Structure
In letters, memos, & emails, where does the most important information belong?
In the opening paragraph
All professional writing should be _____ & _______.
clear & concise
What is the best way to proofread your own work?
Read it out loud!
_________s are short, informal documents that circulate withinorganizations, addressing internaldecisions/operations
Memos
________ makes texts more easily recognizable.
Genre/s
The goal of being concise is not to make your reader _____ when reading.
Scroll
Which of the below is false:
1. You should always make sure your email is addressed to the correct individual before drafting.
2. You should always include a salutation.
3. You should bold important information.
What could be improved in the below email?
+ + +
Colleagues,
Our postponed lunch conversation about ChatGPT and similar text generating tools has been rescheduled for Tuesday, October 31st. (I apologize the odd timing, but I am teaching M-W-F this quarter, so cannot do our usual Friday time.)
Details are below. Please do register if you are interested in attending. I look forward to a good conversation about these tools and how we can respond in teaching writing.
With best regards,
Sarah
Bold: Tuesday, Oct 31st
OR no second form of contact
_________s are aimed at audiences outside the organization
Letters
What should you assume about all emails & other written communications that you write for work?
They could be read by anyone!
What five key pieces of information should appear in the 1st paragraph of all communications?
who/what/when/where/why
What 3 tactics can you use to increase the visibility of a social post?
1. Ask people to share it
2. Use hashtags
3. Use tags/geotags
What 3 things could be corrected for this email?
+ + +
Oregon State University is pleased to announce that we have partnered with Aira, a company that provides 24-hour-a-day on-demand remote visual interpretation services for the blind and low-vision community. OSU is providing students, staff, faculty, and visitors free access to Aira’s highly trained, remotely located agents, who can provide real-time visual information about the user’s surroundings to help with navigating and wayfinding on all OSU sites and within our buildings. With Aira, those who are blind or visually impaired can instantly access information on campus signs, directories, or other visual-based items.
To use the service, download the free Aira Explorer app for Android or for iOS, create an account, and connect with one of Aira’s live remote agents. The Aira agent will then use the device camera to provide real-time visual interpreting of the user’s surroundings.
OSU recognizes that it can be challenging for those who are blind and low-vision to navigate a world primarily designed for those with vision, especially complex campuses with many buildings and pathways. We continue to strive to make OSU accessible and inclusive to all community members. Partnering with Aira is an additional approach to providing as accessible and inclusive an environment as possible for everyone who engages with OSU sites and facilities.
We encourage all OSU community members who may benefit from this app to download and check it out. We also encourage feedback to be sent to equal.opportunity@oregonstate.edu. This is especially important as we decide if Aira should be a permanent service available at OSU. Learn more at https://accessibility.oregonstate.edu/aira.
Too long; no salutations; key info should be bolded; signature needed
White space is important in which kind of professional communication?
ALL.
What font (besides Times New Roman) is considered standard?
Calibri
•Proofread!
•Use discretion
•Adopt a formal, polite tone
•Always include a greeting and a goodbye
When reviewing professional writing (esp. social media), what are 3 key issues you're reading for?
2. tonal/consistency issues
3. legal issues
Which of the following is false?
1. Using Chat GPT to proofread professional emails is OK.
2. Capitalizing key information is OK.
3. Using hyperlinks in emails is OK.
Which kind of professional communication requires letterhead?
Letters (& sometimes memos)
What kind of language is advised for a professional writing tone?
Suggestive
What should go at the very bottom of all professional communications?
Name all 5 key tips for writing for social.
1. use a distinctive, consistent voice
2. ask someone to review your message
3. keep it concise
4. give your reader usable/useful information
5. encourage the sharing of your message
6. understand how different platform differ
Which subject line is most effective/appropriate?
1) Donation Request: Breast Cancer Alliance
2) Will You Donate to the Breast Cancer Alliance
3) Support the Breast Cancer Alliance!
3
When writing a professional email in which something is asked of the reader, where should the question first appear?
The subject line
Name all 6 "C's":
1.Concise
2. Concrete
3. Complete
4. Correct
5. Courteous
Clear