......

..........

......

..........

Map Import Demo

Map Import Demo

Student Blogs

Team Two's Blog:  http://www.clnteam2ng.blogspot.com/

Team Three's Blog:  http://clnteam3.blogspot.com

Team One's Blog:  http://ngmbagrp1.blogspot.com

Student Blogs

Team Two's Blog:  http://www.clnteam2ng.blogspot.com/

Team Three's Blog:  http://clnteam3.blogspot.com

Team One's Blog:  http://ngmbagrp1.blogspot.com

CDP -- Formal Structure of Report for CDP

Formal Structure of Report for CDP

• Title page
• Abstract (Synopsis; Executive Summary)
• (Letter of Authorization)
• Letter of Transmittal (BA318 Instructor and students)
• Table of Contents (develop last so as to include page numbers)
• Introduction
• Body
• Conclusion
• Recommendations
• References
• Appendices

CDP -- Formal Structure of Report for CDP

Formal Structure of Report for CDP

• Title page
• Abstract (Synopsis; Executive Summary)
• (Letter of Authorization)
• Letter of Transmittal (BA318 Instructor and students)
• Table of Contents (develop last so as to include page numbers)
• Introduction
• Body
• Conclusion
• Recommendations
• References
• Appendices

Writing Tips -- from The Roberts Group

11 Writing Tips -- from The Roberts Group

11 Writing Tips11 Ways to Improve Your Writing and Your Business is a booklet written for and distributed to participants in Sherry Roberts' business writing seminar. Use these tips to get a faster, more confident start when working with your memos, letters, reports, and news releases.

Contents

1. Begin with one grain of sand.
2. Give the who, what, when, where, and why.
3. Step up to bat and take a few swings.
4. Adopt a plain writing style.
5. Keep it short.
6. Give the reader a map.
7. Be active.
8. Cut unneeded words and prune windy phrases.
9. Watch out for these four commonly misused words.
10. Stress benefits, not features.
11. Give your writing the conversation test.

11 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING AND YOUR BUSINESS

Introduction

Clear, effective business writing is more important than ever. Thanks to the facsimile machine, our skill (or lack of skill) with words is beamed around the world in black and white.
In a survey of Fortune 1000 executives, 80 percent said they've decided not to interview job candidates solely because of poor grammar, spelling, or punctuation in resumes or cover letters.
Of those same executives, 99 percent also said poor writing and grammar hurt an employee's chances for promotion.
In another study, the U.S. Navy determined it could save $27 million to $57 million a year if officers wrote memos in a plain style. Navy personnel spent more time reading poorly written memos than those written in a plain style. Similar savings could be realized in the private sector if corporations stressed good writing in the workplace.
But the best argument for good writing is simple logic: People won't buy what they don't understand.
Try some of the following tips the next time you write a letter, memo, report, proposal, press release, or other business document. Then distribute your work with confidence, because good writing is good for your business.

1. BEGIN WITH ONE GRAIN OF SAND.

Before you start to write any business document, identify the single idea you're trying to get across. Jot it down in one sentence on a note pad next to your typewriter or computer keyboard. If you were writing a news story, this would be the headline. Or if you were writing a movie, this would be the one-line description in the TV Guide. Here are some examples.

• You want an appointment to explain your new product. (sales letter)
• Using computers to track inventory will save thousands of dollars. (report)
• The janitorial crew will be working new hours. (memo)

Your one-line synopsis is a grain of sand; it will help you begin. Large projects can be built from it, but the grain of sand itself is neither overwhelming nor intimidating.
As you write, reread your one-line reminder. It will keep you grounded, focused, on target. Know what you want before you begin to write, and the writing will come more easily.

2. Give the who, what, when, where, and why.

Be a reporter. There is basic information all people want to know -- no matter the subject. Train yourself to answer in your writing all the questions your reader might ask. Everything you write may not have a who, what, when, where, and why, but at least ask yourself if it does. In good writing, omission of information is by plan, not mistake.
John (who), please study the cost of fish (what) for the next three months (when) at ourSeattle facility (where). I believe we can save money by purchasing fish for our performing dolphins from a new Alaskan source (why).
Thinking of your reader's questions before you write helps you organize your writing and makes your memos, reports, and letters as complete as an article in the New York Times.

3. Step up to bat and take a few swings.

All writers have asked, "How do I begin?" You begin by switching your brain into a writing frame of mind.
Athletes often develop rituals to signal to their brain that it's time to perform: Baseball batters dust their hands with dirt, dig in their heels, and take practice swings. Tennis players bounce the ball a few times before winding up for the serve.
You can develop rituals that put you in the mood to write. Some writers use a special pen. Others write better in a particular place, such as looking out a window or not looking out a window. Try some of these rituals:

• Deep breathing. Close your eyes and take several deep breaths to center yourself. Listen to your breathing. Shut out the ringing of the phones, the conversations of your coworkers, the buzz of your computer.
• Visualization. Close your eyes and imagine you are staring at a blank billboard in a snowstorm. The purpose of this trick is to clear your mind of thought, to wipe the slate clean. The mind can't stand a clean slate and begins to compose.
• Affirmation. Look in the mirror and say "Good morning, writer." Repeat this until you believe it.

