Technical Correspondence

Technical Correspondence
Role of Correspondence
Correspondence is the basic communication instrument in business and industry.
Much of the activity of science and technology is conducted through letters.
Even the basic science researcher in the relative isolation of the laboratory is called upon to write letters.
He sends out inquiries and requests, answers inquiries and requests, orders equipment, sends acknowledgements, writes letters of instructions, sales and adjustments.
A business letter is not written for the pleasure of the writer or the reader. It is intended for some practical objective.
Modern business letters are reader centered.
A business letter communicates an attitude as well as a message.
The letter tends to establish a personal relationship between the writer and the reader.
The stress in the letter is on rapport.
Psychology of Correspondence
The modern business writer is much concerned with the reader.
The “You Psychology” plays an important role in letter composition.
“Put yourself in your reader’s shoes” is the maxim.
The reader of your letter is interested only in how your message will benefit him. If your letter is to appeal to him, it must be constructed in term of benefits to him.
Write simply, write naturally.
Make your letter sound as if you are talking directly to your reader.
Business English is not pompous English; it is a clear and friendly language
Be sure that the general appearance of your letter creates a favorable impression.
Your letters can be one of the best public relations and advertising mediums.

Planning-determining your purpose
Good letters are based on planning.
No one can write a good letter without being exactly sure what he or she is after.
Before starting to dictate or write, ask your self: what do I want to do? What action I want the reader to take? What impression do I want to leave with the reader.
If you have to answer a letter, read carefully the letter you have received; underline questions or statements to be answered; jot down comments in the margin.
Ask yourself: what is the most important fact to the reader?
Usually the most important fact should be dealt with first; let the rest follow in logical sequence.

Organizing your letter
Set a number of paragraphsone for each main thought or factbefore you start. This will force you to order your thought and prevent confused ramblings.
Use the first paragraph to tell your reader what the letter is about. Begin your letter directly.
Use the last paragraph to make it easier for your reader to take the action you want him to take, or use it to build a favorable attitude when no action on his part is needed.
Keep sentences in paragraphs short.
Opening and closing paragraphs normally should be brief.
The longest paragraph usually comes in the middle of the letter.
Paragraphs keep thoughts together which belong together.
They enable the reader to get your meaning as easily and as certainly as possible.
Read your letter carefully before you sign it.
Once it goes out, you, the signer, are responsible for any errors or confusion.

Composing Letters Mechanical Details
Most organizations and companies use one of the three format styles in their letters the Block, the Semi bloc, and Simplified style
In the Block Style the paragraphs in the body of the letter are not indented.
The semiblock differs from the block format only in that the paragraphs in the body of the letter are indented.
In the simplified style the paragraphs are not indented and the dateline, the inside address the attention line and subject line, the salutation, the main body, the complimentary close and the signature block are placed flush left.
Framing a letter on the page
A typed letter should be so placed on the page that white margins serve as the frame around it.
Side margin should be approximately equal and wider than the bottom margin.
The bottom margin should never be less than one inch below the last typed word.
The left-hand margin should be even and the right hand should be as even as possible.
The Heading
When preprinted letterhead is not used, the writer includes a heading to help identify the source of the letter.
The heading includes the address but not the name of the writer. The street address is on one line and the city, postal zone and state/province and the country on another line. The name of the country can also be shifted below state/province line.
The heading is placed at the right side of the page.
The date follows the last line of the address
The Inside Address
The purpose of the inside address is to identify the receiver of the letter by giving complete name and address of the person or organization to whom the letter is sent.
It is usually placed four to six lines below the dateline.
No punctuation is used at the end of any line.
It is placed flush left.
The Attention Line and Subject Line
The attention line is placed two spaces below the last line of inside address and subject is placed below it. The word reference or its abbreviation RE are sometimes used for Subject.
The Salutation
The salutation is used as a form of greeting. The simplified letter sometimes omits it .
It is placed two lines spaces below inside address or six spaces if an attention or subject line is used.
Use a colon or a comma after the salutation. In modern practice we do not use either.
Conventionally the word Dear precedes the person address: Dear Mr. Ahmad: or Dear Sir: Dear Mrs. Ahmad or Dear Madam
Gentlemen: is the correct form in addressing a group of men, and Ladies in addressing more than two women. When two persons are addressed use both names:
Dear Mr. Ahmad and Mr. Mahmood:
Dear Mrs. Ahmad and Mrs. Mahmood:
Write dear ladies and gentlemen when addressing a mixed group.
If the marital status of a lady is not known then write Ms
The body of the letter
Begin the body of letter two line spaces below salutation.
Use single space for letters of average length or longer.
Short letters of five lines or less may be double spaced.
Always use double spaced between paragraphs in single-spaced letters.
Whether the body is indented depends upon the style used.
The Complementary Close
The purpose of the complementary close is to express farewell at the end of the letter.
The complementary close should be typed two lines below the last line of the text.
It should start slightly to the right of the center of the page, but it should never extend the right margin.
The coma is used at its end.
Only the first word of the complementary close is capitalized.
Yours truly, Very truly yours, Sincerely and Sincerely yours are the proper and conventional complementary closes most frequently used.

The signature
Type the name three spaces below the complementary closes.
Enclosures
If there are enclosures type Encl. Or Encls. If there are more than one enclosures

Letter of Complaint and Adjustment

Letter of Complaint
Attitude should be firm and fair
Courteous
Positive attitude
Don’t threaten to withdraw your business on first offence
Be very specific about what is wrong and detail any inconvenience caused you
Identify the product that had fault
Motivate the receiver to make an adjustment
If you know the adjustment, spell it out; or let it come from the company you are dealing with
Format simple
Addressed to the Customer Relations Department
Most companies have an office or an employee responsible for complaints
Letter of Adjustment
It is in response to a letter of complaint
Most companies welcome letters or complaint to know their mistakes
Adjustment letter as means or promoting future business
They fall in 2 categories: granting of adjustment requested or refusal
The first is good news and is easy to write; the second is bad news and is difficult to write

The Good-Newsletter
Be cheerful and build goodwill
Begin by expressing regrets about the problem

The Bad-Newsletter
Be very courteous
Try to give some concession

Letter of Inquiry
Solicited letter of inquiry
Identify the advertisement that solicited your inquiry
Identify yourself and establish your need for the information
Request the information, specify the precise area in which you are interested

Unsolicited letter of inquiry

Identify yourself
State clearly and specifically the information or materials that you want
Establish your need for the requested information materials
Tell the recipient why you have chosen him or her as a source for this information or materials
Close courteously

Memos (memorandum)

A memo is a document generally meant for circulation within the department/organization.
The memo is an ideal form of communication when you need to convey the same information to a group of people.
Typical messages include changes in company/institution policies or employee benefits; notices of meetings or announcements of new hiring, promotions and transfers; reminders to employees of actions they need to take. Memos should:

be as brief as you can make them deal with one subject only be specific about what you require or what you expect people to do. state any deadline for action clearly and indicate the degree of urgency for any action required. be dated and referenced. be sent only to those who really need them
What is a proposal?
A citizen may propose something to be done for the community. An engineer might propose the replacement of a boiler, a system analyst may propose a piece of new software for his department and airspace company may offer to build a new billion dollar fighter bomber for US Defense Department.
Types of proposals:
Proposals come in different formats and sizes for different purposes and situations.
(a) Internal and External proposals
(b) Solicited and unsolicited proposals
(c) Letter proposals (on two to seven pages) and formal proposals (bound, several hundred pages).
(d) Research proposals to sponsors
Functions of proposals
A proposal is designed to perform two salesmanship functions.

(a) To get a proposal accepted
(b) To get you or your company accepted to perform work
Basic plan of proposals
a. Letter proposal:
Follows the format of a formal letter
(i) Introduction
Set down every thing needed to inform your reader about the proposal your are presenting identify the subject matter of the research or proposal – comment upon its importance and usefulness.
(ii) Body (discussion)
This should be the main and the largest section of the proposal – develop the substance of your proposal in all necessary detail: importance, need, cost analysis and time required to complete the work
(iii) Conclusion
Here you try to consolidate what you have accomplished in the body of the letter.
(iv) Attachments: Graphs, elaborate, statistical data
b. Formal proposals: Written in response to a ‘request for proposals’ (RFP) may take the shape of a feasibility report and may generally have the following organization.
Title page.
Table of contents
Execute summary
Introduction
Background
Discussion
Project organization with timetable
Budget – costs involved
Qualifications ad experience
Appendix

Items for inclusion

The following items may be included but be selective according to your requirements

(1) References to an association
(2) Subject and purpose
(3) Definition of the problem
(4) Immediate background of the problem
(5) Need for solution of the problem
(6) Benefits that will
(7) Feasibility of solution
(8) Scope
(9) Methods to be used
(10) Task break down
(11) Time and work schedule
(12) Facilities available
(13) Previous experience
(14) Personnel and their qualifications
(15) References
(16) Likelihood of success
(17) Products of the project
(18) Cost analysis and method of payment
(19) Descriptive and adjusting literature
(20) Urge to action

Tips to Remember

(a) Ask for only that you can easily deliver.
(b) Statement - do not promise more than you can do.
(c) Appearance – good shape and format – no overdressing.
(d) Timing - Time should be right - too much should be right – too much too soon, too little to late – right thing at wrong time.
(e) Strict deadline - a must.