1. TECHNICAL CORRESPONDENCE
UNIT 3:
TECHNICAL CORRESPONDENCE
Go to Letter Examples

2. Technical Correspondence
Business Letters
Resumes
Other Business Correspondence
- Memoranda
- News Releases
- Electronic Mail
Introduce the unit and general topics.
State that we are going to try to Business letters today
State that we may not get to other business correspondence and refer them to Blicq page for information on these topics

3. - Particularly if you know the reader
1. Business Letters
1.1. General Qualities:
Informal
- Particularly if you know the reader
Personal
- Use personal pronouns such as I, you...
Non-Antagonistic
- Ensure that you do not use words, phrases or sentences that may annoy the reader
See slide

4. Clear, Brief, and Logical - As all technical documents should be
1. Business Letters
1.1. General Qualities:
Clear, Brief, and Logical
- As all technical documents should be
Sincere
- Enthusiasm and brevity vs. drawn out apologies or compliments
See slide
Dependent on Purpose
- Informative letters: notices, responses
- Inquiring letters: asking and replying
- Persuasive letters: applications, complaints

5. Emphasize ‘you’ in the first and last sentence whenever possible
1. Business Letters
1.2. Tone:
Concentrate on the readers needs and desires - De-emphasize your point of view by writing ‘reader-centered’ letters
Emphasize ‘you’ in the first and last sentence whenever possible
See Slide
Give examples of ‘reader-centered. Use Supplementary note 1 for Unit two Lecture 3
Be positive

6. 1. Business Letters 1.2. Tone: Do not be antagonistic
Words that make a reader feel guilty
Words that provoke a reader
Words that talk down to a reader
You have neglected…
You ought to know…
You seem to have overlooked…
You have not understood
You must return…
Your demand for…
We insist that you…
I am sure that you will agree...
We have to assume…
I must request…
I simply do not understand your…
You must understand my…
Undoubtedly you will...
See slide

7. 1. Business Letters 1.3. Elements: Stationery
- Appearance counts. Use good quality, unruled bond paper, preferably white
Letterhead
- Identifies the source of the letter by company and address but not the name of the writer
See slide
Use example for letterhead

8. 1. Business Letters 1.3. Elements: Date Inside Address
- Identifies the letter’s recipient by providing the name, title and address
See slide
use example for inside address

9. - Provides an informal greeting
1. Business Letters
1.3. Elements:
Salutation
- Provides an informal greeting
- Conventional form is “Dear…”
- Use first name if it is known and accepted
- Formal title abbreviations may be used only for Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr. (Otherwise, write title in full)
- Stay gender-neutral. Never use “Dear Sirs” or “Dear Gentlemen”. Use the company name instead
See slide
State the use of Dear Mr. Larsen in the example

10. - Optional title or caption outlining the letter’s purpose
1. Business Letters
1.3. Elements:
Subject line
- Optional title or caption outlining the letter’s purpose
Body
- Single spaced, 12 point serif font for average length letters
- Double spaced if letter is less than 5 lines in length
See Slide
Use the example for Subject line and point out how specific it is
Use example for Body

11. 1.3. Elements (see example):
1. Business Letters
1.3. Elements (see example):
Complimentary Close
- Conventional form of farewell
- Usually “Regards” for informal, and “Sincerely” for formal
Signature
- Writer’s name and title
See slide
Refer to example all at once
Reference Information
- place along left hand margin
- enc. indicates enclosed material
- c.c. indicates others who received a copy

12. Tell the reader what he needs to know
1. Business Letters
1.4. Structure:
- Pyramid structure caters to the reader
I want to tell you that
The main message
Summary Statement
Background
The circumstances leading up to the situation described in the letter
Tell the reader what he needs to know
See slide
State the difference between conventional top down approach and pyramid style - reader-centered
Read example letter deciphering its parts
Facts
All the details the reader needs to understand what the letter is about0
Outcome
Main results
Informing
Request for action or approval
Inquiring or Persuading

13. 1.4. Structure (See Example):
1. Business Letters
1.4. Structure (See Example):
When writing a letter, avoid:
- starting with a word that ends in ‘ing’
(Referring, Replying…)
- starting with a phrase that ends in ‘to”
(With reference to, In answer to...)
See slide
- starting with a redundant expression (I am writing, For your information, This is to Inform you, Enclosed please find…)

14. 600 Deepdale Drive, Toronto ON M5W 4R9
1. Business Letters
1.5. Format:
Full Block
- Most Popular
- All but essential punctuation is eliminated from the address
- One blank space between the city and the province, and two spaces between province and postal code
- Provincial abbreviations should be used (two capital letters)
- Every line starts against the left margin
MACRO ENGINEERING INC.
600 Deepdale Drive, Toronto ON M5W 4R9
May 25, 1997
File: 20/3/4
Mr. Larsen
Contracts Administrator
Envirosafe Inc. – Grounds Division
PO Box 3200
Shining Tree ON N1R 5S2
Dear Mr. Larsen
Re: Results of the Damage Inspection
Tests of the environmental monitoring station at Wickens Peak show that 60% of the instruments need to be repaired and recalibrated at a cost of $7265.
Our electronics technicians examined the Wickens peak Monitoring station on May 16 and 17, in response to your May 10 request to Partick Friesen. Most of the damage was caused by a tree northwest of the site that fell onto the road and north and west walls. Instruments along these walls were impact-damaged and then soaked by rain. Other instruments in the station were affected by moisture.
Sincerely,
Ted Grummly
Project Engineer
enc
See slide
Show example letter

15. 600 Deepdale Drive, Toronto ON M5W 4R9
1. Business Letters
1.5. Format:
Modified Block
- Less Popular
- Date is set off to the right
- First word of each paragraph is indented about 1 cm
- Signature block should start at the centreline
- All other formatting characteristics agree with Full Block
MACRO ENGINEERING INC.
600 Deepdale Drive, Toronto ON M5W 4R9
May 25, 1997
File: 20/3/4
Mr. Larsen
Contracts Administrator
Envirosafe Inc. – Grounds Division
PO Box 3200
Shining Tree ON N1R 5S2
Dear Mr. Larsen
Re: Results of the Damage Inspection
Tests of the environmental monitoring station at Wickens Peak show that 60% of the instruments need to be repaired and recalibrated at a cost of $7265.
Our electronics technicians examined the Wickens peak Monitoring station on May 16 and 17, in response to your May 10 request to Partick Friesen. Most of the damage was caused by a tree northwest of the site that fell onto the road and north and west walls. Instruments along these walls were impact-damaged and then soaked by rain. Other instruments in the station were affected by moisture.
Sincerely,
Ted Grummly
Project Engineer
enc
See Slide
Show Example letter 2

16. 1. Business Letters Examples: Full Block 1 Full Block 2
See Slide
Show Example letter 2
Full Block 1
Full Block 2
Can you find the errors?