Module 25

     Module 25 discusses the importance of visuals, such as graphs and charts, in your reports, memos, letters, etc.  The book says to use visuals in your rough draft for the following reasons: to see that ideas are presented completely; to find relationships; to make points vivid; to emphasize material; to present marterial more complactly and with less repetition than words require; and to focus on information that decision makers need.  When deciding on a visual to use, always pick the one that best matches the purpose of the presenting data.  Tables are numbers or words arranged in rows and columns.  Figures are everything that are not tables.  Informal or spot visuals are inserted directly into the text; they do not have numbers or titles. 
     Every visual should have a title that tells the story that the visual shows.  All visuals should also have clearly labeled units and a clear indication of what the data are.  Labels or legends identifying axes, colors, symbols, and so forth are necessary.  The source of the data should be listed as well as the source of the visual, if you reprodueced either from the creation of someone else.  Visuals for presentations should be simplified as well as being titled.  The visual's figure numbers should not be included for presentations.

Module 3

    Module 3 discusses communication across different cultures.  When working in an organization, you will work with people that have a different background than you.  Globalization continues to grow so the need for international communication skills is high.  Diversity in the workplace comes from many sources which include: gender, race and ethnicity, social class, regional and national origin, age, religion, sexual orientation, and physical ability.
     In high-context cultures, most of the information is inferred from the context of a message.  In low-context cultures, most of the information is "spelled out."  Nonverbal communication is constantly taking place.  Examples include how long you put someone on hold, the size of an office, and body language.  Different cultures have some differences in the interpretation of body language.  Open body positions include leaning forwar with uncrossed arms and legs, with the arms away from the body.  Cloes body positions include leaning away, hands in pocket or in defensive position.  Personal space is the distance someone wants between himself or herslelf and other people in ordinary, nonintimate interchanges.  Time is another factor of communication.  Some people have a "time is money" attitude while others take a more leisury approach to business. 
     With oral communication, people have different conversational styles.  Factors that are included in a persons conversational style include rate of speech, rate of turn-taking, and persistence.  These factors may be interpreted at different levels of interest and politeness by different people.

Module 24

     Module 24 discusses the proper way to prepare long reports.  When writing a report, it is always best to write a short, concise report whenever possible.  However, some situations require long reports.  Long reports are written with many different formats and styles.  When choosing a format, you should consider the purpose of the report, who your audience will be, how people will feel about the report, etc.  Before writing a long report, proper planning and research will make your report better as well as save time in the long run.  Visuals are a good tool to use sparingly in long reports.  Examples include charts and graphs. 
     The introduction of a report contains a statement of the purpose and scope.  The purpose statement tells what the organizational problem that is being addressed, the technical investigaions it will summarize, and a recommendation of action (which can also be recommending no action is taken).  The scope statement identifies the topics that the report covers.  Often an introduction will include limitations, assumptions, and methods (how you gathered your data).  A background section is included so that the report may be consulted more easily down the road.  The report should end witha  conclusion summarizing points that were made throughout the report. 

Module 27 and 28

    Module 27 describes how to create a professional job resume.  Chronological resumes summarize what the applicant has done in a timeline.  Skills resumes emphasize the skills that the applicant has used.  A resume should be at least a page in length.  Key strengths and skills should be emphasized throughout the resume.  I found it interesting that the book suggests that you avoid using templates to create your resume.  The reasoning is that templates can take away from the uniqueness of your resume due to the fact that the person doing the interview has more than likely seen it.  As with any business document, it is crucial that you proofread your resume.  When your education and experience show that you are qualified for the job, then you should use a chronological resume.  If you're changing fields or your recent work history may create the wrong impression you should use a skills resume.
      Job application letters was the topic of Module 28.  If you know that a company is hiring, you should send a solicited job letter to the employer.  With unadvertised positions, you should send a prospecting letter.  Prospecting letters help you get into the job market.  The format will differ for both of the types of letters.  For example, with a solicited letter you will tell where you learned about the job, state why you are trying to get the job, etc.  With a prospecting letter, you want to grab the employers attention immediately.  The last paragraph should contain a statement about your situation and availability.  In both letters you should: address the letter to a specific person, indicate the specific position for which you're applying, be specific about your qualifications, show what separates you from other applicants, show a knowledge of the company and the position, refer to your resume, and ask for an interview.  You should also tighten your writing and use "you-attitude."

