COLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

The Business Letter

When we speak we use words to express our ideas, and we can add spice to that by
simply putting art into our gestures, by making facial expressions and through pauses. But
with writing, we can never use that tool, that's why we rely mostly on the words that we
choose to try to get across of our ideas.

In writing a letter, we really have to be sure of what we write in order for us to get across of
what we are trying to say.

TOPIC: ELEMENTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER

Date
The date line is used to indicate the date the letter was written. However, if your letter is
completed over a number of days, use the date it was finished in the date line. When
writing to companies within the United States, use the American date format. (The United
States-based convention for formatting a date places the month before the day. For
example: June 11, 2001. ) Write out the month, day and year two inches from the top of the
page. Depending which format you are using for your letter, either left justifies the date or
center it horizontally.

Sender’s Address
Including the address of the sender is optional. If you choose to include it, place the
address one line below the date. Do not write the sender’s name or title, as it is included in
the letter’s closing. Include only the street address, city and zip code. Another option is to
include the sender’s address directly after the closing signature.

Inside Address
The inside address is the recipient’s address. It is always best to write to a specific
individual at the firm to which you are writing. If you do not have the person’s name, do
some research by calling the company or speaking with employees from the company?
Include a personal title such as Ms., Mrs., Mr., or Dr. Follow a woman’s preference in being
addressed as Miss, Mrs., or Ms. If you are unsure of a woman’s preference in being
addressed, use Ms. If there is a possibility that the person to whom you are writing is a Dr.
or has some other title, use that title. Usually, people will not mind being addressed by a
higher title than they actually possess. To write the address, use the U.S. Post Office
Format. For international addresses, type the name of the country in all-capital letters on
the last line. The inside address begins one line below the sender’s address or one inch
below the date. It should be left justified, no matter which format you are using.

Salutation
Use the same name as the inside address, including the personal title. If you know the
person and typically address them by their first name, it is acceptable to use only the first
name in the salutation (i.e., Dear Lucy:). In all other cases, however, use the personal title
and full name followed by a colon. Leave one line blank after the salutation.

Michael Vincent E. Caserial, BSBA Page 1

 COLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

If you don’t know a reader’s gender, use a nonsexist salutation, such as "To Whom it May
Concern." It is also acceptable to use the full name in a salutation if you cannot determine
gender. For example, you might write Dear Chris Harmon: if you were unsure of Chris's
gender.

Body
For block and modified block formats, single space and left justify each paragraph within
the body of the letter. Leave a blank line between each paragraph. When writing a
business letter, be careful to remember that conciseness is very important. In the first
paragraph, consider a friendly opening and then a statement of the main point. The next
paragraph should begin justifying the importance of the main point. In the next few
paragraphs, continue justification with background information and supporting details. The
closing paragraph should restate the purpose of the letter and, in some cases, request
some type of action.

Closing
The closing begins at the same horizontal point as your date and one line after the last
body paragraph. Capitalize the first word only (i.e., Thank you) and leave four lines
between the closing and the sender’s name for a signature. If a colon follows the
salutation, a comma should follow the closing; otherwise, there is no punctuation after the
closing.

Enclosures
If you have enclosed any documents along with the letter, such as a resume, you indicate
this simply by typing Enclosures one line below the closing. As an option, you may list the
name of each document you are including in the envelope. For instance, if you have
included many documents and need to insure that the recipient is aware of each document,
it may be a good idea to list the names.

Typist initials
Typist initials are used to indicate the person who typed the letter. If you typed the letter
yourself, omit the typist initials.

OPTIONAL PARTS OF A BUSINESS LETTER

A. Attention Line - guarantees that your letter will be opened even if the person to whom it
is addressed is absent. Letters with this line are usually addressed to the company rather
than to an individual. The attention line assures the writer that the letter will reach a
particular person he really has in mind. The attention line is typed two spaces below the
inside address and maybe centered on the page or typed flush with the left margin. The
word "attention" is typed with an initial capital letter only and followed by a colon. When
possible, the recipient’s full name is used.

B. Subject Line - it summarizes the topic of the letter in a few words. It is centered two
lines below the salutation. Use the word "Subject" followed by a colon. The subject line
Michael Vincent E. Caserial, BSBA Page 2
 COLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

should be typed in all capitals or simply centered, using upper and lower case letters, and
underscored.

