Exposition (Letters, Memos, E-mails, Reports and Notices)

Letters

DEFINITION

A letter is a direct or personal written or printed message addressed to a person or organisation. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

The most commonly used form of written communication is the letter. For both social (informal) and business (formal) purposes, the ability to write letters is an important accomplishment.

LETTER WRITING PRINCIPLES

The three general principles on which all letters are based are:

Clarity	clearly expressed content that avoids ambiguity (vagueness).
Conciseness	All irrelevant and uninteresting details are excluded
Courtesy	Must be polite and courteous in tone; abusive language is objectionable (intolerable)

LETTER FORMATS AND PUNCTUATION:

Social

Sample of Social Letter

Business

Sample of Business Letter

FORMAL VS INFORMAL LETTERS: WHEN DO WE CHOOSE?

We write formal letters for the following purposes:

         1. To apply for a job

         2. To complain to an establishment

         3. To apologise

         4. To request permission

         5. To invite someone

Letters to banks, businesses, companies, schools and government offices are formal letters and are written in a formal style.

Personal letters are written in an informal style, like that of a conversation. 

We write informal letters:

        1. To have a natural and relaxed chat

        2. To chat about things at home, school and our neighbourhood

        3. To share ideas and feelings with a friend or relative

        4. To thank/ invite/ congratulate a friend or relative

Memorandum (s) /Memoranda (p)/Memo (abb)

DEFINITION

A Memorandum is a written message in business or diplomacy.

Sometimes in organisations, reports are written in the form of memoranda (commonly called “Memos”) to the persons who have to make decisions or take action.

CHARACTERISTICS OF MEMOS

Memos are meant to:

          1.   be brief

          2.   be factual

          3.   improve flow of information

PURPOSE

They are used to:

    þ  send announcements

    þ  send instructions

    þ  send requests

    þ  document incidents in writing

IN WHICH SETTINGS DO WE WRITE MEMOS?

• Memos are written within organisations. It is the method of communication between:

• employer and employee in businesses

• staff and administration in schools, 

• et cetera

NB: Once individuals are part of the organisation, they communicate with each other through a memorandum.

FORMAT

    þ  To whom it is being sent and position in company

    þ  From whom it is sent and position in company

    þ  Date on which it is written (month, day, year)

    þ  Subject of memo (preview phrase; not a sentence)

SAMPLE

 

 MEMORANDUM

To:            Mr V. Anglin, Dean of Students

From:       Mr R. Smith, Head of Biology Department

Date:        September 21, 2004

Subject:   Student Indiscipline in Canteen

On Wednesday, September 20, 2004, I received a report that Paul Harvey of 5B had taken two plates of food for lunch.

                I spoke to Paul and he denied the charge claiming that he had given the second plate of food to an unnamed student.

                A few minutes later I made a surprise check at the table where he and his friends were eating. I discovered the extra plate of food which no one on the table claimed.

                I am asking you to consider whether disciplinary action against Paul Harvey is appropriate.

Electronic Mails or E-mails

DEFINITION

E-mails are messages distributed by electronic means from one computer user to one or more recipients via a network.

E-MAIL “NETIQUETTE”

Just as with writing letters, the recipient determines whether you write a formal or informal email. As such, there are particular dos and don’ts to consider when attempting to compose a formal email.

DOS	DON’TS
1. Use a professional email address 2. Be clear in subject line and match message 3. Briefly introduce yourself to new recipients 4. Keep it short and get to the point 5. Maintain privacy	1. Do not email angry 2. Avoid exclamation points 3. Do not send one-liners (“Thanks”; “oh ok”) 4. Avoid using shortcuts: emoticons or slang 5. Do not share sensitive information

RECIPIENTS OF FORMAL E-MAILS

ü  teacher

ü  (future)boss

ü   business contact

ü  government agency

FORMAT

To:

Subject:

Body of letter

Formal salutation

        · Dear Mr Jones: (If known)

        · Dear Sir/Madam: or To Whom it May Concern (if unknown)

Introduce yourself and purpose for writing

         · For example, when writing to a potential employer, you might say: "My name is Earl Rivers. I'm contacting you to apply for the administrative assistant position listed on CareerXYZ.com."