Rituals simply focus your inner attention on a task to come. Find one that triggers your writing self.

4. Adopt a plain writing style.

It takes longer to read and comprehend a memo written in a bureaucratic style than one written in plain style. Bureaucratic writing buries meaning under run-on sentences, big words, and long paragraphs.
On the other hand, plain writing:

• States the purpose clearly
• Lists major points
• Includes headings and lists
• Uses short sentences and paragraphs
• Seeks to express, not impress
• Avoids jargon

In writing, plain is beautiful. The next time you want someone to understand your writing put away the fancy words and convoluted sentences. Say it simply. It will save your time, the reader's time, and your company's money.

5. Keep it short.

Effective writing avoids long sentences and long paragraphs for the same reason you avoid the long-winded conversationalist at a party. Like the party bore, long sentences and paragraphs don't hold your interest. In run-on sentences and paragraphs, the reader struggles to keep from getting lost. Clear writing doesn't throw up detour signs; it offers shortcuts to understanding.
No: We have long yearned to create a marketing program full of energy and pizzazz that would remain in the minds of the customers and position our product as the product to end all products in our industry which should give us a good competitive edge since everyone else in our industry has cut their marketing budgets which means this is a good time for us to forge ahead and make some new customers now while everyone is either sleeping or afraid.
Yes: Now is the time to create a marketing program full of energy and pizzazz. This program would keep our name in the minds of our customers, position our product as the ultimate product in our industry, and give us the competitive edge.
In these tough times, our competitors are cowering in their offices and cutting their marketing budgets. By being aggressive and forging ahead, we will make new customers and corner a greater share of the market.

6. Give the reader a map.

If you want your readers to navigate the road of your writing and reach the proper destination, make the going easy for them. Use these devices to make your business documents more readable

• Paragraphs. Start a new paragraph as often as it is logically possible. What is easier to read: a newspaper or a law tome? Readers will muddle through long paragraphs and pages of unending text only when they need the information. Newspapers learned long ago that they have only seconds to grab the reader's attention and keep it; a story composed of several short paragraphs appears more accessible than one that resembles a scientific paper.
• Bullets and lists. Bullets are typographical symbols (boxes, circles, asterisks, dashes) that draw attention to a particular piece of text. These are excellent for lists, which are wonderful signposts themselves. Any information that you can boil down into an easy-to-grasp listing boosts the readability of your writing. Bulleted lists work well for outlining the steps in a process.
• Subheads. Use mini-headlines to break up the copy in memos and letters and direct the reader through your writing.

Don't lose your reader. Remember it's not only what you say, but how you say it.

7. Be active.

If you were one of those people who yawned when your eighth grade English teacher began her lecture on active and passive voice, wake up. What you don't know about active and passive voice may be putting your readers to sleep or making them suspicious of you and your ideas or product.
A sentence written in the active voice is the straight-shooting sheriff who faces the gunslinger proudly and fearlessly. It is honest, straightforward; you know where you stand.
Active: The committee will review all applications in early April.
A sentence written in passive voice is the shifty desperado who tries to win the gunfight by shooting the sheriff in the back, stealing his horse, and sneaking out of town.
Passive: In early April, all applications will be reviewed by the committee.
Passive writing is popular in business because it helps the writer avoid responsibility and remain anonymous. Customers are suspicious of writing that evades responsibility. Employees and managers distrust ideas that appear more vague than strong.

8. Cut unneeded words and prune windy phrases.

If your readers respond with "say what?" after finishing one of your memos or reports, you may be using businessese and doublespeak. Businessese is language we use not because it is clear or effective, but because we get into the habit of using it. Businessese promotes lazy, self-important writing. Consider these precise, everyday substitutes for businessese words

• Find out instead of ascertain
• Send out instead of disseminate
• Use instead of utilize
• Plan instead of strategize
• Best instead of optimum

Doublespeak is finding a complicated, highfalutin way of saying a simple phrase. Doublespeak also cares more about self-importance than clearly communicating with the reader. Here are some ways to simplify your language.

• Janitor instead of sanitation engineer
• Apparently instead of it would appear that
• Explain instead of furnish an explanation for

Be a ruthless gardener when it comes to weeding words. To paraphrase a popular commercial, "just say it."

9. Watch out for these four commonly misused words.

Some words in the English language take a constant beating in business correspondence. Be one of those writers who use them properly and pleasantly surprise your readers. Your conscientiousness may sell your next idea or product.

• That vs. which. Which often follows a comma and introduces a phrase that provides additional information not essential to the meaning of the sentence. Thatintroduces a phrase that is essential to the meaning of the sentence.

The report, which is twenty pages long, is mandatory reading. (Which introduces additional, but unnecessary, information.)

The report that is twenty pages long is mandatory reading. (That points out a characteristic of the report and distinguishes it from a ten-page report.)