C. Carbon Copy Notation - allows the reader to now who else is receiving a copy of the
letter. Type "Copy to", or "CC", then adds the name (s) of the other recipients. The copy
line is set flush left and two lines below the latest notations. Some companies use "copy
furnished" instead of CC.

Principles of Business Letters

Many competent articulate business individuals experience moments of inadequacy when

they are asked to write a report, memo or letter. If you are one of these individuals, and
many of us are, relax! Like any business talk, writing is manageable if you are aware of
some of the principles/ guidelines of effective business writing.
As future professionals in the fields of business or information technology, one of your
duties is to communicate policies, write memos or reports, and to generate information for
the clients. To be effective, we must remember the basic qualities of business
communication. These are the following:

A. Brevity is the "soul of wit”. It should lead you to discover that wordy expressions simply
pad your message and add nothing to the meaning or impact of what you want to say.

B. Concise writing saves the reader's time and effort in understanding your letter. It
involves saying what you have to say with the least number of words without sacrificing the
meaning of your message.

Here are some guidelines that can help you keep your message brief and concise:
1. Avoid empty phrases – instead of writing “in about a week’s time, put in “in a week”
2. In general, avoid the phrases there is and there are. Rewrite the sentence using active
verbs.
ex: There are several flights that make the round trip from Japan to Saudi Arabia, instead
write, Several flights make the round trip from Japan to Saudi Arabia
3. Try to reduce clauses beginning with which, that or who to phrases or word modifiers.
4. Strike out the article "the" if by doing so would improve the flow and readability of your
sentence.
5. Avoid wordy phrases. Use the more concise alternatives.

Wordy Concise
At this point in time at this time now
Consensus of opinion consensus
During the course of during
Few in number few
Personal in manner personal
In the vast majority of cases most cases
On a weekly basis weekly
Refer back to refer to
Michael Vincent E. Caserial, BSBA Page 3
 COLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Until such time as until

Due to the fact that because
In spite of the fact that although
Engaged in a study of studying
Depreciate in value depreciate

Remember, class, that a good writer should always be concerned with the reader or
recipient of his message. He should anticipate the possible reactions of his reader to his
message focusing on the "You" attitude instead of the "We” shows the writer's interest in
the receiver. The writer should also emphasize positive, pleasant facts, and observes
integrity and ethics, consistently fair treatment, honesty and sincerity, by applying the
golden rule: "showing to others the same fairness and honesty you expect for yourself.
Here are some examples of sentences that emphasizes the” you" instead of the "we"
attitude:
We Attitude:
I want to send my congratulation for your winning in the last competition.
You Attitude:
Congratulations to you for winning in the last competition.

C. Another mark of good writing is concreteness. This means being vivid and specific
rather than being vague and general.
Here are some guidelines that will help you achieve concreteness:
1. Use specific facts and figures
Vague, general, indefinite
a. This computer reproduces invitation letters fast.
b. Our products have won several prizes.
Definite, convincing
a. This computer types1, 000 personalized invitation letters in an hour.
b. Sony TV has won first prize in four national contests during the past three years
2. Put action in your verbs - strong verbs can activate other words and help make your
message definite. Use the active voice rather than the passive voice.

3. Choose vivid, image building words. To make your message forceful, vivid and specific,
use comparison, figurative language and concrete words
a. Comparison builds meaningful pictures.
Vague: this is pure clover honey made by honeybees.
Vivid: honeybees have gathered approx. 41/2 million clusters of clover, and
traveled about150, 000 miles, or equal to 4 times around the world, to deliver the package
of Philippine honey to you.
b. Figurative language expresses ideas more vividly than literal language
c. Use concrete instead of abstract words
d. Use well-choose adjectives and adverbs to build more realistic and interesting
word pictures.

Michael Vincent E. Caserial, BSBA Page 4

 COLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

D. Clarity
Clear writing involves choosing the exact words then effectively arranging them to
help the reader understand your ideas. Unity, coherence and emphasis in sentences and
paragraphs are important aids to clarity.
Ways to make your message clear:
1. Choose short, familiar conversational words. Avoid using foreign words, especially Latin
words
2. Construct effective sentences and paragraphs
3. Short sentences and short paragraphs are preferred in business letter writing. If well
organized, they can help to emphasize facts, add to message readability, and improve the
physical attractiveness of the letter.

E. Unity – Unity is achieved by having only one main idea in the sentence. However, if
there are other ideas, they must be closely related to the main idea.

