support your qualification)
Clear topic sentences at the beginning
Reasonable length

Last Paragraph
A summarizing statement of your qualifications
Request for further contact
Your own contact information

Block Style
Everything left justified, including your own address on top and signature block at the bottom
No indentation at the beginning of paragraphs
Single space within paragraphs and double space between paragraphs

Modified Block Style
Your address on the right
Recipient’s address on left (no overlapping on lines)
Indentation or no indentation at beginning of paragraphs
Signature block on the right about two-thirds across the page, should be aligned with your address on top

How to Write Negative Messages
How to Write a Buffer

  • Start with any good news or positive elements the letter contains.
  • State a fact or provide a chronology of events.
  • Refer to enclosures in the letter.
  • Thank the reader for something he or she has done.
  • State a general principle.

(Source: Kitty O. Locker. (1992). Business and Administrative Communication, 2nd Edition. Homewood, IL: Irwin.)

When to Omit a Buffer

  • Omit the buffer if the reader may ignore or skim the message..
  • Omit the buffer when the reader may be suspicious of the writer.
  • Omit the buffer when the reader won’t take a NO for an answer.

(Source: Kitty O. Locker. (1992). Business and Administrative Communication, 2nd Edition. Homewood, IL: Irwin.)

A Seven-Step Approach to Giving Negative Feedback

  1. Tell it like it is. Don’t sidestep the issue; be straightforward and tell the employee exactly what your concerns are.
    Example: “I’m troubled by the way you deal with customer complaints.”
  2. Give feedback immediately. Feedback is most useful when given at the earliest opportunity after a particular incident. Effective feedback allows the recipient an opportunity to correct behavior right away.
  3. Paint a specific picture of how you view the situation. Describe what you see happening by using objective details, not subjective opinions.
    Example: “When you get calls from irate customers, you become short with them and you don’t try to hide your own irritation.”
  4. Give the lowdown of the outcome. Make sure employees understand the connection between their behavior and the negative results. This lets employees know that they can control the consequences.
    Example: “I’ve received letters from customers threatening to stop using our company if they continue to receive such poor treatment.”
  5. Give credit where credit is due. That way, employees will know what actions to repeat in the future. Plus, they’ll know that you appreciate the effort to do it right.
    Example: “I know it can be frustrating, but I’m pleased to see that after you quickly pinpoint the problem, you immediately make a return call.”
  6. Reiterate performance expectations. As a manager, it is important that you try to make employees understand what it takes for job success.
    Example: “Understand that good customer service begins with fielding the complaint; it isn’t just the end result of solving the problem. Frustration-management skills are important in this department.”
  7. Use feedback as a means of change, not punishment. A positive reaction is a more likely result when you correct negative behavior rather than punish the offender.

(Source: The HR Specialist. March 12, 2012. “The Art of Giving Negative Feedback: A Seven-Step Approach. Available at http://www.businessmanagementdaily.com/28586/the-art-of-giving-negative-feedback-a-7-step-approach#_)

Organizing Information
Here’re some articles on how to organize information:

Visual Design Exercise–PSI Case
Accusation by the Media
PSI is an energy (gas and electricity) company in a small town in the Midwest. Recently, the local media has been accusing PSI of pushing some of its employees into early retirement. As a result, the media claims, PSI has an inexperienced staff and is thus unlikely to serve its customers and this community effectively and efficiently.

Your Task from Your Supervisor
You’re the communication specialist in PSI. In answer to this accusation from the media, your supervisor has asked you to write a newsletter, which will be mailed out to all your customers together with the next bill. The purpose of the newsletter is to make and provide evidence for the argument that PSI still has a very experienced staff.

Your Task Today
This newsletter will include a graphic (a graph, a chart, a table, etc.) that will represent the statistics about the work experience of the company staff. Your supervisor has provided you with the following figures:

As of January 1, 2002, PSI had a total of 7,863 employees, classified as follows:
< 5 years:      1989 25%
5-10 years:    1590 20%
10-15 years:  1275 16%
15-20 years:  784 10%
20-30 years: 931 12%
>30 years:     1294 16%

Your task today is to design a graphic that will effectively represent these data to support your argument that PSI has an experienced staff. You can use the data in any way you think is appropriate.

Formal Reports: Typical Elements
(Source: Oliu, Brusaw, & Alred. 2013. Writing That Works. Chapter 11)
A typical formal report includes the following elements:

  • Transmittal letter or memo
  • Front Matter
    • Title page
    • Abstract
    • Table of contents
    • List of figures
    • List of tables
    • Foreword
    • Preface
    • List of abbreviations and symbols
  • Body
    • Executive summary
    • Introduction
    • Text (Body)
    • Conclusions
    • Recommendations
    • Works cited (or references)
  • Back matter
    • Bibliography
    • Appendixes
    • Glossary
    • Index

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