Module 22

     Primary research is the gathering of new information.  Secondary research relies on information that has been gathered by someone else.  Sources for primary information include surveys and interviews.  A survey questions a large group of people called the respondents.  An interview is a structured conversation with someone with the ability to provide good information.  Often interviews consist of both closed and open questions.  Another valuable tool is a questionnaire, or a list of questions that people fill out.  Branching questions direct different respondents to different parts of the questionnaire based on their previous responses. 
     When analyzing information that has been collected, it is important to always remember that correlation does not always prove cause and effect.  Causation means that one thing causes another.  Correlation means that two things happen at the same time. 
     The types of samples that are often used include random samples; convenience samples; and judgment samples.  In random samples each person in the population, or where the sample is being drawn from, has an equal chance of being selected.  Convenience samples are less costly because they gather subjects who are easy to get.  Judgment samples are groups of people whose views seem useful.  After collecting information and preparing the report, proper citation and documentation is very important.

   

Module 21

     Module 21 discusses how to properly write proposals and progress reports.  Formal reports contain more formal elements such as a title page and table of contents.  Informal reports are often letters or memos.  Informational reports collect data for the reader; analytical reports interpret data without recommending action; and recommendation reports recommend action.  So in summary, reports can provide information, information plus analysis, and information plus analysis plus a recommendation.  Proposals suggest a way to find information or ways to solve a problem.  Proposals should address such issues as price, duration of project, what will be provided, how the problem will be solved, etc. 


     When writing progress reports, you should attempt to create a positive image of yourself.  You should also give the reader the option to: allow you to continue to do what you agreed upon or allow you to do another option.  You should also notify your boss or funding agency when you see potential future problems.  The pattern that should be used in progress reports is: summarize your progress in terms of your original schedule, describe what you have already done and what work remains under a "Work Completed" heading, and state if you believe you can complete the report on time or discuss extending the due date.

Module 17 and 18

     Module 17 discusses the importance of listening.  Listening is something that we are constantly doing; yet many of us are poor listeners.  Good listeners: pay attention, focus on the speaker in a positive light, avoid making assumptions, and listen for feelings as well as facts.  There are constant distractions that could cause a listener to misunderstand what the speaker is saying.  A good listener focuses all of his/her attention on the speaker.  A good way to stay involved in the conversation is to create a list of important questions to address.  It is also important to focus on the speaker in a generous way.  When listening, one should not allow negative assumptions and beliefs to discredit what the speaker is saying.  For example, you should not wait until a statement that you disagree with to give reason to ignore all information given by the speaker.  It is important to verify what you heard and to never make assumptions.  Finally, listen for emotion as well as facts.  Body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions are all forms of communication.  The book talked about being an active listener by demonstrating that you have heard and understand a speaker.  Strategies for active responses include: paraphrase the content, mirror the speaker's feelings, state your own feelings, ask for information and clarification, and offer to help fix the problem.

     Module 18 deals with working and writing in teams.  Ground rules established before group meetings will help to ensure that every team member knows what is expected of them.  Group messages are either informational, procedural, or interpersonal.  The type of message will be more dominant depending on the stage of the group development.  Negative actions that hurt the group include: blocking, dominating, clowning, and withdrawing.  Clowning is the act of making unproductive jokes and diverting the group from the task.  Humor is a good tool to create good relationships, however there is a limit.  Conflict will more than likely arise due to the differences in beliefs and ideas.  Ensuring that everyone's information is correct and that the individual isn't just venting is an important step in conflict resolution.  A term I found interesting in the chapter was the word "groupthink."  Groupthink is the tendency for groups to "go along with the crowd."  Members that do not create alternatives hurt the effectiveness of the groups decisions. 