F. Coherence – is by arranging the words that the ideas are clearly expressed and its
intended meaning.

G. Emphasis for forceful, clear expression – is the quality that gives force to important
parts of the sentence and the paragraph.
Include examples, illustrations and other visual aids when desirable. These contribute to
the clear and easy understanding of your message.

H. Remember to be courteous. A writer who is courteous in his letters helps strengthen

business relationships. Courtesy helps him gain more friends. A sincere “you attitude” aids
in maintaining courtesy.
Guidelines that will help achieve courtesy:
a. be sincerely thoughtful, tactful and appreciative.
b. Omit expressions that irritate, hurt or belittle.
c. Grant requests if needed, and apologize good-naturedly.

I. Correctness
This quality of effective business writing includes not only the use proper grammar,
punctuation, and spelling, but also the appropriate level of language. Correctness also
means the inclusion of only accurate facts, words and figures in your business messages.
Guidelines to help achieve correctness:
a. Use the appropriate level of language. Language maybe formal and informal. Formal
language is used in scholarly dissertations, master’s thesis, doctoral theses and legal
documents. Informal language is used in letters, reports, newspapers and other business
communications. It uses short, well-known and conversational words.
b. Include only accurate facts, words and figures. A business letter writer should always be
accurate with his facts. He should always be aware of changes in rates, legislations,
regulations, laws and conditions local and national. He should be familiar with the rules
within his organizations. He uses the dictionary to choose the appropriate words to convey
his message.

Michael Vincent E. Caserial, BSBA Page 5

 COLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

c. Maintain acceptable writing mechanics. Observe correct mechanics: capitalization,

syllabication and spelling in the writing of effective sentences and paragraphs.

PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES OF A BUSINESS LETTER

A. Stationery
Unruled, firm-textured paper is customary for business correspondence. The standard size
of business stationery is 8 ½ inches by 11 inches. The most popular and conservative color
for business use has been white, but off-white and ivory are rapidly replacing stark white as
preferred stationery.

B. Picture-Frame Guide
Position your message in order to make the margin frame even. The side and bottom
margins should be the same so that your message resembles a picture placed in an
attractive frame.

C. Envelope Address
Your message should not be jeopardized by careless mistakes in the addressing of the
envelope. Your letter envelope should indicate the following information to ensure that you
get the best service from the post office and the guarantee that that your letter reaches the
right person.

a. Name of the individual

b. Department or division
c. Street address with number, also suite number, floor number (if any), and apartment
name
d. Company name
e. City/province, state and zip code
f. Country (if sent to another country) or post office box number, if here is no address

Guidelines in addressing the envelope:

1.Print or type the information in black or dark ink, all capital letters: avoid using italics or
exotic typefaces.
2.Double – space the entries if possible. Single-space the entries if there are more than
three lines.
3.Omit all punctuations in the addressee’s title or initials, in the company name, in the
street address, or in the city or state line.
4.Put two spaces between word groups such as street address and suite or apartment
number, and between city and province/state; and two five spaces between the
state/province and ZIP CODE.
5.Observe at least 5/8” margin at the bottom and one inch at the left and right margins of
the envelope.

FORMAT / STYLE OF A BUSINESS LETTER

Michael Vincent E. Caserial, BSBA Page 6

 COLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

A. Full Block – business-like look and the easy type of a letter. Features includes: all
lines are set flush with the left margin, no paragraphs are indented and signer’s initials are
not included in the stenographic reference.

National Bookstore
2095 Rizal Avenue. Sta. Cruz

Manila
2 spaces

June 7, 2003
3 to 4 spaces

Mr. Arturo Roxas

Katha Publishing House
119 Quezon Avenue
Quezon City

2 spaces
Dear Mr. Roxas
2 spaces

Thank you for sending us your quote for the printing of the book Introduction to Film. We
have accepted your bid and we will send you copy boards by June 15.
2
Spaces
We would like the job completed by June 25 as we have very tight deadlines to meet on
this project.
2
Spaces
We look forward to working with you on this book and other projects in the future. Your
reputation for your fast, reliable service is a by-word among your clients.
2
Spaces
Sincerely,

4 spaces

Michael Vincent E. Caserial, BSBA Page 7

 COLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Michael Vincent E. Caserial

Production Editor
2 spaces

/ns

The Seven Cs of Business Letter Writing

Effective letter writing boils down to knowing why you are writing a letter, understanding
your reader’s needs and then clearly writing what you need to say. Every letter should be
clear, human, helpful, and as friendly as the topic allows. The best letters have a
conversational tone and read as if you were talking to your reader. In brief then, discover
the Seven Cs of letter writing. You should be

· Clear
· Concise
· Correct
· Courteous
· Conversational
· Convincing
· Complete

When you write a letter, you are trying to convince someone to act or react in a positive
way. Your reader will respond quickly only if your meaning is crystal clear.

