Business Communication Methods and Writing Processes

Vocabulary flashcards covering common forms of business communication (meetings, teleconferencing, reports, promotional media) and the three stages of the business writing process.

Face-to-Face Meeting

A meeting held by people in the same place or rooms who gather specifically for the organized meeting, taking place in locations such as a board room, restaurant, cafe, or office.

Presentation

A means of communication that can be adapted to various speaking situations, such as talking to a group, addressing a meeting, or briefing a team.

Online Meeting

A meeting conducted through the internet using a connection to recreate the experience of an in-person meeting by seamlessly connecting participants situated in different locations via a virtual room.

Screen Sharing

An online meeting feature that allows a presenter to display their computer screen to participants in real time.

Video Conferencing

A visual communication session between two or more users regardless of their location, featuring real-time transmission of audio and video content.

Teleconferencing

A generic term for meeting through a telecommunications medium that links people between two or more locations using electronics.

Audio Teleconference

A voice-only teleconference format, sometimes referred to as conference calling.

Audio Graphics Teleconference

A teleconference that uses narrowband telecommunications channels to transmit visual information (such as graphics, alphanumerics, documents, and video pictures) as an adjunct to voice communication.

Computer Teleconference

A form of teleconferencing that uses telephone lines to connect two or more computers and modems.

Video Teleconference

A teleconferencing method combining audio and video to provide voice communications and video images.

Interactive Technologies

Systems with varying degrees of interactivity—the capability to talk back to the user—that allow individuals to take an active role in transmitting and exchanging messages rather than remaining passive mass audiences.

Business Report

A document containing information organized in narrative, graphic, or tabular form, compiled as facts and statistics about a particular aspect of a business, prepared on a periodic, recurring, regular, impromptu, or as-required basis.

Formal Report

A business report prepared to be seen and reviewed by bosses, senior management, clients, potential clients, investors, or the general public.

Informal Report

An internal business report used for routine workplace functions, such as an employee expense report submitted for reimbursement.

Explanatory Reports

Business reports written to explain a situation, topic, or undertaken research so that everyone can understand it.

Analytical Reports

Reports that provide analysis—often by comparing situations or possibilities—and perform analysis of the findings directly for the reader.

Progress Reports

Reports that show how things are going currently as an update, functioning as snapshots in time (such as annual reports and income statements).

Legal Reports

Any report that a company is required by law to compile and post, file, or send to another entity.

Brochure

A promotional publication used to present a company, serving informative, advertising, and brand identification functions.

Newsletter

A periodical publication or pamphlet circulated to subscribers at regular intervals, focused on topics of subscriber interest, with more than 90 percent containing informative material and 5 percent or less talking about the organization itself.

Flyer

A type of leaflet or postcard designed to be handed out directly, distributed by post, inserted into newspapers, or left in venues to catch the desired audience's attention.

Email

Information stored on a computer and exchanged between users over telecommunications, consisting of messages that can contain text, files, images, or attachments sent across a network.

Blog

Short for weblog; an online journal or informational website that displays information in reverse chronological order, with the latest posts appearing first at the top.

Planning (Writing Process)

The first stage of the writing process, involving a deliberate and organized approach to tackle a writing task, capture initial thoughts, and define a problem or benefit before drafting.

Drafting (Writing Process)

The second stage of the writing process in which a writer develops a complete first working version of a piece of writing based on preparatory outlines and notes.

Revising (Writing Process)

The third stage of the writing process involving four key tasks: improving content and organization for optimum quality, producing, proofreading, and distributing.

Call to Action

An instruction included in business messaging designed to prompt the reader to act immediately, such as buying, visiting a website, or ordering.

Thesis Statement

A statement that presents the main point, or controlling idea, of an entire piece of writing.

Topic Sentence

A sentence within a paragraph that states the main idea of that paragraph and implies how it connects to the overall thesis statement.