Comprehensive Guide to Arabic Functional Writing and Administrative Communication

General Rules and Technical Standards for Functional Writing

Paper Margins and Layout: * When writing on paper, specific margins must be maintained to ensure professionalism and readability. * A side margin of approximately $3\,cm$ should be left on both the right and left sides of the text. * Top and bottom margins should be maintained at approximately $4\,cm$ .
Paragraph Structure: * The text must be divided into distinct paragraphs. * Each paragraph should focus on and contain a single main idea to avoid lengthy, rambling discourse. * At the beginning of every new paragraph, an indentation of approximately $1\,cm$ is required. * When using a computer, this indentation is achieved by pressing the $Tab$ key at the start of each paragraph.
Word and Line Continuity: * It is prohibited to cut words across lines. For example, do not place a conjunction like the "waw" (and) at the end of one line and the following word at the beginning of the next. * Sentences should remain logically and physically connected. If a word is separated incorrectly, the "backspace" key should be used on a computer to realign the text properly.
Punctuation and Formatting: * Strict adherence to necessary punctuation marks is required. * Visual Emphasis: Headings should be made to stand out by using a bold font, underlining the text, or changing the font size and type.

Functional Utility of Punctuation Marks

Placement and Definition: Punctuation marks are placed between sentences and words to clarify specific meanings.
Tone and Delivery: They help in varying the tone of voice during reading, which adds aesthetic value to the text.
Expression: They assist in highlighting psychological emotions and indicating appropriate pauses during speech or reading.

Diversity of Writing Tasks and Professional Needs

Functional Variation: Writing tasks vary according to the functions and needs of employees and writers in various fields.
Literary and Administrative Needs: Professionals may need to write stories, plays, articles, summaries, letters, and reports.
Specific Professional Roles: * Literary Figures: Focus on prose, debate, and reflection. * Journalists: Require skills in writing articles, investigative reports, news stories, and advertisements.

Administrative Communications: Memos vs. Letters

The Administrative Memo (Mudhakkirah): * Definition: It is considered one of the most effective means of written communication for saving time. * Purpose: It is used as a swift alternative to formal letters, especially during periods of increased workload. * Key Characteristics: 1. Elements and components are usually pre-prepared or ready-made. 2. Facilitates communication between an individual and a large group of people. 3. Significantly saves time. 4. Prepared in advance based on specific required goals.
The Administrative Letter (Khitab): * Key Characteristics: 1. Contains no pre-prepared elements except for the company's official header (letterhead). 2. Primarily used for person-to-person communication. 3. Takes a longer time to prepare and process compared to a memo. 4. Completed entirely by the employee at the time of need.

Invitation Cards and Response Etiquette

Invitation Cards: * Definition: These are short letters used to invite others to a specific event or matter. * Qualities: They must be characterized by clarity in both phrasing and language. * Brevity: Invitations should be concise and avoid unnecessary elaboration or long-windedness. * Privacy/Specification: The specific invitee or group of invitees must be clearly named. * Preparation Steps: 1. Determine the specific occasion or purpose. 2. Choose the medium of invitation (card, newspaper, magazine, television, radio, etc.). 3. Formulate the invitation in a clear style. 4. Include the name of the invitee and their role (if it is a professional invitation). 5. Mention the specific time and occasion. 6. Provide the name and signature of the inviter.
Declining an Invitation (The Apology): * Professionalism: One should be keen on three primary points when apologizing for an invitation: 1. Brevity: Keep the apology short, as excessive length may annoy the reader. 2. Gratitude: Express thanks for the invitation and show happiness at being considered. 3. Reasoning: Provide a logical reason for being unable to accept the invitation.

Instructions, Guidelines, and Advertisements

Instructions and Guidelines (Al-Ta'limat wa Al-Irshadat): * These should be placed in prominent locations for visitors/reviewers to see. * Objectives: 1. Organize the affairs of visitors and stakeholders. 2. Speed up the completion of administrative tasks. 3. Reduce chaos within the workspace. 4. Simplify procedures for the public.
Advertisements (I'lanat): * Definition: A medium used to point toward a specific product, company, job opening, place, store, or social activity. * Content: The core meaning is encouragement or persuasion regarding a commodity. * Location: Can be internal (within a workplace) or external. * Media: Can appear in newspapers, magazines, television, or radio. * Proper Attributes: * Clarity in the idea and the phrased message. * High-quality production involving careful choice of phrases and presentation methods. * Beauty and power in color usage. * Conciseness and focus on the intended message. * Use of artistic phrases to attract attention. * Inclusion of essential headings, dates, or contact numbers.

Introductory and Closing Speeches

Introductory Speeches (Al-Kalimat Al-Iftitahiyah): * Definition: Delivered by an official to welcome invitees. * Attributes: Gracious welcoming of guests, brevity (avoiding long-windedness), and suitability for the specific occasion. * Preparation Steps: 1. Define the occasion clearly. 2. Select appropriate opening quotes, events, slogans, or wisdom (if possible). 3. Arrange the points to be presented in a desirable order. 4. Use a narrative/informative style. 5. Incorporate anecdotes (if possible) while remaining as brief as possible.
Closing Speeches (Al-Kalimat Al-Khitaamiyah): * Definition: Delivered by an official at the end of an event. * Attributes: Expressing gratitude for attendance and the completion of tasks, brevity, and situational appropriateness. * Preparation Steps: 1. Define the occasion and select suitable phrases. 2. Acknowledge the level of the audience and choose language accordingly. 3. Avoid long-windedness. 4. Express emotions of gratitude, appreciation, and praise without excessive elaboration.