Put yourself in the reader’s shoes and write in a friendly and helpful tone. Don’t represent
your company or school as on e that cannot make mistake and must always be in the right.
Try not to reply in the normal bland and defensive way of organizations – write a sincere
and helpful letter.

Show you are interested in the reader’s circumstances. If he or she has mentioned
something personal in the letter, refer to it in your reply. This builds a bridge between you
and the reader. Read the original letter carefully and see if there is something you can put
in your letter to show your interest.

Putting your reader first

For all writers, the most important people are their readers. If your keep your readers in
mind when you write, it will help you use the right tone, appropriate language and include
the right amount of detail.

What do readers want from writing? They want relevant information, presented in a clear,
easy-to-understand style. They don’t want muddled thinking, background information they
already know, business-speak and jargon or waffle. Above all, they want to get the gist of
your message in one reading – they don’t want to dig of the meaning through long
Michael Vincent E. Caserial, BSBA Page 8
 COLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

sentences and a boring style. So if you always keep your readers in mind, you will have to
adapt your style and content to meet their needs.

Getting a clear picture of your readers before you start to write helps to focus your writing
to get your message across. The better picture you have of your readers, the better you
can direct your writing.

Ask question to get a clear picture of your readers.

· Who are my readers?

· What do they already know about the subject?
· What do they need to know?
· Will they understand technical terms?
· What information do they want/
· What do I want them to do?
· What interests or motivates them?
· What will persuade them to my view?
· What other arguments do I need to present?
· How are they likely to react to what I say?

If you imagine yourself in your reader’s position, you’re more likely to write a good letter

Keeping your business plan to the point

When you write a business letter, you must try not to waste your reader’s time. The first
step in any writing task is to set down your aim. Ask yourself, why am I writing? And what
do I want to achieve? The clearer you are in your own mind about what you want to
achieve, the better your letter. These questions help you focus on the information that
supports your central aim, and to cut information that’s irrelevant. By doing this, you’ll find
you keep to the subject and perhaps write a document that is a third shorter than you
would otherwise draft.

People read to find out information. You can write the clearest letter or report, but if it
doesn’t say anything worth knowing, it’s a useless document. You have to learn to present
the most relevant information for your readers’ needs. Then having said what you need to
say – stop.

The more specific information you give, the better. You need to be ruthless in cutting out
the padding most of us put into letters. It just wastes reader’s time and clouds your
message.

To help you to keep to the point of your letter, you can draw up an outline to plan your
letter. Follow these steps:

· Make a list of the topics you want to cover but don’t worry about the order;
· Under each topic, list key words, examples, arguments and facts;
Michael Vincent E. Caserial, BSBA Page 9
 COLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

· Review each topic in your outline for relevance to your aim and audience;
· Cut out anything that’s not relevant to your aim or audience;
· Sort the information into the best order for your readers

You don’t have to stick rigidly to your business letter plan as it may change if you discover
new information. It should help you shape your thinking but not be a straightjacket. Let your
outline focus your thinking to make your writing coherent.

The advantage of spending a little time setting out a plan is that it not only helps the reader,
it also helps you write. By breaking down a complex topic into subject areas, you’ll find it
easier to concentrate on the most relevant information.

Getting the right tone to your business letter

When you write a business letter, it’s important to use a tone that is friendly but efficient.
Readers want to know there’s someone at the other end of the letter who is taking notice
and showing interest in their concerns. Try to sound – and be – helpful and friendly.

To do this, write as you would speak and talk on paper. This doesn’t mean you should use
slang, bad grammar or poor English, but try to aim for a conversational style and let the
reader hear your voice.

Imagine that your reader is sitting opposite you at your desk or is on the telephone. You’d
be unlikely to say please be advised or I wish to inform you; instead you’d be more informal
and say I’d like to explain or Let me explain or use other everyday expressions.