Module 15 and 16

Module 15 discussed the importance of choosing the right word.  Bypassing can occur when two people denote the same word for different meanings.  The book identifies the fact that the word "risk" carrys many meanings which include financial risk, health risk, etc.  When communicating it is important to ensure that both the persons giving and recieving the information have the same understanding about the context in which the word is used.  Another aspect of communication is connotation, or the emotional associations that accompany a word.  For example, most readers would find the word nosy to have a negative connotation.  An appropriate substitute would be the word curious.  Try to follow the rule that "shorter is better" when choosing words to communicate with (ie use list instead of enumerate).  The reason behind this is that they can be more easily understood by the reader.  A writer should choose words carefully depending on the audience.  Though some forms of jargon are acceptable, many are not in the business world.

Module 16 deals with the revision of sentences and paragraphs.  How formal you should make your documents once again depends on your audience.  If you have talked with someone prior to writing the document, an informal, friendly style may be most appropriate.  When possible, you may use humor to keep the readers attention and build goodwill.  Revision is crucial in business communication because damaged relationships are usually difficult to restore.  Things you should do when revising your sentences is to: use active verbs most of the time; use verbs to carry the weight of your sentence; tighting your writing by not making your sentences to wordy; vary sentence length and structure; use parallel structure; and put your readers in the sentence.  The topic of your paragraphs should be listed early to inform the reader of what you are going to be discussing.

Module 8 and 13 - Reader Benefits, E-Mail Messages and Web Writing

     Reader benefits are important to include in both informative and persuasive messages.  When preparing negative messages, one does not need to include any reader benefits.  Characteristics of good reader benefits are adapted to your audience and composed with a "you-attitude."  Reader benefits are intended to inform your readers that they can do the job and that their success will be rewarded.  A good way to identify what reader benefits you can provide is to think of how your products can meet the needs of the readers feelings, fears, and other motivational needs.  Another way to discover a good reader benefit is identifying how the features of your product can benefit the reader.  Using psychological description, or the creation of a scenario full of impressions of the readers senses, earlier in your message can give you an advantage.

     E-mailing has become a great mode of business communication, especially in time sensitive situations. When preparing e-mail messages, it is important to list what your message pertains to.  When doing so, try to be concise, specific, and catchy.  E-mail can be used for positive messages such as rewarding someone; however negative messages are best to be delivered in person.  You should never write an e-mail message when you are upset.  The book defines this act as flaming and can negatively impact goodwill with the reader.  Other forms of electronic communication include blogging social media sites.  Twitter could be a good source for the reader to get updates on short messages.  A fact that I found interesting in the book was that some professionals will upload video resumes on youtube.com.  These types of resumes are very useful when distance is a factor.

Module 11 and 12

Giving bad news to both people within and outside of the company is something that must be done so carefully to maintain goodwill.  When preparing a letter containing negative information, it is possible to make a bad situation look positive.  This is not to say that an organization should ever not exhibit good business ethics.  The way that a letter is typed can deemphasize the negative by stating the reason in third-person, being specific, avoiding negative words such as "not", and always present the situation with a positive outlook on the reader's future.  You should only state the negative once in a clear, concise manner.  

When preparing persuasive messages the writer must write with a different approach and dialogue.  There are different formats for varying types of persuasive messages.  When the audience is willing to comply or your audience is busy you should take the direct request pattern.  With the direct request pattern you put the request or main topic in the subject line.  The problem-solving pattern is used when the reader is not likely to do what you ask. With the problem-solving method, you will want to use a directed subject line that tells where you stand on the topic.  When reader's object, there are several strategies that you can use to persuade the reader to do what you originally asked.  Examples include showing the benefits, sacrifices made, and how the short term decision of the reader will benefit them in the long run.