• Hopefully. This doesn't mean I hope. Hopefully, I'll finish the report by noon. Do you mean you'll finish the report in a hopeful frame of mind by noon? Or do you mean you hope you'll finish the report by noon? Say what you mean: I hope to finish the report by noon.
• Very. Avoid this lukewarm, unspecific adverb. I'm very happy that you elected me chairman of the Society for People with Super Sensitive Feet. Is very happy happier than just happy? Why not overjoyed or: I'm tickled to be the new chairman of the Society for People with Super Sensitive Feet.

10. Stress benefits, not features.

Everything you write in business, from sales letters to budget plans, is intended to elicit a response. You want someone to do something. In the sales letter, you want a client to grant you an appointment so that you can demonstrate your latest product. In the budget proposal, you want the board of directors to fund a new project in your department.
To be successful in business and in writing, you must persuade. Persuasive writing stresses benefits instead of features. Your reader doesn't care how many bells and whistles your product has. The reader wants to know what your product is going to do for him.
Consider the perfume industry. Perfumeries do not sell stuff that makes you smell nice (the feature). They sell romance -- how he will court her after she sprays it on (the benefit).
Feature: Our widget has three new attachments -- a cat feeder, a plant waterer, and a thermostat controller.
Benefit: Buy our widget with its three new attachments and, finally, relax on a vacation. Our widget works while you enjoy yourself. There's no need to worry; our widget will make sure your cat is fed, your plants are watered, and the temperature of your home is maintained at a constant, fuel-saving level.

11. Give your writing the conversation test.

After you have finished writing your memo or letter, read it aloud. Ask yourself if you would say to your reader what you are writing. Trust your ear. Wherever your writing is stuffy, wordy, or impersonal, rewrite it.

• Use contractions to warm-up your message and take the starch out of stiff sentences.
• Delete words, sentences, and phrases that do not add to your meaning.
• Make it personal. Speak directly to the reader, human to human. Remember people don't do business with businesses; they do business with people.
• Copyright © 1992 The Roberts Group, Greensboro, North Carolina

Writing Tips -- from The Roberts Group

11 Writing Tips -- from The Roberts Group

11 Writing Tips11 Ways to Improve Your Writing and Your Business is a booklet written for and distributed to participants in Sherry Roberts' business writing seminar. Use these tips to get a faster, more confident start when working with your memos, letters, reports, and news releases.

Contents

1. Begin with one grain of sand.
2. Give the who, what, when, where, and why.
3. Step up to bat and take a few swings.
4. Adopt a plain writing style.
5. Keep it short.
6. Give the reader a map.
7. Be active.
8. Cut unneeded words and prune windy phrases.
9. Watch out for these four commonly misused words.
10. Stress benefits, not features.
11. Give your writing the conversation test.

11 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING AND YOUR BUSINESS

Introduction

Clear, effective business writing is more important than ever. Thanks to the facsimile machine, our skill (or lack of skill) with words is beamed around the world in black and white.
In a survey of Fortune 1000 executives, 80 percent said they've decided not to interview job candidates solely because of poor grammar, spelling, or punctuation in resumes or cover letters.
Of those same executives, 99 percent also said poor writing and grammar hurt an employee's chances for promotion.
In another study, the U.S. Navy determined it could save $27 million to $57 million a year if officers wrote memos in a plain style. Navy personnel spent more time reading poorly written memos than those written in a plain style. Similar savings could be realized in the private sector if corporations stressed good writing in the workplace.
But the best argument for good writing is simple logic: People won't buy what they don't understand.
Try some of the following tips the next time you write a letter, memo, report, proposal, press release, or other business document. Then distribute your work with confidence, because good writing is good for your business.

1. BEGIN WITH ONE GRAIN OF SAND.

Before you start to write any business document, identify the single idea you're trying to get across. Jot it down in one sentence on a note pad next to your typewriter or computer keyboard. If you were writing a news story, this would be the headline. Or if you were writing a movie, this would be the one-line description in the TV Guide. Here are some examples.

• You want an appointment to explain your new product. (sales letter)
• Using computers to track inventory will save thousands of dollars. (report)
• The janitorial crew will be working new hours. (memo)

Your one-line synopsis is a grain of sand; it will help you begin. Large projects can be built from it, but the grain of sand itself is neither overwhelming nor intimidating.
As you write, reread your one-line reminder. It will keep you grounded, focused, on target. Know what you want before you begin to write, and the writing will come more easily.

2. Give the who, what, when, where, and why.

Be a reporter. There is basic information all people want to know -- no matter the subject. Train yourself to answer in your writing all the questions your reader might ask. Everything you write may not have a who, what, when, where, and why, but at least ask yourself if it does. In good writing, omission of information is by plan, not mistake.
John (who), please study the cost of fish (what) for the next three months (when) at ourSeattle facility (where). I believe we can save money by purchasing fish for our performing dolphins from a new Alaskan source (why).
Thinking of your reader's questions before you write helps you organize your writing and makes your memos, reports, and letters as complete as an article in the New York Times.

3. Step up to bat and take a few swings.

All writers have asked, "How do I begin?" You begin by switching your brain into a writing frame of mind.
Athletes often develop rituals to signal to their brain that it's time to perform: Baseball batters dust their hands with dirt, dig in their heels, and take practice swings. Tennis players bounce the ball a few times before winding up for the serve.
You can develop rituals that put you in the mood to write. Some writers use a special pen. Others write better in a particular place, such as looking out a window or not looking out a window. Try some of these rituals:

• Deep breathing. Close your eyes and take several deep breaths to center yourself. Listen to your breathing. Shut out the ringing of the phones, the conversations of your coworkers, the buzz of your computer.
• Visualization. Close your eyes and imagine you are staring at a blank billboard in a snowstorm. The purpose of this trick is to clear your mind of thought, to wipe the slate clean. The mind can't stand a clean slate and begins to compose.
• Affirmation. Look in the mirror and say "Good morning, writer." Repeat this until you believe it.

Rituals simply focus your inner attention on a task to come. Find one that triggers your writing self.

4. Adopt a plain writing style.

It takes longer to read and comprehend a memo written in a bureaucratic style than one written in plain style. Bureaucratic writing buries meaning under run-on sentences, big words, and long paragraphs.
On the other hand, plain writing:

• States the purpose clearly
• Lists major points
• Includes headings and lists
• Uses short sentences and paragraphs
• Seeks to express, not impress
• Avoids jargon

In writing, plain is beautiful. The next time you want someone to understand your writing put away the fancy words and convoluted sentences. Say it simply. It will save your time, the reader's time, and your company's money.

5. Keep it short.

Effective writing avoids long sentences and long paragraphs for the same reason you avoid the long-winded conversationalist at a party. Like the party bore, long sentences and paragraphs don't hold your interest. In run-on sentences and paragraphs, the reader struggles to keep from getting lost. Clear writing doesn't throw up detour signs; it offers shortcuts to understanding.
No: We have long yearned to create a marketing program full of energy and pizzazz that would remain in the minds of the customers and position our product as the product to end all products in our industry which should give us a good competitive edge since everyone else in our industry has cut their marketing budgets which means this is a good time for us to forge ahead and make some new customers now while everyone is either sleeping or afraid.
Yes: Now is the time to create a marketing program full of energy and pizzazz. This program would keep our name in the minds of our customers, position our product as the ultimate product in our industry, and give us the competitive edge.
In these tough times, our competitors are cowering in their offices and cutting their marketing budgets. By being aggressive and forging ahead, we will make new customers and corner a greater share of the market.

6. Give the reader a map.

If you want your readers to navigate the road of your writing and reach the proper destination, make the going easy for them. Use these devices to make your business documents more readable

• Paragraphs. Start a new paragraph as often as it is logically possible. What is easier to read: a newspaper or a law tome? Readers will muddle through long paragraphs and pages of unending text only when they need the information. Newspapers learned long ago that they have only seconds to grab the reader's attention and keep it; a story composed of several short paragraphs appears more accessible than one that resembles a scientific paper.
• Bullets and lists. Bullets are typographical symbols (boxes, circles, asterisks, dashes) that draw attention to a particular piece of text. These are excellent for lists, which are wonderful signposts themselves. Any information that you can boil down into an easy-to-grasp listing boosts the readability of your writing. Bulleted lists work well for outlining the steps in a process.
• Subheads. Use mini-headlines to break up the copy in memos and letters and direct the reader through your writing.

Don't lose your reader. Remember it's not only what you say, but how you say it.

7. Be active.

If you were one of those people who yawned when your eighth grade English teacher began her lecture on active and passive voice, wake up. What you don't know about active and passive voice may be putting your readers to sleep or making them suspicious of you and your ideas or product.
A sentence written in the active voice is the straight-shooting sheriff who faces the gunslinger proudly and fearlessly. It is honest, straightforward; you know where you stand.
Active: The committee will review all applications in early April.
A sentence written in passive voice is the shifty desperado who tries to win the gunfight by shooting the sheriff in the back, stealing his horse, and sneaking out of town.
Passive: In early April, all applications will be reviewed by the committee.
Passive writing is popular in business because it helps the writer avoid responsibility and remain anonymous. Customers are suspicious of writing that evades responsibility. Employees and managers distrust ideas that appear more vague than strong.

8. Cut unneeded words and prune windy phrases.

If your readers respond with "say what?" after finishing one of your memos or reports, you may be using businessese and doublespeak. Businessese is language we use not because it is clear or effective, but because we get into the habit of using it. Businessese promotes lazy, self-important writing. Consider these precise, everyday substitutes for businessese words

• Find out instead of ascertain
• Send out instead of disseminate
• Use instead of utilize
• Plan instead of strategize
• Best instead of optimum

Doublespeak is finding a complicated, highfalutin way of saying a simple phrase. Doublespeak also cares more about self-importance than clearly communicating with the reader. Here are some ways to simplify your language.

• Janitor instead of sanitation engineer
• Apparently instead of it would appear that
• Explain instead of furnish an explanation for

Be a ruthless gardener when it comes to weeding words. To paraphrase a popular commercial, "just say it."

9. Watch out for these four commonly misused words.

Some words in the English language take a constant beating in business correspondence. Be one of those writers who use them properly and pleasantly surprise your readers. Your conscientiousness may sell your next idea or product.

• That vs. which. Which often follows a comma and introduces a phrase that provides additional information not essential to the meaning of the sentence. Thatintroduces a phrase that is essential to the meaning of the sentence.

The report, which is twenty pages long, is mandatory reading. (Which introduces additional, but unnecessary, information.)

The report that is twenty pages long is mandatory reading. (That points out a characteristic of the report and distinguishes it from a ten-page report.)

• Hopefully. This doesn't mean I hope. Hopefully, I'll finish the report by noon. Do you mean you'll finish the report in a hopeful frame of mind by noon? Or do you mean you hope you'll finish the report by noon? Say what you mean: I hope to finish the report by noon.
• Very. Avoid this lukewarm, unspecific adverb. I'm very happy that you elected me chairman of the Society for People with Super Sensitive Feet. Is very happy happier than just happy? Why not overjoyed or: I'm tickled to be the new chairman of the Society for People with Super Sensitive Feet.

10. Stress benefits, not features.

Everything you write in business, from sales letters to budget plans, is intended to elicit a response. You want someone to do something. In the sales letter, you want a client to grant you an appointment so that you can demonstrate your latest product. In the budget proposal, you want the board of directors to fund a new project in your department.
To be successful in business and in writing, you must persuade. Persuasive writing stresses benefits instead of features. Your reader doesn't care how many bells and whistles your product has. The reader wants to know what your product is going to do for him.
Consider the perfume industry. Perfumeries do not sell stuff that makes you smell nice (the feature). They sell romance -- how he will court her after she sprays it on (the benefit).
Feature: Our widget has three new attachments -- a cat feeder, a plant waterer, and a thermostat controller.
Benefit: Buy our widget with its three new attachments and, finally, relax on a vacation. Our widget works while you enjoy yourself. There's no need to worry; our widget will make sure your cat is fed, your plants are watered, and the temperature of your home is maintained at a constant, fuel-saving level.

11. Give your writing the conversation test.

After you have finished writing your memo or letter, read it aloud. Ask yourself if you would say to your reader what you are writing. Trust your ear. Wherever your writing is stuffy, wordy, or impersonal, rewrite it.

• Use contractions to warm-up your message and take the starch out of stiff sentences.
• Delete words, sentences, and phrases that do not add to your meaning.
• Make it personal. Speak directly to the reader, human to human. Remember people don't do business with businesses; they do business with people.
• Copyright © 1992 The Roberts Group, Greensboro, North Carolina

Exercise: Assumptions about others

Exercise: Assumptions about others

Assumptions about others

What assumptions are you most likely to make about others? Based on what perceptions?
How does this put you at a disadvantage in dealing with them?
What can you do to make sure you check your assumptions closely?

Exercise: Assumptions about others

Exercise: Assumptions about others

Assumptions about others

What assumptions are you most likely to make about others? Based on what perceptions?
How does this put you at a disadvantage in dealing with them?
What can you do to make sure you check your assumptions closely?

Assignment for Text Chapters

Assignment for Text Chapters

According to the daily schedule, for each text chapter do the following:

For each of the units (as well as additional assignments given in class), students will do the following:

• Read assigned materials with care and understanding,
• Reflect on the assignments in writing (a brief paragraph or two), discussing your thoughts on the primary content; include points of personal interest.
• Review main points of the reading and create a personalized three-level primary question and answer outline on a minimum of three or four selected items from the assigned readings.  The outline should develop the main topics in question form with a clear and concise answer followed by significant details with definitions and examples, including your own ideas and evaluations.
• Email your assignments to me at profsylvia@gmail.com, with your outline and reflections attached or in the body of your email.  Be sure to keep a copy of the email for yourself and add it to your ePortfolios/PowerPoint presentations for midterm and final submission and sharing.

Additional option -- Mind Mapping:

1. Create a graphic organizer ("mind map") of 3-5 main ideas and supporting elements in each chapter. You may use MS Word's drawing tools, the Freemind software, or another tool of your choice
2. Write a summary paragraph using your mind map as guide.
3. E-mail your assignments as attachments to me at profsylvia@gmail.com

Assignment for Text Chapters

Assignment for Text Chapters

According to the daily schedule, for each text chapter do the following:

For each of the units (as well as additional assignments given in class), students will do the following:

• Read assigned materials with care and understanding,
• Reflect on the assignments in writing (a brief paragraph or two), discussing your thoughts on the primary content; include points of personal interest.
• Review main points of the reading and create a personalized three-level primary question and answer outline on a minimum of three or four selected items from the assigned readings.  The outline should develop the main topics in question form with a clear and concise answer followed by significant details with definitions and examples, including your own ideas and evaluations.
• Email your assignments to me at profsylvia@gmail.com, with your outline and reflections attached or in the body of your email.  Be sure to keep a copy of the email for yourself and add it to your ePortfolios/PowerPoint presentations for midterm and final submission and sharing.

Additional option -- Mind Mapping:

1. Create a graphic organizer ("mind map") of 3-5 main ideas and supporting elements in each chapter. You may use MS Word's drawing tools, the Freemind software, or another tool of your choice
2. Write a summary paragraph using your mind map as guide.
3. E-mail your assignments as attachments to me at docsyl@gmail.com

What is the etiquette for using a cell phone?

What is the etiquette for using a cell phone?

The etiquette for cell-phone usage follows the same principles as all good manners -- be considerate of others and keep your surroundings is mind. The sites we found by searching on "cell phone etiquette" and flipping through the Cellular Telephone Etiquette category in the Yahoo! Directory all echoed this basic sentiment. On a safety note, Tom and Ray from NPR's Car Talk show advise you to just say "no" to phone chatter while driving. Talking on a cell phone when you're driving can be as dangerous as driving drunk. If you must make or receive a call in the car, pull over. You'll be doing yourself and everyone else on the road a huge favor. Aside from safety, cell-phone users must realize that their private conversations often take place in public, and they need to modify their behavior accordingly. CellManners.comand PhoneyBusiness.com list the essentials of cell-phone etiquette: Speak softly. Cell phones are usually more sound sensitive than regular phones, so you don't need to yell to make yourself heard. And no amount of shouting will improve a bad connection. Respect the personal space of others by taking your conversation 10 or more feet away from people. Ideally, take your phone call into a private space. Refrain from using your phone in a place where others can't escape your conversation, such as in an elevator or on public transit. Do not interrupt a face-to-face conversation to take a cell-phone call. The person you are actually with takes priority. If you have a phone conversation in front of that person, you're showing that he or she is unimportant to you. Keep private matters private. Nobody wants to hear you fight with your spouse over your cell phone. If you use the phone for business, you could leak company-confidential information when talking in public. Turn your cell phone off during weddings, funerals, movies, live performances, sports events, business meetings, classes, and dates, and in places of worship, restrooms, restaurants, libraries, museums, and doctor or dentist waiting rooms. Another tip -- be wary of novelty ring tones. Not everyone will appreciate hearing the latest Britney Spears tune or Beethoven's Fifth every time you receive a call. Try using your phone's "vibrate" function instead of the ringer in public. Wondering how your cell-phone manners rate? Try this cell-phone etiquette quiz to see how polite you are.

What is the etiquette for using a cell phone?

What is the etiquette for using a cell phone?

The etiquette for cell-phone usage follows the same principles as all good manners -- be considerate of others and keep your surroundings is mind. The sites we found by searching on "cell phone etiquette" and flipping through the Cellular Telephone Etiquette category in the Yahoo! Directory all echoed this basic sentiment. On a safety note, Tom and Ray from NPR's Car Talk show advise you to just say "no" to phone chatter while driving. Talking on a cell phone when you're driving can be as dangerous as driving drunk. If you must make or receive a call in the car, pull over. You'll be doing yourself and everyone else on the road a huge favor. Aside from safety, cell-phone users must realize that their private conversations often take place in public, and they need to modify their behavior accordingly. CellManners.comand PhoneyBusiness.com list the essentials of cell-phone etiquette: Speak softly. Cell phones are usually more sound sensitive than regular phones, so you don't need to yell to make yourself heard. And no amount of shouting will improve a bad connection. Respect the personal space of others by taking your conversation 10 or more feet away from people. Ideally, take your phone call into a private space. Refrain from using your phone in a place where others can't escape your conversation, such as in an elevator or on public transit. Do not interrupt a face-to-face conversation to take a cell-phone call. The person you are actually with takes priority. If you have a phone conversation in front of that person, you're showing that he or she is unimportant to you. Keep private matters private. Nobody wants to hear you fight with your spouse over your cell phone. If you use the phone for business, you could leak company-confidential information when talking in public. Turn your cell phone off during weddings, funerals, movies, live performances, sports events, business meetings, classes, and dates, and in places of worship, restrooms, restaurants, libraries, museums, and doctor or dentist waiting rooms. Another tip -- be wary of novelty ring tones. Not everyone will appreciate hearing the latest Britney Spears tune or Beethoven's Fifth every time you receive a call. Try using your phone's "vibrate" function instead of the ringer in public. Wondering how your cell-phone manners rate? Try this cell-phone etiquette quiz to see how polite you are.

Memo

Memo

Create a company in your imagination and pretend that your distribution list of students in our class is a list of your employees. Plan and write a memo of considerable length to your employees, explaining a new policy that you will be implementing soon. Be sure to give the most important information first. Use a pleasant tone even though the policy may be an unpopular one. Check the text once again for procedures and techniques in developing this memo. At the bottom of the memo, type IN CAPS the name of your imaginary company and give it an address. Send the memo to your list.

Memo

Memo

Create a company in your imagination and pretend that your distribution list of students in our class is a list of your employees. Plan and write a memo of considerable length to your employees, explaining a new policy that you will be implementing soon. Be sure to give the most important information first. Use a pleasant tone even though the policy may be an unpopular one. Check the text once again for procedures and techniques in developing this memo. At the bottom of the memo, type IN CAPS the name of your imaginary company and give it an address. Send the memo to your list.

Instructions for Memo Assignment

Instructions for Memo Assignment

This assignment is based on the Harvard Business School Case, “Economy Shipping Company” frequently used in finance classes. Students should develop a Pyramid argument and write a memo arguing for or against repairing one of the company’s steamboats vs. replacing it with a new diesel-powered boat.
Objectives
This assignment allows students to accomplish the following objectives:
• Practice structuring and writing effective memos
• Analyze audiences and design communication strategies tailored to them
• Communicate coherently, correctly, clearly, concisely, and confidently
Context and Audience
Students should pretend to be the Controller for Economy Shipping. They should prepare a memo to the Executive Committee that outlines their recommendation for the “Cynthia.” They need to justify their decision with data from the case, remembering that the executives will want answers, not processes for determining answers. In addition, they might wish to hear about non-financial considerations.
Deliverables
Students need to prepare a memo of 1 to 1 ½ pages. Students should state their purpose in the first paragraph and use headings to signal major points. The pyramid that students used to develop their argument should be attached to the memo. It should be at least three levels and can be either hand-written or produced electronically; students will not be penalized for hand-written pyramids provided they are legible.

Students may insert a financial data chart (but only one) to support their argument, but it must be an original chart and not simply a table copied from the case. If students do insert a chart, they must handle it correctly, that is, by introducing it in the text before it appears and giving it a chart title and exhibit number. Also, they should remember the audience wants a decision and the facts behind the decision not a description of the analysis or financial formulas.
Evaluation Criteria
The communication faculty will be looking for the following when evaluating the memo:
• Tight, logical, and complete argument
• Professional and appropriate tone for the audience
• Clear and concise style
• Clear, concise, meaningful subject line (reveals the “so what” of memo)
• First paragraph that establishes context and states the memo’s purpose
• Final paragraph establishing the next steps
• Correct usage and no careless proofreading errors
• Formatted for easy reading (no globby paragraphs, headings used effectively).

Instructions for Memo Assignment

Instructions for Memo Assignment

This assignment is based on the Harvard Business School Case, “Economy Shipping Company” frequently used in finance classes. Students should develop a Pyramid argument and write a memo arguing for or against repairing one of the company’s steamboats vs. replacing it with a new diesel-powered boat.
Objectives
This assignment allows students to accomplish the following objectives:
• Practice structuring and writing effective memos
• Analyze audiences and design communication strategies tailored to them
• Communicate coherently, correctly, clearly, concisely, and confidently
Context and Audience
Students should pretend to be the Controller for Economy Shipping. They should prepare a memo to the Executive Committee that outlines their recommendation for the “Cynthia.” They need to justify their decision with data from the case, remembering that the executives will want answers, not processes for determining answers. In addition, they might wish to hear about non-financial considerations.
Deliverables
Students need to prepare a memo of 1 to 1 ½ pages. Students should state their purpose in the first paragraph and use headings to signal major points. The pyramid that students used to develop their argument should be attached to the memo. It should be at least three levels and can be either hand-written or produced electronically; students will not be penalized for hand-written pyramids provided they are legible.

Students may insert a financial data chart (but only one) to support their argument, but it must be an original chart and not simply a table copied from the case. If students do insert a chart, they must handle it correctly, that is, by introducing it in the text before it appears and giving it a chart title and exhibit number. Also, they should remember the audience wants a decision and the facts behind the decision not a description of the analysis or financial formulas.
Evaluation Criteria
The communication faculty will be looking for the following when evaluating the memo:
• Tight, logical, and complete argument
• Professional and appropriate tone for the audience
• Clear and concise style
• Clear, concise, meaningful subject line (reveals the “so what” of memo)
• First paragraph that establishes context and states the memo’s purpose
• Final paragraph establishing the next steps
• Correct usage and no careless proofreading errors
• Formatted for easy reading (no globby paragraphs, headings used effectively).

Instructions for Individual Oral Presentation

Instructions for Individual Oral Presentation

For this assignment, students will prepare a five-minute oral presentation. This is their opportunity to develop their speaking skills by choosing their own business-related topic, developing the PowerPoint slides on their own, and delivering a well-prepared presentation.
Objectives
This assignment allows students to accomplish the following objectives:
• Practice creating, preparing, and delivering a PowerPoint presentation
• Practice individual presentation skills
Audience and Context
Students may choose any business-related topic. Students can develop ideas based on articles in business publications, expand on a topic they have covered in another class, or report on a company or career they are interested in pursuing. For example, students might use topics, such as how to read an annual report to prepare for an interview, the pros and cons of franchising with a particular company, business etiquette, and tips on doing business in a specific country.
Communication faculty and peers will be the audience, although students may create a different audience if they wish (they need to make sure to identify the audience before they start presenting). Remember to spell out all unfamiliar acronyms, etc. Students should wear business attire.
Deliverables
Students’ presentations must include PowerPoint graphics that they have developed on their own. They should remember to follow the PowerPoint design principles in LC.
In addition to the presentation, students should turn in a printout of the PowerPoint presentation with three slides per page to the communication faculty at the beginning of class.

Evaluation Criteria
For the presentation evaluation criteria, students should see the oral presentation self-evaluation form in LC.

Instructions for Individual Oral Presentation

Instructions for Individual Oral Presentation

For this assignment, students will prepare a five-minute oral presentation. This is their opportunity to develop their speaking skills by choosing their own business-related topic, developing the PowerPoint slides on their own, and delivering a well-prepared presentation.
Objectives
This assignment allows students to accomplish the following objectives:
• Practice creating, preparing, and delivering a PowerPoint presentation
• Practice individual presentation skills
Audience and Context
Students may choose any business-related topic. Students can develop ideas based on articles in business publications, expand on a topic they have covered in another class, or report on a company or career they are interested in pursuing. For example, students might use topics, such as how to read an annual report to prepare for an interview, the pros and cons of franchising with a particular company, business etiquette, and tips on doing business in a specific country.
Communication faculty and peers will be the audience, although students may create a different audience if they wish (they need to make sure to identify the audience before they start presenting). Remember to spell out all unfamiliar acronyms, etc. Students should wear business attire.
Deliverables
Students’ presentations must include PowerPoint graphics that they have developed on their own. They should remember to follow the PowerPoint design principles in LC.
In addition to the presentation, students should turn in a printout of the PowerPoint presentation with three slides per page to the communication faculty at the beginning of class.

Evaluation Criteria
For the presentation evaluation criteria, students should see the oral presentation self-evaluation form in LC.

Communications Development Plan -- CDP

Communications Development Plan -- CDP

Instructions for CDP

The CDP is designed to provide students an opportunity to focus on their specific areas of needed communication improvement and to allow them to create a clear roadmap for reaching defined personal communication improvement goals. It is the key to students attaining measurable improvement in their leadership communication ability.
Objectives
This assignment allows students to accomplish the following objectives:
• Identify targeted improvement areas in oral or written communication
• Establish specific approaches to achieving goals in each
• Document a specific improvement approach
• Demonstrate a commitment to spending time on specific communication skill needs.
CDP Contents
The CDP should contain the following sections:
1. Current assessment – Strengths and weaknesses in leadership communication
a. Go back to the self-assessment forms provided in LC.
b. Include improvement needs in written, oral, interpersonal, and/or team communications (if very strong in areas, students may elect to focus only on those needing work, although most students usually choose to work on oral and written at a minimum).
c. Use the feedback obtained in CDP meetings on usage assessment, letter writing, and oral presentations.
2. Communication improvement goals – What students would like to achieve
a. Be very specific and make the goals measurable. For instance, just saying, “improve in oral presentations” is too broad. Instead, students should say, “Remove 95% of the ‘uhs’ from my presentation,” “always include sub-topics in introduction and conclusion,” “open up my gestures more so that I look natural and comfortable,” etc.
b. Establish levels from easier to reach to stretch goals.
3. Actions to achieve goals – Clear and specific activities to reach each goal
4. Timetable – Deadlines for reaching goals
a. Set deadlines reasonably spread throughout the semester that will ensure reaching overall improvement objectives by the end of the semester.
b. Be realistic in what can be accomplished by each deadline.
5. Measurement – Methods to determine progress, even on less tangible objectives, such as improving confidence in presenting.
6. CDP Partner’s Name and Role – A classmate who will serve as an improvement partner and a description of how the student sees the partner supporting his or her improvement efforts.
a. Students should select someone in their section to review the plan, discuss it with them, and serve as a source of support and feedback throughout the semester.
b. In defining their supporting role, students should be specific about the responsibilities they want them to assume that will be most helpful in their development. For example, they might want them to serve as someone who (1) encourages and coaches them, (2) monitors their progress, (3) provides specific feedback, or (4) holds them accountable for achieving their objectives.
c. This person should provide feedback to them throughout the semester in the improvement areas they have selected. For instance, if they need to remove the fillers from their presentations, the partner could count them for them when they deliver their impromptus or prepared presentations; or if they want to improve their writing, they could ask them to read something they have written and provide specific feedback on how they could improve it.

At the end of the course, the instructor will ask each CDP Partner to provide a brief statement on their partner’s progress.

Audience
The student, the instructor, and the selected CDP Partner will be the audience for this plan.

Deliverables
Format the plan in such a way that it is clearly logical and easy to follow. Students can use a table format similar to the one illustrated in LC if they wish. If they decide not to use a table format, keep the format brief and concise and use headings and bullets to make the content easy to read. Place the date and name as a footer on each page.

Evaluation Criteria

The communication faculty will grade the CDP as a writing assignment and expect students to meet the established standards for all written assignments. The instructor will grade the CDP using the following criteria:

• Honest and thorough assessment of strengths and weaknesses
• Specific goals with specific actions to accomplish each
• Realistic timelines
• Method to measure results
• Suggested commitment to improvement
• Logical organization
• Clear and concise style
• Correct usage
• No careless proofreading errors