Here are some ways to change your writing style to a conversational style.

Use Contractions

Using contractions such as it’s, doesn’t, I’m, you’re, we’re, they’re, isn’t, here’s, that’s, we’ll
gives a personal human feel to your writing.

If there are no contractions in your writing, put some in. You don’t have to use contractions
at every opportunity. Sometimes writing do not comes more naturally than don’t. When
you speak, you probably use a combination of these styles – try to reflect this in your
writing.

Use Personal References

Use words such as I, we, you, your, my, and our in your writing. Don’t be afraid to identify
yourself – it makes writing much more readable. This is a useful trick to make writing look
and sound more like face-to-face talk.

Using I, you and we also help you to avoid using passive verbs. It makes your style more
direct and clear.
Michael Vincent E. Caserial, BSBA Page 10
 COLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

So instead of writing:
Our address records have been amended…

Write
We’ve changed your address in our records…

Instead of writing:
The company policy is…
Write
Our policy is…

Using active verbs with personal references is quick and dramatic way to make your writing
readable and more direct.

Use Direct Questions

Direct questions are an essential part of the spoken language. Using them gives your
writing much more impact and is a common technique in marketing and advertising
material. Marketing people use this technique to put information across clearly and to give
their writing impact.

In much business writing we hide questions in our writing by using words such as whether
to introduce them. Look for these in your writing and change them into direct questions. For
example:

Original: We would appreciate your advising us whether you want to continue this
account or transfer it.

Redraft: Do you want to continue your account or transfer it?

Original: Please inform us whether payment.

Redraft: Can we pay against these receipts?

Apart from making your style more conversational, direct questions liven up your writing –
it’s as though you change the pitch in your voice. There’s nothing like a direct question to
get some reaction from your reader and to give your writing impact.

Writing your business plan in plain English

Good writing is effortless reading that makes you want to read more. It is clear and
concise, uses short sentences and simple words. It keeps to the facts and is easy to read
and to understand.

Plain English is clear English. It is simple and direct but not simplistic or patronizing. Using
plain English doesn’t mean everyone’s writing must sound the same. There is no one right
Michael Vincent E. Caserial, BSBA Page 11
 COLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

way to express an idea. There’s plenty of room for your own style – but it will only blossom
once you have got rid of the poor writing habits that are typical of most business writing.

Here are some of the key techniques to help your write in plain English:

Keep your sentence average length low

Sentence length is crucial to good writing. Almost everything written by good writers has an
average sentence length of between 15 and 20 words. This doesn’t mean writing every
sentence the same length. Good writers naturally vary the length and rhythm of their
sentences – longer sentences balanced with shorter ones – but they keep their average
sentence length well below 20 words.

Compare these examples:

Long Sentence Shorter Sentences

I refer to my letter of I have not yet received your reply to

13th June and am my letter of 13th June. If we do not
writing to advise you receive your completed application
that if we do not form within fourteen days, I shall
receive your 45 have to arrange property insurance
completed words on the bank’s block policy.
application form
within the next
fourteen days, I shall
have no alternative
but to arrange
property insurance on the back’s
block policy

Use simple words rather than complex ones

Many writers have difficulty keeping their message simple and clear. Instead of using
everyday words they use complex or unfamiliar words. Simple, everyday words will help
you get your message across. Too often, we used words such as additional, indicate,
initiate, and proliferate for extra, show, start and spread.

Complex words Simple words

As we noted in the preceding section, As we noted in the previous

if you purchased additional printer section, if you bought extra
options, such as a second printer tray, printer equipment, such as

Michael Vincent E. Caserial, BSBA Page 12

 COLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

it is a requirement you verify its second printer tray, you must

correct installation check you install it correctly

Style writer searches your writing for over 6,000 complex words and offers you plain
English alternatives. This encourages you to use everyday language and improves the
style and tone of your document.

Edit wordy phrases padding is the enemy of good writing. Unnecessary words and
phrases clutter up sentences and obscure meaning. By comparison, economy of words is
the mark of good writing. You have to learn to make every word count in technical
documents. You must edit ruthlessly, cutting any word. Set yourself a target of cutting 10 to
20 percent of the words in your document.
Look for wordy phrases such as these in your writing and replace them with a single word
or cut them out completely:

Wordy Concise

At a later date later

At the present time now
For the purpose of for
Have no alternative but must
In addition to besides, as well a, also
In order to to
In relation to about, in, with, towards
On a regular basis regularly

Style writer helps you learn to write concisely by checking your writing for over 10,000
wordy phrases. Once you start using the program, you’ll soon find you can run an editorial
pen through any draft. Tightening the prose and writing in a clear concise style.

The Internet
The Internet by far, bridges the communication barriers between two people in different
places. It has been an essential part of our daily lives since we almost rely our information
on the Internet. It was developed in the year 1969 for the Military Defense, until it has
grown from a small computer-specialist’s tool to a jot information-sharing device.

Internet – is a worldwide collection of computers connected by various means, most often

used is through phone. It is being presented most commonly through mail (e-mail), and by
World Wide Web.

Internet Address – To contact any computer called “site”, you have to use an address.
Addresses can be either local or distant. Local Address make use of the username which
comprises of your last name and first initial, which serves as your address provided by your
local network administrator. So if your last name is Smith and your first initial is Brian, your

Michael Vincent E. Caserial, BSBA Page 13

 COLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

username would probably be smithb. So, if you and Smith Brian are currently in the same
address, you could actually send him an instant message.

If you and Smith are not in the same local area, you need to use a longer address in which
case: [email protected]. The material after the @ sign indicates the location called a
“host” and upitts (University of Pittsburgh) is a type of location called the “domain”
and .edu, represents an education site. Other may use .com for commercial user, and .mi
for military users.

E-mail – is messages sent via electronic or via one computer address to another computer
address. You can actually not send only messages but can also search for other
documents such as the “Directory of Directories”, maintained by AT&T.

Emails also allow you to contact LISTSERVs, or bulletin boards as they are often called. A
LISTSERV is an electronic address to which individual may send or post messages, which
are relayed to all the subscribers of the LISTSERV.

The Web – the World Wide Web is a system that uses hyper linking to provide access to
information. There is a “web” of interconnected computers and documents that anyone with
a computer and a browser software program (Netscape. Internet Explorer) can access.
Each electronic “place” on the web is called a “site” and each site has a “homepage”,
basically an index of what documents appear in the site.

The key to the web is the address or URL (Uniform Resource Locator). Every homepage
and every document that appears on the web has a URL. A URL looks like this:
http://www.uwstout.edu/english/studentprojects/techwrit.html

- http:// - the protocol (it stands for hypertext transfer protocol) that tells the
browser it will contact a web server, a set of files on a computer.

- Www.uwstout.edu - the domain or network name or hostname of the

machine on which the Web server is located.

- /English/studentprojects/ - the directory path which tells the browser, once it

contacts the server, which directory and subdirectory to open in order to find the
appropriate document.

Techwrit.html – the filename of the file that the browser will open and display on the
screen.

Inter-Office Correspondence, E-mails, and Fax

The Fax

The facsimile machine has dramatically changed the pace of business communications in

Michael Vincent E. Caserial, BSBA Page 14

 COLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

the past 10 years. Some say it is a blessing and some say it's a curse. Either way, knowing
the proper use of this communication tool will help you improve your business image.

The fax cover page

Often, fax transmissions are received in a common area and then forwarded to the proper
recipient. The fax cover page is used to route your communication to the correct person
and to ensure all the pages are received.

Follow these guidelines when using the fax

1. Use the fax only when the communication needs immediate attention
2. In addition to the cover page, format the message in either the memo or business letter
format.
3. Do not send documents in which the appearance is important.
4. Avoid dark areas such as graphics. It slows down transmission time and the recipient
printed fax may be moist from the heavy application of ink.
5. Use simple, legible type for your fax. Arial, Courier and Times New Roman all transmit
clearly. Use at least an 11-point in size.
6. Avoid handwritten notes. They often don't transmit well.

The Memo

The memo is short for memorandum. It is used for short reminders, quick announcements
or concise pieces of information. When using the memo format, don't communicate
something of vital importance. Use the business letter format instead. Memo tends to be
given less attention than a business letter written on the company letterhead. Memos
should not be used for communications to people outside the company.

There is no rule for the format of the memo. Pick one and make it a standard for your
company. The vital information in a memo are the date, the recipient, the sender and the
subject matter.

The following is an example:

Date:
To:
From:
RE:

The e-Mail

The e-mail has replaced many functions of the business letter. Here are some tips on
writing effective e-mail.