Minutes of Meetings (Mahdar al-Jalsah)

Definition: A quick, real-time written documentation of what transpires during a specific meeting or session.
Timing: It is written during the session.
Components of the Minutes: 1. Introduction: Includes the subject/topic, date, time, and location. 2. Leadership: Mentions the name and title of the meeting chairperson. 3. Agenda: Documentation of the schedule of topics to be discussed. 4. Attendance: Names of participating members, as well as those absent or who apologized for absence. 5. Opening: Explicitly stating the opening (e.g., "The session began with a speech by the chairperson reviewing the proposed development plan"). 6. The Body: The discussion or study of topics. 7. Recommendations: Highlighting the decisions and recommendations reached. 8. Conclusion: Specifying the end time of the meeting. 9. Signatures: Signatures of those present, with the chairperson’s name being the final name on the list.

Reports (Al-Taqarir)

Definition: A written work that documents facts and correct information regarding an event. Unlike minutes, a report is written after the event has occurred.
General Characteristics: * Honesty: Integrity in presenting information and facts exactly as they happened. * Brevity and Focus: Summarizing content while maintaining the core. * Clarity: Ease of understanding for the reader. * Objectivity and Accuracy: Avoiding personal bias or subjective views. * Comprehensiveness: Covering all aspects, details, and specifics of the topic.
Types of Reports: 1. Informative Report: Contains news and details about matters, including both positives and negatives, without offering solutions or suggestions for problems. 2. Annual Report: Clarifies the institutional budget and the status of phenomena (like employee absences) for the fiscal year. 3. Monthly Report: Covers events on a month-by-month basis. 4. Analytical Report: Provides an analysis of existing phenomena and presents viewpoints to analyze them. 5. Financial Report: Statistics on administrative movement, finances, and related matters within a department. 6. Supervisory/Follow-up Report: Presented by a supervisor to higher management to ensure work quality and identify errors or lapses. 7. Statistical Report: Clarifies the movement of products, growth, or increases through graphs and charts. 8. Administrative Report: Collects activities, achievements, and difficulties; submitted by department heads to higher management to find solutions. 9. Explanatory Report: Provides data and facts to explain non-quantitative data in light of scientific evidence. 10. Official Report: Refers to scientific letters/theses submitted for academic degrees, following a methodical style from problem posing to hypothesis testing and results. 11. Literary Research Report: Requires two basic conditions: a problem that needs solving and a problem worthy of being treated/addressed.
Report Structures: * Short Reports: Directly present information in a clear, precise manner. They often use the first-person perspective (e.g., "I did…", "I participated…"). Their goal is to inform superiors of specific individual tasks for follow-up. * Long Reports: Aim to provide extensive, clear information about work. They avoid first-person language, instead using corporate language (e.g., "achievement was made…", "the institution was able to…").

Personal Career Documents and Interviews

The Resume (Al-Seerah Al-Thatiyah): * Definition: A method and format used by people for professional and personal introduction in business administration. * Content: It is a record of a person's life, usually focusing on personal news, interests, and descriptions. * Documentation Elements: * Full name, date and place of birth. * Social status, place of residence, and nationality. * Correspondence addresses and phone numbers. * Academic qualifications and practical qualifications. * Previous experiences in the field or elsewhere. * Special skills and activities. * Highlighted continuous works if they exist. * Personal talents and traits. * Attachments: Copies of academic qualifications, experience certificates, and training course certificates. * Formatting: Must be typed clearly on machines/computers without errors and kept in a dedicated file.
The Personal Interview (Al-Muqabalah Al-Shakhsiyah): * Objective: To discover the personality of the applicant. * Positive Behaviors to Maintain: * Smiling. * Maintaining eye contact with the interviewer. * Sitting correctly. * Speaking clearly and being audible. * Being deliberate and thoughtful in responses. * Caring for physical appearance and grooming. * Demonstrating composure and personal strength to the other party. * Negative Behaviors to Avoid: * Smoking in front of the interviewer. * Showing boredom or restlessness during the session. * Leaning back or slouching. * Instability in sitting. * Arguing in a provocative or intense manner.

Research Documentation and Summarization

Research Documentation: The process of recording what a researcher has quoted or adapted from other authors to preserve intellectual property rights.
Summarization (Al-Talkhis): * Rewriting the original text using fewer words while preserving the core subject and maintaining the integrity of the content. * Must not lead to ambiguity in phrasing.
The Abstract/Conclusion (Al-Khulasah): * Extracting the essence of an article or work. * The abstract is even shorter than a summary.

Final Exam Notes

Reference: Specific definitions can be found on page $184$ of the source material.
Exam Warning: Only one model/example from the "Functional Writing Models" section will be included in the exam (either the Resume, Instructions/Guidelines, or a Letter).