bus com terms

dangling modifier

word or phrase that modifies word not clearly stated in the sentence

passive voice

The opposite of active voice; in the passive voice something happens to someone: "Mordred was bitten by the dog," rather than the active form, "The dog bit Mordred."

active voice

when the subject of a sentence performs the action

In delivering an oral presentation, the most important factor to consider is that...?

The content is accurate

When visuals are used effectively, the audience will...?

Retain the information for a longer time

Email and phone messages are used to...?

Communicate quickly

Emails should be written...?

In a format like a memo

An application letter should be organized as a...?

persuasive message

A customer service letter includes...?

heading, inside address, body, closing, and greeting

The subject line...

Sets the stage for the recipient to understand the message

Body language includes...?

Facial expression and gestures

Write clearly so you cannot be...

misunderstood

What is an enemy of clear writing?

Trite expressions

Saying all that needs to be said and no more indicates...

Conciseness

One reason to use written communication to present complex information is that...

You may want to include charts, graphs, etc.

Words that are similar in sound but different in meaning

Pseudohomonyms

Some common areas for sexism in writing are...

words and phrases, job titles and descriptions, pronouns

The study of the meaning of words

Semantics

A sentence containing one independent clause and one dependent clause

Complex sentence

The most important location for emphasis in a letter

Opening of the letter

Second most important location for emphasis in a letter

Closing of a letter

A dependent clause is also known as a...

Subordinate clause

A letter can...

influence what a person thinks about an organization

Cause of embellishments, inflated statements and superlatives

Exaggerating

To focus on positive ideas, it's important to...

Emphasize what you "can" do

Recommending a competitor to your customer sometimes...

makes you look good in your customer's eyes for helping them fill a need you could not fill

Your job, as a communicator, is to...

Bring both sides together

Parts of the message planning process

Identify purpose of communication, intended audience, and content of communication

The opener for a persuasive approach does not include...

Trite expressions or cliche

Audiotapes can be used for...

Recording meetings

When communicating in writing to people in your organization, you should send a...

memo

Effective listening requires...

an open mind

An application is what type of a letter?

Persuasive

Good listening skills can improve...

Speaking skills

Most people remember what they hear longer than...

What they see

In the closing of an oral presentation, you should...

summarize the main points

In the active voice, the subject of the sentence...

Performs the action of the verb

Personal business letter

a letter written from an individual to a person, business, or organization

Return Address

the address of the sender

Letterhead

a sheet of stationary with name and address of the organization printed at the top

Business letters

usually keyed on paper; contain a letterhead at the top of the page

Mailing Address

name and address of the business or person to whom the letter is being sent

Salutation

word of greeting used to begin a letter

Body

message of the letter

Complimentary Close

closing or farewell of the letter

Enclosure Notation

indicated that another doc is enclosed within a letter

Large Business Envelope

Size \#10

Small Business Envelope

Size \#6 3/4

Memos

written communications used to communicate information to individuals within a business organization

Memo Guide Words

TO, FROM, DATE, SUBJECT ; should be keyed in bold, all caps, followed by a colon, and double spaced

Unbound Report

short reports prepared without binders or covers

Bibliography

sources used in body of report

Bibliography Entries

should be listed alphabetically by author's last name

5 C's of Communication

1. Clear

2. Concise

3. Complete

4. Cohesive

5. Courteous

Clear

good words; eye contact

Concise

short sentences; direct; open

Complete

meets needs; honesty

Cohesive

focused

Courteous

non-judgemental

Internal Communication

within the company

Purpose of Internal Communication

to exchange info between various departments and division of organization

Types of Internal Communication

1. vertical

2. horizontal

Frequency of Internal Communication

occurs frequently in organizational activities

Distance of Internal Communication

no significant distance usually

Coverage of Internal Communication

limited within the organization

External Communication

communication outside the company

Purpose of External Communication

mainly for maintaining relationships with external parties

Frequency of External Communication

occurs less frequently than internal

Distance of External Communication

significant distance usually

Coverage of External Communication

broad with external bodies

Intrapersonal Communication

occurs when a person communicates with themself

Interpersonal Communication

exchange of info between two persons

Means of External Communication

1. telephone

2. telex and fax

3. postal services

4. local messenger

5. face to face conversation

6. mass media (newspapers, radio, TV, etc)

7. internet

8. email

Memo Reports

short, informal messages that provide a rapid, convenient means of communication between employees within the same organization

Letter Reports

a report written in the form of a regular business letter; typically used for external communication;

Agenda

a list of topics arranged in the order they are to be discussed at a meeting

Minutes

the official record of a meeting

Itineraries

a combination of travel and appointment schedules

Expense Reports

almost always printed forms; used on a regular basis and the same information is required each time for the organization's financial records

Personal Evaluations

typically define the performance measures as functions of the job duties and provide a rating scale to evaluate an individual's performance; may also provide space for comments by both the manager and the person being evaluated

Progress Reports

an informational report on the progress of a specific project; to track the various projects underway at any given time; many are delivered orally; typically include a brief background of the project, detailed account of time period covered, and projection of work to be completed; typically prepared in memo format but sometimes in short, formal report

Recommendation and Justification Report

present a problem and then provide the evidence required to justify a recommended solution to that problem; often initiated by the writer, who has observed a problem and wishes to suggest a solution

Proposals

attempt to persuade; may be either requested or volunteered; propose to solve a problem for the reader; typically include summarizing intro, detailed problem statement, work statement, project management statement, and statement of qualifications

Routine Reports

(aka periodic reports, maintenance reports)

help an organization monitor and regulate its processes and procedures; may be informational only or interpretive

Task Reports

special assignments designed to help solve a specific problem; may be strictly informational, interpretive, or analytical

Letter of Transmittal (part of a formal report)

sends (transmits) the report to the reader; begins with the words, "Here is the report you requested (or authorized). . . ."; conclude by thanking the reader for the opportunity to prepare the report

Letter of Authorization (part of a formal report)

a letter or memo of authorization