Michael Vincent E. Caserial, BSBA Page 15

 COLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

1. Format: Do use the format provided by the software properly. Include the e-mail you
are sending to on the proper column. To is for the individuals the letter is directed to,
cc for those you want to have a copy and bcc to those you want to have a copy but
don't want people to know they are in the list. And do fill in the subject line. Begin
the e-mail with the salutation.

2. Contents: As with the business letter, keep it brief. All the business letter essentials
apply to the e-mail as well.

3. Links: If you are referring to a web site, do provide a link.

4. Don't use ALL CAPS: In the real world, all caps mean that you are stressing a
point. However when online, all caps means that you are YELLING! Bold the word
or put asterisks around it to stress the word.

5. Don't get too informal: The tendency when it comes to e-mail is to write less
formally, just remember, you are still writing a business letter only via e-mail.

Don't use emoticons and acronyms: There are two reasons for this, first, while many
net-savvy users are familiar with it, there are still a lot of people who don't understand what
the symbols mean. Secondly, you are still writing a business letter, emoticons and
acronyms are just too informal. Imagine a letter that reads like this:

WTG Imagine my =:O when I heard your good news. IMHO you earned the promotion. ;-)

WHAT IS COPYRIGHT
Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S.
Code) to the authors of “original works of authorship,” including literary, dramatic, musical,
artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published
and unpublished works. Section 106 of the 1976 Copyright Act generally gives the owner of
copyright the exclusive right to do and to authorize others to do the following:
· To reproduce the work in copies or phone records;

· To prepare derivative works based upon the work;

· To distribute copies or phone records of the work to the public by sale or other
transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending;

· To perform the work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and
choreographic works, pantomimes, and motion pictures and other audiovisual works;

· To display the copyrighted work publicly, in the case of literary, musical,

dramatic, and choreographic works, pantomimes, and pictorial, graphic, or sculptural
works, including the individual images of a motion picture or other audiovisual work; and

Michael Vincent E. Caserial, BSBA Page 16

 COLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

· In the case of sound recordings, to perform the work publicly by means of a

digital audio transmission.

WHO CAN CLAIM COPYRIGHT

Copyright protection subsists from the time the work is created in fixed form. The copyright
in the work of authorship immediately becomes the property of the author who created the
work. Only the author or those deriving their rights through the author can rightfully claim
copyright.

In the case of works made for hire, the employer and not the employee is considered to be
the author. Section 101 of the copyright law defines a "work made for hire" as:

 (1) A work prepared by an employee within the scope of his or her employment; or

 (2) a work specially ordered or commissioned for use as:

o A contribution to a collective work

o A part of a motion picture or other audiovisual work
o A translation
o A supplementary work
o A compilation
o An instructional text
o A test
o Answer material for a test
o An atlas

WHAT WORKS ARE PROTECTED?

Copyright protects "original works of authorship" that are fixed in a tangible form of
expression. The fixation need not be directly perceptible so long as it may be
communicated with the aid of a machine or device. Copyrightable works include the
following categories:

1. literary works;
2. musical works, including any accompanying words
3. dramatic works, including any accompanying music
4. pantomimes and choreographic works
5. pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works
6. motion pictures and other audiovisual works
7. sound recordings

Michael Vincent E. Caserial, BSBA Page 17

 COLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

8. architectural works

These categories should be viewed broadly. For example, computer programs and most
"compilations" may be registered as "literary works"; maps and architectural plans may be
registered as "pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works."

WHAT IS PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism means using another's work without giving credit. You must put others' words
in quotation marks and cite your source(s) and must give citations when using others'
ideas, even if those ideas are paraphrased in your own words.

If you plagiarize, you are cheating yourself. You don't learn to write out your thoughts in
your own words, and you don't get specific feedback geared to your individual needs and
skills. Plagiarizing a paper is like sending a friend to practice tennis for you - you'll never
score an ace yourself!

Plagiarism is dishonest because it misrepresents the work of another as your own.

HOW CAN YOU AVOID PLAGIARISM?

Know what plagiarism is: ignorance will not excuse a violation. Intentional plagiarism is
deliberate copying or use of another's work without credit. Unintentional plagiarism can
result from not knowing citation standards ("I thought the Internet was free!"), from sloppy
research and poor note taking, or from careless "cutting and pasting" of electronic sources.

Michael Vincent E. Caserial, BSBA Page 18