To-the-point message

         ·  Be direct but polite

         ·  Keep it brief

         ·  Use formal language

Include necessary attachments

         · For example, include a note like “I am attaching a copy of my resume and portfolio, in PDF format.”

Complementary close

         · Yours respectfully

         · Yours sincerely

Information courtesy of https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/06/email-etiquette.html and https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Formal-Email (Click links to find more details)

SAMPLE:

Reports

DEFINITION:

A report is an account usually presented in details

EXPECTATIONS:

Reports are expected to be:

Objective	– not based on personal feelings or opinions; unbiased
Accurate	– factual/based on facts
Comprehensive	– including required details
Helpfully organised	– information is placed in logical order/sequence

TYPES OF REPORTS

         ·  Police

         ·  Sports

         ·  Missing person

         ·  Club project

         ·  Eyewitness

         ·  Business

         ·  School

         ·  News

SIMPLE REPORTS OUTLINE:

Introduction	Introduces account with the 4Ws in reasonable order (who, what, when, where)
Body	Gives details of the what and sometimes why
Conclusion	Explains the outcome or may give recommendations/suggestions for an outcome

SAMPLE:

Scenario:

There was an incident on the school’s recreation ground during a friendly cricket match between female students when two male students interrupted and one’s action caused the injury of one of the players. As the head prefect of the school, write a formal report to be sent to the principal.

Report on incident on the recreation ground on 15 June, 2004

The incident on the school’s recreation ground occurred on 15 June, 2004 at midday. The girls of Form One were engaged in a friendly cricket match with the girls of Form Two when two male students interrupted the match and one caused injury to one of the players.

In the middle of the match, Shane Williams, a student of Form Four and Gary Moore, a student of Form Three entered the field and began heckling the girls. As Sasha, one of the players, ran to take a catch, Shane ran towards her, tripped her and caused her to fall. Her mouth struck Shane’s boots and began to bleed. Gary tried to stop the bleeding with his handkerchief but he failed.

        Mr Roger Paine, the Physical Education teacher was called to assist. He took Sasha to the hospital where she was treated by a nurse in the Casualty department. Mr Paine then took Sasha home to her parents. There, an explanation was given to the parents as to the cause of the incident. The Physical Education teacher, Mr Paine, is conducting an investigation of the incident. 

Notices

DEFINITION

A notice is a written announcement in a place where everyone can read it. (Collins Dictionary)

A notice is a formal means of communication.

PURPOSE

The purpose of a notice is to:

þ  announce or display information to a specific group of people

þ  be pinned up on specific display boards whether in schools or in public places

þ  invite to a meeting

þ  announce any event

þ  issue certain instructions

þ   make appeals,  et cetera

GUIDELINES

A notice should contain information regarding an event that is going to happen or that has happened.

  ü  It must provide complete information: short and grammatical sentences.

  ü  It must have a title which should preferably be a phrase, not a sentence.

  ü  The language should be impersonal – passive voice is preferred.

  ü  The notice should mention the name of the person / body organizing the event.

  ü  The notice must be dated and it must answer the questions: when, where, why, what and how.

FORMAT

  §  Name of the issuing agency/authority

  §  The word: “NOTICE”

  §  Date of issue/Release of the notice

  §  Title/Subject of the Event

  §  BODY (Date/time/duration/Place/Venue)

  §  Authorized signatory (Name, Designation and signature)

SAMPLE QUESTION:

The residents of Swetes Village have been experiencing water shortage for nearly 3 years.  You are planning to hold a meeting of your village members. Write a notice in about 50 words inviting the residents to attend the meeting to protest against the water shortage. You are Karen Joseph, President of the Swetes Village Residents’ Welfare Association.

SAMPLE ANSWER: